The Kola Express train holiday

The Kola Express train holiday

Day 1: In the evening leave from Ladozhsky railway station in Saint-Petersburg for Kandalaksha. Overnight in the train.

Day 2: Arrival in Kandalaksha. Meeting by a car or a minibus and drive to Varzuga village. On the way stop to see old village Kashkarantsy. Another stop is at a Chapel of Unknown Monk standing desolated on the sea shore. Arrival in Varzuga.
Upon arrival check-in at a small guest house. Lunch. You can visit the still-functioning Uspenskaya Orthodox Church build in 1674 y. By rowing boat cross the Varzuga River for a walk among traditional wooden houses. With a local guide take a short hike through forest to "Magic" springs welling out of the sand (4 km in one direction). Dinner and overnight in a wooden guest house. (L,D)

Day 3: Stay in Varzuga. (You can ask owners of the house also about fishing possibilities for additional payment). Breakfast, lunch and dinner in the guest house. Overnight in a wooden guest house (B,L,D)

Day 4: After breakfast at 9.00 leave Varzuga for Monchegorsk city (located on the way to Murmansk). During way sandwiches and beverages. Arrival in Monchegorsk around 16.00. Check-in at a hotel upon arrival. Explore the city. Three blue lakes almost divide the city in islands. The biggest Cathedral of Murmansk region is one of major places of interest in Monchegorsk city. You can learn more about the history of Monchegorsk when you visit the local Historical museum. Also you will visit the Museum of Coloured Stones. It consists of outstanding collection of minerals and items from the whole Russia (see optional). Overnight at the hotel. (B)

Day 5: Breakfast and check-out. You can stay this day in Monchegorsk and take a hiking tour, or a bicycling tour, or kayaking tour on Imandra Lake, by your choice (see options above). After that take a public bus to Murmansk (140 km) (optional). When you at the Murmansk bus station you can take a taxi (100 RUR) or to use public transport to come to a hotel (according a route map from us). Check-in. You can explore the city on your own following the route maps and descriptions from us. Or you can take optional excursions and have a personnel guide to meet the city (see optional). Dinner in recommended restaurant. Overnight in the hotel.

Day 6: Breakfast. Explore the city on your own following the route maps and descriptions from us. Or you can take optional excursions and have a personnel guide you can continue to explore the city on your own following the route maps and descriptions from us. Take a train to Kem. Overnight in the train.

Day 7: Morning arrival in Kem. Transfer from railway station to the harbour. Check in at the hotel near the harbour. You have breakfast and you can get ferry tickets to the Solovetsky Islands there (see optional). Leave for Solovetsky Islands in the morning (the harbour is close to the hotel). On Solovetsky you can explore the Monastery and its lands. Return to your hotel in the evening for dinner and overnight.

Day 7: Morning arrival in Kem. Transfer from railway station to the harbour. Check in at the hotel near the harbour. You have breakfast and you can get ferry tickets to the Solovetsky Islands there (optional). Leave for Solovetsky Islands in the morning (the harbour is close to the hotel). On Solovetsky you can explore the Monastery and its lands. Return to your hotel in the evening for dinner and overnight.

Day 8: After breakfast transfer to the railway station to get into early morning train to Petrozavodsk. Meeting by a car from a hotel and transfer to a hotel. Check-in and spend the day in Petrozavodsk or use one of the mentioned options (see optional). Overnight at the hotel.

Day 9: Today you have time to visit Kizhi open-air museum (see optional). At the harbour,you can board a boat to Kizhi Island for a hiking excursion overthere. You can be met by a guide to show you Kizhi Island. Lunch on your own. It’s also good just to take some sandwiches and drinks with you. Take a ship to come back to Petrozavodsk. Transfer to the railway station to get into late evening train to Saint Petersburg. Overnight in the train.

Day 10: Arrival in Saint Petersburg early in the morning. Meeting by a car from a hotel and transfer to the hotel (optional). Check-in. Each room has a desk, refrigerator, TV, DVD, WI-FI free of charge, tea pot, conditioner, and telephone. Rooms are non smoking. In the evening you can start to explore the city on your own or take guided excursions (see optional). Overnight in the hotel.

Day 11: Explore Saint-Petersburg on your own or take one of optional excursions or just order services of guide (optional). Overnight in the hotel.

Day 12: Departure.

The Kola Express train holiday

The Kola Express train holiday can be extended with the following optionals:

• Monchegorsk:
  • Entrance tickets museums: approx. 50 roubles per person
  • 2 hour yacht excursion on the biggest lake of Kola peninsula named Imandra. Up to 8 persons.
  • One day hiking tour to the waterfall Devichyi Kosi (Girl's plaits) in Monche Tundra with campfire lunch.
  • One day bicycling tour in hilly area with campfire lunch.
  • One day kayaking on Imandra Lake.
  • Karting centre in Monchegorsk.
  • Cross-country skiing in Monchegorsk suburbs (winter).
  • Skating in Ice stadion in Monchegorsk (winter).
  • See link above for more info.
• What to see in Murmansk:
  • The city has a Regional Historical Museum, where you can listen to an excursion in English language. The museum includes historical, mineralogical, nature, cultural and other exhibitions.
  • You can visit the Picture-museum; exhibitions of different painters or the Sport Museum where you will know about the famous sportsmen and a story of the development of the Northern sports.
  • In the Polar Research Institute of Marine Fisheries and Oceanography (PINRO) you will meet the fascinating world of the dwellers of the sea bottom.
  • The Museum of Northern Navy will show you different models of military ships and submarines, uniforms of the Russian navy military and many other things connected to Northern Russian Navy.
  • Nuclear Icebreaker "Lenin". Watch Worlds first nuclear icebreaker in the passenger harbour. Everyday free excursion on board. See Murmansk by the Captains eye from the bridge, the cabins and engine room.
  • Regional Centre of Folk Arts may interest you in the special for Russia kind of handicraft.
  • You can visit Russian Orthodox Temples and enjoy listening to a nice church choir.
  • You will see the enormous Memorial of a Warrior named by citizens 'Alyosha' which dominates above the city like a huge tower.
  • Memorial of the sunken submarine Kursk. It sunk the 12th August 2000, all 118 Seamen died. The Kursk memorial you can find on the territory of the Memorial Complex to the Soldiers and Seamen Who Died in Peaceful Time.
  • You can have a walk in the shining with lights city in Winter time, or under the never setting sun in Summer.
  • And at night you can have dinner in a restaurant with a nice variety show.
• Moermansk:
  • Tickets voor museum- en museumexcursies kosten van 100 roebel tot 1000 roebel per persoon.
  • Excursie in een nucleaire-ijsbreker met een rondleiding in het Russisch of Engels.
  • Stadstour in Heldenstad Moermansk.
  • Excursie naar een Husky kennel bij Moermansk.
  • Dagexcursie naar een Saami – nedersetting.
  • Dagexcursie naar de Barentz zee en Teriberka dorp.
  • Dagexcursie naar Husky Park bij Lovozero dorp.
  • Dagexcursie naar Lovozero dorp; Hoofdstad van de Saamen.
• Kem harbour (5 min walk from boat to Solovetsky Island):
  • Overnight in a hotel: approx. EUR 51,-- per person in twin room
  • Overnight in a hotel: approx. EUR 85,-- per person in single room
• Solovetsky islands:
  • Two-way boat tickets
  • Entrance tickets to expositions. Price to exhibitions approx. EUR 3 to 5 per person.
  • Guided excursions for groups from 10 persons: from EUR 8 to 18 per person
  • Extra overnights in hotel: approx. EUR 51 per person per night in twin room or approx. EUR 85 in single room
  • See link above for more info
• Petrozavodsk:
  • Trip to Zoo Complex located 70 km far from Petrozavodsk.
  • Trip to Kinerma Village with excursion and lunch located 100 km far from Petrozavodsk.
  • Combination of trips Zoo Complex and Kinerma village in a round drive. A taxi picks you up from Petrozavodsk, waits at the places and brings you back to Petrozavodsk.
  • Local guide-interpreter.
  • Entrance fees to Museums in Petrozavodsk will be between 5 and 10 euros per person.
  • Boat excursion to Kizhi Open Air Museum.
• Kizhi Open Air Museum:
  • Two-way boat tickets in Kizhi Island.
  • English speaking guide in Kizhi Island.
  • Audio guide on Kizhi Island: EUR 4,-- per person
  • See link above for more info.
• Saint Petersburg:
  • Folklore program in Nikolaevsky Palace "Feel yourself Russian" inclusive traditional Russian snacks.
  • Guided hiking excursions in St-Petersburg, 3 hours.
  • Guided hiking and driving excursion in St-Petersburg, 3 hours.
  • 7 hour excursion to Tsarskoe Selo/Pushkin and Ekaterina Palace.
  • 7 hour excursion to Peterhof by hydrofoil “Meteor".
  • Entrance tickets for Hermitage: approx. EUR 18 per person.
  • Local guide-interpreter.
• Single- or double-entry invitations for Russian visa request.