Cruising Into the Heart of Russia

Sail along the entire length of Mother Russia's No 1 Waterway, the Volga River, from capital city of Moscow to historical towns of the Golden Ring, through Russia's Heartland, pastoral landscapes and to the edge of the Caspian Sea, to Astrakhan, in southern Russia

Moscow → Astrakhan'

· 14 Days 

Sailing Dates:

Sept 07-Sept 21 

Sept 14-Sept 28 

aboard the superior MS Nikolai Chernyshevsky ****

Moscow - Uglich - Yaroslavl - Kostroma - Nizhny Novgorod - Cheboksary - Kazan - Samara - Saratov - Volgograd - Astrakhan
 

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A similar itinerary is available in reverse:

Astrakhan → Moscow


Sailing Dates:

Sept 20-Oct 03, 2021

Sept 27-Oct 10, 2021

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Highlights:

- Cruise 3,000 km along Mother Volga, Europe’s longest river and Russia’s lifeline

- Enjoy unparalleled views of Russia along the entire length of the Volga River which banks are studded with colorful churches and monasteries
- Visit Volgograd, the former Stalingrad, where the bloodiest battle of WW II took place. Remember Stalingrad’s horrors and heroics at the gigantic Mamayev Kurgan World War II Memorial

- Snack on the Russian sturgeon and black caviar

- Visit history-filled gem towns of the Golden Ring: Uglich, Yaroslavl and Kostroma

- Explore Nizhny Novgorod, a booming trade capital of Russia

- Visit the colorful markets and Tatar mosques in a thousand year-old city of Kazan
- Explore Astrakhan, the place where the Volga River flows into the Caspian sea and forms the largest Delta in Europe

- Take in the city of Astrakhan the world capital of caviar; a wonderland of unique wildlife found nowhere else; a bustling port city that dates back to the time of the Golden Horde

Itinerary Overview: 

 Cruise Only Price: $ 5,215 per person based in a twin outside Cabin, Main Deck

 Port taxes and charges: approx. $ 113 per person

Cruise Price includes:

accommodation in a twin outside Cabin, on Main Deck, three meals daily starting from dinner on embarkation day and ending with breakfast on disembarkation day; sightseeing with an English-speaking guide, as per day-by-day program; entertainment on board; live concerts and shows; Russian language and song classes; Cruise director

Not Included: 

international airfare; domestic airfare, Astrakhan - Moscow, one way; optional tours; individual transfers upon arrival & departure, expenses of personal nature, pre- & post- cruise extensions

Day-By-Day Program:

Day 01   Arrive in MOSCOW:  
Transfer to river pier for embarkation to your floating hotel. Dinner (D)

Day 02   MOSCOW:
A panoramic city sightseeing tour of Moscow (B,L,D)

Day 03    MOSCOW: 

Today you will be touring the very heart of the city and of the whole of Russia – the Kremlin, with its historic churches, the Belfry, Czar’s Cannon and Czar’s Bell. You will go inside the Assumption Cathedral, the principal church of Russia, which vaults witnessed all major events that shaped this country.

Return to the ship and start off your 3,000 km voyage along rivers and canals via Russia's Heartland to the Volga River delta on the Caspian Sea, in southern Russia

Day 04   UGLICH:
Disembark for a Walking tour through the provincial village of Uglich, one of the Golden Ring ancient towns that preserve the memory of Russia’s historical events. See the former Kremlin of Uglich and visit the Church of St. Dmitry on the Blood, built on the site where Ivan the Terrible’s son Dmitry was mysteriously killed. Depart before dinner; cruise through the night. (B,L,D)

Day 05   YAROSLAVL: 
Arrive in Yaroslavl, the Heart of the Golden Ring, a dynamic centre of the Upper Volga region. During your City tour drive along the river banks where you will see the Church of the Epiphany, the splendid Church of St. Elijah the Prophet, the Yaroslavl Drama theatre, being the oldest theater in Russia (founded in 1750), Governor's House, the local market and more. 

You will have some free time to shop for handcrafted souvenirs before returning to your ship for lunch and departure (B,L,D)

Day 05   KOSTROMA:
Today you will also explore Kostroma, a historic town and an important part of the Golden Ring of Russian towns. This is where 300-year Romanov Imperial dynasty began in 1613 (1613-19170. Learn more about Kostroma history and its treasures during the city tour and a visit to the Ipatiev Monastery

Day 06   NIZHNY NOVGOROD:
formerly known as the town of Gorky, it is among the major highlights of your cruise. Nizhny Novgorod has a remarkable history and today it is Russia’s ‘third capital’, with its mighty Kremlin, impressive views along the Volga River and the Sakharov Museum. The city is also known as the booming trading and Research centre of Russia (B,L,D)

Day 07   CHEBOKSARY:

Day 08   KAZAN:

The city turned 1000 years old and is among the most ancient, colorful and multicultural in the whole of Russia. Kazan is the Tatar capital, with a stunning UNESCO's World Heritage-listed Kremlin (B,L,D)

Day 09   SAMARA:

In the morning you will be passing the Zhiguly Mountains that make up the most beautiful views of Southern Volga on the approaches to Samara. The city is one of the largest cities of Russia, with the history of being one of the most important economic and aerospace-related centers in today's Russia. During the Soviet years, Samara was a 'closed city' and foreigners were banned from entering it. It was also renamed Kuybyshev and during the Stalin years a huge secret underground bunker was built here.

Nowadays, the city is open and is prospering as the key producer of aerospace launch vehicles, satellites, aircraft and power stations as well as chocolates. While tourists are drawn to what is commonly agreed to be one of the most picturesque waterfronts on the Volga (B,L,D)

Day 10   SARATOV:
Saratov is a major Volga port and is a city of Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space. For decades Saratov was a vital part of the Soviet space program.

Still a center for space research, Saratov is one of the largest scientific centers in European Russia.

It is also famous in Russian cultural history as being the main centre for the 'Volga Germans', who were invited to come and live in Russia by Catherine the Great. Nowadays, many 19th century German buildings and churches still survive in the city, alongside numerous onion-domed Orthodox cathedrals (B,L,D)

Day 11   VOLGOGRAD (Ex.Stalingrad):
This city, formerly Stalingrad, is a sacred site of Russia’s bloodiest battle during the World War II that marked the turning point in crushing Hitler plans to conquer Russia. Take a City tour of Volgograd and pay a visit to the Mamayev Kurgan (Mound) WW II Memorial with a gigantic Mother Calls Statue. At the time of its construction this free-standing structure was the largest in the world (B,L,D)

Day 12   SCENIC CRUISING:   
Activities on board and time to relax (B,L,D)

Day 13   ASTRAKHAN:

The cruise follows the river to its delta on the Caspian Sea and in the morning arrives in Astrakhan, the city known for a well-preserved Kremlin and a lively market, but is most famous for its black gold: caviar. City tour (B,L,D)

Day 14   ASTRAKHAN: 

Today your cruise comes to an end. Breakfast on board and disembarkation (B) 
 

Please see below the Volga Cruise Map: