Ulaanbaatar to St Petersburg rail holiday

Planet

We are committed to positive environmental impacts through our Responsible Travel Policy. As an overland company we have extremely low carbon emissions throughout all our journeys.

This departure operates 99% rail and a small element of overland by bus transfer in Mongolia. We employ 4 berth cabins on the train and usually allocate around 5 cabins per tour. We find this is carbon and space efficient for the group size and we always encourage our customers to consider sharing not only to benefit the environment but to create a good group dynamic. We use public transport around the golden circle cities and employ walking tours in Moscow and St. Petersburg that further reduces our impact.

We protect and preserve the natural environments visited and ensure our clients do the same. We use local partners in Russia who ensure our waste management policy is matched. In Lake Baikal we stay at locally run traditional guesthouses who have a recycling policy in place for all plastics, paper and tin. The guesthouses are run most of the year with sustainable energy plans in place and harness solar energy through panels installed on the roof.

Throughout our journeys we control the use of one time use plastics. Clients are encouraged to bring their own reusable water bottles that can be refilled during the trip and the tour leader will often buy one large container of water at the start of the trip that can be used to refill the entire group. Plastic bottles are then recycled.

During your visit to Khustai National Park you will encounter wild horses and we often recommend visits to Reintroduction projects offered by different foundations. These projects ensure the sustainability and reintroduction of the Przewalski's horse in Mongolia's steppe.

People

We have a very clear mandate to support the local community and without these people and experiences our tours wouldn’t be the same.

We almost always visit privately-owned local restaurants during our tours including local Georgian restaurants in St. Petersburg and these are often recommended by the local city ambassadors who guide our groups. We encourage our clients to purchase local goods and services to enhance not only their experience but to ensure that we support local businesses. On visits to Irkutsk we take in the local art markets where you can buy local paintings and other arts and crafts that are inspired by the indigenous Buryat way of life.

During our stay in Kazan you will visit traditional wooden houses and understand the history of the Tartar people. Understanding their language, beliefs and history gives not only an insight into this culture but further builds relationships between clients and the local indigenous people. Your local guide will typically be of Tartar decent and as such further builds on the rapport we are trying to create.