Eastern Approaches

Introduction

Few in Europe have ever heard of Elista, capital of the Republic of Kalmykia; fewer still realise that it is the capital of the only state in Europe whose official religion is Tibetan Buddhist! Here, lamaseries, stupas, prayer flags and pictures of the Dalai Lama predominate in a capital city west of the Urals.

The Kalmyks, arriving in the 18th century, were the last ‘wave’ of peoples who have been crossing the limitless grasslands of Eurasia since earliest times. Not the first Mongols to form a European state but merely the last: from the Golden Horde in the 13th century to the successive Khanates of Crimea, Astrakhan and Kazan of later history, Mongols have formed a part of European history for nearly 800 years – longer than the Roman Empire! As well as Tibetan Buddhist Elista, we visit the site of Sarai, capital of the Golden Horde overlooking the Volga, and Astrakhan, capital of its successor Khanate at the Volga Delta.

And that is merely scratching the surface. In addition, we encounter Amazons, Scythians, Sarmatians, Khazars, Avars, Huns, Greeks, Mongols, Cossacks, Tatars, a short-lived German Volga republic, an even shorter Greek Black Sea Republic, and a Jewish Empire. We sail through the lotus fields in the Volga Delta to the shores of the Caspian. We visit Volgagrad (Stalingrad), where Germany lost not only the battle but the war itself. We see both the old and the new Cossack capitals. We investigate ancient Greek and medieval Genoese colonies on the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. We visit the sites of both capitals of the Khazar’s medieval Jewish Empire. We look at the vestiges of the little known Maikop Civilisation of the Bronze Age in museums of the Kuban steppe. In short, the steppe region of southern Russia is nothing less than extraordinary – probably richer, more complex and more polyglot than anywhere in Europe. This is an opportunity to know a side of Europe little known further west.

Information

Extra Notes

In addition to the general practical information, please note that the tour price includes the cost of visas and visa procurement.

Accommodation

Good quality newly built or newly renovated throughout, usually 3-4 star except in Maikop (1 night) which is fairly basic, although all rooms have private facilities. Hotels in Russia these days suffer from rising prices rather than rising damp and are as, or more, expensive than ones in western Europe

Travel

Apart from a day cruise into the Volga Delta all travel is by comfortable, new, full sized air-conditioned coach.

Local Conditions

Distances in Russia are vast and there are huge distances to cover with consequent high transportation  costs. Generally Russia is very expensive and these  factors are reflected in the high price of this tour. The tour must be viewed  as fairly strenuous with some long days of travel and consequent early starts. This is ameliorated somewhat by all but 2 overnight stops being for 2 or more nights, with 3 nights in very comfortable hotels in Rostov and Astrakhan (both hotels of which have swimming pools). All roads are asphalt, although some of these are fairly bumpy. Weather is expected to be warm.

Note that tourism in this part of Russia is very new so one simply cannot expect the same level of tourism services as one would expect in western Europe or even in Moscow and St Petersburg. Accordingly, disruptions can occur and the unexpected simply has to be expected. Indeed, the lack of tourism is the very reason why it is attractive!