Arrive at Vladivostok Airport where you are met and transferred to the four-star Hotel Hyundai located for a one-night stay. We spend the following morning in Vladivostok. This once ‘closed’ Russian port offers visitors an opportunity to unravel its mysteries as we explore its principal military attractions including a tour of a restored submarine before boarding the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express.  Tonight we enjoy dinner as our rail adventure to Moscow begins.

Passing directly north of Seoul, Darwin and Osaka, we spend our first full day on board the Golden Eagle as the most easterly point of our journey is reached passing through Khabarovsk, where we cross the River Amur.

Enjoy a leisurely pace today as we travel through the beautiful Russian landscape of this vast and varied country. 

Our Trans-Siberian adventure takes us into Mongolia, home of Genghis Khan, undoubtedly the most feared and revered Mongol and we visit the city of SükhBaatar. Lunch is taken Mongol style in a traditional Ger (Yurt) where we experience an authentic local meal and entertainment providing a unique opportunity to encounter this time-honoured nomadic way of life.

Few natural sights can surpass the beauty and grandeur of Lake Baikal.  For five hours we wind our way through tunnels along cliff hugging tracks above the frozen lake with snow-capped peaks along the far shore forming a picture-perfect backdrop.  Lake Baikal is the deepest lake in the world. Frozen in winter, Lake Baikal is the perfect location to experience the thrill of an ice ride. You will have the choice of taking a snowmobile ride or experience a dog-sled ride taken at a more sedate pace. Either way you will enjoy the perfect vantage point to appreciate the magnificence of this unspoilt location.  There is the opportunity to try under-ice fishing and the freshly caught fish are then smoked in a mobile smokehouse and served warm with ice-cold vodka. Delicious!

We arrive in Irkutsk, the ‘Paris of Siberia’, and take in the most significant sites and museums in this city, including an exploration of the classic wooden architecture that has given many of this region’s buildings such a distinctive and unique appearance. Next, we visit the Decembrist House museum which is dedicated to the memory of the exiled aristocrats who were forced to flee to this remote outpost after the failed revolution of 1825. We will enjoy a private concert before leaving for the enchanting wooded encampment of Zaimka (Hunters Lodge) where we will be met by local women dressed in traditional costume.  We have the opportunity to explore a Banya (Russian Sauna) in one of the region’s authentic wooden houses.  Drinks and traditional food can be enjoyed within a series of the cosy timber houses.

Today we relax onboard as our train travels through the Sayan Mountains. In comfort enjoy the ever changing views as sweeping panoramas of natural beauty unfold before us. Time and weather permitting, we may stop at Abakan located at the confluence of the Yenisei and Abakan rivers. 

A modern ‘Soviet’ city, we experience the life and character of Novosibirsk’s rich cultural city.  Our tour takes us to the Novosibirsk Opera House.  An architectural marvel, it houses two permanent ballet and opera companies and is the largest opera house in the world.  In front of the Opera House, we visit an imposing statue of Lenin – a marvellous opportunity to have your photograph taken with this iconic political leader. 

Founded in 1723 by Peter the Great, Yekaterinburg is Russia’s third largest city and is also the capital of the Urals.  The cultural and architectural influences of European and Asian civilisations fuse in this cosmopolitan landscape, making it a unique experience.  Our tour takes us to the execution site where Tsar Nicholas II was executed by the Bolsheviks in 1918. Now a church dedicated to their memory, this site offers a powerful insight into the turmoil of the Russian Revolution. 

Today we visit the historic city of Vladimir.  Founded in 990, it is one of the Russia’s oldest communities with an architectural wealth and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Our tour takes in Uspensky Cathedral, built between the twelfth and fifteenth centuries. It is considered one of the most important and beautiful of Russian cathedrals, where many of the prominent Russian Tsars were crowned. Our excursion moves on to the pastoral town of Suzdal, one of Russia’s most perfectly preserved walled cities dating back to 1024. Here we visit the atmospheric St Euthymius Monastery to witness an enchanting choral performance by the resident monks. No Russian winter experience would be complete without a Troika Sledge Ride. Enjoy the stunning scenery as your open horse drawn sleigh takes you on a captivating journey around Suzdal.

After travelling along this epic route to the end of the Trans-Siberian line, we arrive in Moscow by mid-morning. Our city tour of Moscow principally takes us to Red Square.  Here we see a mix of fascinating architecture, such as St Basil’s Cathedral with its magnificent onion-domed spires and the sombre and evocative site of Lenin’s tomb. At the conclusion of our city tour, we transfer to the five-star Marriott Royal Aurora hotel (or similar). Our final evening is spent saying our goodbyes to our travelling companions at the Farewell Dinner. The following morning you will be transferred to Moscow airport to begin your journey home.

BBC’s World Affairs Editor John Simpson CBE, will join the Trans-Siberian Express Winter Wonderland Eastbound and Westbound tours. John Simpson is the BBC's World Affairs Editor, the senior member of a team of London-based foreign and specialist correspondents. He has reported from 120 countries across the globe, from 36 war zones, and has interviewed more than 150 kings, presidents and prime ministers.