A friend and I have just started to plan a trip on the Trans-Siberian Railway route (China-Mongolia-Russia) after a five-month trip around Asia. We will be on a shoestring budget but want to make the most of it. How long would you recommend making this trip to get a real appreciation of the route, and what are some highlights?
- Lauren Joe
Travelling non-stop on the epic 7865km Trans-Mongolian route from Beijing to Moscow will take just under seven days, but we'd recommend a month or more to get at least a taste of the three countries you'll pass through.
Worthy sights are too numerous to mention, but here are some highlights, as recommended by Lonely Planet authors:
Alight at Ulan Baatar and explore the alpine scenery of Mongolia's Gorkhi-Terelj National Park. Dip a toe into Lake Baikal's chilly sapphire waters and, if you can spare the time, take a side trip to the remote Barguzin Valley, with its snowy peaks, salt lakes and fairy-tale villages.
Consider spending a couple of days in the appealing cities of Omsk and Tyumen and, just before the end of the line, hop off at Nizhny Novgorod, swap the train for a boat and cruise the Volga, Europe's largest river.
