The Crossroad of Three Religions

Arrival in Rostov.

Transfer to the hotel.

After breakfast is sightseeing tour in Rostov-on-Don (visit Embankment, Central market and historical area). In the center of Rostov there are some orthodox churches including the main Cathedral of the city – the Virgin Mary Birth Cathedral.

Then we offer you to compare two very different monasteries: the modern orthodox convent and former Armenian monastery. The considerable part of Rostov people have Armenian origin.

After breakfast we visit the Cossack village Starocherkassk where we will get acquainted with lifestyle of the Don Cossacks. We will visit the Ataman Palace and the oldest Cathedral of the Don Land — the Voskresensky Cathedral and also some small Cossack churches.

After break we go to the capital of the Don Cossacks Novocherkassk where we will visit the third largest temple of Russia — the Army Voznesensky cathedral.

After a sightseeing tour we come back to Rostov.

Breakfast in the hotel.

Departure to Elista (418km) a capital of the Kalmyk Republic.

Arrival to Elista. Check in the hotel.

Free time.

Sightseeing tour in Elista. The Kalmyks, who migrated to Russia from China in the 18th century, are Mongols and practice Tibetan Buddhism. We visit the main temple in the center of the city, the huge Golden Temple and several stupas and monuments.Visit the traditional Buddhist monastery in the suburbs of Elista.

Departure to Astrakhan. Arrival in the evening and check in at the hotel.

After breakfast is the city tour in Astrakhan to include Kremlin, old merchants’ quarter and merchants’ and old wooden houses.The old city walls are long gone, but the impressive Kremlin remains with the Cathedral of the Assumption and other buildings inside.

Then the excursion to the Tatar quarter. The Tatar presence is still highly visible in the faces in the streets and the many old mosques in the Tatar quarter. Visit some mosques and temples of different nationalities including Lutheran Church, St Hripsime Armenian Church and Catholic temple.

Full day exploring the Volga Delta down towards the Caspian Sea. The coach will take us to where we embark by boat for a fairly leisurely cruise through the lush maze of channels, islands and lotus fields (August, the beginning of September), home to a wide diversity of bird life.

Breakfast in the hotel.

Check out and transfer to the airport and departure.