Russian Aviation and Military History Tours

These highly specialized tour programs will take you to world-famous military history, aviation, navy, and battlefields sites of Russia. You will visit museums, battlefields, memorials, and enjoy meetings with World War II veterans, historians, and active duty officers. Along with unique military history programs, these tours offer superb cultural sightseeing.

Russian Military History Tour
August 12 - 26, 2012
St. Petersburg - Stalingrad - Moscow

August 12, Sunday
Arrival in St. Petersburg; Airport pick-up and transfer to a 3-star hotel located in the very center of the city (Matisov Domik or Aster Hotel); Check-in.

August 13, Monday
Breakfast at the hotel.
Panoramic City Tour including a visit to the St. Peter and St. Paul Fortress and Cathedral: this panoramic tour shall introduce us to the former administrative center of Imperial Russia. St. Petersburg (formerly Leningrad) has an unsurpassed blend of Russian and Western European Architecture. Founded by Peter the Great in 1703 as "Sankt Peterburg," a forward military base exposed to Swedish attacks, the town became the capital of Russia as early as 1712. For over 200 years St. Petersburg was the epicenter of Russia's politics. The imposing architecture reflects the city's importance - the fabulous sweep of the golden colored General Staff Headquarters, the sea-green Winter Palace, the Senate Square where stands one of the best known symbols of the city - the Bronze Horseman, and much more. There shall be plenty of stops during the tour to videotape and photograph.
Tour of the WWII History Museum on Victory Square dedicated to the heroism of the city's residents and defenders during the siege and later the reconstruction of Leningrad.

August 14, Tuesday
Breakfast at the hotel.
Full-day tour: Nevsky Bridgehead, Siniavino Heights, Piskaryovskoye Cemetery.
Evening boat trip: rivers and canals of St. Petersburg.

August 15, Wednesday
Breakfast at the hotel.
"The Road of Life" Museum: the tour will take you to Ladoga Lake Branch of the Central Naval Museum dedicated to the outstanding courage and heroism of the Leningrad defenders during WWII. The museum is located on the shore of the Ladoga Lake which was the only artery separating the Leningrad Front troops and city dwellers from starvation. Relentless efforts and firmness demonstrated by the Ladoga Naval Flotilla allowed for boats and vessels to be used during navigation months, while in winter motor-lorries transported goods and people along the Ladoga ice. The numerous documents and relics of those days are collected in 5 halls of the museum: ensigns and banners scorched by battle fire and pierced by bullets and splinters; weapons, models of ships, airplanes and motor-cars; documents, photographs. The open-air exhibition features IZHORETS-8 river tug, MO-IV type patrol boat, self-propelled cargo pontoon, Li-2T (Douglas DC-3) passenger & freight airplane, artillery mounts, and other remained items from the ships of Ladoga Naval Flotilla.
Tour of the Central Naval Museum: the building of the museum was designed by French architect Thomas de Thomon, and looks like a magnificent temple of the classical period. The museum halls feature world-class collections of Russia's warships starting from medieval centuries and until present days. Of special interest are the rooms dedicated to WWII.
Evening tour of the Cruiser Aurora.

August 16, Thursday
Breakfast at the hotel.
Morning tour of the State Hermitage Museum will go through the state rooms of the Winter Palace, the former residence of Russian Tsars, and the Picture Galleries of the Imperial Hermitage. Today this world-famous museum accommodates over 2,700,000 artifacts. Majority of the picture collection is Western European, and most important names in European Art History are represented: Madonnas by Raphael and Leonardo, Judith by Giorgione, Rembrandt's Saskia as Flora, to name only a few of the more famous ones, as well as numerous Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works. These treasures are set in magnificent surroundings - jasper, agate, marble and malachite adornments to the building provide a fabulous backdrop.
Afternoon tour of the Central Museum of Artillery and Signal Troops: one of the world's most respected military history museums. The display features outstanding collections of authentic weapons and gives the history of most military operations of WWII.

August 17, Friday
Morning train to Moscow (1st class seats, breakfast); Arrival in Moscow, train station pick-up and transfer to a 4-star hotel (one of the Holiday Inn Hotels or Cosmos Hotel).
Afternoon tour of Central Museum of Armed Forces of Russia: the main museum of military history with fascinating displays dedicated to each important war fought by the Soviet Union. The Museum also offers a unique outdoor collection of Soviet artillery, rockets, tanks, aircraft, and motor boats.

August 18, Saturday
Breakfast at the hotel.
City Tour, Kremlin and Kremlin Grounds, Armory, Red Square. This introductory tour of Moscow will include the main historic and artistic landmarks of the capital: Red Square, New Maiden Convent, Moskva River, Tverskaya Street, etc. We will admire the colorful domes of St. Basil Cathedral (according to the legend Ivan the Terrible had the architect blinded so that he might never again create a church of such splendor). Located in the heart of Moscow, the Kremlin of today retains much of its legendary dignity and magnificence. The highlight of the tour shall be stops at the Tsar Cannon (with a 5.3 m long barrel), and the Tsar Bell. At 201,900 kg it is the world's largest bell (in comparison, London's 'Big Ben' weighs 13,700 kg). Our next stop will be at the Armory Chamber of the Kremlin featuring fabulous collections of royal artifacts and Russian State Regalia. There will be many opportunities to photograph and videotape today, and enjoy a drive in the streets of Russia's most cosmopolitan city.

August 19, Sunday
Breakfast at the hotel.
Full-day tour to Borodino Battlefield: On August 26, 1812, commanded by Mikhail Kutuzov, the Russian Army fought Napoleon's troops near the village of Borodino. The French Army, numbered 135,000 soldiers and 600 guns, was forced to retreat after 15 hours of fighting, which made the Borodino Battle the turning point of the war. To commemorate the battle, numerous memorials and obelisks were erected throughout the field.

August 20, Monday
Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to the airport and flight to Stalingrad (Volgograd). Arrive in Stalingrad in late afternoon and check-in at the Intourist Hotel located down-town.
Volga River boat ride that will trace the front lines of the Stalingrad Battle.
River Fleet WWII memorials.

August 21, Tuesday
Breakfast at the hotel.
City Tour, Mamayev Hill War Memorial, which displays the Mother Russia statue (the 305 feet high world's largest concrete monument) and Pavlov House, which was undefeated despite bombing and machine-gun fire for 58 days.
Soldier's Field WWII Memorial.

August 22, Wednesday
Breakfast at the hotel.
Stalingrad Battlefields Tour: During this full-day trip, you will visit the sites of the most famous battles of the Stalingrad Front: Rossoschka, Pitomnic, Peschanka, and others; experience military archaeology with a licensed military history consultant; visit German and Austrian cemeteries, Gumrak, and stop at the von Paulus Museum.

August 23, Thursday
Breakfast at the hotel.
Visit to the Tractor Factory and Flour Mill.
In the afternoon - the Panorama of Stalingrad Battle and the WWII Museum of Stalingrad.

August 24, Friday
Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to the airport and flight to Moscow. Transfer to your hotel and check-in; free time.

August 25, Saturday
Breakfast at the hotel.
The morning tour will take you to the Armored Force Museum, the world's largest tank museum, located on the grounds of the Kubinka Tank Division, some 45 miles from Moscow. The Museum features over 300 armored vehicles: all of the Soviet prototypes, a huge array of American, British, Japanese, and French armor, and almost all the German tanks, including the only German "Mouse" left in the world. You will also be able to see the Memorial dedicated to the Battle of Kursk, featuring a T-34 tank that participated in the Battle.

August 26, Sunday
Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to the airport and departure from Moscow.

Tour Includes (based on the above itinerary):
Standard Double room hotel accommodations (double occupancy), breakfasts daily, cultural and special interest Military History tours, programs and visits, transportation and transfers, services of executive English-speaking tour guides, translators and Military History consultants, St. Petersburg - Moscow day-train (1st class seats), Moscow - Stalingrad - Moscow airline tickets.

Tour Price (2012):
$5,995 per person (based on double occupancy)
Single room accommodations upgrade - please add $1,250
Individual Cultural Sightseeing: visits to art galleries and museums can be scheduled instead of Military History sightseeing. Detailed information available upon request.

Above prices include land program only as listed in the itinerary; Russian visa and international air fare costs are not included.
Although every effort will be made to follow the itinerary closely, St. Petersburg Travel, Inc. reserves the right to make changes if necessary.

Availability is limited on this unique tour, please make early reservations.

Please visit our "Photo Gallery" to view spectacular images provided by our group members.