Russia: Moscow – Murmansk – St. Petersburg (Northern Lights Hunting)

Tour Itinerary

DAY 1: HA NOI ✈ MOSCOW (Dinner)

Main activities: A journey exploring Eastern European heritage

• The tour leader meets guests at Noi Bai Airport and assists with check-in for the flight to Moscow – the capital of Russia.
• Overnight in Moscow.

DAY 2: MOSCOW (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Main activities: Exploring the heart of Russia

• Take photos at iconic landmarks of the capital Moscow such as: Red Square, Saint Basil's Cathedral, Alexander Garden, Lenin's Mausoleum standing solemnly beside the red brick wall and the magnificent Cathedral of Christ the Saviour with the tallest gilded dome in the world.
• Visit the Kremlin Complex: home to the priceless pair of relics, the Tsar Bell and Tsar Cannon , and admire the ancient cathedrals.
• Free time to explore and shop at GUM – a shopping complex with more than 100 top brands from around the world.
• Explore the Moscow Metro, with underground architectural masterpieces and splendid stations just like art galleries.
• Overnight in Moscow.

DAY 3: MOSCOW – MURMANSK – NORTHERN LIGHTS HUNTING (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Main activities: To the far North in pursuit of the Aurora

• Take the flight to Murmansk. Take photos outside typical landmarks: the Alyosha Monument – the symbol guarding the far North; the Savior on Waters church, the memorial lighthouse and the poignant wreckage memorial of the Kursk naval submarine.
• Experience a mysterious Northern Lights hunt (*) – a chance to see the marvellous natural phenomenon as magical bands of green, pink and purple light dance across the polar sky.
• Return to the hotel and overnight in Murmansk.
• Note: (*) The Northern Lights are a rare natural phenomenon and depend on the weather. This is a force majeure situation; we kindly ask for your understanding. Thank you sincerely.

DAY 4: MURMANSK – LOVOZERO – MURMANSK – NORTHERN LIGHTS HUNTING (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Main activities: Immersing in northern nomadic life

• Travel to Lovozero – visit a reindeer and Husky farm raised by the Sami people themselves; guests can feed and take photos with animals typical of the Far North.
• Ride a sled pulled by adorable Huskies across snow-covered scenery.
• Enjoy a traditional, nomadic-style lunch right in a Sami village, learning about their distinctive lifestyle as well as reindeer herding and unique traditional crafts.
• Continue the journey to chase the Northern Lights (*), pursuing the magical glow and increasing the chances of capturing lifetime photographs of the stunning show in the night sky.
• Return to the hotel and overnight in Murmansk.
• Note: (*) The Northern Lights are a rare natural phenomenon and depend on the weather. This is a force majeure situation; we kindly ask for your understanding. Thank you sincerely.

DAY 5: MURMANSK – ICEBREAKER EXPERIENCE – ST. PETERSBURG (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Main activities: Experiencing the famous icebreaker

• Visit the interior of the Lenin icebreaker – the world's first nuclear-powered ship, a must-see when visiting the Murmansk region.
• Take the flight to St. Petersburg – the magnificent former capital on the Neva River.
• Overnight in St. Petersburg.

DAY 6: ST. PETERSBURG (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Main activities: Exploring the Hermitage treasures and enjoying folk culture

• Learn about the architecture and culture of St. Petersburg through the city's typical landmarks: the Bronze Horseman, Palace Square with the historic Alexander Column; the Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood, the great Kazan Cathedral and the Peter and Paul Fortress.
• Visit Saint Isaac's Cathedral – an imposing religious building more than 100 metres tall with a huge dome gilded with nearly 100 kg of pure gold.
• Explore the interior of the Hermitage Museum – one of the largest museums of humankind, holding more than 3 million exhibits and a collection of rare paintings.
• Have dinner and enjoy folk dances performed by Russian girls at the Nikolaevsky Palace.
• Overnight in St. Petersburg.

DAY 7: ST. PETERSBURG ✈ HA NOI (Breakfast, lunch)

Main activities: A complete taste of the former capital before saying goodbye to Russia

• Travel to the town of Pushkin – a land of romantic poetry, the cradle that nurtured the soul of the great poet Pushkin in his youth.
• Free time to stroll in the vast Catherine Park surrounding the Catherine royal palace, with distinctive Greek, Chinese, French, Italian and Turkish architectural features. Visit the Catherine Palace – a lavish testimony to the royal love of Empress Catherine and Tsar Peter the Great, famous for the Amber Room known as the “Eighth Wonder of the World”.
• A coach takes the group to the airport to check in for the flight back to Vietnam.

DAY 8: HA NOI

Main activities: Returning to the beloved S-shaped land

• Arrive at Noi Bai Airport, complete procedures and end a meaningful trip.

Pricing for Children

● Children under 2 years old: 30% of the adult tour price.
● Children from 2 to under 12 years old: 100% of the adult tour price (with a private bed).
● Children 12 years old and above: 100% of the adult tour price.

Tour Change and Cancellation Policy

- After payment, if you wish to transfer/cancel the tour, please bring your Travel Ticket, receipt and ID (of the paying guest) to the tour registration office to complete the transfer/cancellation procedure in accordance with Vietravel's regulations. Or you can contact a Vietravel consultant for guidance on the procedure.
- For tours still within the cancellation period but for which a visa has been processed, please pay the visa fee; after the tour deposit is paid and before Vietravel submits the visa fee, the airline ticket deposit fee is non-refundable; if a visa application is refused, visa fees and services are non-refundable.
- Tour cancellation time is counted in working days from Monday to Friday, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays and Tet. - Cancelling or transferring to other tours 20 days before the departure date (for Southeast Asia tours) and 30 days before the departure date for all other tours: no charge.
- Cancelling or transferring to other tours 15-19 days before the departure date (for Southeast Asia tours) and 25-29 days before the departure date for all other tours: the transfer/cancellation fee is 50% of the tour deposit.
- Cancelling or transferring to other tours 12-14 days before the departure date (for Southeast Asia tours) and 20-24 days before the departure date for all other tours: the transfer/cancellation fee is 100% of the tour deposit.
- If the trip is cancelled right after the Embassy/Consulate has issued the visa (for countries requiring a visa): the tour cancellation fee is 100% of the tour deposit.
- Cancelling or transferring a trip 08-11 days before the departure date (for Southeast Asia tours) and 14-19 days before the departure date for all other tours: the tour cancellation fee is 50% of the tour price.
- Cancelling or transferring a trip 05-07 days before the departure date (for Southeast Asia tours) and 10-13 days before the departure date for all other tours: the tour cancellation fee is 70% of the tour price.
- Cancelling or transferring a trip 02-04 days before the departure date (for Southeast Asia tours) and 02-09 days before the departure date for all other tours: the tour cancellation fee is 90% of the tour price.
- Cancelling or transferring a trip within 01 day before the departure date: the tour cancellation fee is 100% of the tour price.

Cancellation Policy for Public Holidays and Tet

- Cancelling or transferring to other tours 30 days before the departure date (for Southeast Asia tours) and 45 days before the departure date for all other tours: no charge.
- Cancelling or transferring to other tours 25-29 days before the departure date (for Southeast Asia tours) and 34-44 days before the departure date for all other tours: the transfer/cancellation fee is 50% of the tour deposit.
- Cancelling or transferring to other tours 20-24 days before the departure date (for Southeast Asia tours) and 25-33 days before the departure date for all other tours: the transfer/cancellation fee is 100% of the tour deposit.
- If the trip is cancelled right after the Embassy/Consulate has issued the visa (for countries requiring a visa): the tour cancellation fee is 100% of the tour deposit.
- Cancelling or transferring a trip 17-19 days before the departure date (for Southeast Asia tours) and 20-24 days before the departure date for all other tours: the tour cancellation fee is 50% of the tour price.
- Cancelling or transferring a trip 08-16 days before the departure date (for Southeast Asia tours) and 11-19 days before the departure date for all other tours: the tour cancellation fee is 70% of the tour price.
- Cancelling or transferring a trip 02-07 days before the departure date (for Southeast Asia tours) and 02-10 days before the departure date for all other tours: the tour cancellation fee is 90% of the tour price.
- Cancelling or transferring a trip within 01 day before the departure date: the tour cancellation fee is 100% of the tour price.