Anita

Does anyone know of a good tour group that only goes to Moskow and St. Petersburg? Thanks

paul

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Andrea

I can't help with a tour group, but I can offer my advice that you can very, very easily do this trip on your own, and will probably save a lot of money. <BR> <BR>I'd recommend doing it on your own unless you were planning on spending quite a bit of money to get a specialized/luxiry tour. <BR> <BR>Hotels in the two cities are pretty easy to sort out - there are only 1 or 2 recommended choices in each price category. <BR> <BR>Tours for the main attractions can be arranged upon arrival or in advance through the web, and the cities are very easy to navigate even with no language ability (we didn't have any!). <BR> <BR>What features would you hope to find with a tour group? Maybe we can help you with specific requests. <BR> <BR>Good luck!

Anita

Andrea, <BR> <BR>I am looking a package tour which include air and hotel. However, I want to stay in a 4 or 5 star hotel in both cities. Since I would be travelling alone I would want to be with a group tour. Thanks

D.B.

Here is a place to start, <BR> <BR>http://www.mircorp.com/ <BR> <BR>but I have never used this company: <BR>

Marc David Miller

I always debate the merits of tour vs. independent for Russia. I have been there three times, and this time had a guide/translator with me most of the time, a cost well justified. When do you plan to go?

Debbie

Anita-We're usually independent travellers, however, there are a few places to which we'd prefer to rely on a group tour-Russia being one of those places. We travelled to Russia in June with General Tours(www.generaltours.com)and were quite pleased with the entire trip. This was our first escorted trip, so we don't have comparisons to other tours, however, General took care of all the details. The guides were excellent-you have a client services manager who'll meet your plane in Moscow, and leave you at the gate in St P-in other words, she's with you the entire trip. You'll have a local guide in each city. They offer numerous optional tours, which you can either pre-pay, or decide on once you're in Russia-no high pressure to purchase an optional tour-you're interested or you're not. Our client services manager was able to secure tickets/arrange transportation to the Kirov ballet in St P-what a wonderful experience. There's also free time in each city (ok, you most forgo an optional tour or two in order to take advantage of free time), and the local guides are helpful with suggestions of things to see/do if you have questions along those lines. There are 3 quality levels of hotels available in Moscow, and 2 in St P. You travel by night train(1st class 2-berth sleeper car)from Moscow-St, so you can experience an entire free day in Moscow(not nearly enough time), catch the 11pm train, which arrives in St P at 8am the next morning, and have that day to experience your city tour and enjoy the evening on your own. Other tour companies either fly between the cities, or tour bus from one to the other, with an overnight stop outside of St P. The train is great! Would we return to Russia-definitely yes. Would we travel independently-probably yes. Both cities are quite easy to get around and people are friendly-the biggest barrier is the language. It's not so much as learning the language, it's more about learing the cyrillic alphabet so you can put words together to read and understand. You can view itineries on-line at General's web site, as well as order brochuure. They sell to the general public, not only thru travel agents. We would definitely recommend and use GT the next time we'd prefer to tour with a group. Please feel free to e-mail with specific questions! Russia is extremely beautiful-it surpassed anything we had been expecting. Happy Travels!

Margie

Just returned from Moscow and St. Petersburg and went with General Tours. <BR>It was a great trip and excellent tour guides, especially Slava. We flew into Moscow and stayed several days then took the over-night train to St. Petersburg and flew back to the states from St. Petersburg. Our tour guide, Slava, was wonderful, he went out of his way to take us on the Metro system in Moscow, which is a culture experience in its self. I agreed with Deb, who also took General Tours, and was such a great help to me, that General Tours is the way to go. I have traveled greatly, and being with a tour group in Russia was the best decision. Now let me assure you, there is no rest, but you get to see all the main sights without trying to figure out the cyrilla alphabet. And like Deb said that you may have to miss an optional tour in order to get some shopping in. But do all your shopping for souveirs in Moscow, especially at the flea market on Saturday and Sunday, you will find no better prices in all of Russia!

Elizabeth

Have to agree with Andrea and not being a tour person, saved bundles. Spent 3 weeks there in a rented apartment (off the internet)with the total air and accommodation being $2350 Canadian. Spent about a month learning the Cyrllic alphabet and after a day or so could read the street signs quite well. Will be returning this December for 3 more weeks. No tours were used for any of the attractions......you simply walk up and buy your ticket. Anyone need apartment info, contact me direct.