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Longleat Safari Park

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Longleat Safari Park - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Explore the UK's first safari park at Longleat

Longleat, wiltshire.

Feed giraffes by hand and walk on the wildside with lemurs at this popular safari park, found in the picturesque grounds of historic Longleat House.

First opened in 1966, Longleat Safari Park was the first drive-through attraction of its kind outside Africa, and it's still running strong today. With countless species of animals and attractions like Penguin Island, Stingray Bay, Jungle Cruise and an adventure castle, it's a great day out for the entire family. Explore the animal habitats on a road tour through the park, before stepping onto the Main Square and venturing into koala habitats, outdoor playgrounds and hedge mazes.

Special events run throughout the year, including the ever-popular Festival of Lights over the Christmas period; this large display of illuminated Chinese lanterns adorns the entire parkland and adds a touch of festivity to everything. And, of course, visitors can also extend their stay in the area with a tour through Longleat House and its surrounding pleasure gardens.

Longleat Safari Park is due to re-open on Monday 15 June - make sure to check the website through the link below for availability and opening times.

• Find out more about Longleat
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Longleat Safari Park

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Also popular with travellers

LONGLEAT SAFARI PARK: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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Find your break

Highlands End

Graston copse.

Immerse yourself in the animal kingdom with a visit to the UK’s original safari park. Are you ready for six and a half miles of incomparable drive-through experience with over 40 different species to see? Enter a land of adventure where lions roam, tigers stalk and monkeys swing.

In the main square there is plenty to see, including koala creek, giant otters and crocodiles, a jungle cruise on the lake, the gorilla colony, jungle kingdom, monkey temple, the bat cave and more. There are family-friendly activities including the hedge maze, the family farmyard, adventure castle and the longleat railway.

Make your visit even more memorable with a VIP experience. Feed the gorillas, get up close and personal with penguins or go behind the scenes with red pandas. Explore the Longleat House with its sweeping corridors and grand rooms that transport you back in time. Exploring this stunning example of high Elizabethan architecture is a day out in itself. Discover 15 rooms of the stately home, see the art collection, explore the formal gardens and view the exhibitions.

Events throughout the year include a food & drink festival, the sky safari with hot air balloons, firework displays and the festival of light, which is not to be missed. Longleat is open throughout most of the year and tickets can be booked online in advance or on the day upon arrival.

Book online to guarantee your entry

Where to find Longleat

Based on 21606 reviews

Warminster, Wiltshire, BA12 7NW

/// hope. quilt. racing

55.2 miles from Highlands End and Eype Beach

56.0 miles from Golden Cap

56.3 miles from Graston Copse

48.8 miles from Sandyholme

01985 844400

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Longleat Safari Park - 5th May

Description.

· Longleat House · Jungle Cruise · Bat Cave

Start at 05-05-2024 , 6:30 AM End at 05-05-2024 , 9:00 PM

• £35 - (Infant 0 - 3)

LONGLEAT SAFARI PARK

We will depart at around 7:30AM from our pick-up point in Wembley for wonderful attractions and adventurous place. We will reach the fun packed family park named Longleat Safari Park at around 10:00AM. Once we reach there, we will hand over your 1 day unlimited attraction ticket which is included in your travel fare. You will have many options to encounter your anxiety by visiting different attractions like:

• Longleat House
• Gardens and Grounds
• Jungle Cruise
• ?Gorilla Colony
• ?Penguin Island
• Monkey Temple
• Jungle Express
• Animal Adventure
• Jungle Express Railway
• Longleat Hedge Maze
• Adventure Castle and hands on experience with the wild and furry creatures.

Longleat was used as a location for filming  GURUKUL  University in the Bollywood movie  MOHABBATEIN  starring SHAHRUKH KHAN & AISHWARYA RAI. So it would be a memorable place to visit for all the  Bollywood  lovers and take their snaps at such a destination.

There are few meeting with the animals’ experiences and chance to visit parrot and other birds show. We will give you time till 4:30PM to explore the place.

We will then leave for SAFARI, which will be a drive through experience and will notably take you close to creatures that you have always dreamed about. As we all know since childhood that Lion is the king of Jungle and this king was always found in cages but Longleat Safari is the place where you will encounter this King moving around your vehicle. That moment will be a lifetime thrilling experience and you will be amazed to see those Lions and their cubs so close to you.      

  So be ready to mind the zebras crossings, the rhinos right of way, watch out for the wolves and beware of the meddling monkeys. Despite 100’s of animals to discover you will also come across deadly Tigers. So there will be opportunities to coincide with LIONS & TIGERS on your way and you will also have a chance to view the Elephant and Cheetah Kingdom.

After the adventurous day out, we will depart for our way back to London at around 5:30pm and whist travelling back you will have a glimpse of historical Stonehenge through the motorway and wish to travel there as well with us as soon as possible.

We aim to reach London by around 9:00pm

*Please Note: LONGLEAT HOUSE is not included in this and you will need to purchase separate ticket from the park to visit inside*

Please Note: We will visit Safari in our own vehicle.

*Please note that we are not responsible for any attractions that closed by attraction authority*

PICK-UP POINTS  

EAST HAM  - 6.15am outside EAST HAM STATION, HIGH STREET NORTH,  E6 2JA .

ILFORD  - 6.30am at ilford hill bus stop. Next to ilford station. Outside icon building ,  IG1 2FB . 

WEMBLEY  - 7.15am outside Shri Vallabh Nidhi Mandir (sanatan mandir) ealing road , wembley,  HA0 4QH .

HOUNSLOW  - 7.45am   outside Hounslow central tube station,  TW3 1JG .

NOTE - PICKUP & DROPOFF POINT WILL BE SAME.

·           £75 – Per Adult (above 15 years)

·           £70 – Per Child (3-14 years)

·           £35 - Infant (0 to under 3years)

Price Includes

·           Complete Return Journey

·           Entrance to Safari park

·           Entrance to Longleat house and all other attractions (one day passport ticket)

Price Exclude

·           Any expense of personal nature.

·           Any expense for food or snacks during  the day.

ALL BOOKINGS TO BE CONFIRMED AT 07778 335 336 .

Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the departure time. 

If you have your own group of family and friends then we can arrange private tour for you whenever you want. We have very comfortable 8 seater and 16 seater vehicles for your journey. 

For more information please call  Yatin  on  07778 335 336 .

DATES FOR NEXT DEPARTURE 2024:

March – 2,3,9,10,16,17,23,24,30,31

Aprill - 3,6,7,10,13,14,17,20,21,24,27,28

May - 1,4,5,8,11,12,15,,18,19,22,25,26,29

June - 1,2,5,8,9,12,15,19,23,26,29,30

July- 3,6,7,1,13,14,17,20,21,24,27,28,31

Aug - 3,4,7,10,11,14,17,18,21,24,25,28

Sep - 1,4,7,8,11,14,15,18,21,22,25,28,29

Oct - 5,6,12,13,19,20,24,27

Nov - 2,3,9,10,16,17,23,24,30

Dec - 1,7,8,14,15,21,22,28,29

Boat Safari at Longleat | Sea Lions, Gorillas and Hippos (August 2023) [4K]

The Boat Safari, previously known as The Jungle Cruise and Safari Boat is a fascinating journey around Half Mile Lake at Longleat Safari and Adventure Park. The journey takes visitors past the island, which was the former home to the elderly male western lowland gorilla Nico, the oldest gorilla in Europe, until his death at age 56 on 7 January 2018. The island is now home to black-and-white colobus monkeys. The tour also takes in the Gorilla Colony, home to a new band of lowland Gorillas, Spot The Hippo, and the cheeky California Sea lions who swim alongside the boat waiting for feeding time.

Californian Sea Lions: As you embark on this boat safari, be prepared for a lively welcome from Longleat’s Californian sea lions. These charismatic creatures, always hopeful for a tasty treat, might just perform their impressive leaps and splashes during feeding time. Witness their acrobatics as they leap out of the water, creating playful splashes that add a touch of excitement to your voyage. Sea lion feeding is at an additional cost of £1.50 per pot, subject to availability on a first come first serve basis.

Gorilla Colony,: The Boat Safari will cruise past the Gorilla Colony, a serene lakeside haven that serves as a retreat for the magnificent lowland gorillas. Marvel at the natural beauty that surrounds them as you sail along the water’s edge. The Gorilla Colony offers a glimpse into the lives of these majestic creatures.

Spot the Hippo: With the Longleat’s eagle-eyed keepers as a guide, guests should keep thier gaze trained on the water’s surface in anticipation of a remarkable sight. Spot, the resident hippo of the lake, might make an appearance as she emerges from beneath the water’s depths. This is an exclusive opportunity to see this magnificent creature up close, a rare and captivating sight that adds a touch of wonder to your boat safari.

Accessibility The Longleat Boat Safari ensures accessibility for all, with a wheelchair-friendly design that allows everyone to partake in the adventure although pushchairs are required to be left at the quay. Young explorers are encouraged to join in the Boat Safari excitement but need to be accompanied by an adult throughout the journey.

Longleat Safari Park opened in 1966 as the first drive-through safari park outside Africa, and is home to over 500 animals, including Rothschild’s giraffes, Grant’s zebras, Rhesus monkeys, rhinos, African lions, Amur tigers and grey wolves. Cheetahs, koalas and spotted hyenas are among the most recent additions to the safari park.

Longleat House was built in the sixteenth century by Sir John Thynn on the site of a dissolved priory, and in 1949 became the first stately home in Britain to be opened to the public on a commercial basis. The house, park and attractions are open from mid-February to the start of November each year. The 9,800-acre estate, of which the park occupies 900 acres, has long been one of the top British tourist attractions. Longleat leases 400 acres of land to Center Parcs for the operation of the Longleat Forest holiday village.

The Longleat hedge maze is considered the world’s longest, with 1.69 miles of pathway. The layout was by maze designer Greg Bright.

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Your Journey

Step aboard the gleaming vintage carriages of the british pullman train for a wonderful excursion to longleat, home of the marquesses of bath..

Prepare to take a journey back in time as you relax into the sumptuous surroundings of the British Pullman's Art Deco carriages. Start your wild adventure with a delicious brunch and a Bellini, served in your comfortable seat as our iconic carriages course through the lush countryside of the South West. On arrival at Westbury Station, you will be met by your guide, who will accompany you on the coach to the Longleat Estate. Enjoy an exciting tour of the safari park and keep an eye out for a variety of exotic animals roaming freely. Stroll through the Capability Brown landscaped gardens or wander along the Pleasure Walk that runs between the Horningsham Lodge and Longleat House. If you’re feeling brave, perhaps enjoy Longleat’s Jungle Cruise and watch as the boat is escorted by Californian sea lions and hippos. Afterwards you board the coach back to Westbury Station to re-join the gleaming carriages. Settle back into your seat and enjoy a refreshing glass of chilled champagne before a delectable four-course dinner is served, accompanied by half a bottle of wine.

• Round-trip travel aboard the British Pullman luxury train
• Welcome sparkling Bellini
• Delicious three-course brunch on the outward journey
• Morning tea and coffee
• Guided transfer and admission to Longleat Safari Park and Gardens
• Champagne reception back on board
• Sumptuous four-course dinner
• Half a bottle of wine per person
• Coffee, tea and petits fours

Longleat is famous for many things, but foremost are two historic “firsts”. Its Elizabethan house was the first stately home to open to the public in 1949; and in 1966 it launched the first drive-through safari park outside of Africa.

Both still thrive today in the lush, 900-acre parkland landscaped by Capability Brown. Home to the Thynne family since 1568, Longleat’s most famous resident is the eccentric 7th Marquess of Bath. The second most famous is Nico, the silverback gorilla who inhabits the island on the lake.

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Longleat Safari Park, Wiltshire

•  Detailed Overview
•  Pick-up Points
•  Departure Dates

Join us on a coach trip to Longleat Safari & Adventure Park!

With fantastic new attractions. Amazing new animals. Spectacular new shows. All your well loved faviourites too. Longleat Safari & Adventure Park is bigger and better than ever before! When we arrive, we make a 45 min break at the East African Game Reserve Trading Post Picnic Area where there is a the opportunity to use the toilets and buy food or drink. The coach will then take you on a drive around the safari park putting you up close with animals such as Lions, Tigers & Rhinos.

The rest of the day is for you to enjoy the rest of the attractions that are included with your ticket: Longleat Safari Park; On-foot animal attractions including Koala Creek; Jungle Cruise and Family Farmyard; Main Square adventure attractions including Adventure Castle; Rockin' Rhino and the Hedge Maze; Longleat grounds and gardens.

Please note: The coach will not be able to travel through the monkey enclosure.

Drive Through Safari

Drive through Britain’s No.1 Safari Park, right past some of the most astonishing residents. Count cheetah spots, wave at wolves and have a giraffe.

Adventure Castle

Explore our medieval fortress, test your courage and endurance – be bold, have fun, discover, imagine and make your own adventures.

Which house will you belong to? Wise owls, brave badgers and noble wolves rule our enchanting kingdom, look out for our age group symbols to help guide you safely around the Adventure Castle.

Longleat Railway

All aboard! Welcome to the Longleat Railway, a 15 inch narrow gauge miniature railway, running every year since 1965.... Older than even the Safari Park!

Jump on board the 1 ¼ mile journey around the Park’s scenic woodland.

Once you arrive at Longleat Central Station, you will then board a train painted in traditional railway livery.

Make sure you have your cameras ready for the incredible views as you trundle along the edge of Half Mile Lake. Keep an eye our and you may catch a glimpse of our resident Californian sealions or Spot and Sonia, our two Ugandan hippos. They can walk the length of the lake without surfacing for air, so keep your eyes peeled.

Whether your train heads into the woods first or up the hill to the lake, all trains return to Longleat Central.

Boat Safari

You’re off on a voyage of discovery. Californian sea lions escort you, hoping for some tasty fish. But be prepared. At feeding time they leap out of the water and land with quite a splash. Along with the opportunity to feed the sea lions*, you’ll cruise past Gorilla Colony, a lakeside retreat for our band of lowland gorillas.

Plus, the eagle-eyed keepers will be on hand to point out the lake’s resident hippo, Spot. See if you can catch a glimpse of her as she emerges from under the water!

The boat is wheelchair friendly but pushchairs will need to be left at the quay. Young explorers will need to be accompanied by an adult.

*Sea lion feeding is at an additional cost of £1.50 per pot, subject to availability.

What does this coach trip include?

Return coach travel from your chosen pick-up point

Entrance to Longleat Safari & Adventure Park

Trip Itinerary

Depart our last pick-up point at 07:15am for our journey to Longleat, with a short comfort stop en-route

Arrive at Longleat Safari & Adventure Park approximately 11:30am

Depart for our return journey home approximately 16:45pm

Adult £69.00

Child £62.00

Group Bookings

Group Bookings of 10+ receive: 50% off 1 place

Group Bookings of 20+ receive: 1 FREE place

Additional Information

Longleat House is NOT included

Below is a list of pick-up points available on this tour.

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Pick-up Point Times

To make a booking firstly select the correct number of passengers that will be travelling. This will perform an availability check to see that there is sufficient space on the tour. If the date you want is available select the Book Now button and you will be guided through the online booking process. If your date is unavailable you can use the Call Back facility to discuss further options.

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Moscow vs St Petersburg – A Russian Rumble

Russian river cruises are a fantastic way to discover the rich history and culture of an iconic nation. Moscow and St Petersburg are arguably two of Russia’s most famous and popular destinations – but which one is better? Two of our writers will go head to head in an attempt to persuade you why their favourite Russian city should be yours too – with Mark in Moscow’s corner and Jim St Petersburg’s. Ding ding! Let battle commence!

Don’t get me wrong, I do think that St Petersburg is a nice city – but I also think that Moscow is a fantastic city and beyond doubt the best in Russia. The entire region is steeped in illustrious history, from Red Square in the heart of the metropolis, where impressive historic landmarks including the Lenin Mausoleum and St Basil’s Cathedral dominate the skyline, to the world-famous Kremlin. If its history and culture you’re after, St Petersburg simply does not compare.

Moscow also surpasses St Petersburg in terms of areas of natural beauty as well as tranquil parks and gardens. On a pleasant day, visitors can stroll through a number of the city’s wonderful green spaces, including the vast Gorkiy Park, the former imperial estate of Kolomenskoye and the ever-popular Park Sokolniki, filled with beautiful flora and a collection of charming attractions. Moving further off the beaten track is difficult in St Peterburg, whereas in Moscow, stunning outlying areas such as the Patriarshi pond area and the Japanese Garden in Botanichesky Sad offer the perfect place to spend a peaceful day.

When it comes to the shopping and dining experiences on offer, Moscow beats St Petersburg hands down. A wealth of authentic local food, delicious international cuisine and familiar fast food outlets are scattered across the city, offering tourists a plethora of culinary delights. Incredible mixes of gastronomic cultures are available in Moscow. Visitors will find everything from Thai, Vietnamese and Chinese dishes to Armenian and Azerbaijani cuisine.

Tourist’s hoping to pick up some local gifts will find a treasure trove of souvenirs across Moscow, at the range of opulent shopping malls and quaint marketplaces located all over the centre of the city.

In my humble (and correct) opinion – based on the facts in front of me – St Petersburg doesn’t hold a candle to the amazing sights and sounds of Moscow, Russia’s world-famous capital city.

St Petersburg

Sure, Moscow’s the capital; it’s great for squares, overly-expensive cups of coffee and the like. But you can never take Russia’s second city out of contention. Yes, it was built on a swamp, but Peter the Great clearly knew what he was doing. St. Petersburg is one of the most vital modern European cities, don’t let the devotees to the (admittedly, pretty) sights of Moscow fool you.

Perhaps it’s because St. Petersburg’s architect was Italian that it manages to so thoroughly stand out from the crowd of Russian cities. Maybe it’s the winding canals and the classical architecture. Regardless of the past, St. Petersburg is a city which manages to straddle the sweet spot between historical importance and modern style.

But who says Moscow rules the roost when it comes to the historical? There are enough sights in St. Petersburg to keep tourists occupied for days, if not weeks.

Leading the pack is the iconic Winter Palace, an eternally magnificent reminder that Russia is always a hotspot for architecture. Beautifully pristine even after all these years, it remains a contender for the finest photographic subject in Europe – a grand mass of imperial pillars and colourful décor.

And then, of course, there’s the State Hermitage Museum. If the Winter Palace had Moscow on the ropes, this is where St. Petersburg draws back and flings out an uppercut to finish it off.  The museum remains firmly rooted in prodigious hype, but that never stops it from living up to it. Everything from Egyptian mummies to Picasso masterpieces can be found in the endless varnished halls of the State Hermitage, and like the city itself, you’ll wish you had days more to explore it.

And to top it all off, you can visit it all during the legendary White Nights, where on long summer days the sun never seems to dip below the horizon. St Petersburg might be known as a second city, but Moscow has best be looking over its shoulder.

To book your Russian river cruise to Moscow, St Petersburg or both, call the number at the top of this page or click here for our latest deals.

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• Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Best of Moscow by high speed train

By shuguley , February 15, 2014 in Regent Seven Seas Cruises

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Sure would appreciate someone who has taken "Best of Moscow by high speed train" from St. Petersburg could please share their impressions of this shore excursion. From the description this sounds like a very long day.

Wondering how the 4 hour train trip was in terms of accommodations, etc. Also what time did you leave the ship and what time at night did you return? Were both legs of the trip on the high speed rail (I read that slower trains also travel the same tracks)?

My wife and I are considering this excursion. We thought that if we are making all the effort to go to Russia then how could we pass up going to Moscow, walking in Red Square, seeing St. Basil, etc.

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If you are considering this on the 2015 June Baltic cruise on Voyager; my suggestion is don't. There is so much to do in St. Petersburg and although a train is one of my favorite ways to travel the time would be far better spent in St. P.

Thanks for the advice. Yes, this would be on the Voyager during the 2015 season but not yet sure exactly which cruise.

We did the Moscow excursion "on a different luxury line", but from your brief description it sounds very much like the same trip, so I will operate on that assumption. It is a VERY long day! We left the ship at 5:30 AM and returned at 12:30 AM. The highspeed train trip is comfortable, and while they call it "Business Class" it does not compare well to the equivalent class on say Rail Europe. When we did it in 2011, we did have highspeed both ways, and the trip back seemed much longer as the adrenaline and excitement had worn off!:D

Moscow itself is not that terribly different from any other big city in the world, but this Cold War kid never thought he would ever stand in Red Square, never mind walk the grounds of The Kremlin, or tour The Kremlin Palace, or see (but not visit) Lenin's Tomb, or visit The Armoury. But he did, and he loved every minute of it! Yes, it is a long day, and you barely scratch a scratch on the surface, but it is worth it. There is a tremendous amount to see in St. Petersburg, but every Baltic cruise goes to St. Petersburg, so you can go back if you choose to. Not every cruiseline offers you the chance to see Moscow.

I have not personally done this tour, but our last time in St Petersburg, the private guide that we hired for a day was leading the regent tour to Moscow on the high speed train the next day. He said it was way better than the previous alternative, which was flying to Moscow and back. He said that you actually got to Moscow faster because you didn't have to deal with airline checkin etc. it did seem like a very long day to me, and there is so much to see and do in st. Petersburg that I didn't consider doing it.

countflorida

We toured to Moscow from St. Petersburg via the hi-speed SAPSAN train last September, from a Baltic cruise on the Oceania Marina. You need to have a two-night, three day port call in St. Petersburg to take this tour because the tour typically leaves the ship around 5:00 - 5:30 AM and doesn't return until after midnight the next day. We didn't take the ship's tour; we made private arrangements with TravelAllRussia for three days of touring, the first and third days in St. Petersburg and the second day the tour to Moscow by train. Our cost for the private tour for three days was about the same as what the ship charged for the excursion to Moscow alone. There are a number of private tour agencies that operate in St. Petersburg and offer the Moscow train tours; we would strongly recommend them over the ship's tours.

All three days had private guides with car and driver. The second day, the driver picked us up at the ship and took us to the train, but we were alone on the train, and met in Moscow by the guide on the station platform. After our tour and dinner, we were brought back to the train and after the return train trip met by the driver and taken back to the ship. Because you are alone on the train you must have your own Russian visas.

If this is your first visit to St. Petersburg, I would agree there is much more to see there. We found Moscow somewhat a disappointment, particularly Red Square. The Kremlin and the cathedral in Red Square were also worth seeing. But the best thing we saw was the Moscow subway! I worked for the Washington Metro system back in the 1980s as it grew from 40 to 80 miles and although I was in the computer area, I learned a lot about the challenges of running a subway system. We used the Moscow system to get across the city from where we had dinner to the train station, and I was amazed at the cleanliness', speed of operation, the short headways maintained, and the courtesy of everyone involved. A very impressive experience!

We had been to St. Petersburg before, and so had the time to take a day and go to Moscow. Also, I really like trains, and the SAPSAN is a German train set running on Russian rails. Seats are like first class domestic air, spacious but not too plush or comfortable, but with enough room. Not too much recline, and almost 8 hours on the train in two shots is a lot for an old man. They come through and sell drinks, candy, etc. but the sellers don't speak English and no one around us helped, so we had just poor coffee once coming, and brought stuff with us for the trip back. Not too much to see from the train either, particularly on the return when it is night the whole way.

If you decide to go, take a private tour and avoid the overly expensive ship's tour. I'm glad we did it, but wouldn't bother to repeat the tour; we've seen Moscow.

Thanks so much to all of you for the thorough and thought insight. Yhe information you have provided is most helpful.

countflorida: Your detailed post is very helpful. We are not quite ready for a Baltic cruise but should do so within a year. Time enough to do our pre travel research, bookings and visa gathering.:) Thank you!

Emperor Norton

Sure would appreciate someone who has taken "Best of Moscow by high speed train" from St. Petersburg could please share their impressions of this shore excursion. From the description this sounds like a very long day.   Wondering how the 4 hour train trip was in terms of accommodations, etc. Also what time did you leave the ship and what time at night did you return? Were both legs of the trip on the high speed rail (I read that slower trains also travel the same tracks)?   My wife and I are considering this excursion. We thought that if we are making all the effort to go to Russia then how could we pass up going to Moscow, walking in Red Square, seeing St. Basil, etc.

I did this on Seabourn. IMO DONT. Take Aeroflop (er Aeroflot). The train has non folding seats where you are literally knee to knee with your fellow passenger (facing each other). Further they don't believe in air conditioning. It's also the worlds slowed bullet train. I think I would have found more enjoyment wandering around the St. Petersburg and Moscow airports.

Countflorida,

This is a little off topic,, however we had planned a river cruise in Russia but decided we would rather stay on land and have booked about two weeks with Travel-All-Russia using the private guide and driver. I'm curious as to how you found them as a tour company.

The guides they provided were fine. We had a different guide each of the days in St. Petersburg, but both were flexible, pleasant, knowledgeable and spoke English very well, as did the guide in Moscow, incidentally. She was a bit aloof, distant, not too friendly, but otherwise fine. In fact, she was the one who suggested taking the Metro, which unexpectedly became one of the highlights of the Moscow excursion. If I have a complaint with AllTravelRussia, it is with their plan and its execution (more later).

I had requested emphasis on World War II (in Russia, the Great Patriotic War) sites and info. In scheduling us, they weren't careful about dates and a couple of the sites we wanted to see were scheduled on the third day, after we'd been to Moscow. But both sites were closed that day of the week, and that info was readily available, right on web sites describing them. Also, the included meals (lunches in St. Pete, dinner in Moscow) were not what we asked for: light meals with some choices, so we could avoid things we didn't like and choose things we did like. My request was ignored; we were given full Russian meals with a fixed menu, no choice. On the first day, a fish dish was the entre, but I am allergic to fish. Fortunately, I had the e-mail I'd sent with me and showed it to the guide, and she was able to change my entre to chicken, which was very good actually. But we didn't want a 3-4 course lunches or dinner (in Moscow). We had the guide drop the lunch the third day, although we never got any credit or refund. But, particularly in contrast to the ship's tours, the prices were so reasonable we didn't worry too much about it.

The people who were on the ship's tour to Moscow saw us boarding the same train for which they were forced to queue up and wait on the way back, and asked us what we had done. I was candid and open so they were not happy when I explained what we had arranged and particularly what it had cost. Also, when we returned to the ship, we found they had laid on a late supper for those who had gone to Moscow, so up we went and had something. Well, it turns out the late supper was supposed to be just for those on the ship's tour, but we and others on 'independent' tours, there were a dozen or more of us, crashed the party, actually got there first, and they didn't realize it until the larger group arrived and there weren't enough tables/places set. By that time, the 'independents' had all gotten served and were eating; what could they do?

A couple from the larger group sat down with us and asked us about our tour, and they were the ones I told about our arrangement and its cost. They turned to others who’d been with them and announced the details, loudly enough so the whole room heard, which started a lot of bitching and complaining. I gathered they weren't very happy with the ship's tour to begin with, and this was the straw that broke the camel's back. We finished up and beat it out of there, but overheard later that one of the excursion staff came to check on something and ran into a real mess. I caught a cold on the trip, which forced me to bed the second day following in Tallinn, so by the time we reappeared we heard about the contretemps' but apparently no one recalled who started it, thankfully.

Because of what happened to us, I would probably not use AllTravelRussia if I were to go again, or if I did, I would be sure to get confirmation of every detail of the tour. They do have good reviews generally, and we were certainly helped by their visa department and liked the guides and drivers. Their weakness, I say now with full 20:20 hindsight, is that once the sales person who plans the tour, sells it to you and collects your money, he (or she) transfers the plan to their Russia office for implementation; there is no follow-up to make sure it gets done right. And that is where our problems arose; we paid for a custom tour but got a standard package with a few destinations switched, and no one checked them out, even to see when they were open the day we were scheduled to go. If you check every detail that’s important to you, it should be OK, but that’s a hell of a way to have to do business, in my opinion.

Thank you for the 20/20 hindsight observation on your Russian tour operator, and better priced than the ship's excursion cost.

Thanks very much for the feedback.

We had the same experience as you so far as price. We originally booked a Viking Cruise but, hearing some things about the river cruises that made us unhappy, looked into other options. T-A-R cost the same or less than a cruise and had us in hotels for 11 days. We opted for the private tour. They have three tour levels, based on hotels. We originally opted for the four star as it did not cost much more than the three star hotels. Finally we decided to throw it all in and upgraded to five star. In Moscow we will be at the newly opened Kempinsky which is two blocks from Red Square. In St. Petersburg it is the Grand Hotel Europe, one of the most vaunted luxury hotels in Russia. Location is important for us as the tours use up only part of the day so being in the center of everything for our independent touring is important. As with many other cities, the less you pay, the farther out of the center of town you are.

We have been working with our salesman in D.C. and he seems to get back to us with the changes we want. He recently returned from Russia so is up on everything. When I asked they said they paid the full TA commission if I wanted so I got my usual TA on board so he is watching our back and giving us that extra level of comfort. He also set up our air, which I know pays him little or nothing, and got us business class for much less than T-A-R wanted for economy, though it took working for a while with a consolidator. He's happy to get his 10 percent on this trip without having booked it. He also took care of the trip insurance. We've been doing a lot of research on the CC sister site Trip Advisor and will write a report there. We will, I guess, become a source of info for CC members after having spent 5 days in Moscow and 6 in SP.

• 4 months later...

scubacruiserx2

Anybody considering a day trip to Moscow from St. Petersburg on the Sapsan may want to look at our travelogue filled with pictures.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1927687

Very informative. Thanks dor sharing. Jeff

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