10D8N Russia: Explore St. Petersburg, Kazan & Moscow

Participants gather at KLIA at least four hours before departure and continue their journey with a transit flight in Dubai. Upon arrival in Dubai, participants will take a connecting flight to Saint Petersburg. Upon arrival in the city, participants are greeted by a local tour guide and taken to the hotel for check-in. Participants have time to rest and adjust to the city atmosphere before spending the night in Saint Petersburg.

After breakfast at the hotel, participants begin the tour with a panoramic tour of the city of Saint Petersburg, while listening to explanations from the tour guide about the history and architecture of the city. Among the attractions visited are Nevsky, Kazan Cathedral, Vasilievsky Island, St. Isaac, Bronze Horseman, Senate Square, and Peter and Paul Fortress. Lunch is provided at a local restaurant. After that, the participants continued their visit to Palace Square, the main square that became the center of various important events in Russian history, and then to the Hermitage Museum, one of the largest art museums in the world, which houses art collections in five historic buildings including the Winter Palace, the former residence of the Russian royal family.

At night, participants have the opportunity to watch the bridge on the Neva River open or take an evening draw bridge cruise with an additional fee of RM250 per person (minimum 4 people, cost not included), an experience that allows participants to see the city from a unique river perspective and take amazing night panoramic photos.

After breakfast and hotel check-out, the tour continues to the Church of Spilled Blood, famous for its colorful dome and delicate interior mosaics. Participants then enjoy a leisurely boat ride down the Neva River, before having lunch at a local restaurant. Next visit includesSt. Petersburg (Masjid Soekarno), the largest mosque in Europe with Middle Eastern style architecture, and the Monument to the Heroic Defenders of Leningrad, a memorial to defend the city during the Siege of Leningrad (1941-1944). In the afternoon, the participants left for the airport for the flight to Kazan, where they checked into the hotel and rested.

After breakfast, the tour of Kazan begins with the Peter and Paul Cathedral and the Kazan Family Center, from where participants can see the panorama of the city including the Kazan Riviera, Kazan Arena Stadium, Millennium Bridge, Liberty Square, Ekiyat Puppet Theater, Millennium Park, Kamala Theatre, and leading universities in Kazan. Lunch is provided at a local restaurant. The tour continues to the Nurulla Mosque, one of the oldest mosques in Kazan, and Old-Tatars Sloboda, an old village that depicts the life of the Tatar people.

In the afternoon, participants visited the Kazan Kremlin, a UNESCO world heritage site, including the Spassky Tower, Syuyumbike Leaning Tower, the Annunciation Cathedral, and the Kul Sharif Mosque, before walking along the Kremlevskaya Embankment. The day ends with an interactive, traditional Tatar dinner in the main house of the Tatar village, followed by an evening excursion to see Kazan's iconic illuminated monuments.

After breakfast, participants move to Bulgar, an ancient city known as the Northern Mecca, the early site of the spread of Islam in the Volga region. Upon arrival, lunch is provided at the halal cafe Ak Mechet, before the tour continues to the Bolgar Museum-Preserve, including ancient settlements, Bolgar Civilization Museum, Sign of Islam, old city ruins with ancient mosques and churches, St Nikolay Orthodox Church, old cemetery, five baths, Black Chamber, and Khan's tomb. Participants also visit the White Mosque, a mosque that resembles the Taj Mahal, before returning to Kazan for the night.

Today's tour begins at Tugan Avylym, a complex of traditional Tatar and Russian wooden houses, followed by a visit to the Chak Chak Museum to learn about the traditions of Tatar tea drinking and sweet treats. After lunch at a halal cafe, participants visited Azimovskaya Mosque, a modern mosque with unique architecture, and Bahetle supermarket. Relaxing time on Bauman Street (Kazan Arbat) allows participants to shop for unique souvenirs, clothing, and accessories. At night, the group boarded an overnight train to Moscow.

Upon arrival in Moscow, participants are greeted by a tourist guide and begin a tour of the Moscow Kremlin, a UNESCO world heritage site, and Red Square, including Lenin's Cemetery and St. Basil Cathedral. Wander around the Alexander Gardens and enjoy a relaxing time at the GUM shopping center before lunch. Panoramic tours continued to the Bolshoi Theatre, KGB Building, 7 Sisters Building, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Vorobyovy Hill, Park Pobedy, Poklonnaya Door, Gorky Park, and Moscow Mosque before checking into the hotel to rest.

After breakfast, a visit to Cathedral of Christ of Savior and Patriarch Bridge allows participants to enjoy the view of Kremlin, Gorky Park Museum, and Statue of Peter The Great. Lunch at a local restaurant before participants embark on a 2.5-hour Radisson Royal Moscow River Cruise, cruising down the river and enjoying the panorama of the city including iconic bridges and historic buildings. The tour continues to Zaryadie Park, shopping on Arbat Street, and exploring the Moscow Metro with its unique station architecture. In the evening, participants visit Sobornaya Mosque for mass prayer and then to Izmaylovskiy Bazar to buy traditional Russian souvenirs before returning to the hotel.

After breakfast, participants board the Moscow Cable Car to enjoy a panoramic view of the city including the Moskva River. Lunch is provided at a local restaurant. Free time followed before departure to the airport for the return flight to Malaysia.

Participants arrive in Kuala Lumpur, bringing home sweet memories along the journey full of historical, cultural, and stunning Russian experience.