Trip to Russia with a Travel Agent

Trip to Russia: Our Private Tours

We provide tailor-made, well-planned, and high-quality Russia trips just for you
in individually designed city tours in St. Petersburg, Moscow, and the regions.

Aurora Cruises and Travel offers the following cruises, tours, and activities in Russia.
Small private group custom-made escorted tours:

• Independent private custom-made tours
• Trans-Siberian train tours
• Trans-Mongolian Rail tours
• Off the beaten track individual tours
• Russian river cruises Volga River cruises
• Lake Baikal tours
• Golden Ring tours
• Adventure tours
• Snowmobile tours in Karelia
• Visa support services

Planning Trip to Russia is a Confusing Experience

For most travelers, trip planning has become an excited but confusing experience.

You can easily spend a couple of hundred hours finding yourself in the middle of nowhere.

Too many options, too many conflicting reviews for a regular trip. – But for Russia?

Forget about a self-planning complicated trip to Russia. – It is not doable!

Here are a few reasons for it.
First, Russia is not as well visited as Italy, for example. So, people who didn't live there don't know the travel potential for this one-sixth of the world.

Second, most people visited either two major cities – Moscow and St. Petersburg – or one only – St. Petersburg.

Third, the majority of travel information is in Russian. So, our competition can't reach it due to the language barrier.

Why You Have to Hire Russia-Native Travel Agent

Instead of hiring a travel agent who was in Russia once or has not been there, take advantage of first-hand knowledge of Nadia Jastrjembskaia, a travel agent from Aurora Cruises and Travel here in Florida.

Imagine talking with a local travel agent who:

• Knows the destination well.
• Can give you curated travel advice.
• Knows language and customs.
• Recommends excellent experiences based on your interests.
• Can put the entire trip together. – So, you can review and make bookings in one place.

Here, in Aurora Cruises and Travel, we bring the Russian local travel agent into the trip planning process to reach your goal. – Have a truly fantastic trip to Russia.

We're excited to be part of your travel experience, whether it's a once-in-a-lifetime adventure or a short holiday with your family.

Plan your trip with Russian with Aurora Cruises and Travel

It is strange, but some of our competitions have never been in Russia. Or they were on the short familiarization trip and visited Moscow and St. Petersburg.

We work with simple yet powerful principles at Aurora Cruises and Travel. – We care about your journey to Russia!

We care means that we:

• Offer you the best suppliers available on the market. – This means best guides, best hotels, best activities for you. Even products that are not available on the US market yet.
• Offer remarkable overall quality of service and unique travel experience.

7 Things that Make Us Different

1. Nadia Jastrjembskaia, one of the top experts in the travel industry worldwide, is a Russian native with a wealth of travel experiences through Russia and former USSR republics like Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, Moldova, and Kyrgyzstan to mention a few.
   Due to Nadia's extensive knowledge of Russia's destinations, you have access to real experts and tour guides.
2.  Your immersion into Russian culture and experience are our top priorities. Private tours and transfers, including but not limiting to private chauffeur, concierge services – all those features make your Russia vacation memorable.
3. In most cases, our competition resells products made by others. This means that they don't know who will guide you or your concierge. We select vendors that we know personally and have proven records of being one of the best in their fields.
4. We create your Russia experience with your interests and hobbies in mind. Imagine you booked a trip to Russia with a tour company to learn that there are not enough people to run a tour just a few weeks before departure. – Yes, this happens more often than you think! This never happens to you if you give your business to us. – This is your tour, your rules!
5. We will help you obtain invitation documents – yes, you need an invitation to apply for a visa – and apply for a visa directly through the Russian consulate in the USA.
6. We suggest the best hotels in the heart of each destination. We give you a few options to choose from and explain pluses and minuses for each. Due to the weakness of the Russian currency, the best hotels in Russia are very affordable.
7. Our prices are transparent – no hidden fees and unexpected 'errors.' You will pay what you expect.

Why Travelers Prefer Aurora Cruises and Travel to Plan Trip to Russia

Personalized itineraries and trip logistics for those who are too busy to plan.

Help from Nadia Jastrjembskaia, a native from Russia with extensive experience of most of former USSR republics.

All trip requirements are met.
Authentic travel experiences with up-to-date local insights.

Secure and easy bookings through a reliable travel agency.

Strong support during your trip to Russia.

 Frequently Asked Questions About Trip to Russia

 What is better: plan a trip to Russia DIY or through a travel agency?

It depends. If an immersion experience is not a goal and you have a significant margin for mistakes, try to do it yourself.

Be prepared to spend tens and even a hundred hours researching and verifying information.

If you want to create an authentic experience, you need to invest in a travel expert.

She will make a trip to Russia in the way you wish.

This trip suits your needs, according to your preferences and with the possibility of improvising on the go.

How much does it cost to go to Russia from the USA?

It depends on what kind of accommodation you will book.

The calculation maybe like this:

1. Air ticket is around $1,000 per person. About $800+ per person in low season and $1,200+ in high season.
2. Hotel – around $70+ per night for the average hotel in the city center. It depends on the city and the season. In the Russian province, prices are lower. Hotels are more expensive in St. Petersburg and Moscow.
3. Food – around $40 per person per day. It also depends on the type of restaurant. In fast-food restaurants in Russia, you may pay about $20 per day per person.
4. Activities and excursions – group excursions around $10-20 per person (in Russian). For independent travelers, most tours and activities in English are private – around $50 -70 per hour.
5. Transportation – local taxis are affordable. In most cities, you can hire Uber, which operates as a Yandex Taxi.

How to plan a trip to Russia?

A trip to Russia is quite complicated to plan by yourself. Here are a few reasons:

1.  The USA citizens need a visa to Russia. To receive a visa, you need an invitation from a tour operator, travel agency, or hotel in Russia. The process is quite long, and, in some situations, you may need to have an interview.
2. Travel logistics in Russia are pretty confusing with some restrictions. You can't move freely to visit any region you are interested in. Some cities and towns are closed for foreign visitors.
3. Communication is mainly in Russian. English is spoken primarily in big cities by the young generation.
4. Russians are ambivalent about Americans: you may see either support or aggression. So, it is better to have a host or concierge service to rely on it.

The best way to plan a trip to Russia is to work with a Russian travel agent here in the USA.

She will help you make well-informed decisions regarding your trip to Russia.

Sing for the free 20-minutes video meeting with Nadia Jastrjembskaia, managing director at Aurora Cruises and Travel and one of the top Russian travel agents in the country.

How to visit Russia as a tourist?

You have three choices:

1. Book a group tour or river cruise from a reputable USA-based tour operator.
   Visit Russia as an independent tourist with a local host or concierge service. - Aurora Cruises and Travel can make all travel arrangements for you. You can travel with friends and family.
2. Visit Russia as an independent tourist with all arrangements made by yourself.
3. We don't recommend this option for you due to the complicated nature of the trip to Russia.

How to prepare for a trip to Russia?

First, you must have a USA passport valid at least six months after your return day.

Second, you must have an invitation from the Russian tour operator, travel agency, or hotel. Based on this invitation, you have the right to apply for a Russian visa. – You don't need an invitation if you book your trip to Russia through the USA-based tour operator.

Third, you must obey all travel restrictions and regulations due to COVID-19. Those regulations are subject to change regularly.

How to get into Russia?

You can reach Russia by:

• Air
• Ship
• Car

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the most reliable means of transportation is air.

At the same time, flights may be canceled due to government restrictions.

Is Moscow expensive to visit?

Moscow is one of the most expensive cities to visit in Russia.

Good hotels are above $100 per night.

Food is also costing more. – About $40 – 60 per person per day in the central parts of Moscow.

Private excursions and activities in English are above $120 per excursion.

Is travel to Russia safe?

For tourists, Russia is safe. – You must avoid some regions that are not recommended for foreigners to visit.

We don't recommend that USA citizens travel to Russia without a host or concierge.

You must have somebody who can help you in case of emergency or answer questions immediately.

This is not because Russia is a criminal country.

This is because most people don't speak English there, and your inability to communicate and lack of knowledge of local customs may create an unpleasant experience.

How to obtain a visa to travel to Russia?

First, you must have an invitation to visit Russia. – In most cases, it is a tour operator, travel agency, or hotel.

If you plan to stay at somebody's house, this person must obtain an invitation for you. In this case, the process is more complicated.

When you have an invitation in your hand, you may apply for a visa in the Russian consulate in the USA.

If you work with a travel agent from Aurora Cruises and Travel, you have nothing to worry about. – We will do everything for you. Please sign for the video conference, and a travel agent will discuss this topic with you.