MIR DMC - MIR Destination Management Company

Transcription

MIR DMC - Destination Specialists since 1986:
Central Asia
Five ‘Stans
u
u
Iran
u
Silk Route
South Caucasus: Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan
Russia
u
Siberia
u
Trans-Siberian Railway
u
Ukraine
Sunset over Registan Square in Samarkand
photo: Lindsay Fincher
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MIR DMC D estinations
CENTRAL ASIA & IRAN
H ighlights & S ignature E xperiences
Featuring: UNESCO-listed Silk Road oases of Uzbekistan, the Pamir
Highway, Turkmenistan UNESCO Sites, Fergana Valley, Nukus,
Tash Rabat, Almaty and Astana – old and new capitals of
Kazakhstan, bazaars, Tehran, Shiraz, Isfahan, Persepolis
MIR DMC Office:
Tashkent
THE SOUTH CAUCASUS
Featuring: Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and their capitals – Tbilisi,
Yerevan and Baku, the mountainous Svaneti region, Kakheti
wine country, “Georgian Table” feast, powerful stone churches,
caravanserai, petroglyphs, cave towns
MIR DMC Office:
Tbilisi
WESTERN RUSSIA
Featuring: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Solovetsky Island, Golden Ring,
Southern Russian Steppe
MIR DMC Offices:
Moscow, St. Petersburg
SIBERIA
Featuring: The Trans-Siberian Railway, Tuva, Lake Baikal, Buryatia,
Yakutia/Sakha Republic, Kamchatka
MIR DMC Offices:
Irkutsk, Ulan Ude
UKRAINE
Featuring: Kiev, Lviv, Western Ukraine, Odessa, the Carpathian Mountains
MIR DMC Office:
Kiev
Specializing in Siberia, the Silk Route,
St. Petersburg & Beyond since 1986
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Skirting the dunes of the Taklamakan Desert
photo: Peter Guttman
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The
IR
“I had always dreamed of playing
the Soviets…”
It was just before the time of glasnost and perestroika,
and soon Gorbachev would open the windows and begin to
air out the old Soviet Union. A fatal move for Gorbachev; a
fateful move for MIR founder Douglas Grimes. A young man
with a passion for volleyball, Doug had dreamed of playing
the Soviet team, which had long dominated his favorite
sport. His enthusiasm led to a behind-the-scenes meeting
with members of the Soviet Olympic volleyball team at
an exhibition match in Seattle. He was instrumental in
imagining and organizing a goodwill volleyball tour of the
U.S.S.R. While the American teams proved to be no match
for the Soviets on the court, Doug excelled at making
Russian friends and stepping into the daily lives of his hosts
and their families.
During Soviet times, ordinary citizens took a calculated
risk in speaking with Americans. But once they invited
Doug into their homes, they threw caution to the wind.
Their far-ranging all-night conversations in countless
Russian kitchens surprised him in their intensity and in his
open-hearted reaction to them. Doug fell hopelessly in love
with Russia.
Doug’s personal journey inspired him and his small crew
to begin, tentatively at first, to bring other special interest
groups to the U.S.S.R. to meet their counterparts in visits
that, up to that time, they could only dream about. As Cold
War stereotypes and beliefs began to shift, Doug and his
team began to believe that their own Soviet encounters and
experiences could be shared on a larger scale. They decided
to found a company to do just that, naming it MIR, a Russian
word meaning both “world” and “peace,” and plunged into
the pioneering world of travel to the Soviet Union.
to ry
Far From the Familiar
A few years later, fresh out of university and armed with
an obscure, but useful, degree in Russian Studies, Annie
Lucas, MIR’s future Vice President, joined up with Doug and
his growing team. One of her first undertakings was a monthlong foray into the Soviet Union, far from the familiar, that
changed the course of her life. She was hooked, too.
Beginnings
Embracing Doug’s commitment to connecting people,
the fledgling company supported NGOs and special interest
organizations in their attempts to negotiate the red tape
that snarled travel to the Soviet Union. Some early MIR
efforts included helping Hawaiian hula dancers take part
in a local Siberian dance festival, bringing LAPD officers
to meet with Soviet police on the Moscow beat, and
facilitating “healing through humor” missions that gained
access to Russian hospitals and orphanages for Patch
Adams and his troupe of amateur clowns.
An early mission to build a small peace park in Tashkent
for the Seattle-Tashkent Sister City Association inspired
MIR to open the first accredited travel office of an
American firm in Uzbekistan, still flourishing today.
Transitions and Transformations
Much has changed over the last quarter century. We’ve
come a long way from the days when telegrams or telexes
(remember them?) were the only means available to
communicate with the U.S.S.R. – and they were subject to a
reply time of almost two months. Today our network of key
field affiliates is strategically located at the gateways to the
crossroads of Europe and Asia: specifically, in St. Petersburg,
Moscow, Irkutsk, Ulan Ude, Kiev, Tashkent and Tbilisi.
The principals of MIR have, over time, assembled and
developed an exceptional team of on-the-ground experts,
each with a decade or two of specialized experience under
their belts. As a group, we have an incredibly rich body of
personal knowledge and expertise to draw from and a vast
network of contacts to call upon to execute even the most
challenging of requests.
Annie Lucas & Douglas Grimes - Co-owners, MIR Corporation
Our destinations are still vastly under-explored, yet
they offer an abundance of enticements: Lake Baikal,
the earth’s deepest and oldest freshwater lake, teeming
with wildlife found nowhere else; the soaring mountains
and fruitful valleys of the South Caucasus countries; and
the welcoming oases of the Silk Road, their mosques,
madrassahs and minarets clad in ceramic tiles the color
of the desert sky.
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Uzbekistan u Kazakhstan u Kyrgyzstan
T a j i k i s t a n u T ur k m e n i s t a n u I r a n
entral
&
sia
ran
C
entral Asia has historically been an ethnic bridge between the Turkic and the
Persian cultures. Persian Iran loaned its desert architecture of mud brick and
glazed tiles, its Islamic beliefs and its decorative motifs to the Turkic-speaking
peoples of this region. The Turkic Silk Road merchants shared their exotic wares
with the Persians, and both cultures were inestimably enriched. Today’s traveler
is surrounded with the results of this melding of beautiful materials, visionary
architecture and deeply hospitable people.
Towering Islam Khodja Minaret in Khiva, Uzbekistan
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photo: Douglas Grimes
Why Central Asia & Iran?
MIR offers customized programs throughout five Central Asian countries – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan – as well as enigmatic Iran. We are at home walking the bluetiled Silk Road oases of Uzbekistan – Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva – all of them UNESCO Sites; motoring
along the breathtaking Pamir Highway in the mountains of Tajikistan; picking our way through the cacophony
of Turkmenistan’s bazaars; strolling the shores of Kyrgyzstan’s high-altitude Lake Issyk-Kul; ducking into the
portable round dwellings of Kazakh nomads; and admiring the complex Persian architecture of Isfahan’s vast
Imam Square.
With a representative office in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent, MIR is ideally positioned to receive individual
travelers, cultural explorers, adventure and outdoor enthusiasts, and private jet and train expeditions.
Accommodations available through MIR in Central Asia and Iran can range from high-level downtown hotels
and bed-and-breakfast-type properties with traditional décor, to remote desert yurt camps and ancient
caravanserais along the old Silk Road.
UNESCO-L isted S ilk R oad O ases
of U zbekistan
The Old Towns of Uzbekistan’s three fabled oasis cities –
Bukhara, Samarkand and Khiva – are incredible mazes of
exotic architecture and gorgeous decorative art. Bukhara’s
quilted and patterned mud-brick constructions and billowing
turquoise domes; Samarkand’s blue-tiled arched madrassahs and stately minarets, embellished by Tamerlane’s finest
artisans; and Khiva’s undulating city walls of plastered mud
glowing in the sunset, evoke images of ancient traders arriving from the desert with their weary camels.
T he P amir H ighway
The Pamir Mountains of Tajikistan are some of the most
rugged and beautiful on Earth, soaring upward where the
Himalayas, the Tien Shan and the Hindu Kush meet. An
adventurous journey over the Pamir Highway traverses a
breathtaking route, in use since the time of the Silk Road.
T urkmenistan UNESCO S ites
Explore the archaeological treasures of the five succeeding
cities of Merv, the earliest of which is attributed to Cyrus
the Great in the 6th century BC; Nisa, a major center of the
ancient Parthian Kingdom; and Kunya-Urgench.
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he countries of Central Asia and Iran are laced together with traces of the old Silk Road that
linked the Eastern and Western worlds. These great trade routes formed the conduit not only
for the silks and spices that gave the world some of its brilliance and flavor, but also for ideas,
languages, art, architecture and religions. Travelers discover unfamiliar cultures, abundant bazaars,
fabulous UNESCO World Heritage Sites, up-to-the-minute politics and down-to-earth, welcoming people as
they follow the path of early merchants, traders and conquerors. MIR can help your clients to break through
the overarching air of Silk Road mystery and become familiar with a region that is once again coming to the
forefront of modern commerce.
F ergana V alley
The lush Fergana Valley, where Central Asia’s silk production
began with two cocoons hidden in the headdress of a royal
Chinese bride, is divided among three of the five ‘Stans. In
the Uzbek portion of the valley, visit Margilan and Rishtan,
villages specializing in silks and ceramics, and in Kyrgyz Osh,
ascend to UNESCO-listed Suleiman-Too Sacred Mountain,
one of the holiest Islamic sites in Central Asia.
N ukus
Out in the desert in the vicinity of Uzbekistan’s shrinking
Aral Sea, join a curator to tour the incredible Savitsky Art
Museum, whose founder was able to amass a wonderful
collection of thousands of banned avant-garde Russian art
pieces – the second-largest accumulation of Russian avantgarde art after the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg.
T ash R abat
Tash Rabat is a massive stone fortress and ancient caravanserai used by 15th century Silk Road merchants and
caravans as a rest stop. This is the gateway to the Torugart
Pass, a 12,000-foot pass through the Tien Shan Mountains
on the border of Kyrgyzstan and China. Considered the most
spectacular route into or out of Central Asia, the pass separates the red sand desert of western China from the green
mountain pastures of Kyrgyzstan.
MIR – Your C entral A sia
& Iran Destination Specialist
Uzbekistan u Kazakhstan u Kyrgyzstan
T a j i k i s t a n u T ur k m e n i s t a n u I r a n
From Astana, Kazakhstan’s purpose-built capital on the northern
steppe, down to Almaty, the country’s business center in the south,
travelers survey a hand-picked selection of highlights in Kazakhstan,
Central Asia’s most successful country.
photo: Richard Fejfar
A lmaty and A stana –
O ld and N ew C apitals of K azakhstan
T he G rand B azaars
The descendants of the old Silk Road bazaars continue in a flurry
of color and commerce. Wander the cacophonous marketplaces,
brimming with all types of goods, from household items to vividly
patterned hand-loomed carpets and from silks and embroidered
hats to bawling livestock.
P ersepolis
The incredible ruins of Iran’s Persepolis were once the monumental
halls, boulevards, and courtyards of the ceremonial capital of the
Achaemenid kings. Persepolis was one of the most important centers of the Ancient World.
Travelers discover Persian treasures and modern Islamic daily life in
this trio of Iran’s finest cities. Spirited Tehran, the country’s marketplace, romantic Shiraz with its miles of roses, and beautiful Isfahan,
its arched bridges glowing in the evening light, serve as an introduction to an ancient land, its history, culture and modern inhabitants.
photo: Ana Filonov
T ehran , S hiraz , I sfahan : 3 M ust -S ee C ities of I ran
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Burana Tower, one of the only remaining watch towers from the Kyrgyz Silk Road
photo: Martin Klimenta
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C entral A sia & Iran:
Destination by Design
IR’s depth of experience and extensive network of expert guides and talented staff
assure you of a partner who can deliver high-quality service and creative itineraries to
your clients. We delight in working closely with incentive travel and tour professionals to
satisfy even the most challenging and unusual requests. And we know our way around
the cobbled streets and mud-brick alleyways of Central Asia, a skill we picked up during
our 25 years of experience here.
MIR Signature Experiences along the Silk Route
Desert of Forbidden Art
photo: Michel Behar
Go behind the scenes and inside the archives on a curator-led tour of the brilliant
Savitsky collection at the State Art Museum of the Republic of Karakalpakstan. Here
thousands of banned avant-garde Russian art pieces were amassed in the desert, hidden
from the watchful eyes of the KGB.
Ancient Crafts Revived
From hand-crafted paper-making to puppetry to miniature painting, meet local masters
and watch demonstrations of age-old craft traditions.
Brilliant Artisan Ceramics
Make exclusive visits throughout the region to private studios and workshops of celebrated ceramics masters where traditions have been passed down from father to son.
Flourishing Desert Fashion
Attend a sylish Turkmen fashion show or visit the studio of an international fashion
designer in Uzbekistan.
Classical Persian Gardens
The classical Persian Garden is a formal oasis that typically includes pools and fountains,
walls, pavilions, orchards and flowering plants. Often it surrounds a palace, and always it
is gracefully and masterfully composed to take advantage of its surroundings.
The Art of Falconry
Attend a demonstration of Kazakh or Kyrgyz falconry at a falcon farm where birds of prey
are trained for the hunt by dedicated masters of the sport.
Steppe Traditions
Enjoy a thrilling presentation of Kyrgyz horse games, including kurosh, wrestling
on horseback.
photo: Vlad Ushakov
Central Asian and Persian Applied Arts
Through visits to dedicated museums and private workshops, learn about hand-painted
silks, the Uzbek ikat design, Kyrgyz felted rugs, Persian carpets and the wonderful
embroidered Uzbek suzani.
The Grand Bazaars
Wander among booths piled with pomegranates and silvery grapes and stacked with
handwoven carpets looking as if they had just arrived on the backs of Silk Road camels.
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C entral A sia & Iran:
MIR Signature Experiences
along the Silk Route
Architectural Wonders
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Travelers can experience 16 wonderful attractions of
architectural and cultural significance on MIR’s trips to
Central Asia and Iran.
Folklore of the Steppe
Kyrgyz mythical hero, Manas, is the champion of The Epic of
Manas, a Kyrgyz epic poem with nearly half a million verses.
Never written down until the 19th century, the poem has
been handed down verbally for generations.
Archaeological Treasures
Central Asia and Iran are treasure troves for enthusiasts
intrigued by the ruins of 9th century BC Paikent: 4th century
BC Persepolis, ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid kings:
and ancient Merv, Nisa and Penjikent.
Uzbek Hospitality at its Best
Venture inside a private Uzbek home for an authentic homecooked meal of Uzbek specialties such as savory plov and
the fragrant flatbread called nan, baked in clay ovens.
Jewish Heritage in Bukhara
Visit Bukhara’s old Jewish Quarter in the heart of the Old
Town, where in the mid 19th century 2,500 families of prosperous merchants were estimated to have been living.
Music & Dance Traditions of the Silk Road
Dance, music and musical instruments are an integral part
of Central Asian culture. From visits to musical instrument
museums to private concerts of traditional music and dance
performances by brilliantly-costumed artists, experience the
living arts of the Silk Road.
Zoroastrian Legacy
Zoroastrians from around the world visit the Fire Temple in
Yazd to see its eternal flame, said to have been burning since
470 AD. Zoroaster, founder of the religion, lived in Persia
sometime between 1000 and 600 BC, and his traditions are
still practiced in Yazd.
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Admire the shapely blue-tiled domes, arching mosaic-clad
mosques and soaring mud-brick minarets of the desert
oases, and survey Isfahan’s gracefully proportioned Imam
Square, decorated with cobalt, turquoise and lapis lazuli
mosaic tiles.
Samarkand’s Shah-I-Zinde necropolis
photo: Ana Filonov
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IR can take you and your clients from Tamerlane’s blue-tiled capital, fabled Samarkand, to the ceremonial capital of
the Achaemenid kings, mighty Persepolis; from the yurts of Kyrgyz nomads to the palaces of the Persian Empire; from
the mud-brick desert citadels of Uzbekistan to the skyscrapers of Tehran. And everywhere in between.
A ncient P ersia – M odern I ran
T he F ive ‘S tans of C entral A sia
Day 1, Arrive Tehran
Day 1, Arrive Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Day 2, Tehran
Day 2, Bishkek
Day 3, Tehran • fly to Kerman
Day 3, Bishkek • drive to Almaty, Kazakhstan
Day 4, Kerman • day trip to Rayen, Mahan
Day 4, Almaty
Day 5, Kerman • drive to Yazd
Day 5, Almaty • fly to Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Day 6, Yazd
Day 6, Tashkent
Day 7, Yazd • drive to Shiraz via Pasargadae
Day 7, Tashkent • drive to Khujand, Tajikistan
Day 8, Shiraz • day trip to Persepolis
Day 8, Khujand • drive to Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Day 9, Shiraz • drive to Isfahan
Day 9, Samarkand
Day 10, Isfahan
Day 10, Samarkand • drive to Bukhara
Day 11, Isfahan
Day 11, Bukhara
Day 12, Depart Isfahan
Day 12, Bukhara
Day 13, Bukhara • drive to Khiva
Day 14, Khiva
Day 15, Khiva • drive to Tashauz •
fly to Ashkabad, Turkmenistan
Day 16, Ashkabad
Day 17, Ashkabad
Day 18, Depart Ashkabad
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photo: Devin Connolly
Central Asia & Iran
Suggested Itineraries
photo: Ana Filonov
photo: Timothy Malishenko
S amarkand to I sfahan :
U zbekistan , T urkmenistan , I ran
S ilk R oad O ld & N ew :
K azakhstan , U zbekistan *
Day 1, Arrive Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Day 1, Arrive Astana, Kazakhstan
Day 2, Tashkent
Day 2, Astana
Day 3, Tashkent • train to Samarkand
Day 3, Astana • fly to Almaty
Day 4, Samarkand
Day 4, Almaty
Day 5, Samarkand • drive to Bukhara via Gijduvan
Day 5, Almaty • fly to Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Day 6, Bukhara Day 6, Tashkent
Day 7, Bukhara
Day 7, Tashkent • train to Samarkand
Day 8, Samarkand
Day 9, Khiva
Day 9, Samarkand • drive to Bukhara
Day 10, Khiva • day trip to Nukus
Day 10, Bukhara Day 11, Khiva • drive to Tashauz
• fly to Ashkabad, Turkmenistan
Day 12, Ashkabad
Day 13, Ashkabad
Day 14, Depart Tashkent
Day 14, Depart Ashkabad • drive to Mashad, Iran
*Note: 10-day Uzbekistan-only itinerary also available
Day 12, Khiva
Day 13, Khiva • day trip to Nukus • fly to Tashkent
Day 15, Mashad • fly to Tehran
Day 16, Tehran
Day 17, Tehran • fly to Shiraz
Day 18, Shiraz • drive to Isfahan via Persepolis
Day 19, Isfahan
Day 20, Isfahan
Day 21, Depart Isfahan
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Georgia
u
A rm e n i a
outh
G
u
Azerbaijan
a uc a s u s
eorgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, the three countries of the South Caucasus,
interlock like puzzle pieces on a strip of mountainous land wedged between
the Black and Caspian seas. Each shares a border with the other two, three
unrelated languages are spoken, and two different religions hold sway. The Muslim
people of Azerbaijan and the Christians of Armenia and Georgia all have robust
pagan roots, a love of life and a strong culture of hospitality, home and hearth.
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Gergeti Monastery in Georgia
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photo: Michel Behar
Why The South Caucasus?
he soaring Caucasus Mountains separate Europe from Asia, and the three South Caucasus
countries, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, are on that borderline. In a region unfamiliar to
many Americans, these are some of Europe’s most ancient inhabited places. Azerbaijan was closely
connected with pre-Islamic Persia; it is sometimes said that burning natural gas vents on its Absheron
Peninsula inspired Zoroastrian fire rituals. Today, its future is based on rich oil and gas deposits. Beautiful
Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion, early in the 4th century. And Georgia
claims to be the first area to cultivate the wine grape, and has been perfecting its winemaking ever since.
MIR offers customized programs throughout the three South Caucasus countries, Georgia, Armenia
and Azerbaijan. We know our way around the winding cobbled streets of old Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital city,
and the vineyards of the wine region, Kakheti; we’ve climbed the steps of the Cascade, a modern monument
in the middle of Armenia’s capital, Yerevan, and heard the choir singing at the pagan Temple of Garni; and
we’ve wandered the back streets of Baku, capital of Azerbaijan on the Caspian Sea, where grand old mansions remain from its first oil boom in the late 19th century.
With an affiliated office in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, MIR is ideally positioned to receive individual
travelers, cultural explorers, adventure and outdoor enthusiasts, and private jet and train expeditions.
Accommodations available through MIR in the South Caucasus can range from luxury boutique hotels and
world-class five star properties, to rustic mountain lodges and small locally-owned getaways.
CAPITAL CITIES – B aku , A zerbaijan
Encircled with medieval city walls, the winding alleyways of
Baku’s UNESCO-listed Old Town contrast sharply with the
LED-lit skyscrapers on its shoreline. Even after 80 years of
official Soviet atheism, its people identify as Shi’ite Muslims.
Baku’s main business is fossil fuels, extracting and transporting the great oil and gas reserves under the waters of the
Caspian Sea.
T bilisi , G eorgia
Tbilisi’s Old Town, its houses sporting carved wooden balconies and its shops selling the creamy cheese bread called
kachapouri, sits beneath the 4th century Narikala Fortress on
the hill above. Set in the Mtkvari River valley, at the mouth
of an historic passageway between East and West, Tbilisi is
welcoming, tolerant, vital and full of life.
Y erevan , A rmenia
The capital city of Armenia, founded in 782 BC, is older even
than Rome. In 310 AD, Armenia’s king made Armenia the
first Christian country in the world, a fact which has greatly
affected its history. The city features a large central square
with broad avenues radiating from it, and a ring of parkland.
Mountains surround Yerevan, including the snow-covered
peaks of Ararat to the south.
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T he C aucasus M ountains
The jagged Caucasus Mountains slash through Georgia,
Armenia and Azerbaijan from northwest to southeast, leaving a wide valley where ancient travelers picked their way
between the Black and Caspian Seas. In the steep and
remote Svaneti region of Georgia, the rocky peaks have protected the Svanetian way of life for centuries; it’s said that
the traditions and culture of Svaneti are “more Georgian”
than anywhere else in Georgia.
F rom S ea to S ea
The three South Caucasus countries taken together stretch
across a narrow land bridge between the Black and Caspian
Seas. Georgia claims a subtropical stretch of beautiful Black
Sea coast, while Azerbaijan, the only Caucasian country with
a coastline on the Caspian Sea, benefits from the oil, if not
the beauty, of the shallow, saline Caspian. Meanwhile, landlocked Armenia borders both of them, as well as Turkey and
Iran.
O ldest W ine R egion
Europe’s earliest-known wine residues were discovered at
the bottom of an 8,000-year-old Georgian qvevri, the bigbellied ceramic vessels that are still used today by traditional
wine-makers. Even today, qvevri are buried in the ground,
filled with macerated grapes, skins and pips, and covered.
MIR – Your South C aucasus
Destination Specialist
A rm e n i a
u
Georgia
u
Azerbaijan
The liquid is stirred now and then until the solids sink to the
bottom and the wine is fermented to the winemaker’s taste.
The ancient method was inscribed onto UNESCO’s list of
Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2013.
A rchaeological T reasures
Humans have inhabited the South Caucasus region for many
thousands of years: Georgia is home to the earliest hominid
remains yet discovered in Europe, the 1.7-million-year-old
hominid skulls unearthed at Dmanisi and kept in a Tbilisi
museum. Armenia lays claim to the world’s oldest leather
footware, the 5,000-year-old one-piece hide shoe discovered
at the Areni-1 site in 2008. Azerbaijan hosts UNESCO-listed
Gobustan, three acres of rocky land near the Caspian Sea
where early inhabitants produced some 6,000 rock carvings
over a period of 40,000 years.
O ldest C hristian N ations
Christianity has been crucial to the development of a sense
of identity and pride in Armenia. In 310 AD, Armenia’s King
Trdates III converted to the new creed and adopted it as the
state religion, making Armenia the first Christian country.
Georgia followed suit in 327, after the country’s favorite
saint, Nino, converted the queen and convinced the king of
her God’s power. Legend says that St. Nino constructed a
cross from vine leaves and her own hair; today it is the most
important relic in the Georgian Orthodox church.
A ncient S tone C hurches
Powerful old churches, built of huge blocks of red or yellow
stone are silhouetted on Georgian and Armenian hilltops or
tucked away in the valleys. The UNESCO World Heritage site
of Mtskheta in Georgia includes the massive yet graceful
11th century Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, its interior decorated
in artistic murals; and Armenia’s UNESCO-listed 10th century
Haghbat and Sanahin monasteries have atmospheric stone
churches, whose cemeteries are studded with Armenian
khachkar (carved stone crosses).
C ave T owns and M onasteries
The Caucasus foothills are pockmarked with caves of human
and natural origin, put to use as invulnerable towns or serene
monasteries. Georgia’s cave city, Uplistsikhe, meaning Lord’s
Castle, may have been populated before 1000 BC, and was
once one of the most important centers along the trade
route linking Byzantium with India and China. Carved into the
side of a mountain, UNESCO-listed Geghard Monastery is
one of the most fascinating monuments in Armenia.
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Baku old and new
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South Caucasus: Georgia, Armenia
& Azerbaijan Destination by Design
IR has a broad and long-standing connection with the countries of the South Caucasus.
Our depth of experience here, and our extensive network of expert guides and talented
staff assure you of a partner who can deliver high-quality service and creative itineraries
to your clients. We delight in working closely with incentive travel and tour professionals
to showcase Armenia’s centuries-old carved stone khachkar crosses, the full-bodied
wines of Georgia, and the medieval architecture of Azerbaijan.
MIR Signature Experiences
Nobel House Museum Private Reception
Visit the Villa Petrolea Nobel Brothers’ Museum for a private reception; the history of
Baku’s oil boom is inextricably bound up with the Nobel family, including Alfred, the man
who established the Nobel Prizes.
photo: Michel Behar
Authentic Caravanserai
Imagine yourself a Silk Route merchant as you explore an authentic caravanserai in
Sheki, Azerbaijan.
The Georgian Table
Savor an authentic “Georgian Table,” featuring an abundance of local specialties and an
official Georgian toastmaster, called a tamada.
Polyphonic Singing Traditions
Enjoy an inspiring performance of Georgian traditional polyphonic singing and visit a
cultural studio and school where traditions are taught to the younger generation.
Cave Towns of Georgia
Hike the massive 12th century cave town of Vardzia, transformed by Georgia’s Queen
Tamara into a renowned monastic center.
Tower Architecture and Culture of Svaneti in The Caucasus Mountains
Explore the stacked stone medieval watchtowers of UNESCO-listed Svaneti, Georgia’s
remote and gorgeous Caucasus Mountain region, and learn about the culture of the highland Svan people.
A Cappela Singers at Garni
Listen to traditional Armenian songs sung a capella by a top-notch vocal ensemble during
a private concert at 1st century Garni Temple.
One of the World’s Oldest Book Collections
Marvel at the reverence for the written word at Yerevan’s Matendaran Museum, where
the vast collection of more than 17,000 manuscripts has existed since the 5th century.
Brandy Tasting
Taste genuine Armenian cognac at the Yerevan Brandy Company, the distillery that
still produces the brandy that Winston Churchill is said to have ordered 400 bottles
of annually.
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photo: James T. Carnehan
South C aucasus: G eorgia, A rmenia &
Azerbaijan Suggested Itineraries
end your clients with us to the sharp mountains of Georgia for feasting, singing and toasting; to the Caspian sea
shore of Azerbaijan to inspect pre-historic petroglyphs and the glitzy evidence of 21st century petro-dollars; and to
the hills and dales of Armenia, where early Christians carved fantastic patterns into thousands of rock crosses.
C ulture & C uisine in the
R epublic of G eorgia
T he S outh C aucasus : G eorgia , A rmenia ,
A zerbaijan
Day 1, Arrive Tbilisi, Georgia
Day 1, Arrive Baku, Azerbaijan
Day 2, Tbilisi
Day 2, Baku
Day 3, Tbilisi
Day 3, Baku • drive to Sheki
Day 4,
Day 5,
Day 6,
Day 4, Sheki
Tbilisi • drive to Mtskheta • Ananuri
• Kazbegi (Caucasus Mountains)
Kazbegi • drive to Gudauri
• pass by Tbilisi to Signagi
Signagi
Day 7, Signagi • drive to Tbilisi via wine country
Day 8, Depart Tbilisi
Day 5, Sheki • drive to Tbilisi, Georgia via wine country
Day 6, Tbilisi
Day 7, Tbilisi
Day 8, Tbilisi • drive to Gudauri (Caucasus Mountains)
Day 9, Gudauri • drive to Tbilisi via Gori & Uplistsikhe
Day 10, Tbilisi • drive to Yerevan, Armenia
via UNESCO sites
Day 11, Yerevan
Day 12, Yerevan • day trips to Echmiadzin, Garni, Geghard
Day 13, Yerevan • day trip to Khor Virap
Day 14, Yerevan • day trip to Lake Sevan
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Day 15, Depart Yerevan
photo: Lusine Khachatrain
photo: James Carnehan
photo: Gotita Bukhaidze
E ast T urkey & G eorgia
G eorgia & A rmenia featuring S vaneti
Day 1, Arrive Van, Turkey
Day 1, Arrive Yerevan, Armenia
Day 2, Van • day trip to Akhtamar Island
Day 2, Yerevan
Day 3, Van • drive to Kars via Dogubayazit
Day 3, Yerevan
Day 4, Kars • day trip to Ani
Day 4, Yerevan • drive to Gyumri
Day 5, Kars • drive to Erzurum
Day 5, Gyumri • drive to Bakuriani, Georgia via Vardzia
Day 6, Erzurum • drive to Trabzon
Day 6, Bakuriani • drive to Kutaisi
Day 7, Trabzon
Day 7, Kutaisi • drive to Mestia, Svaneti region
Day 8, Trabzon • drive to Batumi, Georgia
Day 8, Mestia
Day 9, Batumi • drive to Bakuriani
Day 9, Mestia
Day 10, Bakuriani • drive to Tbilisi via Gori & Uplistsikhe
Day 10, Mestia • drive to Batumi
Day 11, Tbilisi
Day 11, Depart Batumi
Day 12, Tbilisi • drive to Kazbegi (Caucasus Mountains)
Day 13, Kazbegi
Day 14, Kazbegi • drive to Tbilisi
Day 15, Depart Tbilisi
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ussia
i n c l udi n g S i b e ri a
R
ussia, the largest country on earth is, quite simply, larger than life; so big
and so diverse that an incomparable range of uniquely Russian experiences
is possible in any season. Red Square in a light snowfall, St. Petersburg’s glowing
canals under a midnight sunset, reindeer on the Kamchatka Peninsula pawing
the tundra for lichen, a resplendent table set for guests in a tidy Russian home,
the almost tropical transparency of Lake Baikal’s cold waters, the undeniable
genius of the Hermitage, the vastness of the taiga streaming by the windows of
a Trans-Siberian train, a horse-drawn sleigh skimming the snow like a scene out
of Dr. Zhivago – these are Russia’s treasures, featured in the phenomenal range
of itineraries and experiences possible with MIR.
Gilded ornamental trim in Catherine’s Palace
photo: Jonathan Irish
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photo: Steve Richmond
photo: Peter Sukonik
Why Western Russia?
xplore the distinctive realm that is Russia – iconic onion-domed churches, kremlin fortresses,
world-renowned museums and lavish palaces. From its czarist past, described by Tolstoy and
Dostoevsky and set to music by Tchaikovsky, to its present-day political intrigue, Western Russia
is an enormously rewarding destination offering a kaleidoscopic number of incentive and specialty
travel opportunities.
MIR specializes in customized programs throughout Western Russia, including the burgeoning
political capital, Moscow, changing every minute; the sophisticated cultural capital, St. Petersburg; the
historic old Golden Ring towns (Sergiev Posad, Suzdal, Vladimir, Rostov and Yaroslavl, among others);
the Volga River towns of Kazan and Volgograd; the far northern cities of Murmansk, Archangelsk and
Solovetsky Island; and the southern steppe, from Astrakhan, Russia’s caviar capital on the Caspian to the
“Russian Riviera” resort town of Sochi, site of the 2014 Winter Olympics. Travelers can admire eight different UNESCO World Heritage Sites in this one region.
As a full service Destination Management Company, MIR is ideally positioned with affiliate offices in
both Moscow and St. Petersburg, the country’s most important cities. We offer a wide range of accommodations, transportation options from trains to coaches, creative itinerary planning and complete logistical
support for any size group or any size project.
Moscow
Russia’s capital city has become a world-class destination in recent years, with fine new hotels,
tasteful renovations and greatly improved infrastructure. The Kremlin’s Armory Museum, filled with
imperial treasures, and the famed Tretyakov Gallery of Russian art show off the city’s polished aura.
MIR can also guide travelers to less well-known places like Stalin’s secret underground bunker and
the Russian cosmonauts’ Star City.
St. Petersburg
Often described as one of the most beautiful cities on earth, with miles of canals laced together with
graceful bridges, St. Petersburg is a rich repository of extravagant palaces, brilliant museums and
renowned theaters overflowing with music and dance. Its fashionable boulevards and serene canals
glisten in the “White Nights” of summer and dazzle on sunny winter days.
S o l ov e t s k y I s l a n d
Visit a 14th century monastery turned gulag, turned monastery again, part of Solzhenitsyn’s Gulag
Archipelago in the windswept, isolated Russian north. Experience a fascinating slice of Russian
history in the remote and austere landscapes near the Arctic Circle.
Golden Ring
The Golden Ring towns outside of Moscow are some of Russia’s oldest and loveliest settlements,
hosting centuries-old active monasteries, craft collectives and arguably the most beautiful churches
in Russia, their walls clad in early frescoes. Cultural travelers and history buffs alike are drawn to this
area to learn where Russian art, architecture and politics began.
Southern Russian Steppe
The southern Russian steppe is an unfamiliar region spiced with a spirited array of independent
cultures, including freedom-loving Cossacks and descendents of the Golden Horde. The treasures found between the Caspian and Black Seas include Volgograd’s massive memorial and its
World War II legacy; historic Astrakhan on the Volga River Delta, home to Russia’s caviar industry;
Buddhist Elista, land of the formerly nomadic Kalmyk people (and home of Chess City); and the
balmy Black Sea resort of Sochi.
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MIR – Your Western Russia
Brilliant St. Basil’s on Red Square, symbol of Russia
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Gravity-fed fountains of Peterhof
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W estern R ussia :
IR can handle most any request in Western Russia, from planning meetings to building
challenging itineraries for special interest groups. All of MIR’s staff members and
guides are well-versed in Russian history and culture and delight in sharing their home
towns with travelers. With MIR affiliate offices in Moscow and St. Petersburg, your group
can be assured of an on-the-ground partner imbued with some of the most extensive
travel and tourism experience in the region, as well as an unmatched ability
to plan fascinating and unusual itineraries.
MIR Signature Experiences in Western Russia
Spies, Diplomats & Revolutionaries
Trace Soviet secrecy and subterfuge, visiting Stalin’s secret bunker and the former gulag
on Solovetsky Island.
Literary Moscow or Literary St. Petersburg
Follow Dostoevsky’s anti-hero Raskolnikov as he stalks the old pawnbroker on the dark
side of St. Petersburg, or walk the sunny fields of Tolstoy’s beloved Yasnaya Polyana outside of Moscow.
Jewish Heritage in Moscow and St. Petersburg
Discover the dramatic and difficult Jewish heritage of the 19th and 20th centuries, and
its bright future in the 21st.
Inside the Russian Space Program
Explore formerly off-limits Star City, the premier training facility for Russian cosmonauts
and foreign astronauts, and fly out to the Kazakh steppe to witness the launch of a
Soyuz rocket at Baikonur Cosmodrome.
photo: Vladimir Kvashnin
Winter in Russia
Experience the warmth of the Russian holiday traditions, including New Year’s Eve in St.
Petersburg at the opulent Czar’s Ball at Catherine’s Palace.
Go Backstage at Russia’s Premier Cultural Institutions
From attending a ballet school rehearsal to going backstage at the famed Mariinsky
Theater, MIR provides behind-the-scenes access to creative pursuits.
Private Receptions in Exclusive Venues
Private tours by special arrangement to normally off-limits venues, including champagne
receptions and concerts arranged in palaces and museums, are possible with MIR.
Russian Hospitality at its Best
Venture inside a private Russian home for an authentic home-cooked meal of Russian
specialties such as blini and borscht.
Exclusive Access
Preferred or early entry at popular sites such as the Kremlin Armory Museum and
Catherine’s Palace, as well as special receptions and meetings with museum officials,
artists and craftspeople round out the Russian experience.
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W estern R ussia
Suggested Itineraries
IR makes it possible to dig deeper than the classic sites, such as Red Square and the Kremlin, to find the most
beautiful old churches, the most remote monasteries, the most secret space-race places, and the most hospitable
hosts in their rural dachas. We can do just about anything here, and take your clients with us.
R ussia ’ s I mperial C apitals &
G olden R ing V illages
Day 1, Arrive Moscow, Russia
Day 1, Arrive St. Petersburg, Russia
Day 2, Moscow
Day 2, St. Petersburg
Day 3, Moscow • drive to Vladimir, Suzdal
Day 5, Kostroma • drive to Yaroslavl
Day 3, St. Petersburg (New Year’s Eve Ball,
Catherine’s Palace)
Day 6, Yaroslavl • drive to Rostov (Veliky), Sergiev Posad
Day 5, St. Petersburg • train to Moscow
Day 7, Sergiev Posad • drive to Fedoskino, Moscow
• train to St. Petersburg
Day 6, Moscow
Day 9, Suzdal • drive to Moscow
Day 10, Depart Moscow
Day 4, Suzdal • drive to Plyos, Kostroma
Day 11, Depart St. Petersburg
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R ussian W inter W onderland :
N ew Y ear ’ s in S t . P etersburg
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Day 7, Moscow • drive to Vladimir, Suzdal
Day 8, Suzdal
C lassic W estern R ussia :
M oscow , N ovgorod & S t . P etersburg
E ssential R ussia : M oscow &
S t . P etersburg
Day 2, Moscow
Day 2, Moscow
Day 3, Moscow
Day 3, Moscow
Day 4, Moscow • drive to Klin, Tver, Novgorod
Day 4, Moscow • train to St. Petersburg
Day 5, Novgorod • drive to St. Petersburg
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Why Siberia?
hen you think of Siberia, you may think of punishment and exile, of barren tundra and vast expanses of nothingness – of
a place of no return. But Siberia and Eastern Russia beyond the Urals are wild and wooded places of unimaginable beauty,
whose cities glow with warmth and whose great UNESCO-listed Lake Baikal fills a rift in the earth’s surface that burrows
five miles deep under 25 million years of sediment. Siberia is an emerging destination with a fascinating variety of cultural,
adventure and natural tour itinerary possibilities.
MIR offers customized programs throughout Siberia, including the cultured little city of Irkutsk; Ulan Ude, capital of the
Buryat Republic; the gorgeous national parks and closely-knit communities of Lake Baikal (on the Circumbaikal Old Railway route,
around sacred Olkhon Island and the remote Ushkaniye Islands and along the northern BAM Railway Route); Mongolian-influenced
Buryatia; the permafrost city of Yakutsk; and isolated Tuva, once thought to be the most difficult place on earth to get to.
MIR has affiliate offices in both Irkutsk and Ulan Ude, on either side of Lake Baikal. We offer accommodations from four star
hotels to homestays and rustic lodges; transportation by helicopter, overland vehicle and boats of all kinds; creative itinerary
planning and complete logistical support for any size group or any size project.
T he T rans -S iberian R ailway
Arrange travel for your group aboard the most legendary rail
routes in the world. The Trans-Siberian Railway rolls briskly
across seven time zones and 5,772 miles of taiga, steppe
and mountain, pausing along the way in places that can
bring the traveler face to face with the fascinating cultures
of Russia. MIR can customize the journey to fit an array of
different price points, with options to charter a luxury private
rail car or to ride the local trains and connect overland to
other cities in Russia.
T uva
The semi-autonomous region of Tuva is a singular cultural
destination whose ethnic Turkic population has been imbued
with Buddhism, shamanism and khoomei, or throat-singing.
MIR regularly takes groups of travelers on excursions to
meet Tuvan locals, experience a shaman ceremony and
attend private concerts featuring the eerie sounds of Tuvan
throat-singing.
L ake B aikal
The deepest and most ancient lake in the world has a multitude of opportunities for every kind of traveler. MIR can
put together an outdoor itinerary with hiking and kayaking,
introduce groups to experts studying the lake’s native wildlife
(including the nerpa seal, a species found nowhere else on
earth) and bring travelers to a village of Old Believers, whose
isolation in Siberia has resulted in a culture preserved since
the 17th century and a listing by UNESCO as a “Masterpiece
of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.”
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B uryatia
The indigenous Buryat people of the eastern Baikal region
are closely related to Mongolians and share many of their
spiritual beliefs and cultural traditions. Ulan Ude, capital of
Buryatia, is the center of Buddhism in Russia, with a beautifully decorated datsan, or monastery. MIR gives travelers
access to small village schools, to dinners in private homes
and cultural performances in this under-explored region.
Y akutia /S akha R epublic
Land of permafrost, Yakutia’s layers of frozen earth have preserved the flora and fauna of millennia. Most famously, over
150 mammoths were found here in a place that came to be
called Berelekh Cemetery. MIR connects travelers with scientists and experts in the region, creating fascinating itineraries
in a place like no other on earth.
K amchatka
The wild Kamchatka Peninsula, a wide volcanic promontory thrusting upward from the Pacific Ring of Fire, is a
spectacular region of indigenous cultures, active volcanoes
and the Valley of the Geysers, where geysers, mud pots,
thermal springs and steam vents erupt from the valley floor,
and boardwalks thread their way through the extraordinary
landscape. MIR takes your clients exploring by cross-country
vehicle and helicopter, and facilitates interacting with seminomadic reindeer herders and village people.
MIR – Your Siberia
The Trans-Siberian barrels along the Baikal shore
photo: Helge Pedersen
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Clear and sunny on the Baikal ice
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Siberia :
IR’s depth of experience and extensive network of expert guides and talented
staff assure you of a partner who can deliver high-quality service and creative
itineraries to your clients. We delight in working closely with incentive travel and
tour professionals to satisfy even the most challenging and unusual requests. And
we have a knack for balancing the realities of Siberia with the expectations of a
western clientele, resulting in memorable travel experiences.
MIR Signature Experiences in Siberia
Trans-Siberian Railway
Roll across seven time zones of the world’s largest country
aboard the legendary Trans-Siberian, with multiple routes
available and charter rental options that include a day trip
along the dramatic Circumbaikal Railway.
Winter in Siberia
Your clients will never forget dogsledding across the clear
Baikal ice, ice-fishing for the endemic omul, or venturing
on a thrilling troika ride.
Siberian Hospitality at its Best
Step inside a private Siberian home for an authentic
home-cooked meal of Russian specialties such as pelmenie, Siberian tortellini, or pozy, Buryat dumplings.
Buddhist Art and Traditions of Buryatia
Explore the Ivolginsk Datsan, center of Buddhism in
Russia, decorated with beautiful silks, precious stones and
painted woodwork, and tour the regional museum’s art
and artifacts from prehistoric times to the present.
In Search of Reindeer
Visit semi-nomadic reindeer breeders and learn about
the Koryak and Even people living on the Kamchatka
peninsula.
Natural Wonders of Kamchatka
From Petropavlovsk, discovered by Vitus Bering, explore
the fantastic Valley of the Geysers, the volcanic peaks of
the Pacific Ring of Fire and Avacha Bay.
Once Forbidden Cities
Vladivostok was once declared off-limits to foreigners and
most Russians because of its position as headquarters of
the Pacific Fleet. Today this flourishing Pacific Rim port
city is open for exploration.
Musical Siberia
Experience the art of khoomei (throat-singing) and the
17th century songs of Old Believers through private
concerts and village performances.
Siberian Mosaic
Learn about the cultures of Buryatia, Tuva, Khakassia and
Yakutia through shaman rituals, throat-singing performances and traditional dance.
Siberian Way Stations for Exiles and Expeditions
Explore the “capital” of Siberia, Irkutsk, including its wooden architecture, and enjoy private champagne receptions
and concerts arranged in the unlikeliest of museums.
Bird’s Eye View of Lake Baikal
Appreciate the world’s oldest and deepest (and some say
the clearest) freshwater lake from the vantage of a private
helicopter.
Unusual adventure itineraries are possible in the national
parks, featuring kayaking, hiking, and camping with highquality western gear and local naturalist guides.
Siberia’s National Parks
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Siberia Suggested Itineraries
ith two affiliates offices in Siberia, MIR is able to arrange boat rides on Lake Baikal, a shaman ceremony on Olkhon
Island, a bell-ringing performance in Irkutsk, a concert of 17th century songs with Siberian Old Believers, an authentic
banya experience in a rustic lodge, or a stylish sojourn on the Trans-Siberian Railway as it barrels through the endless
taiga forest of Siberia.
S iberian O dyssey :
L egends of L ake B aikal & T uva
Day 1, Arrive Ulan Ude, Russia
Day 1, Arrive Irkutsk, Russia • drive to Listvyanka
Village at Lake Baikal
Day 2, Listvyanka • hydrofoil to Olkhon Island
Day 2, Ulan Ude
Day 3, Olkhon Island
Day 5, Irkutsk • drive to Listvyanka Village at Lake Baikal
Day 4, Olkhon Island • ferry/drive to Irkutsk
Day 6, Irkutsk • fly to Kyzyl, Tuva region
Day 6, Listvyanka • drive to Irkutsk
• depart on Trans-Siberian Railway
Day 7, Aboard Trans-Siberian
Day 7, Kyzyl
Day 8, Aboard • arrive Ekaterinburg
Day 8, Kyzyl
Day 9, Ekaterinburg • re-board Trans-Siberian
Day 9, Kyzyl • drive to Ergagki village
Day 10, Arrive Moscow
Day 10, Ergagki • drive to Shushenskoye, Abakan
Day 11, Moscow
Day 11, Abakan
Day 12, Abakan • fly to Moscow
Note: It is possible to begin in Vladivostok, Russia;
UlaanBaatar, Mongolia or Beijing, China and add on to
the front of the above itinerary for a longer Trans-Siberian
experience.
Day 5, Irkutsk
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T rans -S iberian R ailway A dventure
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Day 3, Ulan Ude • Trans-Siberian to Irkutsk
Day 4, Irkutsk
photo: Helge Pedersen
E ssential S iberia : B uryatia ,
L ake B aikal & I rkutsk
S iberia ’ s L ake B aikal
Day 1, Arrive Irkutsk, Russia
Day 1, Arrive Ulan Ude, Russia
Day 2, Irkutsk • drive to Listvyanka Village at Lake Baikal
Day 2, Ulan Ude
Day 3, Listvyanka • hydrofoil to Olkhon Island
Day 3, Ulan Ude • Trans-Siberian to Irkutsk
• drive to Listvyanka Village at Lake Baikal
Day 4, Listvyanka Village
Day 4, Olkhon Island
Day 5, Listvyanka Village • drive to Irkutsk
Day 5, Olkhon Island • ferry/drive to Irkutsk
Day 6, Depart Irkutsk
Day 6, Irkutsk
Day 7, Depart Irkutsk
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Kiev’s UNESCO-listed St. Sophia Cathedral complex
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kraine
U
kraine is one of the most intriguing countries
in Eastern Europe. Bigger than either France
or Germany, Ukraine is less frequented and
more unspoiled. Its vast “black earth” steppe, its
steep corner of forested Carpathian Mountains,
the sophisticated cities of Kiev, Odessa and Lviv
and its sun-drenched Black Sea coast make it a
variegated and beautiful place to explore.
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kraine, the cradle of Slavic civilization, hosts glittering churches, imperial palaces, fertile farmland and
the rolling tree-clad Carpathian Mountains. Its complex history encompasses the introduction of Orthodox
Christianity; the rise of the Cossacks; WWII heroism and tragedy; and the riveting winter of the Orange
Revolution in 2004, when Ukrainians camped and demonstrated in the frozen streets. Home to sophisticated
cities, Black Sea frontage, the wild Carpathians, major archaeological sites, the vivid Hutsul mountain culture,
and Slavic Cossacks, Ukraine can fulfill your clients’ wish-list for history, art, culture and variation.
MIR can provide you and your clients with hand-crafted custom programs throughout Ukraine, from the
modern capital, Kiev and the beautifully-preserved cultural center of Lviv to the rolling rural hills of Western Ukraine,
where the occasional horse still pulls a wagonload of hay. With an affiliate office in Kiev, we are ideally positioned
to receive individual travelers and groups, cultural explorers, and adventure and outdoor enthusiasts as well as private
train expeditions.
As a full service Destination Management Company, MIR offers accommodations, transportation, itinerary
planning and complete logistical support for any size group or any size project. Accommodations in Ukraine
available through MIR can range from luxury suites in cosmopolitan Kiev to homestays in mountain villages – and
anything in between.
K iev
Slavic civilization spread outward from its center in 9th century Kiev, where the Kievan Rus consolidated their
territory and adopted Orthodox Christianity. There’s something for everyone in Ukraine’s capital – gilded palaces,
centuries of art and architecture, streets filled with galleries, shops, cafes and artists’ studios, the 11th century
UNESCO-listed Caves Monastery with its mummified monks and the sobering Chernobyl Museum.
L viv
Well-preserved buildings from the 16th to the 19th centuries grace the central square of Lviv’s Old Town, added
in its entirety to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1998. MIR knows the ins and outs of Lviv, and can lead your
clients to little-known corners of this beautiful city, including to Lychakiv Cemetery, where some of Ukraine’s most
renowned people, such as poet Ivan Franko, are buried and monuments are crowned with sculptures by Ukraine’s
most prominent artists.
W estern U kraine
The southwest region of Ukraine’s Carpathian Mountains is the home of the Hutsul people, high mountain
pastoralists whose woodcarving, embroidery, weaving and leatherwork are highly prized. Hike on the mountain trails
of Carpathian National Park, visit the egg-shaped Pysanka Museum, dedicated to the painted eggs that have been a
fixture of Ukrainian handicrafts for hundreds of years, and pay a private visit to traditional craftspeople and artisans.
O dessa
Multi-layered Odessa, Catherine the Great’s Black Sea port, is a vigorous center of commerce and the arts, known
for its iconic Opera House and for the famed Potemkin Steps, immortalized in Sergei Eisenstein’s film Battleship
Potemkin. Unlock the secrets of its underground catacombs, where partisans fought during WWII.
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photo: Gerhard Bartsch
Why Ukraine?
MIR – Your U kraine
A nest of hand-painted Ukrainian eggs
photo: Joanna Millick
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Orthodox faithful by candlelight
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U kraine:
photo: Michel Behar
IR’s depth of experience and extensive network of expert guides and talented
staff assure you of a partner who can deliver high-quality service and creative
itineraries to your clients. We delight in working closely with incentive travel and
tour professionals to satisfy even the most challenging and unusual requests. We are
known for our personalized service and our more than 25 years of experience in this
surprisingly varied country.
MIR Signature Experiences in Ukraine
Legacy of the WWII Partisans
Discover the caves beneath Odessa where Ukrainian
partisans took their resistance movement literally underground during WWII. These catacombs were formed as
quarrymen with horses cut and dragged blocks of limestone from beneath the city to build most of Odessa’s
palaces and government buildings.
Tragedy at Babi Yar
Pay your respects at Babi Yar, a peaceful ravine where in
September 1941 Nazi troops massacred 34,000 Kievan
Jews in a 48-hour period. The area was set aside as a
memorial in 1976.
Carpathian Mountain Highlights
Tour the magnificent ensemble of Chernivtsi National
University, a UNESCO World Heritage Site surrounded
on three sides by elaborately decorated red brick structures reflecting influences from the Byzantine as well
as the Austro-Hungarian empires; then continue to the
Hutsulschina Museum, displaying the artistry of the Hutsul
people, high mountain pastoralists whose woodcarving,
embroidery, weaving and leatherwork is highly prized.
Chernobyl Exclusion Zone
Venture into the ghost towns around Reactor 4 of the
Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, places that were home to
reactor workers and their families, standing silent now.
Folk Art & Traditions
Visit the private Arata Museum, where a staff member
speaks about the matriarchal Neolithic Trypillian culture,
and spend an afternoon with an artist who shares her
mastery of the tradition of egg painting.
Private Receptions in Exclusive Venues
MIR can arrange private tours to normally off-limits venues, including champagne receptions and concerts in
palaces and museums.
Ukrainian Hospitality at its Best
Step inside a private Ukrainian home for an authentic
home-cooked meal of Ukrainian specialties such as vareniki (filled dumplings) and holubtsy (cabbage leaves stuffed
with meat and rice).
Jewish Heritage in Ukraine
Meet with local Jewish communities, authors and artists,
visiting synagogues and the remains of Jewish cemeteries
and shtetls. Much of Ukraine was included in what used to
be known as the Pale of Settlement, beyond which Jews
were not allowed to live.
Tracing Family Heritage
Custom-built itineraries for your clients who wish to
explore Ukraine’s villages searching for long-lost relatives
are possible with MIR.
Village Life
Hike with a knowledgeable guide in the gorgeous
Carpathian Mountains.
Cossack Traditions
See a performance of superb horsemanship at the stronghold of the Zaporozhian Cossack Host on Khortytsia
Island.
www.mir-dmc.com
[email protected]
43
U kraine Suggested Itineraries
igger than either France or Germany, Ukraine is less frequented and more unspoiled. Entrust your clients to MIR, and
we’ll have them surveying its glittering capital, Kiev; exploring beautiful Lviv, a place still feeling the influence of the
Hapsburgs; admiring the decorative arts of the Hutsul people in the Carpathian Mountains, and prowling Catherine
the Great’s imperial port of Odessa.
E ssential U kraine
44
K iev & W estern U kraine
Day 1, Arrive Lviv, Ukraine
Day 1, Arrive Kiev, Ukraine
Day 2, Lviv
Day 2, Kiev
Day 3, Lviv
Day 3, Kiev • fly to Lviv
Day 4, Lviv • morning fly to Kiev
Day 4, Lviv
Day 5, Kiev
Day 5, Lviv • drive to Ivano-Frankivsk, Kolomiya
Day 6, Kiev • evening flight to Odessa
Day 6, Kolomiya • drive to Chernivtsi
Day 7, Odessa
Day 7, Chernivtsi • drive to Lviv
Day 8, Depart Odessa
Day 8, Depart Lviv
www.mir-dmc.com
[email protected]
photo: Antonio Sison
B elarus , U kraine & M oldova
V illage L ife of W estern U kraine & R omania
Day 1, Arrive Minsk, Belarus
Day 1, Arrive Kiev, Ukraine
Day 2, Minsk
Day 2, Kiev • fly to Lviv
Day 3, Minsk • drive to Brest
Day 3, Arrive
Day 4, Brest • drive to Lviv, Ukraine
Day 4, Lviv
Day 5, Lviv
Day 5, Lviv • drive to Ivano-Frankivsk, Kolomiya
Day 6, Lviv • fly to Kiev
Day 6, Kolomiya • drive to Chernivtsi
Day 7, Kiev
Day 7, Chernivtsi
Day 8, Kiev
Day 8, Chernivtsi • drive to Gura Humorului, Romania
Day 9, Kiev • fly to Odessa
Day 9, Gura Humorului • explore painted monasteries
Day 10, Odessa
Day 10, Gura Humorului • drive to Maramures region
Day 11, Odessa • drive to Chisinau, Moldova
Day 11, Maramures • drive to Sighisoara
Day 12, Chisinau
Day 12, Sighisoara • drive to Bran, Brasov, Sinaia
Day 13, Depart Chisinau
Day 13, Sinaia • village day trips
Day 14, Sinaia • drive to Bucharest
Day 15, Bucharest
Day 16, Depart Bucharest
* For a shorter itinerary, begin in Lviv instead of Kiev
www.mir-dmc.com
[email protected]
45
46
www.mir-dmc.com
[email protected]
photo: Russ & Ellen Cmolik
Overland E xpeditions
ogistics & P lanning
A certain type of traveler dreams of personally traversing the far reaches of the
back of beyond – under his or her own steam. People like this may be few enough to
stand out in a crowd, but they are ten times as determined as the average traveler, and
they like to make things happen. They can be motorcyclists dreaming of braving the potholed roads through the Siberian taiga, or devoted drivers re-creating an epic auto race.
They may be families who simply want an element of control over their own wanderings,
or runners raising awareness for a cause dear to their hearts.
Whoever they are, MIR can help them translate their dreams into reality, just as
we’ve done for groups in the past. Since 1986 we have specialized exclusively in travel
to the collection of countries at the crossroads of Europe and Asia; we don’t do the
rest of the world.
MIR’s depth of experience and expertise in the region is unmatched. We’ve supported
global motorcycle tours, family expeditions by Land Rover, custom overland car rallies
and even an around-the-world relay run (involving 24-hour-a-day logistics support for
79 people, including staff and runners, covering the 5,500 miles from Belarus through
Russia, Mongolia and China – in 36 days).
Veteran travel planners at MIR have the discernment that comes from more than
25 years of experience and reliable connections on the ground. MIR has proven ability
to handle the complex logistics required when navigating at the crossroads of Europe
and Asia.
MIR’ s S pecialty : L egendary R outes
From route selection to day-to-day logistics, MIR’s expertise and on the ground support works for your group, ensuring an itinerary that makes sense and includes great
sightseeing with expert local guides along the way. We take care of planning for border
crossings, visas and permits, and we know where to stop to break up the vast distances
most efficiently. The tedious formalities are out of your hands.
F rom B eijing to E urope A cross M ongolia , R ussia and T he B altics
From the ever-changing face of China across the gorgeous rolling steppe of Mongolia,
through the charming towns and villages of Siberia, and to the historic cities like
Moscow and Riga, there is no comparable journey anywhere.
F rom I stanbul to X i ’ an along the old S ilk R oad
Traveling overland along the old Silk Road is so much easier today than it was back when
dusty camel caravans hauled their precious cargo from oasis to oasis. With MIR as their
navigator, drivers can enjoy the arching blue-tiled mosques, tall minarets and the piles of
vivid handwoven carpets at the bazaars along the fascinating route.
O verland E xpeditions by D esign
MIR can custom-craft a route itinerary to traveler preferences and specifications.
Contact us to discuss all the details that go into a trip of this magnitude.
www.mir-dmc.com
[email protected]
47
FOR INFORMATION AND PROPOSAL S, PLEASE CONTACT:
General Inquiries, Overland Expeditions, Incentive Travel:
[email protected]
Central Asia/Silk Route & Iran:
[email protected]
South Caucasus: Georgia, Armenia & Azerbaijan:
[email protected]
Ukraine:
[email protected]
Russia: Moscow & St. Petersburg
[email protected]
Siberia, Lake Baikal, Trans-Siberian Railway:
[email protected]
North American Sales Office:
MIR Corporation
85 South Washington Street, Suite 210, Seattle, WA 98104 USA
www.mir-dmc.com
u
www.mircorp.com
u
800-424-7289
u
206-624-7289
© 2015 MIR Corporation, all rights reserved. WST #601-099-932, CST #2082306-40
Cover photo credits: Douglas Grimes, Jonathan Irish, Vlad Ushakov, MIR Corporation, Peter Guttman Printed in USA

MIR DMC - MIR Destination Management Company

Transcription

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