Seven Wonders of Russia!

Have you ever wondered what are the top travel destinations in Russia besides Moscow and Petersburg? After failing to get any place in Russia into the list of the Seven Wonders of The World, Russians came up with the project to identify and promote their 7 wonders. The result was spectacular and it will definitely attract many more tourists.

This is the translation of the post written by our guest-author Yusia. I am sure that this fresh piece of information will interest most of the travel enthusiasts. So traveling is Russia is more that Trans-Siberian Express Train adventure! The text is translated using Google Translate together with some corrections from my side. Google's translation service is getting better and better by each day. Good job, guys!

More than that, approximate expenses (from Moscow) are also provided. Great tip, Yulia!
(photo by www.io.com)

7 Wonders of Russia

1. "Valley of Geysers" - 5 km long canyon in one of the inaccessible gorges of Kronotsky biosphere reserve, which is located in Kamchatka. There are about 200 hot springs, including 90 geyser, which emit jets of boiling water and steam as high as tens of kilometers. The valley was discovered in 1914, but only open to tourists since 1993.
You can get there from the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (the central city of Kamchatka), is in a valley 160 sports city. Cost: airfare (from Moscow) - 30 thousand rubles (830 euros), a hotel in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky 2100 rubles per day (58 euros), and the helicopter tour - 15 thousand rubles (416 euros).

Check out the photos.


2. "Lake Baikal" - the lake of stunning beauty, it is located 55 km from the city of Irkutsk, the capital of the Irkutsk region, located in south-eastern Siberia. The lake is already very long exploited for tourism purposes: hiking on a horse, rafting, diving, cycling and helicopter tours, ethnographic and religious tours, fishing, spa treatments.
Cost: airfare to Irkutsk (from Moscow) - 14 300 rubles (400 euros), from there transfer to the Lake - 3000 rubles (83 euros), room in a hotel or tourist base - 1300 rubles per day (36 euros), trip around lake by boat - 1200 rubles (33 euros).

Photos of Baikal.


3. "Columns of Erosion" (a.k.a. as "Rock Pillars") - a unique natural monument, which is at 700 km from the city of Perm, the capital city of Perm Region, in the European part of Russia. These pillars were formed during 200 million years by the weathering of rocks shale. They decorate the plateau, called Man-Pupu-Ner (Hill stone idols) and also referred to as "mansyyskie bolvany" ("dumbs of Mansi"). Mansi people (minority group in Russia) devoted a lot of legends to these pillars. No regular tours are organized to that place, and the easiest way to get there is by helicopter from the town of Berezniki (near Perm).
Cost: airfare to Perm (from Moscow) - 6600 rubles (183 euros), transfer of Berezniki and back - 1880 rubles (52 euros), helicopter tour (scarves, food, guide) - 37 500 rubles (1042 euros).

Have a look at the pillars.


4. "Elbrus Mountain" - the highest mountain of Russia and Europe (5462 meters), located on the border of the republics of Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachayevo-Cherkessia (South Russia). Elbrus not only attracts climbers, but also winter sports enthusiasts and health tourism. Conquest to the peak of this mountain takes 6-7 peak days with overnight. For ordinary tourists there are sanatoriums from mineral sources, and for skiers and snowboarders there are lifts and tracks. Getting to Elbrus is possible from the city Mineralnye Vody, the capital of Stavropol Province (200 km from the city).
Cost: airfare to Mineralnye Vody - 7700 rubles (214 euros), room at tourist base - 1500 rubles / day (42 euros), transfer round trip back - 4000 rubles (111 euros).

Photos of this beautiful place, just like the mountains of Kyrgyzstan! ;)


5. Mamayev Kurgan and "the Statue of Motherland-Mother"
A historical and memorial complex built in commemoration of the Heroes of Battle of Stalingrad at Mamaev Kurgan in the center of Volgograd City. The complex consists of several sculptural compositions: "Memorial of the generations", "Square of those who stood till death", "Wall Ruins," "Heroes' Square" and the main monument "Motherland-Mother calls!", and right behind this monument is where memorial cemetery located.
Cost: airfare to Volgograd (from Moscow) - 5000 rubles (139 euros), the hotel - 2000 rubles per day (55 euros), the overview tour of "Hero City - Volgograd" - 170 rubles (5 euros).

Check out some photos of this enormous statue here.



6. "St. Basil's Cathedral" - famous cathedral, which is located in central Moscow on Red Square. The temple builders were blinded by Ivan the Terrible so that they couldn't build another similar cathedral somewhere else.
Cost: ticket to Moscow (on average 400 euros), a hotel room - 5000 rubles per day (140 euros), ticket - 100 rubles (2.7 euros), excursions - from 260 rubles (7.2 euros).
(photo by 1000petals.wordpress.com)


7. "Peterhof" - or "Russian Versailles" - located 29 km from the city of St. Petersburg. The magnificent beauty of the suburban residence of Peter The First with a lot of parks, luxury fountains, palaces, grottoes, museums and pavilions on the shores of the Baltic Sea.
Cost: airfare of St. Petersburg (from Moscow) - 4 000 rubles (111 euros), transferred to the city of Peterhof - 70 rubles (2 euros), the hotel - 3000 rubles per day (83 euros), a pass to visit all the museums - 2 670 rubles (74 euros).

If you are curious what sort of residences were preferred by Peter the First, click here.