Winter Russia, a group trip from Coimbatore & Chennai | 5-12 Dec, 2026
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Most people think they've seen winter. Until they arrive in the Russian Arctic. For few days, we'll leave behind familiar landscapes and step into a world where the sun barely rises.
❄️ One night, we'll fall asleep beneath the glass roof of an Arctic igloo ❄️And on yet another, we'll find ourself standing on the shores of the Arctic Ocean ❄️ And on another night we will be travelling far to witness one of nature's greatest performance - the northern lights
Most journeys through Russia begin and end in Moscow or St. Petersburg. Ours goes much farther. We'll travel to Murmansk, the world's largest city north of the Arctic Circle, and continue all the way to the Arctic Ocean, discovering a side of Russia that very few travellers ever experience.
This could be CAC's coldest journey yet, but every part of the experience has been thoughtfully designed to keep us as comfortable as possible, while travelling with a small group of like-minded people from our hometown.
We're glad this itinerary found you. And we hope to take you to experience one of the most extraordinary winters on Earth.
❄️ HIGHLIGHTS
❄️ HIGHLIGHTS
Based on Feedback from Our Previous Trips:
🛖 One night in a Glass Igloo in the Lapland region of Russia is added this time.
🏨 All accommodations are hotels located within city limits, making it easier to explore during your free time.
🛏️ No service apartments this time. We've chosen hotels instead, so the group stays together under one roof instead of being split across multiple apartment buildings.
⭐ Stay at internationally recognised hotels, including Mercure & Radisson in both Moscow and St. Petersburg.
🛌 No sofa beds. Every participant will be provided with a proper bed throughout the trip.
🎯 Two pricing options. Since not everyone wishes to participate in every Arctic activity, we've introduced separate pricing for participants who prefer to skip them.
🇦🇿 Azerbaijan can also be visited, if you are travelling in Azerbaijan Airlines.
❄️ ITINERARY
❄️ ITINERARY
🇷🇺 Day-1 (05 Dec, Sat)
🇷🇺 Day-1 (05 Dec, Sat)
Arrive in Moscow
Land at Moscow. Airport pickup will be arranged in two batches depending on the arrival timings of all participants.
We will check-in to our hotel by 3:00 PM, in the historic Arbat street. Yes we are staying right at the centre of Moscow, with the Red Square just few minutes walk from our Hotel's door step.
In the evening, we'll take a casual walk to Arbat Street — Moscow's oldest pedestrian street, running right outside our doorstep. It's been a hub of the city's cultural life for centuries, lined with old townhouses, street performers, artists selling sketches and souvenirs, and a steady buzz of cafés and small shops on either side.
By the time we loop back to the Hotel, we'll have had our first real feel for Moscow — unhurried, but with a little wide-eyed, and just enough to whet the appetite for the days ahead.
ℹ️ Additional info:
The accommodation check-in time is at 2:00 PM. If you reach earlier, you can keep your luggage at the lobby and explore the city on your own.
Expected Weather: -7°C to 0°C
Hotel Name: Accor Mercure Arbat Hotel, Moscow
Days 1&2 - Accommodation | Mercure Arbat Hotel, Moscow
🇷🇺 Day-2 (06 Dec, Sun)
🇷🇺 Day-2 (06 Dec, Sun)
Explore Moscow
Today belongs to the heart of Moscow — Red Square and the Kremlin grounds — an area so packed with history that just walking through it feels like flipping through the pages of Russia's story. Onion domes, fortress walls, and centuries of power all sit within a few hundred metres of each other, and we'll spend the day making our way through it on foot with our local guide telling us the stories along.
Places we'll cover:
Red Square
St. Basil's Cathedral
Lenin's Mausoleum
GUM Shopping Centre
Cathedral of Our Lady of Kazan
State Historical Museum
Kremlin & surrounding area
Kremlin walls & towers
Alexander Garden
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Zaryadye Park & Flying Bridge
Bolshoi Theatre
Cathedral of Christ the Saviour
Patriarch's Bridge
ℹ️ Additional info:
Red Square and the Kremlin grounds are pedestrian-only, so expect to spend around 4 hours exploring the area on foot, covering approximately 5-8 kilometres during the tour.
All sites visited today will be viewed from the outside only; entry inside the buildings is not included, as it would take a lot of time. We'll get the inside experience at a few monuments in St. Petersburg. All siteseeing on this day will be conducted as a walking tour, and the tour begins from the hotel itself.
Expected Weather: -7°C to 0°C
Hotel Name: Accor Mercure Arbat Hotel, Moscow
🇷🇺 Day-3 (07 Dec, Mon)
🇷🇺 Day-3 (07 Dec, Mon)
Fly to Murmansk
Today we fly north on a domestic flight to Murmansk, where we'll spend the next four days experiencing the Arctic side of Russia.
In the afternoon, we'll visit the Icebreaker Lenin, the world's first nuclear-powered surface ship. Retired after three decades of clearing Arctic sea routes, it now sits permanently docked in Murmansk harbour as a museum, its wood-panelled interiors and control rooms preserved almost exactly as they were when it was still breaking ice.
From there, we'll take a city tour of Murmansk itself. During WWII, the city was bombed relentlessly and left almost entirely in ruins — yet it never fell. That resilience earned it the title of "Hero City," one of only a handful of Soviet cities to receive the honour.
In the evening, we head out on our first Northern Lights hunt. The Aurora Borealis is one of nature's most striking light shows — ribbons of green, pink, and violet that ripple silently across the night sky. Because this only happens near the Earth's magnetic poles, it's visible almost exclusively in a narrow band of high-latitude places like Northern Norway, Iceland, Canada, and here in Murmansk — a genuinely rare sight rather than something you can chase down anywhere.
Tonight's stay is something special: we'll be checking into an igloo-shaped dome hotel at Aurora Village to get the experience of staying in an igloo, located between Murmansk and the Arctic Ocean. If you're lucky, you'll get to watch the aurora dancing overhead through the glass dome of your igloo, right from your bed.
ℹ️ Additional info:
Murmansk lies above the Arctic Circle. In early December, it experiences the Polar Night — the sun doesn't rise, and there's no direct sunlight at all through the day, just a few hours of dim twilight.
The Northern Lights hunt is weather and solar-activity dependent — sightings can't be guaranteed. If we don't see them today, we'll try again tomorrow. Professional photos will be taken by our local guide while you witness the northern lights.
Expected Weather: -10°C to -15°C
Total travel time: ~2 hours - 140 kms
Meals: Inflight Breakfast
Hotel name: Aurora Village Glass Igloo
Day-3 Accommodation | Aurora Village, Murmansk
🇷🇺 Day-4 (08 Dec, Tue)
🇷🇺 Day-4 (08 Dec, Tue)
Sami Culture & Khibiny Mountains
Today we head to Kola Peninsula's indigenous heartland, the Sami village — home to Russia's northernmost indigenous people, who've herded reindeer across this tundra for generations.
Here, we'll get to try on traditional Sami costumes, step inside a traditional Sami dwelling where our hosts will share stories passed down through generations, and feed local animals like reindeers
We'll also get a reindeer sled ride across the snow — a slower, quieter way of moving through this landscape than anything on wheels.
An Arctic lunch is included at the village.
Local staples here include cloudberry pie, reindeer meat, salmon soup, and herbal tea — flavours that have sustained people in this region for centuries, well worth tasting and experiencing.
From there, we head to Kirovsk, tucked into the Khibiny Mountains — the largest mountain range on the Kola Peninsula. We'll take a cable car ride in this region, with sweeping views over the mountains and valleys below from the top.
Head back to our hotel and we'll settle in for the night.
ℹ️ Additional info:
Reindeer sledding activity is subject to sufficient snow cover
Expected Weather: -10°C to -25°C
Total travel time: ~ 3.5 hours ~180 kms
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch included
Hotel Name: Glarus Hotel in Murmansk
Day-4&5 Accommodation | Glarus Hotel, Murmansk or Similar
🇷🇺 Day-5 (09 Dec, Wed)
🇷🇺 Day-5 (09 Dec, Wed)
Teriberka – a day on the shores of Arctic Ocean
Today we head to Teriberka, the only place in Russia where you can reach the Arctic Ocean by road. Once a thriving fishing settlement, it's now a semi-abandoned village, where wooden cabins, a colourful seafront, and the empty shells of old Soviet buildings come together to make it one of the most picturesque, almost otherworldly spots in the Russian Arctic.
We'll start with a husky ride, gliding across the snow-covered tundra with a team of Arctic dogs that seem happiest when they're running.
From there, we head out on a boat trip into the Barents Sea, for a different perspective of this raw, windswept coastline from the water.
Lunch today is in Teriberka itself.
You can taste some of the Arctic seafoods -- sea scallops, sea urchins, and Arctic crab.
We'll also make our way to a nearby waterfall, tumbling down toward the sea, before walking along "Dinosaur Eggs" beach — a stretch of coastline scattered with giant, smooth, rounded boulders that look almost too perfectly shaped to be natural.
ℹ️ Additional info:
Travel time: 3 hrs (131 kms)
Weather: -10°C to -15°C
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch included
Hotel Name: Glarus Hotel in Murmansk
🇷🇺 Day-6 (10 Dec, Thu)
🇷🇺 Day-6 (10 Dec, Thu)
Arctic Activities + Fly to St. Petersburg
Today brings two very different Arctic experiences before we leave the north behind. We'll start with a self-drive snowmobiling session, carving our own path across the snow-covered tundra — no experience needed, just a quick briefing before you're handed the controls.
From there, we move to something completely different: ice floating, a uniquely Arctic experience where you slip into a specialised, fully waterproof thermal suit and float safely amid the ice floes. The suit keeps you completely dry and buoyant, so you can lie back on the surface of the icy water and just take in the silence and scale of the Arctic around you.
In the evening, we say goodbye to the Arctic and fly to St. Petersburg, checking into our hotel in the city.
ℹ️ Additional info:
Ice floating is conducted with certified safety gear and supervised by trained guides.
Expected Weather: -10°C to -25°C
Meals: Breakfast included
Hotel Name: Radisson, Nevsky
Day-6&7 Accommodation | Radisson Nevsky, St.Petersburg
🇷🇺 Day-7 (11 Dec, Fri)
🇷🇺 Day-7 (11 Dec, Fri)
St. Petersburg City Exploration
Today, we step into a city that has protected its own beauty for 300 years — no building here is allowed to outshine the old palaces, so the skyline still glows exactly as it did back then. And like Venice, it's laced with shimmering canals, earning it a name whispered by travelers: the "Venice of the North."
We'll be covering four landmarks today — St. Isaac's Cathedral, Palace Square, the Hermitage Museum, and the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood — all clustered close together in the historic core, connected by an easy walk of around 4 kilometres over roughly 3 hours.
We'll admire St. Isaac's Cathedral from the outside, its massive gilded dome dominating the skyline, before making our way to Palace Square, the grand open plaza framed by the Winter Palace itself.
From there, we step inside the Hermitage Museum, one of the largest and oldest museums in the world, home to millions of works of art and once the residence of Russia's tsars.
We'll end the day at the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, its colourful onion domes and intricate mosaic facade making it one of the most photographed buildings in the city — and we'll go inside to take in the mosaics covering nearly every surface.
Note: We're visiting only these places in St. Petersburg today since they're located close to each other. Other landmarks lie in different parts of the city, and covering all of them in a single day isn't feasible.
ℹ️ Additional info:
This is a walking tour of approx. 3 hours — be prepared to walk around 4 kilometres.
Hermitage Museum and Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood are visited on the inside (entry included); Saint Isaac's Cathedral is viewed from the outside only.
Expected Weather: -8°C to -1°C
Meals: Breakfast included
Hotel Name: Radisson, Nevsky
🇷🇺 Day-8 (12 Dec, Sat)
🇷🇺 Day-8 (12 Dec, Sat)
Free Day + Fly Home
A relaxed day to wrap up the trip — you can do some shopping, taste local food, and take slow strolls around the city at your own pace.
The main purpose of having this free day is, this day acts as a buffer incase of any flight delays when we travel back from Arctic region.
Later that night, we take our flight back to India from Petersburg.
ℹ️ Additional info:
Expected Weather: -8°C to -1°C
Meals: Breakfast
Hotel Checkout time: 11am. You can keep your luggage in the hotel lobby and do your shopping.
🚠 PACKAGE COST
🚠 PACKAGE COST
Option A (includes all activities listed under inclusions)
₹2,14,000 - Trip confirmations before 5-Aug
₹2,30,000 - Trip confirmations before 5-Sep
₹2,45,000 - Trip confirmations after 6-Sep
Option B (excludes arctic boat trip, ice floating, husky ride, and snowmobiling)
₹1,89,000 - Trip confirmations before 5-Aug
₹2,05,000 - Trip confirmations before 5-Sep
₹2,20,000 - Trip confirmations after 6-Sep
Why are there three different prices?
The cost of accommodations and domestic flights is generally lower when booked well in advance and increases as the travel date approaches. To pass on these savings to the participants, we have introduced three pricing slabs based on when you confirm your booking. The earlier you book, the lower your trip cost. You won't be required to pay the full trip cost to grab the early bird prices, just the advance payment of Rs.20,000 can block your early bird prices. Payments can be made through UPI or Credit Cards.
Note:
EMI option available - Please contact us for details on EMI payment.
The trip cost is calculated based on the current USD–INR exchange rate (1 USD = ₹96.3 as of 15-Jul). The final cost may increase or decrease marginally depending on the exchange rate one week prior to the trip.
✅ Inclusions:
✅ Inclusions:
All local transportation including airport transfers
Accommodations for 7 nights
Triple/Quad sharing in Igloo hotel
Double sharing on all other days
Domestic flight tickets within Russia with 10kgs hand luggage included (worth ₹ 25,000)
Moscow → Murmansk
Murmansk → St. Petersburg
All local transport | Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Vehicle or similar in Murmansk.
All Airport pickups and drop-offs in Moscow, Murmansk and Petersburg
Activities included in the package
Murmansk
Northern lights hunt (Max 2 attempts)
Ice floating session (worth ₹7,500)
Snowmobile ride - 1 session (worth ₹7,500 per head - 2 ppl per snowmobile)
Ice breaker Lenin entry ticket
Sami Village
Village entry ticket
Reindeer ride charges
Traditional Sami costume
Cable car ride ticket in Khibiny Mountains
Teriberka
Teriberka eco-park entry ticket
Husky ride charges (worth ₹5,000)
Boat trip in the Arctic region (worth ₹5,000)
Arctic Lunch
Moscow
Charges for local guide for taking us on a walking tour of the city centre.
Saint Petersburg
Entry ticket to Hermitage Museum
Entry ticket to Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood
All charges of Local guides inside Russia
CAC trip leader (Our trip lead from Coimbatore will be with you throughout the trip inside Russia)
Visa fees + agent charges + application support
Medical Travel Insurance
❌ Exclusions (List of other expenses & their approx prices):
❌ Exclusions (List of other expenses & their approx prices):
International flights from India (₹58,000 as of 20-July-2026)
For meals that are not mentioned above, you will need Rs.12000 in total for all days (this will include considering eating in cafes, meals in Igloo, few fine dining, 2 days of self cooking in Murmansk)
(Optional) Personal shopping & any transport for it (May cost about Rs.500-1000 per trip, incase you use it. You can share the cost if someone from the group is joining you)
(Optional) Extra baggage charges in domestic flight, if you are carrying more than 10kgs of luggage (checked in baggage would cost approx ₹8,500 - ₹9,500 for roundtrip domestic flights)
(Optional) Any other activities which not mentioned in the itinerary – this won't be required as we have covered almost every necessary activity to make your time enjoyable.
Any additional expenses that may incur due to weather, flight delays, or cancellations beyond our control, which may require us to book a hotel, or make changes to bookings (we really hope this never happens, and this is rare). Even if it does, we will try to ensure to keep it economical, and cost of new bookings will be made transparent. CAC backend and CAC trip lead will be extending full support in case of flight delays or cancellations inside Russia due to weather.
Be Assured:
To the best of our knowledge, we have listed all expenses that you may need to incur during the trip under the "Exclusions" section. While there may be minor variations in actual costs, you can be assured that there will be no hidden expenses beyond those already mentioned.
How to Pay for the trip:
Payment Schedule:
First payment (For slot confirmation): ₹20,000
Second payment (By 05-Sep-2026): ₹30,000
Third Payment (By 05-Oct-2026): ₹40,000
Balance payment to be settled during the trip in Russian Rubbles or USD.
If you want to settle the complete payment online, the last date will be 05-Oct-2026, and the payment is strictly non-refundable after this date.
Failing to make payments during the specified dates may result in cancellation of the slot, since most hotels/activities will be waiting for our balance payments, and hotels rooms automatically gets cancelled when we dont send the balance payments.
Option to pay the advance amounts through credit cards / wallets are also possible. Do request us at the time of payment.
Payment details will be shared if you are shortlisted for the trip.
We do have EMI option, but there will be processing fee and interest. Do ask us.
❄️ GENERAL INFO
❄️ GENERAL INFO
Basics:
Basics:
Total number of slots: 12
Age group: 18 to 45
A valid Indian Passport with at-least 6 months validity from your date of travel is required.
Gender ratio: We will ensure that there is a min of 40% female participants. Our previous Russia trips had 60% female participants.
First preference for solo participants. We will accept only one couple for the entire group.
Generally, we don't allow group participation in any of our trips. However, you are permitted to bring along one of your friend or a family member with you.
Group registrations of more than 3 persons will most likely get rejected.
We will be providing you a Pre-trip Instructions Booklet, three weeks before the trip, when will have all the information like currency exchange, sim cards purchase in Russia,
One month before the trip, we will have a Google Meet Webinar,. where we will share key information like:
-- how to get prepared for the trip,
-- how to pack,
-- what to purchase and where to get them
-- Currency exchange & sim cards
In the webinar, the Trip Lead for your trip, the previous trip leads, the backend team, will be available in the Webinar, and you can get all your doubts answered.
Flights:
Flights:
We prefer that you book international flight tickets by yourself to take advantage of best possible rates and bank offers. However we also can help you book the flight for you.
We will also try to make everyone book the same flight, so everyone travels together.
We will be sharing a detailed guide for booking the flight yourself. Kindly book flights only after you receive the flight booking detailed info document from CAC. You will receive these details, after you make the advance payment for the trip.
Airport pickup and drop are included only if you choose our recommended flights.
Accommodations:
Accommodations:
All accommodations are in double rooms, separate for male and female participants. Except in Igloo which will be Triple or Quad occupancy
The igloo has one double bed in lower floor, and a double bed on the upper floor. The lower floor double bed has the best view of the night sky, and will be provided on first come first serve basis (that is, first 6 confirmations will get the lower double bed)
For married couple:
If you wish to stay together on all days, excluding the igloo: ₹ 12,000 per person.
If you wish to stay together on all days, including the igloo: ₹ 20,000 per person.
Food:
Food:
Russian food is quite good, and vegetarian options do exist in local cuisine, though they're limited. If you need more variety, it's a good idea to carry some ready-to-eat food packets from India.
Meats like pork and beef are widely available, and turkey, duck, rabbit, and lamb are also easy to find, as they're common in Russian cuisine. Chicken and seafood are available too, but options can sometimes be limited.
Please note, we will strictly NOT visit any Indian Restaurants.
Some of the places in the itinerary where we will be travelling are very rarely visited by Indians. And chances of Indian food are almost NIL.
Baggage:
Baggage:
You can carry trolley bags or rucksacks, however limit trolleys to medium size, since it will be easy for you to handle during the harsh weather. Backpacks or rucksacks are preferred over trolley bags.
10kgs hand luggage is included in the domestic flight ticket. if you want to carry additional luggage (+20kg) please let us know by 05-Sep. Remember if you are carrying medium size luggage, you mandatorily have to purchase additional 20Kg.
Packing List & Winter Wear:
Packing List & Winter Wear:
A detailed packing guide will be sent to you two months before the trip.
This detailed guide will explain you on what winter clothes you must buy from India mandatorily, and what optionally can be purchased in Russia (sometimes winter wear in Russia are cheaper and has a higher quality).
Registration & Selection Process:
Registration: If you are interested in joining this trip, please complete your registration by clicking on the link provided at the end of this itinerary.
Invitation and Selection Process: Once you register, shortlisted participants will receive an official invitation to join the trip along with details for making the advance payment. Please note that the selection process is solely at the discretion of Coimbatore Adventure Club. If all slots are filled, we will notify you and place you on a waitlist.
Advance Payment: Shortlisted participants will receive advance payment instructions. Your slot for the trip will be confirmed only upon successful payment of the advance.
Flight Tickets: After your advance payment is processed and confirmed by us, you may proceed to book your flight tickets.
Note: Registering for the trip via the provided link does not guarantee a slot. Confirmation is subject to the selection process and availability of slots.
Cancellation & Refund Policy:
Cancellation & Refund Policy:
Cancellation by participant:
Each installment becomes non-refundable immediately after its respective due date. Timely payment on or before each installment date is mandatory to retain your confirmed slot.
Our payment and cancellation policy is designed to be favorable for participants. Instead of collecting the entire trip cost upfront, we allow you to pay in installments.
Every time you make a payment, we immediately use it to secure accommodations, book domestic flights, and make advance or full payments for time-sensitive bookings, such as the glass igloo stay, visa application etc.
Please note that we do not collect any excess amount in advance. Every payment you make is utilized to confirm the services booked exclusively for you. The installment structure simply helps you spread the cost over time and prepare for the trip more comfortably.
For the same reason, all payments made towards this trip are non-transferable. They cannot be transferred to another person or adjusted towards any future trip if you decide not to travel.
Cancellations made within 30 days of the trip departure will require the participant to pay 75% of the total trip cost, as the majority of bookings would have already been confirmed and are non-refundable. If the amount already paid is less than 75% of the trip cost, the participant is required to settle the balance. Failure to do so may affect eligibility for future trips with CAC.
Cancellation due to Visa rejection:
In the unlikely event that your Russia visa application is rejected, we will refund 80% of the total trip cost.
Russia visa rejections are extremely rare. Based on our experience, every Russia visa application processed through us has been approved so far. However, past approvals do not guarantee future outcomes, as visa decisions are made solely by the respective authorities.
This refund policy is applicable only if the visa application is processed through us, and only if all the required documents and information are submitted within the timelines communicated by us. Delays, incomplete documentation, or failure to provide the requested documents on time will make this policy inapplicable.
Cancellation due to unforeseen situations beyond our control:
In the event of trip cancellations due to natural calamities or unforeseen circumstances (e.g., extreme weather, political unrest, or government-imposed restrictions)—essentially, any situation beyond CAC’s control— the trip date will be modified. Any cost incurred due to trip date changes will be collected from the participant (it will be a max of ₹20,000).
Terms:
Weather in Arctic regions can cause last-minute shifts. We’ll ensure the best alternative wherever possible. Temperatures may occasionally fall below the mentioned range.
All activities depend on local safety conditions, especially northern lights, snowmobiling, and boat trips.
Northern Lights sightings are never guaranteed; we chase them with the best possible conditions.
Professional photography depends on weather and visibility. Ice floating is subject to weather and ice conditions, if cancelled due to weather or less ice, the amount will be refunded.
All activities are subject to weather conditions, local regulations, and operational feasibility. The safety of our participants will always remain our highest priority.
The itinerary may undergo minor changes due to weather, local restrictions, operational requirements, or unforeseen circumstances. Wherever possible, suitable alternatives of comparable experience will be arranged.
Trip timings, routes, and activities are indicative and may change based on operational requirements, traffic, flight schedules, weather conditions, or instructions from local authorities. Such changes will not affect the overall quality or duration of the experience.
Coimbatore Adventure Club reserves the right to remove any participant from the trip at any time if they engage in any unlawful, disruptive, or inappropriate behaviour that affects the safety, comfort, or overall experience of other participants. No refund will be provided in such cases.
Queries / Clarifications:
Queries / Clarifications:
Send your queries to 9488800444 (WhatsApp text only).
At present, we're available from 10 AM–6 PM (Mon–Fri) and 10 AM–1 PM (Sat) via WhatsApp text messages only. If you would like to connect over a call, we’d be happy to schedule one at a mutually convenient time.
We will be having a webinar on the 8-August (Saturday) at 6pm - where we will explain about the trip, you can ask questions and clarify your doubts. Our previous CAC Trip Leads who has visited the previous winter Russia trips will be available in the webinar. The link for the webinar will be shared right here, one day before the webinar.
❄️REGISTRATION
❄️REGISTRATION
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