About Russia Travel
Welcome to our Russia Travel Guide. On this page you'll find all of our posts about Russia travel as well as some useful travel tips about the best time to visit, where to go, things to do, a Russia travel budget and much more.
Russia is a surprisingly underrated travel destination. At 17,125,200 square kilometres (6,612,100 square miles), it's by far the largest country in the world by area, and yet, thanks to the fantastic Trans-Siberian Railway, it's both easy and fun to get around many parts of the country from East to West.
With 146.7 million people living in the Russia's 85 federal subjects, Russia is the most populous nation in Europe and the ninth-most populous country in the world. But because it's so large, outside of the major cities, you will likely feel like you're alone here.
Vast empty tundra, stunning lakes, towering snow-capped peaks and enormous rivers, Russia is a trekkers paradise. Get ready for raw nature, beautiful cities, exciting outdoor adventures and a unique culture.
We visited Russia as part of our Trans-Mongolian and Trans-Siberian train journey which led us into Central Asia and I have to say that's a great way to see Siberia. No matter how you visit Russia, I highly recommend hopping on at least part of the Trans-Siberian Railway and exploring some of the countryside, where the real Russia lies.
Russia Travel Blog Posts
Below you will find all of our latest Russia travel blog posts which include not only our personal travel stories and experiences from travelling Russia for more than 2 weeks, but also some useful travel information to help you plan your own trip to the country.
A 5 Month Round Up of Central Asia & Iran: Highlights Of Our Journey Through The Least Touristed Region On Earth
Wow, I can’t believe it’s over! Nearly 5 months of overland travel from China, through Mongolia, Russia, The Stans and Iran. What a trip! Even though we knew this journey would be intrepid, we could have never imagined just how adventurous it would be. ...
Rushing Through Russia – An 8 Day Round-Up
Even though Russia is an amazing country to backpack through, and the largest country in the world, not many people travel here partly due to the bureaucratic nightmare of getting a visa. Luckily, we were able to get our visa in Shanghai without any issues and ...
What’s a Banya? Our Experience in Russia
(Video At The Bottom) If you’ve ever travelled to Russia, you’ll know exactly what a Banya is. A Banya (баня) is the traditional Russian bathhouse and over the years it has become a significant part of day-to-day life in Russia. Similar to a Hammam in ...
Trans-Siberian Train Journey: Irkutsk to Omsk
After spending a relaxing 3 nights on Olkhon Island and a couple of days in Irkutsk, it was time for our third (and last) leg of the Trans-Siberian/Trans-Mongolian train journey to Omsk, Russia. Our first leg which took us from Beijing to Ulan Bator was ...
Visiting Olkhon Island in Russia
After another long and spectacular train ride, we arrived in the beautiful riverside city of Irkutsk. Having had images of ugly, grey soviet buildings clouding our idea of a Russian town, Irkutsk was a pleasant surprise. With a Europe-esque look and vibe, Irkutsk deserved ...
Travelling On The Trans-Siberian Railroad: Ulan Bator to Irkutsk
After a wonderful 30 days of traveling Mongolia, we were on the move! We had already been on part of the Trans-Mongolian portion of the train journey, but now it was time to check out what the rest of it had to offer. We were ...
Travel To-Do List: Central Asia
Depending on which country we travel to, we have a different To-Do List. Some of the items remain the same (getting vaccinations, budgeting for the trip, buying travel gear, etc.), but for this particular trip, which will take us through Mongolia, Russia, Central Asia ...
Travelling to Central Asia: Pressures Of The Planning Process
We have 3 months left before our teaching English contract here in China is up and we’ve officially started planning for our next trip! It’s turning out to be quite the process. We knew that travelling to one of the least touristy regions on ...
Our Next Trip is Central Asia: The Most Epic One Yet?
We’ve been living in China for 7 months now and we’ve started getting The Travel Itch. We need to get going again. We need to get on the road and experience new things. There are people in the world who can live their lives, ...
THE BEST TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT
When To Travel To Russia
The Best Time To Visit: May-June & September-October
- High Season: July - August
- Low Season: November - March
- May - June (spring), July - August (summer), September - October (fall), November - April (winter)
The high season in Russia runs from May through October and this is without a doubt the best time to visit the country. On either end of these months, the weather can be extremely cold, but it is still a decent time to visit most of the country.
The far north experiences eternal night in winter and eternal light in summer, so travelling at these times can have strange effects on your body. If you want to make the most of your trip here, then definitely July and August are the best times to visit.
During the summer months however, the main tourist routes are crowded and sometimes even impossible to access. So the best time to visit Russia is in the shoulder-seasons around late spring and early fall.
Also, if you can handle the biting cold, visiting Russia in winter can be just as rewarding as you can see the northern lights and have unique experiences like dog sledding and visiting the tundra. Check out Holiday-Weather.com for current weather as well as annual averages to help you better plan your trip based on the weather in Russia.
RUSSIAN TRAVEL RESOURCES
We recommend the below companies to help you with your travel booking, planning and insurance. We recommend them because we personally use and trust them, but the links below are also affiliate links, which means we receive a small commission if you purchase products or services from them. It will never cost you extra and we appreciate your support.
