Dec 20 - Jan 1
Murmansk-Moscow
3 star hotels/ Homestay
12 nights
12 breakfasts
12-18
SHORT ITINERARY :
Welcome to Russia, Our immigration will be done in Moscow. Today evening, we will reach Murmansk : The biggest city in arctic circle located at city in the extreme northwest of Russia. Our Russia group trip starts here 🙂
As its a long flight, today we will do only basic chores & just get to know each other and the town a bit. We will procure sim , needed winter apparels and some food for the onward journey.
People who don't want to do Murmansk , can skip to Day 5. They can fly in directly to St.Petersburg.
Following is going to be the most beautiful 24 hours of your recent months . We start with a visit to the husky farm . We will playing with them & go for a short ride in a husky sledge.
We have professional local guides who keep a close look on the upcoming nights for several weeks . This increases our chances to get much better views.
Tonight , after an evening quick-nap , we will head out for the northern lights ( Aurora Borealis) hunting.
It’s the last point after which arctic ocean starts , so basically the end of main land as we know it. It takes about 8 hours to go and come back. Note that the weather in this region is too harsh and the possibility of this visit lies, entirely depends if there is highwind / Storm or not.
The day is extreamely Windy . Carry your best gears today
Witnessing Aurora is a matter of luck and timing . Hence we keep 1 more Buffer day to increase our possibility to see this. The local guides will decide which day out of our 4 nights in Murmansk , we will head out for Northern lights hunt.
Did you know ?
Aurora also has a sound ?
Aurora also Happens in other planets ?
It is possible to predict geomagnetic activity and aurora a day or so in advance by detecting solar Coronal Mass Ejections (CME) near the sun.
Note that northern lights depends on weather conditions and isnt guaranteed.
Well hello people, Let’s start St.Petersburg with a walk in the Christmas streets after a few hours of nap for those who are jet lagged. If you have read enough of my posts, you know how we give importance to simple things like going out for a night walk.
We will be also seeing Saviour of spilled blood from outside.
Post which we will also go out to see one of these bridge open up for incoming ships. It’s an event worthwhile watching . 1000s of locals come see this every night and clap when it’s all done. Its a 2 am thing, so if you cant stay up until then, you will miss it.
We will take a walking tour of the town by 11am-1pm. After lunch , let’s head to the world’s second largest museum : home to over 3 million art pieces, which means you will stay there for nearly six years if you spend 1 minute by each piece of artwork, not to mention that you’d cover the distance of about 24 km (15 mi) , walking from one exhibit to the other.
Moreover, there are 117 staircases in the Hermitage & more than 18,800 doors! .Yes, you will get lost, multiple times.
But you will know where to find me:).
Since it is a long day , we will relax sometime , watching a street performance as we wait for others to join us at the Palace square. Find the orange jacket folks. Today we will do a cookout session with others if you are game.
Here is a chance to look into the history of Submarines by getting into one. You will see Torpedos, Old communication instruments and even the living quarters of the Submarine staff.
Built at St. Petersburg's Baltic Factory and launched in 1954, the C-189 is a 613-class diesel-electric submarine that saw 35 years service in the Soviet fleet.
The Guide will be one of the people who actually worked in one of these submarines. (Click here to see)
After lunch, we will head to the st isaac's cathedral colonnade .The colonnade of St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg offers a spectacular panoramic view for watching the sunset, providing an aerial perspective of the city as the light changes. Visitors can climb the approximately 300 steps to the colonnade to see the city from above and experience stunning views, especially during twilight.
By evening we will head out to a nuclear bunker- 80 metre under earth. It is so well hidden that even when you are standing in front of it, you won’t realise the grand scale of it.
We will reach back to Red square at night for its a place to be as they lit up the whole area. (Click here to see).
We will head out from Moscow on a morning train to Vladimir. Only carry couple of pairs of clothes as we will only spend a night in Suzdal. We will be commuting by public transport to Suzdal from Vladimir, and back. Out of the the entire Russia trip, you will remember Suzdal the most.
Suzdal is so perfect in fact, that I sensed a touch of design behind it – Soviet design, to be specific.It turns out that the Soviet Union decided to avoid building any modern buildings in Suzdal in order to preserve its tourist appeal, banning buildings over two stories high – except for cathedrals, of course. So today Suzdal has none of the tall apartment blocks that characterize other former Soviet towns and cities, but is instead filled with beautiful churches and wooden houses!
We will be back to city by evening. Let's do a crazy Banya bath : A Banya typically includes a steam room with wooden benches, leafy branches that are used for massages, and buckets or pools of cold water.
We will either do this today or post new year's heavy drinking and techno party. We will take a call according to the group.
Since its Jan 1 , let's start with a BANG :D, We will go first to do some shooting in the afternoon after a late brunch today.
Post that we will be doing one of the most memorable activities of the trip : Banya bath. Both of the activities needs pre booking, so please let us know when you book the trip. Men and women have separate buildings
The vibe of red square for New year night is so vibrant that you wouldn't want to go anywhere else. The fireworks are vibrant and you will see 1000s of joyful folks out here counting for the New year night.
After the countdown, we will head to a Techno club that was built in 1991. This night will remain one of the most memorable new year nights you will ever have.
Book any flight today after noon.Our Russia group trip ends here,We bid adieu to meet in some other country.
Unlike others and like some I wanted to xplore some place on my own. I have had trips with family and husband and friends in the past but this time I wanted to experience something different. My search about a back pack trip, on Facebook, insta. Googling and taking references from friends got me to this space of wanderers lead by this man in orange jacket. A truely mesmerizing individual with all the warmth and care for others in him. He was an enabler to my perfect bhutan trip. It was my birthday and new year and I enjoyed every bit of it. The trip was so well planned and optmised for the monies you invested. Vyshak was just not the organiser busy in completion of itenerary. He was in a spree of shifting our travelling experience, collaborating the group to form some rich and thick bonds, organising mafias in the night, connect and lailas(song 
) in the our hopping rides, birthday surprises of traveller and now friends on the trip, throwing a rolling new year eve & escorting slaushed ones to the doorsteps with ,and ensuring the smooth hiking of every body on the tigers nest. Yes he was busy in all this.. And to no surprise he started preparing for his next trip to chandrashila pass by catching some sleep on our back journey to India from bhutan. There are few who find there happiness in spreading happiness and u are one amongst them... One who has successfully answered back worthy questions of life. Thank you is just not enough vyshak. I am glad to have met you. Want to xplore many more such places with you... You are awesome ! And yes the 5yrs letter writing plan is super fun.
From visa formalities, itinerary discussions to trip arrangements and then being together for 12 days with 12 strangers; everything was so smooth!! Our tour guide(and now a friend) Vyshakh had perfect places for us to travel, eat and party. Also he shares many interesting Russian facts while visiting the places which makes it even more fascinating. I don’t think there can be any better itinerary than this. We are looking for more future trips with OJ.
I had been following OJ's Instagram page for a few years and was always captivated by the inspiring stories, pictures, and reviews. It was when I decided to embark on my first solo trip to Bali that I knew I had to join team OJ for this adventure. Though a little nervous about traveling alone, I was also filled with excitement. My birthday fell on the second day of the trip, which I kept to myself. However, Vyshakh and the incredible group of fellow travelers somehow found out and turned it into a truly memorable day . Celebrating my birthday in a foreign land, with people I barely knew at the beginning but later became close friends, was truly special.
During the challenging Mount Batur trek, there were moments when I felt like giving up, but Vyshakh was incredibly understanding and continuously motivated me to keep pushing forward. I wish I had known his terminologies earlier in the trip. According to him, what we considered as medium level hiking, he casually referred to as a mere "walk." And when it came to the truly challenging treks, he humorously called them "hiking.” Haha!!
It added a fun twist to our trekking experiences.
But trust me when I say every moment of the trip was enjoyable. Among all the fantastic places we visited, Gili Trawangan held a special place in my heart . Even now, two weeks later as I write this review, I'm still enamored by its beauty. Overcoming my fear of water, I decided to sign up for scuba diving, and the thrill was unforgettable. The memories we created as a group on that island are something I'll cherish forever
. I won't reveal too much and spoil the fun for future travelers, but be prepared for unexpectedness due to weather or traffic – however, Vyshakh is a pro at handling such situations, so you're in good hands.
This trip transformed me. I learned to trust myself, embrace challenges, and follow my instincts. And the best part? I gained wonderful friends. OJ, can't wait to travel with you again. Until then, take care! 
1900 USD / Pax ( Before Oct 30 )
1999 USD / Pax ( After Oct 30 )
You are loosing Rs.3,000 by not referring this trip to your friend
Indian trippers can ofcourse pay in INR
You can block the slot by paying a token amount of 10500 INR for this trip either by UPI , credit card/ EMI or by Bank transfer.
Be Proud Of You. A Trip Is Gift To Self. When Was The Last Time You Gifted Yourself ?
You are loosing Rs.3000 by not referring this trip to your friend
Change of Plans ? Here’s our cancellation policy
If Plans Change — We’ve Got You
We totally get it — life happens, and sometimes your plans have to take a rain check.
That’s why we’ve kept our cancellation policy simple, transparent, and as kind as possible 
• 45+ days before the trip: 10% cancellation charge
• 30–44 days before the trip: 25% cancellation charge
• 15–29 days before the trip: 50% cancellation charge
• Within 14 days of the trip: 100% cancellation charge
These are calculated on the total trip amount, not just the token amount.
Now, if you can find someone to take your spot, we’ll happily refund your full amount. No questions asked .Because at the end of the day, we’d rather have someone travel than hold back your money.
To keep your spot confirmed, please clear the remaining balance by the due date — it helps us lock in stays, permits, and experiences for the group. If payments are delayed beyond that, we’ll have to treat it as a cancellation (same policy applies).
We know these things aren’t fun to read — but having it clear helps everyone travel smoother and us to function better .
We’re always on your side and do our best to make things work whenever life throws a curveball. 
Most people come alone for my trips. About 25% of the people bring a friend or partner.Honestly It really doesn't matter. I have seen on all the batches I have lead. Most people really gel with everyone, even the ones who thought wouldn't gel up, surprise themselves always with the way they got comfortable with everyone.
Each trek/ trip is rated according to the number of days we spend outdoors . If you aren't sure where to start, go with an easy trip or trek.
For trips,
I dreamed of trips where we could go out hike , get exhausted , come back to hotel and have a great evening. This is exactly why some of my trips have Day hikes in it. It is a perfect chance for people who have never hiked in their entire life. Don't worry, We are there :).
For treks,
you can start with Sandhakphu or Chandrashila . You can also benchmark yourself for the treks.
If you have never done a high altitude trek, then start with a easy or Easy- moderate trek. That way you will understand how your body reacts to high altitude and you can check you cardio strength too.
Usually, most batch sizes are between 12-20 people who are aged between 16-38. Most people come alone or with a friend. The trip would feel like you are travelling more with college friends than strangers. We tend to do more outdoorsy things than regular trips .
For example : If we find a very pretty waterfall/ a beautiful sunset / Rainbow on the way. We would stop the vehicle right away to catch the beauty of it.
We usually sleep very late on these trips as we play a lot of group games and most people feel they will miss the precious time with the group members and decides to stay awake.
Here are few places you can read more about the brand and trips
UPCOMING GROUP TRIPS :
We’re not saying this trip will fix your life. But like… maybe
away on 
your Birthday ? 