Guided tours make visiting some of the planet's most exotic places  possible.

Trans-Siberian Express: Undoubtedly the greatest rail journey on the planet, the Trans-Siberian Express weaves its way from East to West, travelling through Russia, over the Urals and across the endless Steppe. Journey along the Trans-Siberian line, the longest single-service railway in the world stretching from Moscow to Vladivostok, and detour along the shores of Lake Baikal, hauled by a Soviet-era steam locomotive, and into Mongolia. Over two weeks, pass through eight time zones and cover a distance of 11,000kms. Highlights include a private viewing of the Kremlin; a glass of champagne with one foot in Europe and the other in Asia at Yekaterinburg; a refreshing swim in Lake Baikal, the deepest lake in the world; a folk performance in the Old Believers Village at Ulan Ude; and a tour of Gandan Monastry in Ulaan Baatar, home to 500 monks.

Silk Road:Following in the footsteps of Alexander the Great and Marco Polo along one of the most important trading routes of ancient civilisation, this epic 21-day journey stretches from Moscow to Beijing. Passing through Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and China, reaching areas only accessible by train, passengers can enjoy this adventurous route in comfort and style. The passage begins on the Golden Eagle, and switches onto the Shangri-La Express in China. Expect to see some of the most magnificent, yet little-visited, sites and oasis cities from the ancient world. Highlights include: the architectural sites at Samarkand; seeing the oldest Koran in the world at Tashkent; exploring the Gobi Desert by camel; touring the Great Wall of China; and discovering the famous Terracota Warriors in Xian. 

Caspian Odyssey: This breathtakingly beautiful journey discovers the mysteries, diversities and traditions of the South Caucasus before crossing the Caspian Sea to explore the great trading posts of the Silk Road. Beginning in the Armenian capital of Yerevan, the Golden Eagle takes a scenic route around stunning Lake Sevan before weaving through Georgia and Azerbaijan. At Baku, the train is loaded onto a cargo ferry for the crossing to Turkmenistan where guests visit the capital, Ashgabat, and Darvaza’s famous burning gas crater. Next stop is Uzbekistan to visit the ancient city of Khiva, Samarkand and Tashkent ahead of the final port of call, Almaty in Kazakhstan.

Arctic Explorer: This new tour to seek out the Northern Lights has the added bonus of a guest astronomer onboard. Step aboard in St Petersburg to embark upon a rail adventure deep into the Arctic Circle. Leave the train behind at Nikel to travel by bus across the Russian/Norwegian border to Kirkenes. Spend two nights here to visit the Snow Hotel, enjoy a husky excursion and take a tour in pursuit of the magnificent Aurora Borealis. Rejoin the Golden Eagle to travel to Murmansk, Petrozavodsk, Vladimir and Suzdal enroute to Moscow, a fitting finale. Travelling in December, celebrate New Year and Rozhdestvo (Russian Christmas, celebrated on 7 Jan) in style.

More details......