• Lake Baikal was formed about 30 million years ago, making it the world’s oldest lake.
• At 1,700 meters deep, it’s also the deepest lake in the world.
• Over 20% of the world’s unfrozen fresh water is found inside Lake Baikal.
• Lake Baikal is home to many species of plants and animals that are found nowhere else on earth. Because of its rich biodiversity, it is often called the “Galapagos of Russia.”
• The lake is formed by the deepest continental rift in the world.

UNESCO added Lake Baikal to the World Heritage List in 1996, calling it “the most outstanding example of a freshwater ecosystem.”

In addition to the lake itself, the surrounding landscape is a striking mix of mountains, tundra and ancient forests. Activities for visitors include hiking, horseback riding, mountain climbing, cruising, visiting hot springs, scuba diving and touring the area’s many museums and cultural artifacts.

You need a visa to visit Russia- unfortunately, this may be one of the hardest parts of getting to Siberia. Russia’s visa system has a well-deserved reputation for being bureaucratic and hard to navigate. Here’s what you need to get a tourist visa:

• Your passport.
• A completed visa application form
• 1 passport photo
• A copy of your airline tickets or a copy of your itinerary showing your flight number and the dates that you’ll be in Russia.
• A tourist invitation from a Russian travel agency or hotel that can serve as your visa sponsor. The hotel or travel agency must be registered with the Russian government.
• A hotel voucher from your hotel.

RushMyTravelVisa specializes in cutting through the red tape to make it easier for you to get your Russian visa. We’ll walk you through the paperwork and expedite your application so you have the documents you need sooner.

Apply for your Russian visa today!

According to Gadling, the development will be called “Siberian Coin,” and it will be located near Siberia’s border with China and Kazakhstan, in the frozen wastes of the Altai Republic.

If this sounds like an unlikely place for a “wretched hive of scum and villany,” well, it is. But Russia banned gambling in most of the country years ago, opting instead to create “gambling zones” in underdeveloped regions of the country.

Currently, Siberian Coin is still a dream and a 9-acre chunk of barren, frozen wasteland – but a four man team is installing an electric grid as we speak. According to Businessweek, the Russian government expects casinos and hotels to brighten up the scenery in about 2 years.

Or, as Anatoly Golovachyov, the manager of the nearby Kaimskoye tourism center, told Businessweek: “Soon, the mafia and money and prostitutes will show up!”

If Russia builds it, will people come? That’s the question. My inner geek tells me there’s probably a reason that in Star Wars, the ice planet of Hoth was not known for its nightlife either. But, anything’s possible.

Kolya, one of the men installing the electric grid, is skeptical. He told Businessweek, “They say this will be the Las Vegas of Siberia. Better to go to the Las Vegas of Las Vegas.”

If you decide to go to the Las Vegas of Siberia once it’s complete, you’ll need a Russian visa. Unfortunately, getting one of these documents can be almost as arduous of a journey as getting to Siberia itself. Even the US State Department calls the Russian visa process “restrictive and complicated.” For more information about what’s required, see Russian Visa Requirements for Tourists.

When it comes to getting a Russian visa, don’t gamble. Put the odds in your favor by working with a visa agency like RushMyTravelVisa. You’ll get the assistance of a trained, professional visa specialist to research your itinerary, assist you with the paperwork and expedite your Russian visa application for the fastest possible processing.

Apply for your Russian visa today!

If you’re a rafting enthusiast, this could well be the trip of a lifetime, but because the region is so remote, very few outsiders ever experience it. This year might be your best shot – Echo River Trips is celebrating its 40th anniversary by offering a chance to run the Kaa-Khem with Vladimir Gavrilov, one of their most respected river guides.

The 15-day trip includes rafting plus opportunities to hike in the surrounding taiga forests and to try to catch some of the monstrous fish that live in the river. Since the area is so isolated, you’ll start off the journey with a helicopter ride into the wilderness. As Echo says on their blog: “A river trip that begins with an Mi-8 helicopter ride will make you feel more like James Bond than any martini ever could.”

You’ll need a Russian visa for this trip, and getting one can be an adventure in and of itself. This trip is nonrefundable, so be sure to apply as far in advance as possible and to make sure you understand all of the necessary rules and regulations.

Here’s what you’ll need to apply for your visa:

• Your passport.
• A completed visa application form
• 1 passport photo
• A copy of your airline tickets or a copy of your itinerary showing your flight number and the dates that you’ll be in Russia.
• A tourist invitation from a Russian travel agency or hotel that can serve as your visa sponsor. If you’re going on an organized tour like this, this will be provided for you by the tour group.

None other than the US State Department calls the Russian visa system “restrictive and complicated.” Do yourself a favor and work with a visa agency like RushMyTravelVisa. You’ll get the assistance of a trained, professional visa specialist to research your itinerary and walk you through the paperwork, step by step. Then, we’ll expedite your application for the fastest possible processing.

Apply for your Russian visa today!

Eat Authentic Local Cuisine

Matador’s Jenna Makowski notes that Moscow is full of tourist-trap restaurants filled with staff wearing generic “folk” costumes, but says that “The experience doesn’t represent local eating patterns.” Instead, she recommends eating at the popular Russian cafeterias called stolovayas.

Of course, you should also make time to enjoy some typical Russian street food. Mobile Food News recommends blinchiki, ice cream and a soft drink called kvas.

Visit Smaller Art Museums

The Pushkin Museum is Moscow’s largest, but as Makowski notes, it’s so big its overwhelming. Instead, check out smaller art museums and cultural exhibits, like the Tretyakov Gallery, the homes of Russian writers like Tolstoy and Gogol, or the new modern art gallery Garage.

Enjoy the Nightlife

Moscow residents know how to party.  According to the New York Times,  ”Moscow night life doesn’t really get going until well after midnight, and becomes interesting only much later.” They recommend Art Strelka and the Arma factory complex.

Of course, to visit Moscow, you’ll need a Russian visa. The Russian visa system is notoriously complex, so it’s best to get help from a professional visa specialist. RushMyTravelVisa will help walk you through the paperwork, ensuring that you have all the right documents and helping to catch common mistakes that could impede your application.

Then, we personally deliver your application to the appropriate embassy for the fastest possible processing.

Apply for your Russian visa today!

Located in Siberia, Yakutsk grew from an icy patch of permafrost into the relatively thriving city that it is today based on two things: the quantities of precious metals and jewels hidden deep under the permafrost and Russia’s habit of sending political prisoners to labor in Siberia.

So, how cold is cold? According to the Independent, “in local parlance, temperatures in the minus 40Cs are described as “cold but not very cold.” Average “highs” in January are in this range.

Why would you visit Yakutsk, anyway? Well, first of all for the bragging rights: Can any of your friends say they’ve visited the coldest city on the planet? Second, there are actually some intriguing cryogenic museums. Where else can you see the cryogenically preserved head of an honest-to-god woolly mammoth? See Wikitravel for information on the museums.

To get there, though, you’ll need a Russian visa. The Russian visa system is known for being a bear to navigate, so it’s not recommended to leave this to the last minute. Here’s what you need to get a Russian tourist visa:

• Your passport.
• A completed visa application form
• 1 passport photo
• A copy of your airline tickets or a copy of your itinerary showing your flight number and the dates that you’ll be in Russia.
• A tourist invitation from a Russian travel agency or hotel that can serve as your visa sponsor. The hotel or travel agency must be registered with the Russian government.
• A hotel voucher from your hotel.

The best thing to do is to allow a professional visa service like RushMyTravelVisa guide you through the Russian visa system. You’ll get help with the application and a knowledgeable guide to help you avoid common mistakes that could delay your application. Plus, we’ll personally deliver your paperwork to the Russian Embassy for the fastest possible processing.

Apply for your Russian visa today!

Of course, while direct flights may make it easier to get to Russia, you’ll never get off the ground without a Russian visa. Alas, getting a Russian visa is nowhere near as simple as booking a plane ticket online. Here’s a quick rundown of the requirements:

• A valid US passport.
• A completed Russian visa application form
• 1 passport photo
• A copy of your airline tickets or a copy of your itinerary showing your flight number and the dates that you’ll be in Russia.
• A tourist invitation from a Russian travel agency or hotel that can serve as your visa sponsor. The hotel or travel agency must be registered with the Russian government. Make sure you have your sponsor’s contact information with you when you leave the US, as only your sponsor can assist you in the event of difficulties such as losing your passport and visa.
• A hotel voucher from your hotel.

Also, make sure you know exactly what days your Russian visa is valid for. If you overstay your visa, even unintentionally, for more than 3 days, you’re looking at an additional 20 days in the country while you wait for the government to issue a new exit visa.

Getting a Russian visa is much easier when you use a private visa expediting company like RushMyTravelVisa. We’ll look over your itinerary and give you instructions for obtaining all of the documents you’ll need. Then, we’ll walk you through the application process and expedite it for the fastest possible processing. Even better, you’ll benefit from the assistance of a trained, professional visa specialist who knows how the Russian visa system works.

Apply for your Russian visa with us today!

]]> http://www.rushmytravelvisa.com/blog/2010/10/russian-visa-requirements-to-fly-transaeros-new-route/feed/ 0 http://www.rushmytravelvisa.com/blog/2010/09/soon-eu-citizens-may-not-need-a-russian-visa/ http://www.rushmytravelvisa.com/blog/2010/09/soon-eu-citizens-may-not-need-a-russian-visa/#comments Sat, 18 Sep 2010 19:24:15 +0000 admin http://www.rushmytravelvisa.com/blog/?p=861 Good news for citizens of countries that are part of the European Union: Soon, according to this post on the Nileguidance blog, you may be able to skip the Kafkaesque Russian visa process and still visit your Russian neighbors. Russia and EU have been working on visa-free travel for years, since 2003. What’s changed?

Nileguidance notes that Russia has a particular incentive to try to speed up negotiations at the moment: a new business park that Russia would love to staff with skilled workers from across Europe. According to this article on a Russian news site, Vladimir Chizhov, the Russian envoy to the EU, brought up the issue in a video conference last May:

“We believe the process of reaching this goal [the introduction of visa-free regime] should be accelerated…”Seven years have passed and it is time to move from the long-term goal to something more concrete,” Chizhov said.

NileGuidance notes that while some European heads of state of supportive of the proposal, obstacles remain:

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is supportive of the proposal, but says that there is hesitation among EU members, primarily from Eastern European countries, stating that it’s “probably connected to these countries history during the era of the Soviet Union.” Among other supporters is Luxembourg prime minister Jean-Claude Juncker, saying, “it is necessary to find a solution to the visa issue as soon as possible. We’ve dragged this out for too long.”

If Russian visa requirements get lifted for EU citizens, that will be good news for them. However, American citizens will still have to go through the Russian visa process before leaving the US- no such plans are in the works for us.

If you’re planning to visit Russia as a tourist, see Tourist Requirements for a Getting a Russian Visa.

If you’re planning to go on a business trip, see Obtaining a Russian Business Visa

If you’re just passing through Russia on the way to somewhere else, guess what? You still need a visa. See Russian Transit Visa Requirements for details.

RushMyTravelVisa can help you apply for your Russian visa, walking you through the paperwork to prevent common mistakes that could hold up your application. Then, we’ll deliver your visa application to the appropriate embassy or consulate for the fastest possible processing.

Apply for your Russian visa today!

]]> http://www.rushmytravelvisa.com/blog/2010/09/soon-eu-citizens-may-not-need-a-russian-visa/feed/ 0 http://www.rushmytravelvisa.com/blog/2010/05/russian-visa-requirements-to-explore-the-mysteries-of-tunguska/ http://www.rushmytravelvisa.com/blog/2010/05/russian-visa-requirements-to-explore-the-mysteries-of-tunguska/#comments Wed, 12 May 2010 03:24:29 +0000 admin http://www.rushmytravelvisa.com/blog/?p=625 On June 30th, 1908, something happened deep in the forests of Siberia, near the Tunguska River. A powerful explosion, one large enough to have completely wiped a city the size of London or New York off the map, shook the forest, leaving scarcely a tree standing.  (h/t NileGuide)

Nobody is entirely sure what happened-despite evidence that the blast was as powerful as 185 Hiroshimas, it didn’t leave a crater.  According to the NASA website, the local people believed that the god Ogdy had cursed the area. Here’s how one of them described the blast to researchers many years later:

Suddenly in the north sky… the sky was split in two, and high above the forest the whole northern part of the sky appeared covered with fire… At that moment there was a bang in the sky and a mighty crash… The crash was followed by a noise like stones falling from the sky, or of guns firing. The earth trembled.

Scientists believe that the blast was caused by a large meteorite that entered Earth’s atmosphere and exploded in the sky above Tunguska. Of course, others believe it was actually aliens. Or perhaps a black hole. Or maybe some many-tentacled Lovecraftian beings from beyond space and time. (Okay, I made that last bit up-but who knows? )

Wanna visit for yourself and decide? Some Siberian tour operators do offers trips to the impact site.  For example, Sibtourguide.com promises the chance to visit the impact site and see mutated trees, as well as “the chance to catch a reptile, which is not identified yet in any catalogue in the world.” Maybe the reptile is from another planet?

Before you jet off to Siberia to play X-Files, you will need to obtain a Russian visa.  This is more difficult than it sounds. Russia’s visa system is shining example of complicated bureaucracy in action.  Here’s a list of what you need to get a Russian tourist visa:

• Your US passport.
• A completed Russian visa application form
• 1 passport photo
• A copy of your airline tickets or a copy of your itinerary showing your flight number and the dates that you’ll be in Russia.
• A tourist invitation from a Russian travel agency or hotel that can serve as your visa sponsor. The hotel or travel agency must be registered with the Russian government.
• A hotel voucher from your hotel.

When applying for a Russian visa, it’s advisable to use a private visa expediting company like RushMyTravelVisa.  We’ll research your itinerary to make sure you have all of the documents you need to travel, plus you’ll benefit from the assistance of a trained, professional visa specialist who knows how the Russian visa system works.

We’ll assist you with your application, and deliver your paperwork to the appropriate visa or consulate for the fastest possible processing.

The truth is out there…do you need a Russian visa to find it?  Apply with us today!

Of course, there are many interesting places to stop along the way.  You can either ride the Trans-Siberian railroad as part of a tour group or on your own, although naturally if you travel independently you will have more flexibility when it comes to how much time you spend where.

Wikitravel has an excellent guide to help you plan the logistics of your trip, including how to buy tickets, what to pack, and where to get food.  This article on Matadortrips.com has a bunch of excellent suggestions for day trips and excursions if you’re traveling independently.

One other thing that you definitely should research ahead of time is visa requirements. Depending on your route and how far you take the railroad, you could end up spending time in Russia, China and/or Mongolia. To keep your trip from being unintentionally derailed (pun intended), it would be prudent to understand the entry requirements for each country before you travel.

Mongolian Visa Requirements

If you are an American citizen, you don’t need a visa to enter Mongolia as long as you don’t plan to stay longer than 9o days. However, if you plan to stay longer than 30 days, you do need to register with the authorities.

Chinese Visa Requirements

The requirements for obtaining a Chinese visa are fairly straightforward for tourists, but you will need to make sure that you have your visa in hand before you attempt t0 cross into China. If you will be crossing the Chinese border more than once during your journey, you should request a multiple-entry  Chinese visa. For more information, see Chinese Tourist Visa Requirements.

Russian Visa Requirements

Russia has a fairly restrictive and complex visa system. Learn more about what’s needed by reading Getting a Russian Tourist Visa, but remember, you’re probably better off seeking professional assistance.

RushMyTravelVisa can help you get all of the necessary documents for your journey on the Trans-Siberian Railroad. We’ll research your itinerary and let you know exactly what visas are required, then we’ll walk you through the application process and deliver your paperwork to the appropriate embassy or consulate for the fastest possible processing.

Need a visa? Let us help!