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| Footsteps of the Cossacks 2008
An 11-Day tour starting from $2,769
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| About This Tour | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A cruise along the Dnieper River is a journey of discovery. You explore ancient cities and grand monuments and encounter a vibrant culture rich in tradition. With tours in Kiev, Yalta and Odessa, you experience Ukraine’s time-honored history firsthand by visiting Yalta’s famed White Palace and walking Odessa’s Potemkin Steps. You also learn about the country’s maritime history in Sevastopol, visit the Monastery of the Caves in Kiev, and immerse yourself in Cossack traditions in Zaporozhye. See how differing societies from the Vikings to the Tatars and the Cossacks have influenced the architecture, culture and people of today’s Ukraine. |
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The price of this Viking River Cruises vacation includes:
• All meals • Shore excursions • 9 guided tours with tour headphones • Entertainment and activities
Day 1 Kiev
Welcome to Kiev, capital of Ukraine. We will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your ship.* After boarding, take free time to relax before dinner. (D) Day 2 Kiev Tour Kiev, one of Europe’s oldest cities, with a heritage of Viking, Cossack, and Ukrainian peoples. Explore its historic buildings and monuments, including a guided tour of the lovely domed St. Sophia Cathedral. After lunch aboard, tour the Monastery of Caves, an incredible complex of churches and museums founded by monks in 1051. Enjoy dinner aboard followed by evening sailing along the peaceful Dnieper River. (B, L, D) Day 3 Dnieper River During today’s full day of scenic cruising, take in the Dnieper’s landscape of rolling hills, ancient forest groves, historic villages and wide lakes. Day 4 Zaporozhye After breakfast, tour Zaporozhye, ancestral home of the Cossacks. Drive along Lenin Street; see the Lenin Monument, dam and the city’s massive hydroelectric plant. Then visit the Cossack Museum of Khortitsa. After lunch aboard, you are treated to a special Cossack horsemanship show including folkloric music and dance. An early evening departure is followed by dinner aboard. (B, L, D) Day 5 Kherson After a morning of scenic cruising, you arrive in Kherson at midday. Here, you board a small boat and cruise the narrow canals to Fishermen’s Island with the beautiful landscape of the Dnieper Delta as your backdrop. (B, L, D) Day 6 Sevastopol During breakfast, arrive in Sevastopol, base of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Tour the city center and see St. Vladimir Cathedral and Admiral Nakhimov Square. After lunch aboard you have free time or you can attend the optional Black Sea Choir concert. Dine aboard. Dock overnight. (B, L, D) Day 7 Sevastopol This morning, take a tour via motorcoach to the Tatar city of Bakhchisarai to visit the Khan Palace, built in 1519. During your tour, see many different architectural styles within the complex. Visit the courthouse, harem and mosques. Witness the Turkish influence on its various interiors. Later, stroll the beautifully landscaped grounds. After lunch, enjoy free time to further explore Sevastopol, site of the famed “Charge of the Light Brigade,” or take an optional tour to Balaklava with a visit to the Panorama Museum. (B, L, D) Day 8 Yalta Today, enjoy a morning tour of Yalta. Travel along Lenin Embankment to Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and Livadia. Visit the White Palace, site of the 1945 Yalta Conference between Roosevelt, Stalin and Churchill, and take a guided tour through official halls and private apartments of the czar’s family. Return to your ship for lunch aboard. This afternoon, explore at your leisure or choose an optional tour to the Nikita Botanical Garden featuring 50,000 species of plant life. Dine aboard; dock overnight. (B, L, D) Day 9 Yalta Spend your full day of free time exploring Yalta. Or join one of the optional tours including a wine-tasting excursion to Massandra or the beautiful mid-19th-century Alupka Palace and gardens. Lunch aboard; evening sailing. (B, L, D) Day 10 Odessa Cruise through lunch, then enjoy a half-day city tour of Odessa. Tour the elegant city filled with terraced hills and landscaped parks. Travel along Primorski Boulevard to the Opera House and Potemkin Steps. You have the rest of the afternoon at leisure to further explore Odessa on your own. Tonight, you can attend an optional evening opera performance. Dinner aboard. (B, L, D) Day 11 Odessa After breakfast, disembark and we will take you to the airport for your return flight.* (B)
• Private motorcoach for excursions
• Old World Highlights: Port lectures, Cossack horsemanship show and lectures on cultural history of Ukraine • 9 guided tours All tour prices are in U.S. dollars, per person, double occupancy in category F and include port charges. Limited singles are available, call for pricing.
Kiev to Odessa Jun 22; Aug 3, 24; Sep 14; Oct 5 Odessa to Kiev Jun 11; Aug 13; Sep 24 |
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| Note: All prices are per person, double occupancy, subject to availability. These pages are not endorsed or supported by the tour operator in any way. All information presented is based on promotional material provided by the tour operator. All prices, itineraries, accommodations and dates are subject to change without notice and at any time by the tour operators. Availability is limited and must be reconfirmed at time of booking. The prices on this website are not guaranteed. We are not responsible for errors, omissions, or changes in pricing. Please call us toll free at 1-800-942-3301 to confirm availability and pricing. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||