astrakhan and Astrakhan region

1 day: introductory
morning arrival in Astrakhan (airport, station). Hotel transfer. Placement.
08:00 – 09:00 – Breakfast at the hotel.
10:00 – 17:00 – Sightseeing walking and bus tour around the city with a visit to museums.
Astrakhan is one of the most beautiful merchant cities in Russia, in 2016 it celebrates its 458th anniversary.
During the tour of the city you will see:
• monument to Peter I on the city embankment of the Volga River
• Friendship Bridge of Russian and Azerbaijani Peoples and Heydar Aliyev Park
Temple of the XVII century Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir
• The famous "Swan Lake"
Lenin Square with the complex of fountains "Neva - Volga"
Merchants' houses of famous Astrakhan fishery manufacturers
• White stone Astrakhan Kremlin – architectural pearl and monument of military architecture of the 18th century.
• Trading Exchange Building (Central City Registry Office)
• Annunciation Monastery and Chapel of Nicholas the Wonderworker
• monument of the Kazakh poet - songwriter Kurmangazy
12:00 – 13:00 – Lunch in a cafe in the city center (Astrakhan fish kitchen)
- Next you will visit:
Astrakhan Museum of Local Lore (1-1.5 hours) – updated expositions of departments of history, nature, Soviet period.
We offer a tour with a guide of two expositions: “Fish of the Caspian Basin” (interactive) and a unique exhibition “Gold of the Sarmatians”. (40 minutes each tour).
• “Museum of Sturgeons”, where the story about the “royal fish” – Sturgeon will go
17:00 - Return to the hotel. Free time. Dinner by yourself.

Day 2: Fish and caviar
It is today that you will get acquainted with the Astrakhan "Royal fish" closer, see how the "caviar milking" of sturgeon breeds is currently taking place, you can take part in master classes for cooking fish dishes, hold sturgeon and sterlet in your hands, take unique photos. (A program with caviar milking is possible only in May during its maturation. If this period falls on other dates, sturgeon farm days may be changed.
08:00-09:00 – breakfast at the hotel.
09:00 – group gathering and departure to Ikryaninsky district of Astrakhan region
09:40 – 10:30 – excursion to the Museum “History of Fisheries” (Ikryanoye village).
Acquaintance with the history of fishing on the Lower Volga. The exposition of the museum is located in eight halls and has more than 1.5 thousand exhibits (fishing and everyday life of fishermen).
10:30 – 12:00 – arrival at one of the sturgeon farms.
12:00 – 13:00 – Tour of the farm. Inspection of cages with sturgeon fish with a farm specialist, who will tell in detail about sturgeon, their species. Everyone is given the opportunity to catch a fish on their own (with the support of farm staff) with a net, take a picture with it.
At will, for an extra. You can take the fish with you. (1 kg. - 1500 rubles).
13:00-14:00 – lunch with a real ear cooked at the stake. (Ear, second of fish, salad, drink)
14:00 – 15:00 – everyone will be able to touch the mystery of “sturgeon milking”.
With you, a farm specialist (fish farmer) will show how black caviar is now “mined”. You will see a unique procedure to which no one has been allowed before. The specialist will begin to “milk the fish” and everyone under the supervision of the fish farmer will also be able to take part in this procedure (“milk the fish”, photograph or even film the entire process with your participation).
For an additional fee, the master will be able to show how to process caviar (with the mandatory subsequent redemption of cooked caviar - 1 kg. 35 000 rubles). The weight of cooked caviar can be different.
15:00-16:00 – master class on cooking sturgeon hot smoking. The specialist during the master class will tell in detail how to cut, prepare and cook fish.
Also, at the request of the group, you can organize the "release of fry" in water bodies (for an additional fee). The cost depends on the size of fry from 3000-7000 rubles per kg. Everyone will be able to make their “contribution” to the replenishment of biological resources of the Lower Volga.
16:00-17:00 – Free time. You can swim, relax in a specially equipped area, fish (rent gear from 300 to 1000 rubles). It is also possible to buy fresh and cooked fish for an additional fee.
Smoked fish (1-1.5 kg.) – 3500 rubles / kg. Ready caviar in a souvenir shop in branded packaging.
17:00 – 19:00 – gathering of the group. Return to Astrakhan. Free time.

Day 3: Golden Horde
08:00-09:00 – Breakfast at the hotel.
09:00 – gathering the group and departure to Sarai – Batu (season from April to October).
It is impossible to visit Astrakhan, not to visit the excavations of the capital of the Golden Horde and not to see the scenery of its capital – the city of “Sarai Batu”. It is located 140 km above Astrakhan in the village of Selitrene. Looking at the wide desert steppe, it is impossible to believe that here was once one of the capitals of the world, the center of civilization. But, nevertheless, it was here, on hills and hills, that the Golden Horde once settled. From here raids and campaigns of conquerors were made, and here the ruins of the huge Golden Horde city of Sarai-Batu, called Selitreny settlement, rest.
13:00 – arrival in the village of Selitrene, inspection of excavations.
14:00 – 15:00 – lunch in the cafe.
15:00 – 17:00 – transfer to the reconstruction site of Sarai Batu. Decoration tour.
For an additional fee, an animation presentation can be organized. You can watch the “Torture Chambers”, shoot with a crossbow and bow, change into costumes, stylized for the time of the Golden Horde, those who wish can ride on the “Ships of the Desert” – camels and take stunning photos of the Akhtuba River.
17:00 – Group gathering and departure to Astrakhan.
19:30 – arrival in Astrakhan. Free time.

Day 4: Fishing
Fishing and lotus fields (recreation at the recreation center, with the opportunity to ride in the Volga Delta, fishing from the base or visit the stunningly beautiful lotus fields (possible period from mid-April to October, lotuses from mid-July to September).
08:00-09:00 – Breakfast at the hotel. Room release.
09:00 – departure from the city by minibus from the hotel.
10:30 – 11:00 – Arrival at the recreation center. You will be greeted with a constant glass of vodka and a sandwich with black caviar. Room accommodation.
11:15 – Departure to the lotus fields. Excursion on the Volga delta (the time of the excursion on the water to the lotuses and back 2 hours). Possibly swimming on the island.
14:00 – 15:00 – Arrival at the base. Lunch in the restaurant (ear, fish fried with a side dish, vegetable cutting, cold drink, tea, pastries).
15:00 – Bathing and rest at the base. The group with the help of the chef will learn how to cook a real "Astrakhan ear", how to cook "He". Those who wish can go fishing (accompanied by rangers) and catch Astrakhan fish.
18:00 -19:00 – dinner in the restaurant of the base. Free time.

Day 5: Procurement-departure
08:00-09:00 – Breakfast in the restaurant base.
10:00 – 12:00 – Free time at the base.
12:00 – 14:00 – Room release. Gathering a group and going to Astrakhan.
14:00-15:00 – arrival in Astrakhan. Visit to the famous Astrakhan fish market: wobla, carp, pike, catfish, perch, sazan and much more in assortment and any quantity. You will be told about each fish and will share the secrets of how to choose the Astrakhan Vobla.
Here you can find all the delicacies for which our region is so famous.
15:00 – 16:00 – transfer to the railway station, airport, bus station.