Region

Tuva is situated on the South of Eastern Siberia in the geographical center of Asia. It borders Krasnoyarsk region, Khakassia republic, Mongolia, Altai republic. Tuva is very rich in natural resources: besides huge geological deposits, there are about 8000 rivers, including famous Khemchik and Yenisei, about 20 big fresh and salt water lakes, lots of healing mineral springs. Fauna of Tuva is very unique and diverse: here one can meet a camel, a desert dweller, and a reindeer, inhabitant of northern territories, Tuvan mountains Tannu-Ola are the realm of snow leopard. Also bear, wolf, squirrel, moose, sable, roebuck, lynx, glutton and birds like hazel-hen, blackcock, goose, duck, eagles and even swans are often met here. From fish such species can be mentioned: Siberian and Mongolian grayling, salmon, bass, pike and many others.

The population of Tuva is about 315 thousand people. The capital of the republic is Kyzyl, the place having been calculated and depicted to be the geographical center of Asia. Distance from Abakan – 400 km, from Krasnoyarsk –1000 km. Time difference with Moscow is +4 hours.

Main confessions: Orthodox Church, Buddhism, Shamanism.

Places of interest in Kyzyl are: free Arat square, The Geographical center of Asia obelisk, National Tuvan museum, Tuvan national theatre, Shaman clinic.

Holidays and customs of Tuva

Shagaa – New Year according to the luni-solar calendar. (January-February)

Constitution day of Tuva Republic – 6 May

Republic Day – 15 August

Naadym - nomads' festival, the date and place is changing every year, traditionally middle August, in Kyzyl.

Season rituals of worshipping nature (sug bazhy dagyyr, taiga dagyyr, ot dagyyr).

If you happen to appear at a Tuvan family’s place, you should know that it is used to give little presents to hosts. You present children with sweets or cookies, and adults may be presented with something useful, for example a torch. It’s very important to deal with older ones with respect, following subordination.

Singing songs in a company of people is much preferred by Tuvans, so be ready to be asked to sing, Good vocal abilities are not important – it’s important to support singing anyway. In their songs Tuvans chant the praises of great rivers Yenisei and Irtysh and of great mountains Sayan and Altai, steppes and valleys. They sing about their friends – horses.

How to get

The journey starts in Kyzyl. Time difference with Moscow is +4 hours.

By air (schedule plan is possible to be changed)

You can get to Kyzyl from Moscow by airlines IrAero. The flight is Tue, Thur, Sun at 22:45, arrival in Kyzyl at 07:45. Return flight is on Mon, Wed and Fri 08:55-09:55. The one way ticket costs about 250 euro. 

You can get to Kyzyl from Krasnoyarsk by airlines Nordstar. The flight is everyday except Wed, Sat at 08:10, arrival in Kyzyl at 09:45. Return flight is 16:25-18:05. The one way ticket costs about 65 euro. 

You can get to Kyzyl from Novosibirsk by airlines Nordstar. The flight is Mon, Thur, Sat at 13:30, arrival in Kyzyl at 15:45. Return flight is 10:25-12:40. The one way ticket costs from 90 euro. 

You can get to Kyzyl from Irkutsk by airlines Nordstar. The flight is Tue, Fri at 14:30, arrival in Kyzyl at 15:45. Return flight is 10:25-13:40. The one way ticket costs about 85 euro.

By train

There is no railroad in Tuva. The next railway station is in Abakan (400 km to the north of Kyzyl). Abakan you can reach by train 124 from Krasnoyarsk or by train 068 from Moscow via Ekaterinburg and Novosibirsk.

From Abakan to Kyzyl you can get only along motor roads:

In the republic there are 2 roads of federal significance: Kyzyl-Abakan and Kyzyl-Ak-Dovurak-Abakan.

1) transfer ordered in advance, which will be arranged for you by our company, traveling time 6 hours, the price for a car - 200 Euro, a minibus up to 6 seats - 235 Euro, minibus up to 10 seats -270 Euro.

2) by private fixed-run taxi and cars (Toyota Fielder, Honda Odyssey) from the railway station from 06:00 to 11:00. The car leaves as soon as it is full, so passengers usually wait up to 3 hours. Traveling time 4-6 hours, the price is 35 Euro one way

3) by private car on the highway M-54, the distance Abakan-Kyzyl - 400 km.

Accommodation

Yurt camp Biy-Khem (2 nights)

The yurt camp is located 22 km from Kyzyl, on the bank of Yenisei river, and is specially designed for tourists’ accommodation. These are yurts with low door facing the East. They are furnished for 1 or 2 people. There are 2 beds, a cupboard, bedside tables in yurts. At the door you can find a washstand. Electrical heating, electrical outlets. Toilet and shower are in a special big yurt. Also canteen and bar are situated in a separate yurt.
Extra service: banya, shamans' kamlaniye ritual.
Address: Tuva Republic, Piy-Khem kozhuun, Kara-Khaak settlement

Erzhey camp (2 nights)

The camp was built in the style of Old Believers settlers. Conditions close to the living conditions in the forest. The camp site is located on the bank of the river Kaa-Khem (the Small Yenisei), in the foothills of the Sayan Mountains, in the sub-taiga zone, 150 km from Kyzyl. Accommodation in simple wooden huts with 2-3 beds and a stove. Wooden toilet and washing facilities are located outside. There is a sauna (visiting included in the price). The cafe serves meals made from natural, homemade products.

Location: Republic of Tuva, Erzhey village, Lesnaya st, 27

Meeting and seeing off

Transfers from airport or bus terminal of Kyzyl are organized at fixed time between 09:00 and 16:00. Tourists are met with a board, where tourist’s name or a name of a company is printed.

Seeing off is organized according to your tickets between 08:00 and 12:00. Tourist are transferred to the airport 3 hours before a flight.

The contact numbers of guide will be given to you 7 days before the day of start.

Transportation

Traveling by minivans, minibuses, cars UAZ, jeeps according to group’s size.  During the tour there are several stops, rest, walks. It is forbidden to smoke in buses, stops in some places, preserves.

Guide services

We have highly qualified guides working in our company, due to this fact the tours of the company Sayan Ring have become so interesting and fascinating. The guides will be English, German or French speaking. They say, without a guide any journey, even a short one is nothing more than going some distance, but with a guide it is already travelling. On some trips you will be accompanied by experienced instructors.

Meals

During the tour you will be offered three meals a day: in camps, restaurant, picnics (lunch box), cooked on the fire. On the way short picnics or packed lunches will be organized. Mineral water, local drinks, coffee, tea are included in tours' pricing. Alcohol beverages are not included in price. We also consider the tourists' preferences, those who follow special diets or are vegetarians. For this you need to inform us in advance about your wishes. In case the meal preferences were not specified one will be provided with standard menu. Any alterings in meal during the tour are possible only for additional fee.

The national Tuvan cuisine will be an integral part of the program.

Speaking about Tuvan people, they also can’t do without meat and diary products. In fact, they eat mostly meat and all other food is just an addition to it. Various dishes made of meat and flour are quite popular with local people, these are soup with meat and noodles (uzken bydaa), meat dumplings prepared on steam (boozy) and traditional ones (manchy), round fried meat pie (khuzhuury), minced meat with pastry (tyrtykan) and many others. Moreover, you can find on the table of Tuvinian people vodka made of milk (araga), which is made of sour milk, boorzaki – pieces of pastry fried in boiled oil, cakes, which are eaten not with prepared food, but as “individual dish” and soktaan dolgan – ground barley. Also Tuvinian people like blood pudding, green tea with milk (it is drunk with butter or salt). The importance of diary products as well as meat product is very high for these people. They developed different ways of cooking products made of  milk such as – cheese (bashtyk), butter (sarzhag), cream (oreme), koumiss (khymys), kefir (tarak), sour clotted milk (khoitpak), dried cottage cheese – of hard  and crumbly consistence (kurut and aarzhy respectively).

Security

All vehicles along the route are equipped with first-aid kit and all our guides have been specially trained to do primary medical assistance. Follow the rules of precautions and personal safety.

Mobile communications

On the most part of the tour the cellular network coverage is available. Mobile phones operated by local operators (MTS, Beeline, Megafon, Tele2) are working alright in Kyzyl, time to time outside Kyzyl.

Enjoy your holiday!