How the map turns out: unusual routes for traveling in Russia in 2023

I agree, there is nothing better than traveling. And it doesn’t even matter if they are spontaneous or, on the contrary, lined up along a clear route. The change of scenery helps you not only recharge your batteries for a long time, but also not go crazy in the hustle and bustle of daily chores. And these, as you know, are two important components on the path to inner harmony.

And it is not at all necessary to make long flights and cross oceans to get vivid impressions. As the pandemic and all of 2022 have shown, there are no less touristy (and not so) places in Russia that everyone should see. And now we are not talking about the cities of the Golden Ring.

Therefore, if you are one of those who plan to visit the Far East or finally go to Baikal, this material is for you. Read to the end and create routes within the country.

Karelia: from forests to waterfalls

Ticket price: from 5 thousand. One direction

Accommodation: from 3 thousand per day

Karelia is one of the most accessible regions presented in our selection. Firstly, you can get there in just an hour and a half by plane Moscow – Petrozavodsk. Secondly, the cost of tickets in the summer season is about 8 thousand rubles for a round-trip flight. Karelia is suitable for lovers of outdoor activities. You can ride snowmobiles and ATVs in winter, and go canoeing and hiking in summer.

Head to Kivach to see one of the largest waterfalls in Europe. Moreover, this place is so loved by tourists that going there will not be a big problem. Buses to the falls depart regularly, but be aware that you will have to strain yourself at the observation deck.

There should be no problems with housing in Karelia either. You can always stay in a lakeside guesthouse or a hotel, for example, in one of the hotels of the Tochka Na Karta chain. They are found in Priozersk and Sortavala.

Altai: a place of power

Ticket price: from 8 thousand. One direction

Accommodation: 4 thousand per day

We don’t know about you but it seems to us that Altai can be safely called our answer to Bali. And despite the absence of oceans and active volcanoes, this place is in no way inferior to the Indonesian resort in terms of sanctity. People come here to cleanse themselves of negative thoughts and recharge with the energy of untouched nature.

In general, Altai is one of the few regions where you feel calm and completely forget about the existence of fuss. You can travel directly on horseback through the fields and meadows and reach the sights only by mountain jeeps. Here you can swim naked in the mountain blue lakes, which, by the way, do not freeze in winter, or run with the sheep along the Chuisky path.

In Altai, you can stay both in tourist bases located in the mountains, and in hotels, and even in glamping.

Primorye: the magnificent Far East

Ticket price: to Vladivostok – from 14 thousand to Khabarovsk – from 11 thousand. One direction

Accommodation: from 3 thousand per day

Primorye is not just Vladivostok. And if you love all things ecotourism, this place should be on your must-visit list. There are taiga, mountains and seas. In summer, the situation is no worse than in the Krasnodar Territory, but instead of the Black Sea, everyone rests on the shores of the Shamora Bay, and in winter they stroll along the slopes of the famous coastal hills.

Tourists also go to Primorye to organize a gastronomic pleasure for themselves. We are sure that very few people have seen this much red caviar and fresh sea fish even in the best restaurant. And this, it seems to us, is a rather weighty reason to go on a trip to the tip of the country. Moreover, you can easily go to China from there, but not now.

Tourism business in the Far East, Moscow and St. It developed no worse than in Petersburg. Therefore, it will not be difficult to find the hotel. But still, we highly recommend staying outside, not in the cities themselves.

Kamchatka: a new country

Ticket price: 14 thousand one way

Cost of living: from 10 thousand per day

Kamchatka is a kind of fantasy. Just imagine: absolutely wild nature, scary volcanoes and the land coast of the Pacific Ocean. We know exactly where Dragonstone would have been if Game of Thrones had been filmed in Russia. Therefore, if you are one of those who diligently apply an antiseptic to their hands every 20 minutes, then unfortunately you do not belong in Kamchatka.

Before looking at Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky tickets, keep in mind that air travel is not the most expensive thing that can happen on this trip. Since this area can only be called a tourist area with space, it would be very expensive to go there alone. Therefore, we recommend that you join groups that have been wandering around Kamchatka for a long time and know all the pitfalls. At least, they have all the necessary equipment to scare away bears, which quite calmly walk through the forests and fields.

There are three things you need to buy tickets for and plan an extreme trip in Kamchatka: climbing volcanoes, fishing in the Pacific Ocean and, of course, surfing.

Buryatia: travel to the past without a time machine

Ticket price: To Ulan-Ude – 6 thousand one way

Cost of living: more than 3,000 per day

Of course, speaking of holidays in Russia, the first thing we remember is Lake Baikal, where every self-respecting eco-activist wants to go. So if you go on vacation to Buryatia, you can not only visit the famous lake and relax in the hot springs, but also go to the medieval Hun city without a time machine, visit a Buddhist datsan and visit the Old Believers.

Overall, Buddhism is an important component of the region. And it seems to us personally that it is he who makes Buryatia the most authentic place in Russia. People come here to reconnect with nature, to arrange a retreat for themselves or to immerse themselves in a completely different world.

However, there may be problems with accommodation. To be honest, only in Ulan-Ude there are decent hotels for enough money, but in areas a little further from the capital you can only stay in guesthouses. The price for them ranges from 3 to 25 thousand rubles (and more) per day.