• > How Strenuous are these Trips?
• > Group Participants and Tour Leader
• > Private Tours and Custom Dates
• > Local Transportation
• > Accommodations
• > Meals
• > Climate
• > Travel Documents
• > Flights
• > Airline Tickets
• > Money
• > Health
• > Luggage & Clothing
• > Resources
• > Communication

How Strenuous are these Trips?

Group adventures (with our Dutch groups) tend to be longer programs and are often more challenging than our private journeys in several ways. Participants, of all ages, take hearty hikes and will rent bikes to explore. The Dutch have spent their entire lives on bikes so even older travelers are good endurance. Be sure to ask the guide the nature of any hike and opt out if you feel it will be too much.  (This is also a great argument to lobby for bike paths in the States!). The infrastructures in many of the countries we visit can be very undeveloped compared to the States. Long road trips on bumpy roads can be uncomfortable for some travelers. On several of these trips, we spend a day or two in remote areas that may require a willingness to “rough it”. Roosters will crow, lights may dim, and a cold shower may be expected on these days. On some of our group adventures, we stay for a night or two in indigenous lodgings which can be basic or very primitive. Some have no formal bath facilities. Be sure to check the weather conditions for the dates you are considering at worldweather.org, and pack appropriate shoes and clothing for these trips. At most hotels there is no porter service and you must be able to carry your own luggage. On this trip we spend the night in tents on the Gobi desert.

Our semi-private and private trips are less challenging. While these trips are also quite active, there are fewer physical challenges. Also some hotels and modes of transport are upgraded for the private/semi-private trips, and there is a little more one-on-one assistance from the guide.

Group Participants and Tour Leader

 Please consider the descriptions below before booking a trip with an international group.
On these trips, you will travel with groups of 8 to 20 travelers, of all ages, mostly from Holland and Belgium. These trips are great for our more active, independent minded travelers who welcome the added element, and occasional challenges of cultural immersion. This adds another element to your international experience. There are usually only one to four North Americans on any trip. We found that an even split of Dutch and North Americans sometimes created a cultural divide, and our intention is to blend travelers and to maintain the European feeling of these trips. True to the European style of travel is a diversity of ages represented in our groups. These active  travelers blend well and participants of all ages take hearty hikes, bike rides and welcome independent explorations.
The Dutch are typically very social and have a great command of English. It is inevitable that the participants will lapse into Dutch from time to time at meals and on the bus, until they get to know you. The guide will help to integrate you, but you will enjoy this trip more if you are the type of person who is also comfortable initiating conversations, from time to time. If you have a travel partner, it will be easier to find your way into the conversations or at least to have a buffer during times when the group is chatting in Dutch. After a day or two, you will normally get your rhythm.  You can probably expect lively conversations about world politics, especially in today’s climate.  Depending on your personal politics, this can be lots of fun, or not. The Dutch tend to be fairly liberal minded.
If this description sounds daunting or unappealing, then these trips are probably not for you and you may wish to consider our private and semi-private journeys, instead. They  offer plenty of excitement without some of the challenges. Please call us with questions.  Over half of our travelers prefer to travel the “Dutch way” booking these programs again and again.
Guide
The Dutch guide (a logistics coordinator, not a lecturer) will address the group in both Dutch and English. You will hear more Dutch than English, but you will get the important information. Guides will organize and accompany some activities and meals, but not all. They will offer suggestions for you so that you can also explore and dine safely on your own. These groups welcome these opportunities.
Our guides go through a period of training at our headquarters office in the Netherlands. In each country, they are in close contact with our land agents. Most of our land agents have worked with Djoser for 10 or more years. Their staff is there to help and are on call in the event of an emergency.

Private Tours and Custom Dates

Custom dates can be arranged for your private group of 10 or more. Please inquire about discounts for larger groups.

Local Transportation

Metro, tram and taxi are convenient modes of transportation in Moscow. From Moscow to Beijing we travel on several trains and stop in Irkoetsk and Ulaanbaatar. During our eight-day trip in Mongolia we use small vans.

Accommodations

We spend the nights in middle class hotels with private shower and bathroom. Russian hotels date back to the Soviet days and were built in the seventies and eighties: mostly huge complexes in typical linear Soviet design and not always maintained up-to-date. During the Trans Siberian trip in Mongolia we spend seven nights in tents and gers, huge Nomads tents, in which the Mongolians lived in the old days. They consist of a wooden framework covered with hides and canvas. There are beds in the gers and the bathroom is in a separate building. Neither sinks nor showers are available on the camping trip. For several nights, you will also stay in standard tents. Tents are provided but you must put them up yourself (the guide will show you how). You are responsible for bringing your own sleeping bag. You cannot book a single room on this trip. 

If you are traveling alone you will be matched with a roommate of the same sex. There are no single accommodations available on this trip.

Meals

During the Trans Siberian Trip only breakfast at the hotels in Moscow, Irkoetsk and Ulaanbaatar are included. It is your decision when and where to have all other meals. The tour leader will always be able to offer recommendations. You can join other group members or you may eat on your own. On the train your choices are limited to the menu of the dining car. You may supplement it at the stations. During the trip through Mongolia a cook who travels along with us prepares the meals. All travelers are expected to actively participate with meal preparations, clean-up and other household activities. The cost for these meals is included in the trip price.  When we spend the nights in Ulaanbaatar meals are not included. Tap water is safe and clear, but does not always taste good.

Climate

Russia has a climate with warm summers and cold winters. In spring and fall you may expect cold nights and cool days, with daytime temperatures between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. In the summer months temperatures are higher along with occasional rainfall. Russia has long summer days. In the month of June, during the so-called ‘White Nights’, the sun hardly sets in Saint Petersburg. The climate in Mongolia and China is not much different. In the summer average daytime temperatures rise up to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Be prepared for some rainfall in July and August and for cold nights in May, August and September.

Travel Documents

Russia - Passport and visa required. Russian Immigration officials at times implement the laws and regulations governing entry and exit inconsistently, especially in remote areas. We require you use a professional passport/visa service to process this visa to avoid the need for formal invitations. Please refer to the section above to process the visa through our recommended service, It’s Easy.

Mongolia - A valid passport is required for American visitors. No visa is required for Americans visiting for fewer than 90 days. Travelers arriving or departing Mongolia through China or Russia should be aware of Chinese and Russian visa regulations. Embassy of Mongolia at 2833 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20007, telephone: (202) 333-7117 or http://www.mongolianembassy.mn.

China – A valid passport and visa a required for China. You must apply for your visa in person or else you must use a professional passport/visa service.

CHINESE EMBASSY - For information about landing visa requirements and other entry requirements and restricted areas, travelers may consult the Embassy of the People's Republic of China (PRC) at 2300 Connecticut Avenue N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008, or telephone (1-202) 328-2500, 2501 or 2502. For a list of services and frequently asked visa questions and answers, travelers can view the Chinese Embassy's web sites at http://www.china-embassy.org/, or email at visa@china-embassy.org. There are Chinese Consulates General in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco. Below you will find a list of chinese embassies in the United States.

Chinese Embassy in Washington DC
Address: 2300 Connecticut Ave. N.W. Washington, DC, 20008
Tel: (202) 338-6688 Fax: (202) 588-9760 www.china-embassy.org
Delaware, Idaho, Kentucky, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming

Chinese Consulate General in Chicago, IL
Address: 100 West Erie Street, Chicago, IL 60610
Tel: (312) 803-0095 Fax: (312) 803-0110 www.chinaconsulatechicago.org
Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin

Chinese Consulate General in Houston, TX
Address: 3417 Montrose Blvd., Houston, TX 77006
Tel: (713) 524-0780 Fax: (713) 524-7656
Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Okalahoma, Texas

Chinese Consulate General in Los Angeles, CA
Address: 443 Shatto Place, Los Angeles, CA 90020
Tel: (213) 807-8018 Fax: (213) 380-1961   www.chinaconsulatela.org
Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, Hawaii and Pacific Islands.

Chinese Consulate General in New York, NY
Address: 520 12th Avenue, New York, NY 10036
Tel: (212) 613 5500   Fax: (212) 502 0258 www.nyconsulate.prchina.org
Connecticut; Maine; Ohio; Massachusetts; New Hampshire; New Jersey; New York; Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont.

Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco, CA
Address: 1450 Laguna St. San Francisco, CA 94115

Due to the excessive red tape in visa processing for both Russia, we require that you use a passport/visa service for Russia. This will  minimize the chance of rejection. China can also be complex. The Chinese embassy no longer allows mailed applications so applications must be made in person or with the aid of a visa service.

We recommend a service called It’s Easy, located in New York. You can check their website www.itseasypassport.com for all passport and visa requirements and to download the current forms and rates. Or you can call them to fax you forms if you do not have internet. It’s Easy honors a 10% discount for Djoser customers. The discount is applied to the service fees but not to the government fees. The processing fee per visa is $55. As the China visa is time sensitive, they advise that you apply 60 days prior to your trip so the visa will not expire during your trip. The Russia visa is date specific so you can plan further ahead. It’s Easy can also process passports and they do provide rush service for a higher fee.  For a higher fee they can process your passport in a few days.

 
It’s Easy (Passport & Visa Service)
Satellite Airline Terminal
125 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10017
Phone - (212) 286-8500,
Fax (212)-490-3224
Website    http://www.itseasypassport.com
E-mail      mail@itseasypassport.com

Flights

We book our flights with top airlines. Most airlines will honor earned mileage. You will need to submit your mileage credit yourself upon receipt of your flight information. For airlines that allow advance seating reservations, we typically request aisle and adjoining seats unless otherwise instructed on your registration form. It is vital that you arrive at the airport early, according to the airline (often 3 hours prior to flight time). We do provide airport transfers (airport pick-up and drop off) in our destination country for those who book the Land/Air package. Flight times are subject to change. It is recommended that you book your domestic Add-on (connecting) flights through Djoser in association with the international flight. To avoid penalties for flight changes do not book your own domestic add-on (connecting flight) without first receiving a printed copy of your flight record from Djoser confirming your actual departure and return flight times.

Airline Tickets

You will receive your tickets or E-tickets 10-12 days prior to your departure date.
In case the airline uses E-tickets you will receive two documents:

•    A document that shows the E-ticket number & flight itinerary (sent by email & mail).
•    A receipt of the E-ticket (sent by mail).

The first document listed is needed to check in at the Automated kiosks. If you check in at the E-ticket desk you don’t need any of the provided documents, you can simply show your passport and you’re good to go. Both the automated kiosk and the e-ticket desk insure a much faster check in than at the regular check in desks. It is important to hold on to your e-ticket receipt, as you might need it to claim your mileage credits (if the airline awards mileage for this particular flight).

Money

The various currencies and their values are: The Russian Ruble is worth about 3 cents, 1000 Mongolian Tögrög is worth 77 cents. The value of the Rénminbi in China, popularly called the ‘Yuan’ or ‘Kuai’, is 10.2 cents. For one dollar you will receive 35 Rubles, 1300 Tögrög or close to 10 Yuan. It’s handy to bring along an updated currency chart, which you can find on the internet (www.exchangerate.com).
ATM: there are ATM machines in Moscow and Beijing.
Cash: U.S. Dollars (Russia, Mongolia and China) in small bills.
Credit cards are widely accepted in Russia and Beijing, also in restaurants.
Traveler’s checks are hard to exchange in Russia, and are impossible to exchange in Mongolia.
Please see the price chart for the estimated weekly expenses such as meals, entry fees, optional excursions and personal expenses. Upon departure from Beijing you will be taxed 90 Yuan. (Subject to change). It is customary to tip for rendered services.

Tipping
At the beginning of your trip, your tour leader will collect a “tip pot” of approximately $2 per land day, per person. So that you will not be burdened with tipping those who assist you along the way, this sum will dispersed by the tour leader as tips for the driver, local guides and hotel staff. The tip pot does not include the tip for the tour leader. A typical guideline for an American tip would be $2-$3 per day but the amount is at your discretion and should be based on his/her efforts and your satisfaction level. Dutch tipping habits are different than North American guidelines. You may feel more comfortable tipping your guide privately to avoid the great cultural tipping debate. However, it’s up to you! We take pride in our Djoser guides who do their utmost to make your experience great. We do ask that you bear in mind their extra challenge of a dual language group.

Health

On this trip shots are recommended for DTP and Hepatitis A. Check with your doctor or your local health department for the latest requirements.

Bottled water and other routine precautions are advisable. Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747); fax 1-888-CDC-FAXX, (1-888-232-3299), or via the CDC's Internet site at http://www.who.int/ith/. For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad, consult the World Health Organization's web site at http://www.who.int/en. Further health information for travelers is available at http://www.who.int/ith.

Current recommendations:
•    Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG)
•    Hepatitis B, if you might be exposed to blood (for example, health-care workers), have sexual contact with the local population, stay longer than 6 months, or be exposed through medical treatment.
•    Japanese encephalitis, only if you plan to visit rural areas for 4 weeks or more, except under special circumstances, such as a known outbreak of Japanese encephalitis.
•    Rabies, if you might be exposed to wild or domestic animals through your work or recreation.
•    Typhoid, particularly if you are visiting developing countries in this region.

As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria and measles. Hepatitis B vaccine is now recommended for all infants and for children ages 11–12 years who did not receive the series as infants.

It is wise to watch what you eat. We also recommend that you bring a small first aid kit with aspirin and medicine against upset stomach. The tour guide will also have an emergency medical kit.

Luggage & Clothing

We advise you to bring a backpack, a bag on wheels, or a small soft suitcase. Try to limit your luggage to 26 pounds for easier transportation and handling. Be sure to bring rain gear. You will need warm clothing for camping in Mongolia, because it can be cool at night.

Voltage: 220 V (a converter is required)
Electrical outlets in Russia and Mongolia (if any) are the same as in Europe. In China there are several kinds of outlets, but the European and the American versions are most common. Therefore bring a plug set.

Resources

It is extremely useful to pick up a good travel guidebook. We highly recommend Lonely Planet. You will find a wealth of practical information regarding money issues, maps, local customs, history, activities, and much more. There are always great travel journals, historical and political books at your local bookstore as well. The internet is also invaluable for researching and finding great photos. Be sure to check out this trip’s Slide Show (see link above) to get a good feeling for the trip, lodgings and modes of travel.

Communication

By Phone: You will be able to call directly from hotels, but that will not be cheap. You cannot be reached on the train or during the trip through Mongolia.
By E-Mail: Internet cafés are only in Moscow and Beijing.
By Cell Phone: the quality of reception in the big cities is reasonable; reception is absent on the train. Inquire with your provider about your cell phone service and associated costs before you leave on your trip.