Excursion	Duration in hours	up to 7 pax	20 pax cost per person	50 pax cost per person
Sochi Olympic Sites and Krasnaya Polyana - Sochi Olympic Park - Chvizhipse springs - enclosure complex of wild animals - honey degustation	9 -10	330 USD	70 USD	60 USD
Sochi Highlights & Dagomys Tea - tea party  - folk ensemble	5	250 USD	60 USD	55 USD
Highlights of Sochi - sights of Sochi - Stalin residence  - Achun mountain and observation tower	5	250 USD	60 USD	55 USD
Sochi Highlights and Arboretum Park  (waking tour)  - sights of Sochi  - Arboretum Park	4	250 USD	50 USD	45 USD

All entrance fees are included, except the lifts in Krasnaya Pollyna (tourists can optionally take a lift to one the mountain tops for extra charge).   

SOCHI, Russian Federation  IMPORTANT NOTE

: To visit Sochi, you must have a Russian Visa. If you purchase an organized tour with a licensed guide (for instance if you book one of our tours or the tours operated by the cruise line, your Visa will be provided as part of the tour – no further paperwork is  required. HOWEVER, if you wish to visit Sochi on your own, you must arrange a Russian Tourist Visa privately through the Russian consulate office (NOTE: it is a multi-step process).
Sochi (pop 343,000) sprawls along the north coast of the Black Sea for some 145 km and is Russia’s principal port and seaside resort in the south. Sochi is a host the XXII Winter Îlympics in 2014, Formula 1, FIFA in 2018. Most areas of interest are some distance away from the port.   

NOTE:

You may only choose ONE of the following excursions on this day. Prices may change.   

SOCHI CITY TOURS DESCRIPTION Sochi Olympic Sites and Krasnaya Polyana Duration - 8 hours

Krasnaya Polyana is the most sophisticated ski and snowboard resort in Russia and it is a host of the 2014 Winter Olympics. Sometimes called the "Russian Courchevel", Krasnaya Polyana village is famous for its unique nature, gorgeous alpine meadows, well-maintained pistes, quality apres-ski, comfortable mini hotels at the village and cozy apres-ski bars. During the excursion you will get acquainted with the unique monuments of nature, discover local traditions of the indigenous peoples, explore the Olympic infrastructure.   

Olympic Park – is the first stage of the excursion. It includes an obseravation of the following Olympic infrastructure in Imeretin valley (costal cluster): the “Fisht” Olympic Stadium , the “Shayba” Arena,  the “Bolshoy Ice Dome”,  the Ice Cube Curling Centre, the “Iceberg” Skating Palace, the “Adler” speed skating Arena, as well Formula 1 track. 
Than you'll proceed to the mountains' direction, along the beautiful “Mzimta” river to the observation spot, where you'll be able to take wonderful pictures with the Caucasian ridges at the background. Next, you'll have a stop at  Chvizhipse springs and taste the “Narzan” mineral water. The springs water is taken from a depth of 200 meters and has a very pleasant taste. Due to concentration of carbon dioxide, it's very healthful for blood circulation and tissue breathing stimulation.  

The next stage of the excursions is an enclosure complex. The complex is a kind of a zoo, where you'll have a fascinating meeting with wild animals inhabiting the Caucasus. Staff of the zoo will tell you about habits and habitat of their pets, such as: raccoon dogs, lynx, wild boar, bison, wolves, deer, bears, birds, and other. 

Also the program includes a apiary visit, where you'll hear some interesting facts about local honey and its health benefits. Of course, you'll be able to  taste and to buy some honey for taking with you.

^{Sochi Highlights & Dagomys Tea. Duration: 5 hours.}

Begin our tour with an orientation drive through Sochi. Watch for the beautiful Cathedral of Archangel Michael, known as the protector of the city and all of Russia, and the Classical-style Winter Theatre decorated with 16 Corinthian columns and allegorical figures on the façade. Numerous spas and resorts line our way as we drive by Kurortny Prospekt—a street lined with cypress, laurel and camphor trees. Next, continue the drive along the Plane Tree Lane and view the old Riviera Park, a favorite place to gather for locals. Following this short introductory drive, our coach will take you to Dagomys tea plantation, located eight miles to the north of Sochi. Here you will find long rows of carefully cultivated tea plants, continuously trimmed and pruned to encourage the growth of tender buds with fresh green leaves. Pause for a while at the top of the hill to hear about the tea-growing industry; then you'll proceed to the Tea Tasting Hall built in the style of a Russian peasant’s house. This is a fun atmosphere in which to sample a delightful cup of tea in countryside surroundings. A colorful folkloric group will entertain you with songs and dances. Finally, you will have some free time to purchase various local souvenirs, including lacquer boxes from Palekh and Fedoskino, matrioshka dolls, amber goods and packages of tea.  

Sochi Highlights: Stalin’s residence  “Achun” mountain (observation tower). Duraiting  5 hours 

In this tour you can learn a lot of interesting facts about history of  Sochi and get acquainted with its sights.The excursion starts from the historic city centre and takes you through the main monuments of Sochi architecture: the Church of Michael the Archangel, Festivalny concert hall, Art Museum, Winter theatre and others.
The first stage of excursions entirely devoted to the theme of Stalin's leisure  – Stalin's residence - a favorite place of I.V. Stalin for recreation. Here all preserves the memory of the Leader: a fireplace room, wooden paneling on the walls of valuable wood species, unique sofa and balconies with wonderful views of the surrounding area. 
When it was decided to build a country house for Stalin in Sochi, the best geologists and geographers of the Soviet Union arrived in Sochi to find the most favorable place at the resort. They chose a unique place where 3 air flows meet together: from the mountains, sea and pine forest. You'll hear about life of Stalin, about tragic fate of his family, feel an atmosphere of the time, and see the wax figure, made on precise measurements of Stalin. This excursion will undoubtedly produce a lasting impression on you.    

In the second part of the excursion, the impressions will be complemented by a visit to Akhun mountain and its tower - the highest point of Sochi. The Akhun tower was built in 1936 by architect S. Vorobieov. It is 663 meters high or above sea level and definitely worth visiting. It presents a stylized image of original fortress towers in the Caucasus. There is an observation platform, from which you will enjoy a vast panoramic view over the National park, the Greater Caucasian range, the Sochi coast, and the sea. From the other side of the tower the wonderful view on Adler and central Sochi is very enjoyable too. Akhun is also famous for the rich greenery (over 200 sorts of plants). A well-known tower of 30 meters high welcomes tourists all year round. A restaurant and several cafes located near the tower offer splendid Caucasian cuisine.

Sochi Higlights and Yew & Boxwood Grove. Duration 5 hours. 

The excursion starts from the historic city centre and takes you through the main monuments of Sochi architecture: the Church of Michael the Archangel, Festivalny concert hall, Art Museum, Winter theatre and others.Then, you turn inland towards the Caucasian Mountains where you visit the Yew & Boxwood Grove. The Grove is a part of the Caucasian Biosphere Reserve, a vast area of over 200 hectares. This is a truly unique and most fortunate remnant of wild, prehistoric vegetation that was protected by the mountains to the north from glacial activity during the Ice Age. Many plants that would otherwise be extinct exist only in this park. Without a doubt, it is yew and boxwood that are the most interesting.    

The trees there are decorated with lianas and unique Nekker’s moss, so there is always dense shade and freshness even on the hottest day. Here you can find other species as well – the 1050-year English yew, remnant oaks, beeches, chestnut-trees and other endemics that survive here in nature. This is a world of untamed nature, and the narrow path leads us through the karst labyrinths to a viewing platform where the panorama of the White Rocks and Khosta Gorge opens up before us. The cliff towers over the river at 400 feet above sea level. Continue your walk through this age-old natural forest, exploring the endemic plants and snapping a photo of the oldest yew on the planet, which arborists believe is about 2,000 years old and counting. Have finished your walk you return to Sochi where time permitting, you may have time for a stroll on the waterfront. 

Sochi Highlights and Arboretum Park (walking tour). Duration 4 hours.

The excursion starts from the Sea port of Sochi and takes you through the main monuments of Sochi architecture: the Church of Michael the Archangel, Festivalny concert hall, Art Museum, Winter theatre, Sochi Circus and others. You'll go along the waterfront to the Arboretum Park, admiring the beauty of the sea and architecture.
The Sochi Arboretum is a unique museum where flora of Caucasus and different countries is represented. The park covers more than 49 hectares and consists of  1,600 species and forms of plants from all over the world. The Arboretum was founded in 1890s by a famous journalist and publisher of that time Stepan Khudyakov. The plants were bought in botanical gardens of the Crimea, Germany and Caucasus.   

 The park was constructed the same way as French Italian terrace parks of the end of the 19th century and had been always replenished with new plants. In 1922, the park was nationalized. In 1944, it was given to the Sochi Scientific and Research Experimental Forest Station (now Research Institute of Mountain Forestry and Forest Ecology). In 1973, a palm alley of friendly cities was laid in the Arboretum where the leaders of foreign countries plant trees. The Arboretum collection numbers about 20 palm species. 

The Arboretum consists of two parts: the lower one is plain, and the upper one is situated on a steep mountain slope. The parts are connected by a tunnel and a cable lift. The central part of the park resembles Italian gardens and has many architectural structures. The rest part is an English landscape park laid out on the principal of geography recommended by the founders of the park Professor A. Krasnov and other scientists.  Have finished your walk, you return to the Sochi sea port, where time permitting, you may have some time for buying souvenirs.