During the 2014 Winter Olympics, about 3,000 miles east of Sochi, teams from all around the world were gathering in Irkutsk, Siberia for the most important athletic competition of the year: the World Championship of Bandy. Read More
I’ve been traveling to Russia for the last 30 years, and there’s simply no place that is as complex and rewarding. From the Russian Far East and Siberia to the West, Russia offers an amazingly diverse range of experiences, and the people are not just hospitable, they're wonderfully deep and soulful. It’s the largest country on earth, and though I’ve crisscrossed its great landscapes more times than I can count, I never tire of returning to Russia. Here are five of my favorite MIR Russia tours. Book your spot on one of these select departures of the Founder’s Five in 2016 by December 31, 2015 and save $300. Read More
Spending a summer day in Siberia, Russia may very well shatter any preconceived notions you may have about this part of the world, thought of as inhospitable, frigid, and forlorn. Here are some of the experiences Irkutsk has to offer on a sunny summer day... Read More
Not for the faint of heart, ice-fishing is a cold and sometimes lonely pursuit. But on Siberia’s Lake Baikal, it’s often a social activity – something to fill up the long dark hours of winter, as well as to fill up the larder with smoked Baikal omul. Read More
MIR’s Insider Tips on Travel to Unconventional Destinations: MIR founder and president Doug Grimes shares a collection of his insider’s tips on what to see, do, and eat in the heart and soul of Siberia – the Lake Baikal and Buryatia region. Read More
Dubbed the "Paris of Siberia," Irkutsk is home to culture, arts and music. A highlight of visiting Irkutsk during many of MIR's Trans-Siberian Railway journeys is this private classical concert at the Decembrist House Museum. Read More
Ever considered traveling to unconventional places during an unconventional season? It's time you did: both Russia and Poland are at their most regal in winter under a blanket of fresh snow, and other travelers are few. Read More
We’ve had a wonderful time sharing photos of fantastic destinations with you this past year on Instagram. It also looks like our followers are enjoying seeing a sneak peek of seeing what’s in store on a trip to Central Asia, the Balkans or Siberia. To date, we’ve had over 6,000 likes on more than 200 posts, and it just keeps growing! Here’s a look at our most popular posts from the past year. Read More
As experts in travel to Central Asia, Russia, Iran and beyond, it's always gratifying when word of our tours and news is shared in the press. Here are some of MIR’s recent mentions in the press... Read More
Terrance Zepke, travel writer, photographer and now talk show host, interviewed MIR Tour Specialist David Parker on her show Terrance Talks Travel. David spoke with her about one of MIR’s more adventurous journeys, Mongolia to Moscow: A Trans-Siberian Railway Adventure. He explains why it’s handy to have a tour company with nearly 30 years experience in travel to Russia, Mongolia and along the Trans-Siberian Railway to help you out when your itinerary veers into Siberia, and how to get along with random strangers in a regularly-scheduled Trans-Siberian train compartment. Read More
John Borsden, longtime travel editor of The Charlotte Observer, caught MIR founder and president Doug Grimes between overseas trips for an informal Q&A this May. In Borsden’s nationally distributed Foreign Correspondence column, Grimes spoke candidly about his own travels (myriad), the best time to visit Siberia (summer), the impact on travel of the Russia-Ukraine hostilities (not so good), and his favorite country (Georgia). Q. How complicated is it to run tours in Eastern Europe and Central Asia? A. It depends on which country. Visas are still an issue: Many countries still require them, and that’s cumbersome. We try to make that smooth, but at the same time it’s still a barrier. The toughest include Turkmenistan and Iran. Read the full interview on The Charlotte Observer‘s website.
What’s your idea of the perfect dream trip — one that goes beyond the guidebooks, beyond the one-size fits all approach a... Read more
MIR’s one-of-a-kind exploration of the Russian space program has gotten a starring role in several media outlets recently, ... Read more
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