MIR Corporation – the name means “peace” and “world” in Russian – is an award-winning tour company founded in 1986 and specializing in creative, culturally immersive journeys along the Silk Route, Trans-Siberian Railway, and to Western Russia, Siberia and the Russian Far East and beyond.

Based in Seattle, Washington, MIR Corporation works closely with its local affiliates in Western Russia, Siberia, Uzbekistan and Ukraine. MIR has twice been named one of National Geographic Adventure’s “Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth,” and is a preferred operator for museum, alumni, and special interest organizations around the country.  No other American tour outfitter deals exclusively with this slice of the world, at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, and none with more first-hand experience, stronger and reliable on-the-ground contacts, or more affection for this part of the world.

(Note: If you are a journalist, writer, or would like more information, photos and videos, please view MIR’s press room/media kit.) 

MIR’s 30 Years, in a Nutshell

We at MIR celebrate our 30th anniversary in 2016, and all that has transpired in the course of three decades: from “perestroika” and “glasnost“ to the fall of the Soviet Union, from using typewriters and telexes in our business to smartphones and Skype, and from traveling solely to the U.S.S.R. and later Russia to now 35 destinations, including Central Asia, China, Iran and North Korea.  Although there are many facets to MIR’s beginnings, one that was especially significant was a young 20-something volleyball star, Douglas Grimes, answering “da” when asked if he’d like to create a citizen exchange of volleyball players to the Soviet Union.

“MIR’s 30 Years” stories are embedded with their companion videos; you can also view the videos separately. “MIR’s 30 Years” focuses on three areas:

• MIR’s 30th anniversary, and its exciting beginning in 1986, at a time when things were just opening up between the U.S. and U.S.S.R.
• MIR’s imaginative types of journeys to 35 countries at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, from Russia and Central Asia to Iran and North Korea.
• MIR’s passion for Siberia, steeped in MIR President Douglas Grimes’ good fortune to be among the first Westerners to explore this legendary place.
  

You can also view the entire video series of “MIR’s 30 Years” on MIR’s YouTube channel, , specifically under the playlist,

MIR’s Beginnings

• “Imagine Your Journey with MIR” (story); – MIR’s 30-year expertise in making dream trips come true.
• “198os Volleyball Diplomacy, and MIR’s Beginning” (story); – Volleyball is the game changer: a young Douglas Grimes dreams big, and his (MIR) world changes forever.
• “Back in the U.S.S.R.” (story); – Traveling back in time to MIR’s mid-1980s beginning, and a watershed decision.

MIR’s One-of-a-Kind Journeys

• “Handcrafted Journeys: Making MIR Movies” (story); – MIR’s memorable custom, private journeys are akin to making movies, including tracing family history “back in the old country.”
• “Epic Journeys: Ultimate Dream Trips” (story); – MIR’s adventurous overland expeditions include one Canadian couple’s extensive yearly travels, from driving along the Silk Road to motoring through China, Siberia, and the Balkans.
• “Beyond the Stars, Inside the Russian Space Program” (story); – MIR President Douglas Grimes’ favorite tour harkens back to the U.S.-Soviet space race, from exploring Star City’s once-classified cosmonaut training facility to witnessing the manned launch of a Soyuz spacecraft.
• “Overland Expeditions: Motorcycling with GlobeRiders” (story); – Intrepid motorcyclists repeatedly choose MIR for their global travel logistics, from the South Caucasus to Iran, and from Siberia to Central Asia.
• “Overland Expeditions: Roving the World in Land Rovers” (story); – Land-roving at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, MIR creates an ambitious itinerary for 54 participants and 18 vehicles, from Kazakhstan to Turkey.

Siberia, A MIR Specialty

• “Why I’m Sold on Siberia” (story); – Countless reasons why MIR President Douglas Grimes loves this vast, pristine place.
• “Siberia’s Beauty of Lake Baikal” (story); – MIR President Douglas Grimes’ lasting memories of this legendary lake in Siberia.
• “Overland Expeditions: Channeling Siberia and Beyond” (story); – One of MIR President Douglas Grimes’ early (ad)ventures into Siberia with one channeler, her five dozen followers, and their six sacred crystals.
• “Overland Expeditions: Driving Siberia and Beyond” (story); – MIR helps intrepid motorists re-create the 1908 automotive Great Race in their 1928 vintage car, down to gas station locations in Siberia and tricky border crossings.
• “Overland Expeditions: Running Through Russia and Beyond” (story); – MIR’s extraordinary logistics for 79 runners and support personnel, running 5,500 miles from Eastern Europe to China via Russia and Siberia, all to promote safer drinking water.
• “Overland Expeditions: Total Solar Eclipse in Siberia” (story); – MIR prepares three years in advance to bring more than 300 travelers – “sun chasers” – to the heart of Siberia for a rare total solar eclipse.

MIR’s Travel Videos, in a Nutshell

This is a sampling of MIR’s ever-expanding video offerings on its YouTube channel, . Here you will find videos shot by MIR staffers and MIR travelers, capturing the sounds and spirit, daily life, culture, and natural beauty of the places and people MIR is so passionate about, at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. 

Siberia & Russian Far East

Trans-Siberian Railway

Central Asia

Iran

Western Russia

South Caucasus

Central & Eastern Europe

Learn More About MIR

Connecting with MIRMIR has a deep presence on social media, offering its latest travel news, videos, photos, destination information, and special offers:

• MIR’s Travel Blog

(Top photo: Logo of MIR Corporation)

PUBLISHED: September 30, 2016

Tags: Douglas Grimes | Helen Holter | MIR Corporation | MIR tours | MIR's 30 Years | MIR's 30th anniversary | video

Related Posts