I've booked a month trip to Russia in September-October and am trying to plan a rough itinerary. I will spend a few days each in Moscow and Saint Petersburg but then I am not sure what to do for the remaining 3 weeks. At first I had a few ideas. Either:
- doing the Trans-Siberian Railway to Vladivostok and flying back to Moscow
- trekking around Lake Baikal
- or exploring Kamchatka in the far east (volcanoes, coasts, wildlife)
But apart from the Trans-Siberian (which I've gone off the idea), it's beginning to dawn on me the scope of how big Russia actually is and how limited I am by not knowing the language. If I want to do activities around Lake Baikal or in the far east Kamchatka it would have to be part of a guided tours, and I just hate guided tours...being controlled, sticking to an unbendable itinerary having to mingle with others and not have independence. Before I booked my flight tickets I had dreams of going to these places and doing everything I want, when I want. Now I realise how ambitious and unrealistic that is for a foreigner with no local knowledge or Russian language.
I am more into nature and the great outdoors. Of course I can't wait to see Moscow and Saint Petersburg and hopefully a few other cities, but would like to spend at least a week doing something in the outdoors which I can do by myself without guides or tours. Like, kayak a river, or do a long hike. Does anyone know of such places or things I could do? Location is not too much of an issue since I can fly fairly cheaply within Russia to the major cities. Everywhere I google I just get pages and pages of tours. There must be something I can do by myself.
Bonus question: do any theatres or operas in Moscow and Saint Petersburg have shows in English? I would like to visit some of these famous theatres but would prefer to understand what I'm watching.
