Compare Nenets Reindeer Migration Arctic Expedition by Secret Compass vs Cycling the Grand Crus of Burgundy by Exodus Travels
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| Trip |
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 17 days | 7 days |
| Price From | $ 4,708 | $ 2,435 |
| Price Per Day | $ 277 | $ 348 |
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| Trip Style | Small group tour | Small group tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Standard |
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| Countries Visited | N/A | |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | No |
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| Meals Included |
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All breakfasts and 3 evening meals are included. Burgundy is in short a gold mine for those who have a passion for both fine food and fine wine. Burgundy is first and foremost a land of excellent wines and so naturally they are omnipresent in the local cuisine. From the traditional beef bourguignon, a wine-based dish bien sûr, to dishes that are "en meurette," meaning cooked with lardons and red wine. Such dishes include œufs au vin (eggs), coq au vin, as well as charcuterie and jambon persillé (parsleyed ham). All regional dishes are either prepared and/or enjoyed with wine made by one of the marvelous winemakers of Burgundy. |
| Description |
Siberia’s hardy nomadic Nenets strive to maintain their traditional reindeer herding lifestyle in one of the most extreme environments on earth: the frozen world of the Arctic Circle. Step into their shoes on the Yamal Peninsula to taste tundra life at the edge of human endurance and be part of the wildlife migration of a lifetime. |
Burgundy is an open invitation to discover, taste and share. The Burgundian menu includes UNESCO World Heritage sites, exceptional food and the oldest wine trail in France. With nearly 100 appellations, Burgundy wine is distinguished by its great diversity (of both red and white) and 'climates,' shaped by soils and very specific geographical properties. On the Route des Grands Crus, the famous names are crisscrossed into a Burgundian patchwork: Meursault, Gevrey-Chambertin, Clos de Vougeot, Nuits St Georges, Vosne-Romanee, Pommard, Aloxe-Corton, Puligny-Montrachet... In a region known for its epicurean finesse, you can really enjoy fine dining. There will be excellent local dishes such as Oeufs en Meurette, Poulet de Bresse a la Creme, Perche aux Noix and of course exquisite cheeses like the pungent Epoisses de Bourgogne, to pair with the region's incredible Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines. You'll stay in excellent hotels including a handsome 19th century house in Beaune and in a charming hotel located in the heart of Vougeot vineyard.Burgundy is an open invitation to discover, taste and share. The Burgundian menu includes UNESCO World Heritage sites, exceptional food and the oldest wine trail in France. |
Secret Compass runs expeditions with framework itineraries, rather than guided tours with set daily plans. The following is the outline plan for this culturally immersive journey with Siberia’s Nenets nomads – it’s the ‘substance’ rather than the specifics. A fuller itinerary is provided in the Nenets Expedition Handbook which is available on request or upon application to join the team.
Teammates arrive
All teammates arrive at Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport. Your Secret Compass expedition leader will meet you at a local hotel, served by a regular airport shuttle. The expedition officially begins at 1700 that evening, with an arrival brief and introductory team meal at the hotel. Get some sleep before a 0300 internal flight to Salekhard, organised by Secret Compass.
Day two involves a seven-hour drive out of Salekhard in all-terrain vehicles along the frozen river Ob to reach Yar Sale for dinner and to spend the night. In the morning, the team gets kitted out in Nenets clothing and sets off in wooden box sledges pulled by snowmobiles to locate and join the Nenets encampment in the middle of the tundra.
On expedition
For nine days, the team will live, work, eat and rest with the Nenets, a few teammates per chum (the Nenets’ teepee-styled, reindeer-hide tents). Take part in the daily routine of life among the reindeer herders. Dismantle the chums, pack the sledges and round up the reindeer to move on to fresh pastures every few days as the Nenets have done for generations.
When conditions allow, the extended family of nomads will make the full crossing of the Gulf of Ob. This must be done in one go as there is no forage for the reindeer on the frozen surface. Depending on the weather conditions and terrain, this crossing has been known to take up to 24 hours but can be much quicker. As with much of the travel between camps, this will be done with the Nenets and the teammates being pulled in box sledges or on snowmobiles.
Goal achieved
Returning to Yar Sale after the migration and an unforgettable foray into the frozen wilds of Siberia, the team will have the unique opportunity to attend the Nenet’s Reindeer Herding Festival. Herders from across the region take part in reindeer sledge racing and jumping, wrestling, lassoing and other traditional games. Depending on timings you’ll have one or two days in Yar Sale to explore and enjoy the festival.
After your time at the festival it’s back on the all-terrain vehicles to return to Salekhard, home to museums, Obdursk fortress and a market square full of crafts and furs. There may be a chance to enjoy a traditional Russian sauna. A contingency day is scheduled here (following the migration stage of the expedition), in case bad weather prevents the return journey from Yar Sale to Salekhard.
On your final day, the internal flight lands in Moscow by approx. 1100, to meet outbound flights arranged for any time from 1500 earliest or 1600 onwards preferably. This allows a sensible amount of time to collect luggage from the internal flight terminal and to transfer to and recheck in at the international terminal at Domodedovo Airport.
Day 1 Arrival in Beaune
Wander the streets of Beaune and explore the historical city centre.
Day 2 At Beaune
A route through Cote de Beaune passing by all the most famous wine villages:First stop is in Pommard :When one thinks of red wine, Pommard is a name that first comes to the lips, a name evocative of a village and an iconic vineyard of Burgundy where Pinot Noir reigns supreme. A pleasure for the eyes as well as the tongue, Pommard is home to an 18th century castle built in front of the vineyards, boasting magnificent French-style gardens, vaulted cellars and an astonishing art gallery with exceptional cuvees.Then, Volnay and Meursault :The unjustly charming capital of the great white wines of Burgundy, with a vineyard mostly planted with chardonnay grapes, lying in the middle of the hills of a gentle slope.Continue via Santenay towards Chassagne and Puligny Montrachet : located on a rocky hill of a bald mountain which is a terroir of excellence in the heart of the Cote de Beaune. In this ocean of vineyards, Chassagne and Puligny Montrachet are two villages, accomplices and rivals at the same time, share the honour of producing the world's grandest dry white wine.
Day 3 At Beaune
A day to explore Beaune: The wine Hospices, the Basilica, and the mustard factory are some of the places to enjoy.A jewel of flamboyant Gothic architecture, this polychrome roof of The Hotel Dieu announces the splendour of what's inside, like the la grande salle des Pauvres, the chapel and the kitchen of this medieval hospital, a treasure of Burgundy. Its reputation is also due to the nectars of the winery, which are sold at auction every November under the market.
Day 4 Beaune to Nuits St Georges
Cycle from Cote de Beaune to Cote de Nuits appellations, and through charming wine villages. The small town that gives its name to the famous Cote de Nuits deserves a stop, and not only because it is the cradle of some of the world's greatest red wines. Nuits-Saint-Georges also welcomes the Imaginarium, an institution meant to teach all about the vineyard world by having fun, and the Cassissium, a place dedicated to cassis, the black gold of Burgundy.
Day 5 At Nuits St Georges
Follow the 'Route des Grands Crus' to Fixin and Gevrey Chambertin. At the end of the Lavaux valley, Gevrey-Chambertin is the village of nine Grands Crus and 26 first vintages. Known worldwide, the small town didn't let fame change it-it's still peacefully wrapped around its Romanesque church and medieval castle. To get a look at the town's panorama, you have to take the high path, just behind the vineyards. It is worth a look!
Day 6 At Nuits St Georges
Visit the Clos Vougeot wine estate. A majestic castle crowned with a roof of glazed tiles, standing like an islet planted in the middle of the vineyards. You can see it from a distance, and approach the awe-inspiring portal of this mythical enclosure with a little thrill. This is the den of the knights of Tastevin, a venerable brotherhood of 12,000 ambassadors of Burgundy all over the world. The old grape presses, the wine cellar and the large cellar set the scene as it was in the 12th century, under the motto: 'Jamais en vain, toujours en vin' ('Never in vain, always in wine'). Or, ride to the Abbey of Citeaux. Founded in 1098, in what was at the time a 'desert', Citeaux Abbey, the cradle and headquarters of the Cistercian Order, was to become, along with Cluny, a flagship of Christianity. Today, the monks make a delicious artisan cheese called Citeaux cheese. This production is performed three times a week using the milk of a herd of cattle raised on the Abbey's farm.
Day 7 Leave Nuits St Georges
Depart Nuits St Georges after breakfast.
