DO's and DONt's when you travel around Russia by bicycle

More and more people prefer extreme type of traveling across the Russia. Particularly travelling around Russia by bicycle is an excellent way to learn the country. As known, the Russia is much bigger than just Moscow or St-Petersburg. There are number of little towns and sites that deserve to be visited. The most popular routs by bicycle are the Golden Ring tour (Uglich, Pereyaslavl, Kostroma, etc.), and the tour from Moscow to St-Petersburg. When traveling by bicycle you’ll experience both the spirit of authentic towns and villages and the beautiful Russian nature. www.sancentres.comprepared 16 tips for every traveler by bicycle around the Russia.

DO’s

1.Make sure that all the needed documents (particularly visa) are prepared in advance.

2.It’s better to find a special teams and companies who provides special bicycle tours for foreigners, if you travel for the first time. Usually such companies helps with visas and other travel stuff.

3.Chose touristic groups with Russian cyclists. You will find them very friendly and ready to help to foreigners. Besides you will learn Russian “touristic dictionary” and probably find new friends.

4.Check in advance with the touristic company or with the lead of the touristic group: 1.What are the route, the distance per day and an average speed; 2. How much unsurfaced roads are expected during the route; 3. Where will be a night stays (hotels or camping); 4. How the daily meals will be organized (meals in cafes, meals in camping or combined); 5. What equipment and clothing you should bring with you.

5.Be ready to bring with you a travel case for your bike. For certain types of trains in Russia (usually long distance trains) this is obligatory condition for bike's transportation.

6.Vaccination from encephalitis is advisable, if you travel around Russia from May to October.

7.Be ready that camping will be in a wild forest, because there is almost no official places for camps in Russia. Though, you always can chose the touristic group who prefer to stay in hotels.

8.Try local meals from local products.

9.If you use special energy cocktails, bring them with you. It will be hard to find any of them during the trip.

10.Be a part of a team, ask people how can you help at camp. Russian cyclists are very team-oriented. If you chose a dining in a camp you will see that Russian tourists usually cook together for the whole team and eat together at the big “table”, with talking about everything.

11.Just do it! If you like bicycling, you should try it in Russia.

DONT’s

1.Don’t forget to look around when you change lanes on the road or turn. Car drivers are still often do not give way to cyclists.

2.If you want ask someone from the village house, do not go to the yard. Most of Russians in villages have a dog on the leash near the entrance to the yard.

3.Do not leave your bicycle or stuff unattended.

4.If you travel alone, do not camp for a night too close to any of populated locality. It could be not safe.

5.Do not expect people speak English or any other language in a countryside.

6.Anyway, don’t be afraid to ask people if you lost. You will be surprised how the people in little towns are friendly to foreigners. Even if they don’t speak English they will inevitably try to help you.

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