Chita, the capital city of the Chita Oblast (region) of southeast Siberia, presides over one of the world's richest gold mining areas. Most of the mining, done by major companies such as the Canada's Armada Gold Corporation, takes place around the town of Baley, 280 km southeast of Chita.

A city of around 370,000, Chita's proximity to the Mongolian and Chinese borders makes it a popular stop-over for Eastern traders and merchants, crossing Siberia to do business with Russia.

Chita was founded in 1653 as a Cossack stockade, and barely a century later, Russians began mining the ore-rich region for its silver, and later, golden treasures. Chita's place in Russian history was made in 1827, when 85 of the Decembrist revolutionaries, including leading military figures and academics, were exiled to the area to work in construction or in silver mines. With their arrival the city experienced an intellectual boost and in a couple of years turned from a small Siberian town to a (somewhat) cosmopolitan city with an active cultural scene.

The arrival of two major railways - the Trans-Siberian (in 1900) and the East Chinese Railway (in 1901) transported Chita into the 20th century, guaranteeing its place as a golden way-station between east and west. Today Chita is considered the capital of Transbaikalie - a region stretching southeast of Lake Baikal and covering a territory equal to France and Belgium added together. Located at the confluence of the Chita and Ingoda rivers, the city is surrounded by beautiful forests. The famous mineral springs Darasun, Kuka and Molokovka are only several kilometers away from Chita and with a number of resorts and tourist camps built around them they attract people from all over Russia. For a time, closed to foreign visitors because of its proximity to the Chinese border and its military industry, Chita is now an attractive spot for those traveling on the Trans-Siberian Railway.

RED STAR TRAVEL invites you to visit Chita, the capital of the land of natural wealth, the sister city of Boise, Idaho and Chita, Japan. See for yourself the steppes, taiga forest and mountains that hide incredible gold and silver treasures, learn about the history of Chita as a place of exile before the 1917 Revolution.

HOTEL DAURIYA * *

Located near the main square of the city. The oldest hotel in Chita. Occupies a turn-of-the-century residence. 300 m to the railway station and 18 km to the airport. 5 floors. 62 standard rooms: 26 singles, 26 twins, 6 triples, 3 two-room suites, 1 three-room suite. All rooms feature private bathroom, color TV, radio, telephone, refrigerator. Cafe. Currency exchange. Hair salon. Beauty shop. Room rates - from $40.

PANAMA CITY MOTEL * *

Located on the outskirts, in a wooded area. Built in 1995. 8 km to the railway station and 25 km to the airport. 34 rooms in separate cabins: 29 twins, 3 junior suites, 2 main suites. All rooms feature private bathroom with shower, air conditioner, color TV, telephone (international connection available through the front desk only), refrigerator. Suites are additionally equipped with mini-bar and tea-maker. Room service. Restaurant for 60 seats. Bar for 40 seats. Sauna. Gym. Facsimile and photocopying facilities. Laundry. On-site parking. Room rates - from $89.

Chita Museums

The Kuznetsov Museum of Local Lore Operating hours: 10am - 5pm, closed on Saturday and Sunday. Opened in April 1895. In 1922 the museum was named after its founder - A. Kuznetsov. There are displays about flora and fauna of Transbaikalie, ethnography and history of the region, the history of Chita from the city's birth. The museum also houses a small picture gallery.

The Decembrists' Museum. Operating hours: 10am - 6pm, closed on Monday. The museum's collections are displayed in the Church of Archangel Michael. It is the only architectural monument of the 18th century on the territory of Chita region. It is no accident that the church was chosen for the Decembrists' Museum, as its history is closely connected with the exiled revolutionaries. In April 1828 Decembrist I. Annenkov and Pauline Gebel, a daughter of a Napoleon's officer, had their wedding ceremony in this church (to this wonderful woman Alexandre Dumas devoted his novel "The Fencing Master"). The bulk of the museum's collection is devoted to the Decembrists' exile in Chita region. You will see some archive documents, personal letters, photographs, manuscripts and paintings by the Decembrists.

Art Gallery. Operating hours: 10am - 6pm, closed on Monday. Opened in 1980. Contemporary art exhibitions: paintigs and handicrafts by local artists. Traveling exhibits from the Russia's main art galleries and museums.

The Museum of Minerals. Operating hours: 10am - 5:30pm, closed on Saturday and Sunday. Opened in 1973. Features samples of minerals and ores found in Transbaikalie: crystals of quartz and calcite, precious and semi-precious stones.

City Tour , 2 hours

Chita's appearance is a blend of old and modern architectural styles. Some of the central streets have retained stylish buildings and eye-catching facades from the first half of this century. You will see the old building of the railway station with its domes and a clock tower; the so-called Shumovsky Palace - the former mansion of a gold trader's family built in Siberian baroque style; merchants' arcade and houses. Visit the 18th century 2-storey church of Archangel Michael. Built in 1771 of larch and pine logs, the church is a unique architectural monument (such 2-storey wooden churches are typical only of the European North of Russia). Today Archangel Michael's Church houses the Decembrists' Museum. The tour will also take you to Titovskaya Hill where you will see the bronze statue of a deer - the symbol of Chita region.

Trip to Molokovka Mineral Spring, 3.5 hours

The nature of Transbaikalie is said to have something of Switzerland, Caucasus and Finland. The best time to see Chita's surroundings is June-July, when the hills are covered with pink blossom of bagulnik (Daurian Rododendron). You will travel 22 km from Chita to one of the most popular resorts in Transbaikalie - Molokovka. In 1887 doctor S. Prorokov built on Molokovka mineral spring a sanatorium with open-air baths. In 1936 modern buildings appeared on the site and the resort started functioning all year round. You will taste mineral water from the spring, take a stroll around and have a lunch picnic in a beautiful grove.

Tour of Aginskoye Town with Visit to Datsan, 10 hours

Aginskoye is located 130 km from Chita. It is the capital of Aga-Buryat Autonomous Okrug (District) in Chita region. You will travel to the steppes of the Aga river valley to see everyday life of a Buryat village. Visit the Museum of Local Lore with its displays on the history and culture of Eastern Buryats; the Datsan (Buddhist temple) - the pilgrimage point for hundreds of Transbaikalian Buryats. See a Buryat folklore performance and enjoy a delicious lunch of Buryat traditional cuisine.