Located high on the bank of the Amur river, Khabarovsk is one of the oldest cities in the Amur region. On May 18, 1858 the military outpost Khabarovka was established to protect the Russian-Chinese border. It was named after Erofey Khabarov, one of the most brilliant topographical explorers of the 17th century, who founded in 1649 the first Russian settlement on the Amur river. On April 28, 1880 Khabarovka received the status of city, and in 1884 it officially became the capital of the Priamurskoye General-Governorship. However, only in 1893 the city was given its current name of Khabarovsk.

With promotion of the Governorship rank and construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway the city was rapidly growing attracting more and more settlers. In 1924 Khabarovsk became the center of the Far Eastern Krai (Region), the successor of the Priamurskoye General-Governorship and the Far Eastern Republic, and in 1938 - the center of Khabarovsky Krai.

Today Khabarovsk is one of the major cities of the Russian Far East in regards to population (over 615,000 residents), territory (the total area covers 370 sq. km) and industry. It is also an acknowledged center of science, culture and international tourism in the Russian Far East. The location of the city as a gateway of overland, water and air ways connecting the landlocked regions of Russia with the countries of the Pacific Ocean basin makes it a powerful transportation junction for the Far East.

RED STAR TRAVEL invites you to visit Khabarovsk, the first city in the Russian Far East to be open to foreign travelers in the 1960-s. The beauty of natural landscapes, broad avenues and the majestic Amur river give the city its unique spectacular look.

PARUS HOTEL * * *

The most prestigious hotel in Khabarovsk today, located in the historical and business center of the city, close to a wooded area and the Amur river. Walking distance to the Arts, Military and Local Lore Museums. 5 km to the railway station and 15 km to the airport. Recently renovated (1995). 2 floors. 26 rooms: 3 singles, 13 twins, 10 suites. All rooms feature private bathroom, air conditioner, color TV, radio, direct-dial international satellite telephone, mini-bar. Daily maid service. Room service. Restaurant (Russian and European cuisine). Bar. Meeting room. Facsimile and photocopying facilities. Currency Exchange. Safety deposit box. Sauna. Laundry. Baggage storage. Towncar service. On-site parking. English-speaking staff. Room rates - from $159.

AMETHYST HOTEL * * *

Quaint modern hotel, recently opened (1994), totally renovated (1997). Located downtown, between Karl Marx street and Amursky boulevard. Walking distance to the central square - Lenin square. 2 km to the railway station and 12 km to the airport. 5 floors. 16 spacious comfortable rooms: 6 standard singles, 3 upgraded singles, 1 standard double, 4 upgraded twins and doubles, 1 two-room junior suite, 1 two-room main suite. All rooms feature private bathroom, air conditioner, color satellite TV, direct-dial international satellite telephone, mini-bar. Daily maid service. 24-hour room service. Small quaint restaurant for 20 seats (Russian and European cuisine). Facsimile and photocopying facilities. Complimentary newspapers. Safety deposit box. Souvenir kiosk. Sauna. Laundry. Baggage storage. Towncar service. On-site parking. English-speaking staff. Room rates - from $100.

MALYJ HOTEL * * *

Modern Japanese-style hotel, recently opened (1995). Located in the historical and business center, between Muraviyov-Amursky street and Amursky boulevard. 2.5 km to the railway station and 12.5 km to the airport. 3 floors. 11 comfortable rooms: 8 singles, 2 twins and 1 double (overlooking Japanese garden). All rooms feature private bathroom, air conditioner, color satellite and cable TV, radio, direct-dial international satellite telephone, refrigerator. Daily maid service. Room service. Quaint restaurant for 22 seats (Japanese cuisine, European breakfast and lunch on request only). Karaoke bar for 12 seats. Meeting room. Facsimile and photocopying facilities. Safety deposit box. Laundry. Baggage storage. Towncar service. On-site parking. Japanese and English-speaking staff. Room rates - from $110.

SAPPORO HOTEL * * *

Russian-Japanese JV. Modern hotel, recently renovated and expanded (1995). Located in the historical and business center, between Muraviyov-Amursky street and Amursky boulevard. Walking distance to the Central Amusement Park, the Amur embankment, Arts, Military, Local Lore Museums. 4 km to the railway station and 14 km to the airport. 5 floors (guest rooms are on the 4^th and 5^th floors). All floors accessible by elevator. 19 comfortable rooms: 6 singles, 8 twins, 3 junior suites, 2 two-room suites. All rooms feature private bathroom, air conditioner, color satellite TV, direct-dial international satellite telephone, mini-bar. Suites are additionally equipped with radio and kitchenette. Daily maid service. Shirakaba Bar for 12 seats. Meeting room for 10 seats. Facsimile and photocopying facilities. Currency Exchange. Souvenir kiosk. Sauna. Massage. Laundry. Baggage storage. Towncar service. On-site parking. English-speaking staff. Room rates - from $139.

INTOURIST HOTEL * * *

Located in the historical and business center, very close to a wooded area and the Amur river. Walking distance to the Arts, Military and Local Lore Museums. 4 km to the railway station and 15 km to the airport. Built in 1974. Partially renovated in 1996-97. 11 floors. All floors accessible by elevator. 281 rooms: 49 singles, 219 twins, 9 two-room suites, 4 three-room apartment suites. All rooms feature private bathroom, color TV, radio, direct-dial international satellite telephone, refrigerator. Upgraded rooms and suites are additionally equipped with air-conditioner and mini-bar. Room service. 2 restaurants with live music (Russian and European cuisine). Korea House Restaurant. Unihab Restaurant (Japanese cuisine). Night bar with variety show. Banquet room for 90 seats. Conference room for 12 seats. Facsimile and photocopying facilities. Currency Exchange. Safety deposit box. Hair salon. Beauty shop. Sauna and massage. First medical aid office. Post office. Souvenir kiosks. Laundry. Baggage storage. Towncar service. On-site parking. English-speaking staff. Room rates - from $100.

Khabarovsk Museums

The Grodekov Museum of Regional Studies. Operating hours: 10am to 5:30pm, on Thursdays - from 12noon to 5:30pm, closed on Mondays. Nature, ethnography, archaeology, and history museum. Established in 1894, re-opened after renovation in 1995. Over 144,000 exhibits. The museum comprises the Nature Department featuring geography and mineral resources of the region; the Far Eastern Fauna Department displaying a variety of fur animals, game birds and endangered species; the Far Eastern Flora Department displaying full-scale dioramas of area landscapes; the Ethnography Department housing artifacts dating back to the turn of the 20th century, tracing the natural and cultural history of the native population of the Russian Far East: the Nanai, Ulch, Udege, Negidaltsi, Orochi, Nivkhi, Eveni, Evenki people (household items, fishing and hunting gear and outfits, birch-bark boats, festive robes, items of applied and folk arts, cult objects of indigenous people); the History Department displaying the history of the Khabarovsk Region from ancient to modern times (a peasant’s log house, domestic and agricultural tools, farm equipment, clothing, icons).

Khabarovsk Arboretum (Dendrarium). Open: May-October. Advance reservations required. Founded in 1896 as a forest nursery garden and experimental laboratory for Khabarovsk Forestry. In 1939 it was transformed into the Far Eastern Institute of Forestry and Wood Operations and was named the Arboretum. It is a remarkable corner of the city covering an area of more than 11 hectares, with about 800 kinds of trees and bushes. There are plants from North America, Europe, Japan and other countries as well as some plants from the Far East that cannot be found anywhere else: Pinus koraiensis, Rhellodendron amurense - a unique tree naturally growing in Russia, Juglans mandshurica and Fraxinus mandshurica, Eleutherococcus senticocus, Vitis amurensis, Actinidia kolomikta, Scisandra chinensis and others. In the Arboretum there are Picea ajanensis, Larix gmelinii, Taxus cuspidata “Mahogany”, Pinus pumilia etc.

The Fine Arts Museum. Operating hours: 10am to 5pm, closed on Mondays. Opened in 1931. Occupies one of the most beautiful buildings of the city - the former Military Club, which was recently restored to its old elegant style. Over 10,000 exhibits. Paintings by Russian artists: I. Aivazovsky, I. Kramskoy, V. Surikov, M. Nesterov, K. Korovin, K. Petrov-Vodkin, A. Deyneki. Ancient Russian icons. Paintings by Western-European artists from the 18th and 19th centuries. Applied Art. The Museum exhibits and sells works by well-known local artists. Handicrafts on sale. A book store.

City Tour by bus, 2 hours

Khabarovsk Central Square. The tour starts from the main square of the city where you will see a monument to Lenin, the Regional Administration building and the Regional State Medical University. Continue along Muravyov-Amursky Street, the main and most beautiful street of the city, with a number of shops, administrative buildings, cinemas and theaters (The Drama Theater, The Youth Theater).

Komsomolskaya Square. Another peculiar landmark in Khabarovsk is Komsomolskaya Square. Here stands a monument to the Heroes of the Civil War in the Far East, the Universal Scientific Library (the city’s oldest library and the largest in the Russian Far East). The library's departments store ancient books, rare albums and historical photos. You will see the Amur river Shipping Company administration building and the main gate to the Central Amusement Park of Khabarovsk, the favorite recreational area for Khabarovsk residents.

Khabarovsk Railway Station. See the center of passenger and freight traffic for the Far East - Khabarovsk Railway Station. Visit a Russian-Orthodox Church and the monument to Yerofey Khabarov on the Railway Station Square.

The panoramic view of the Amur river. Enjoy fascinating views of the Khekhtsirsky Mountain Range and the industrial area of the city from the top of the Amur river Cliff. See the Monument to N.N. Muravyov-Amursky, the city’s most valued monument (sculptor A. Opekushin), grand opening of which took place during a visit of the Russian tsar Nicolas II to Khabarovsk in 1891. The monument to G.N. Nevelsky (sculptor A. Bobrovnikov), the Russian marine officer, who for the first time sailed from the Okhotsk sea into the Amur river. A bas-relief board honoring soldiers of the 13th East-Siberian battalion (the founders of the city).

Boat Excursion, 1 hour

The main attraction of Khabarovsk has always been the Amur river, one of the longest rivers in Russia and the 8th longest river in the world. Its length is 4,440 km including 1,000 km within the Khabarovsky Krai, and 45 km within the city of Khabarovsk. The Amur river has become the symbol and the most popular post card object.

The Central Amusement Park. The city's most popular recreational area. Its shady alleys, fresh air and spectacular view of the Amur river attract crowds of people on weekends.

The Central Stadium, built in 1957. The sports facilities of the stadium are built to match the style of the Amur river embankment. Shady alleys of the Amusement Park lead to the Central Sports Arena with a football field and seats for 30,000 spectators, the Palace of Sports with an indoor ice rink and seats for 5,000 spectators, and an outdoor swimming pool, shooting range facilities, track-and-field, yacht club, volleyball, basketball arena and tennis courts.

The railway bridge across the Amur river, called the “Miracle of the 20th century” (constructed in 1913-1916). Its commissioning became the last point in the construction of the Amur section of the Trans-Siberian Railway. The ongoing reconstruction of this bridge will increase the operating reliability and traffic capacity of the Trans-Siberian Railway that connects the APR countries with Europe. The road is being extended by 2,617 meters. Additional railway lines and a joint transport passage are also being built.

Folklore Performance, 1 hour

Experience a 1-hour Folk Music and Dance Show. See traditional Russian ceremonies, enjoy folk songs and dances. Balalaika music and friendly smiling faces will introduce you to the famous “Barynya”, “Korobeiniki” and “Kalinka”. Highly professional actors, colorful costumes and original staging make the two ensembles - Zadorinka and Mlada - audience favorites. The performance will be hosted by one of these two groups, ZADORINKA - children’s dance ensemble, MLADA - Russian folk song ensemble.
This offer is available for groups of 10-20 PAX only staying at the Intourist Hotel.

Russian Tea Party

1.5-hour party at the Intourist Hotel restaurant. Warm atmosphere of the old country, delicious herb tea and authentic sweet treats (bubliki, pirozhki, blini), Russian folk music and rites, traditional games and contests. If you want to have an experience to cherish forever, this is a perfect chance!
This offer is available for groups of 15+ PAX only staying at the Intourist Hotel.

Visit to Khabarovsk Ceramics Factory, 1.5 hours

The Khabarovsk Ceramics Factory was opened 20 years ago. It produces ceramic house ware - dishes, vases, candlesticks, etc. Beautiful articles are made of local red clay by casting and moulding. Folk art traditions and modern design complement each other in these hand-made pieces of art and make each of them inimitable.

Visit to Khekhtsir Nature Reserve

Khekhtsir Nature Reserve is located 48 km. southwest of Khabarovsk. With a total area of 448 sq. km., the reserve is part of the Sikhote Alin Mountain Range stretching for 968 km with peaks up to 2,500-3,300 feet high.

Khekhtsir is a unique place, its nature is a blend of North and South - southern lianas, Manchurian walnut make the Far Eastern taiga look like subtropical rain forest. They grow next to evergreen conifers - natives of the North. More than 35 mammal and 191 bird species inhabit the reserve. The most famous of them is the Amur Tiger protected by the state law since 1947. Bear, fox, wolf, elk, wild boar, sable are just a few inhabitants of the amazing jungle. Enjoy fascinating sceneries of the wilderness on a naturalist guided tour. Travel to the Chinese border at the village of Kazakevichevo, the area just recently opened to foreign travelers.

Visit to the Wild Animals Rehabilitation Center, 10 hours

The Wild Animals Rehabilitation Center is located 150 km North of Khabarovsk. Injured and sick animals that have no chance of survival in the wild are being taken good care of in this place. Two Amur tigers, a lynx, several bears, a deer, wolves and other wild animals of the Far Eastern taiga are kept in spacious open-air cages. This is a unique chance to take a close look at the Amur tiger - the largest and the most dangerous of cats.

During a 2.5 hour drive to the Rehabilitation Center you will enjoy beautiful landscapes of Khabarovsk surroundings - authentic Russian villages, small rivers and lakes. The trip is a picture-taking opportunity.

Travel to a nearby typical Russian village for a picnic with shashlik (barbecue), pirozhki and delicious herbal tea prepared in the Far Eastern tradition. After a day of activities there is no better way to relax than a traditional Russian banya (steaming sauna). You can also play billiards on a terrace or take a stroll around the village, visit a local family to see rural lifestyles of the Russian Far East.

Visit to a Private Agricultural Farm, 4 hours

The tour will take you to a private farm where you can see for yourself the everyday life of a Russian farmer. During a 1.5-hour drive you will enjoy peaceful pastoral views: crop fields providing a spectacular backdrop for small villages, cows and horses dotting the green meadows. Experience the agricultural techniques that help grow good crop in Siberian climate. Enjoy a delicious homemade lunch with the farmer's family.

Visit to the Troitskoye Tourist Complex

The Troitskoye Tourist Complex is located on the outskirts of Khabarovsk in a beautiful wooded area. It is a restored turn-of-the-century country residence set in a pine forest on the bank of the Amur river. The complex comprises a quaint hotel with on-site restaurant, sauna, billiards room and tennis courts. The surroundings are perfect for hiking, fishing and boating.

You can choose between a picnic with shashlik, pirozhki and a Russian folklore show or a dinner followed by a relaxing Russian banya (sauna) with a cup of herbal tea.

Fishing Tour

Travel 40 km from Khabarovsk, to the Far Eastern taiga forest for a day of fishing on a fascinating Siberian river. Our guides know where the big ones are and will take you there. If you find that 6-10 hours in this paradise is not enough, we can offer accommodations at the nearby hotel: 26 guest rooms, indoor swimming pool, sauna, quaint restaurant and bar. Don't miss the opportunity to try the restaurant's home specialty - fish "sharaban".