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Winter Vacations with HSE University
Georgian dances, Karelian sauna and a magic week in Bulgaria - here are three original tours for January from I LikeTrip and HSE Extreme Sports Club.
Karelia: Reload
December 30-January 4
After the winter exams you’ll need some time to reboot a little, reflect on the results of the past year and enjoy some outdoor living. Crunchy snow, clean air, silence, the beauty of the taiga and cozy gatherings with your friends… you’ll find it all in Karelia!
Escaping from Moscow’s hustle and bustle, you’ll find yourself in a wooden manor house, surrounded by an old pine forest. Here you will enjoy rest, beautiful scenery, exciting snowmobiling and preparation for the New Year party. The organizers have thought through every detail: a festive dinner, barbecue, entertainment, fireworks and songs with a guitar.
You’ll start the first morning of 2020 with lunch, and in the evening you’ll enjoy a real Karelian sauna (after steaming, the bravest can dive into a snowdrift!)
January 2 will be dedicated to visiting the ‘marble Mecca’ - Ruskeala Park, which is famous for its steep cliffs, mysterious grottoes and rare rocks. For 300 years people mined marble here, which was used in the construction of the Kazan and St. Isaac's Cathedrals in St. Petersburg. Even in winter you can get incredible photos here: at dusk, thanks to unusual lighting, the trees are illuminated with lilac-green light, which creates the effect of the Northern lights.
The next and final point of your journey will be Petrozavodsk. You will walk along the embankment of Lake Onega, admire some unique sculptures that appear here from year to year, and see the monument to Peter the Great.
Tour cost: 18 000 rubles (until December 1), tickets Moscow-Petrozavodsk-Moscow not included.
Snowy Georgia
29 December-7 (4) January
If you think you’ve ever eaten too much during your New Year celebrations, you are wrong. During this trip you will learn what a real Georgian feast means: khachapuri, satsivi, khinkali, fragrant greens, delicious wine and, of course, Georgian songs and dances!
But don't forget that you are in Gudauri, a popular ski resort. So you’re unlikely to put on a few extra kilos! The tracks are suitable for both newbies and reckless freeriders. The total length of the trails is 16 km, the height is 2153 m above sea level.
After skiing, you can always relax in the sauna, have fun in the bar, swim in the pool, play ping-pong or watch a movie about the mountains, climbing and mountaineers.
In addition, tour participants can enjoy trekking down the slope, a snowy photoshoot and ascent to the Lomisi monastery, founded almost fifteen centuries ago.
You can reach Tbilisi by night train from Yerevan or from Moscow with a transfer in Minsk.
Tour cost: $610-$790. Flight, equipment rental, meals not included
Bulgaria and the Goblet of Fire
January 26-February 2
In winter, you always want something especially magical... To add a little wonder to our everyday lives, the members of I Like Trip have decided to visit one of the characters of the Harry Potter Universe, Viktor Krum, the Bulgarian Quidditch champion and participant in the Triwizard Tournament.
You will also take part in the Tournament. First, the sorting hat will decide which house you’ll study in, and you will improve your skills in the mountains of the most modern ski centre in Bulgaria.
The Bansko resort has 15 trails with a total length of about 75 km and more than 20 lifts. There are slopes of different difficulty, a halfpipe on the ‘Plateau’ and opportunities for night skiing.
In addition, you’ll take part in evening events in bars, magic tests, quests and a wizards’ ball just like in the book.
Tour cost: 370 euros. Flight to Sofia and back and skipass not included