7 interesting routes for autotravel across Russia

1. Merchant ring

Duration: 5 days.
Length: about 640 km from Moscow and back.

Route plan: from Moscow go to Borovsk, then drive to Kaluga and stop for the night. Then Przemysl, then - Kozelsk and one more night. Then we pass Belyov, Odoev, Krapivna. Not far from these points, you can choose a country hotel. We arrive at Yasnaya Polyana, make a stop in Tula - and go back to the capital.

This is a wonderful route through small towns and picturesque villages of the Kaluga and Tula regions. On the way, you will admire not only old houses and beautiful churches, but also the landscapes of central Russia.

Separate advantages of the route are rather short journeys (no more than two hours on the way) and good quality of roads, especially in the Kaluga region. If you don't stay anywhere for a long time, you can go around all the points over the weekend, but we still advise you to extend the trip to five days and spend at least a few hours in the beautiful estate of Leo Tolstoy. There you can visit one of the excursions, where the guide will tell you about the life of the writer, take a walk in the park and taste the famous "Ankovsky" pie. The museum at the estate regularly hosts exhibitions and other interesting events - the schedule can be checked at the official one.

2. Karelia

Duration: 12 days.
Length: about 2,500 km from Moscow and back.

Route plan: from Moscow to St. Petersburg by car (7 hours on the way) or by train (from 1,400 rubles for a one-way ticket). If you chose the second option, you can rent a car in St. Petersburg. And then a long march awaits you: first 9 hours to Belozersk, then 7 hours to Petrozavodsk. But after that you can slowly go around all the local sights and beauty.

This summer Karelia attracts a huge number of Russian tourists - and it is not surprising that there really is something to see here. We recommend starting your acquaintance with the region from its capital, Petrozavodsk: spend at least a couple of days here. From here it is convenient to get to Kizhi Island (2 hours by car to the village of Velikaya Guba, and from there by water taxi). After Petrozavodsk, head towards Kondopoga and see not only the city, but also its surroundings (Kivach waterfall and Onega lake). And then visit one of the main attractions of the region - the Ruskeala mountain park in a former marble quarry. From Kondopoga you can get here in 4 hours.

Spend the night in neighboring Sortavala, and then start your way home. If you are going to St. Petersburg to return your rented car, do it in three and a half hours. And you can go to Moscow through Veliky Novgorod (7 hours) and stay in it for a day.

3. Volga region

Duration: 14 days.
Length: about 2,370 km from Moscow and back.

Route plan: leave Moscow and go to Vladimir (first stop), then to Nizhny Novgorod (stop for a day). Then, according to the plan, Kazan - here you can spend 1-2 days, depending on your desire. Further - Ulyanovsk and Samara. We suggest going back through Penza and Ryazan.

In terms of saturation with excursions and sights, this route will give odds to the traditional Golden Ring: what are only Nizhny Novgorod and the beautiful Kazan! We advise you to stay in each city for at least one day in order to have time to leisurely inspect all the most interesting and not get too tired of the road. On the way, you can also make small stops - for example, between Vladimir and Nizhny Novgorod, call in Kovrov, and on the way to Kazan, explore Cheboksary.

Transfers between cities take from 3 to 5 hours. The longest - from Penza to Ryazan, but from Nizhny Novgorod to Kazan the path is not short, so choose a pace that is comfortable for you. If you are in no hurry, the trip will take about two weeks.

4. Krasnodar Territory

Duration: 14 days.
Length: about 3 300 km from Moscow and back.

auto travel in Russia: Krasnodar Territory

Route plan: the road from Moscow to Krasnodar will take about 16 hours by car, so it is better to take your time and make a stop in Voronezh or Rostov-on-Don. And then a tour of the Azov and Black Seas resorts awaits you: the village of Golubitskaya, Taman, Anapa and Gelendzhik.

Let's go to the sea! If there are two drivers in the car, then even a long journey to Krasnodar will not seem difficult. Or you can relax on the road and get to know, for example, Voronezh - but keep in mind that you will probably want to stay in the city for at least a day. There will be 10 hours of travel to Krasnodar.

And then you can choose resorts to your taste. We recommend starting with an inspection of the Sea of Azov - first get to the village of Golubitskaya, from there go to Kuchugury and Taman. It is convenient to get to Anapa from Taman.

Do not forget to stop at Vityazevo on the way - the village is considered one of the most picturesque places on the Black Sea coast. There you can also relax for a couple of days, sunbathe and swim - there are a lot of tourists in Anapa and Gelendzhik this year. You can return to Krasnodar through Adygeisk. Take a couple of days to take a break from such an active vacation and gain strength before going home - and back to Moscow.

5. Altai, Chuisky tract

Duration: 6-7 days.
Length: about 1 800 km from Novosibirsk and back.

autotravel in Russia: Altai, Chuisky tract

Route plan: by plane to get to Novosibirsk: a ticket from Moscow and back costs from 8,300 rubles. Rent a car right at Tolmachevo airport (from 3,000 rubles per day) and go on a trip to the picturesque places of the region, starting from Gorno-Altaysk.

Chuisky tract is considered one of the most beautiful highways in Russia - besides, it is quite comfortable even for novice drivers. Good asphalt, markings, stopping points and bumpers are waiting for you almost throughout. However, to see all the attractions, many of which are located in the surrounding mountains, it is worth renting an SUV or crossover.

Start your journey with a long drive to Gorno-Altaysk (6 hours). Then all the most interesting awaits you: not far from the city are the Tavdinsky caves, the Seminsky pass, the Devil's finger mountain and other local beauties. Be sure to take some time to see the famous petroglyphs - some are located right next to the road. Admire the rivers and mountain scenery If you wish, you can drive to the very border with Mongolia. Relaxing sightseeing will take approximately three days.

On the way back, relax a bit at the Manzherok mountain resort near Gorno-Altaysk - there is plenty to do there both in winter and in summer. And then return to Novosibirsk. If six hours on the way doesn't appeal to you, stop at Novoaltaisk.

6. Baikal

Duration: 7 days.
Length: about 800 km from Irkutsk and back.

Route plan: first you need to fly to Irkutsk - a ticket from Moscow and back costs about 10,000 rubles. There you can rent a car (from 4,000 rubles a day) and go to Listvyanka and Olkhon.

August and early September are a great time to travel to Lake Baikal: during this period it is warmest here, and there is still not much rain. If you wish, you can leave directly from Moscow, but then get ready to spend at least three days on the road one way. We offer a faster option - with a flight to Irkutsk. It is best to rent an SUV because the roads around the lake are not very good.

Allocate the first couple of days to rest in the village of Listvyanka on the shore of Lake Baikal - everything is there for the comfort of tourists. And then go through Irkutsk to the local pearl - Olkhon Island. In the summer there is a ferry. Since the place is quite popular, there can be a queue at the crossing, so plan on the road for about 6 hours.

You will probably want to stay longer on Olkhon - take this into account when buying air tickets. Three or four days will be enough to go around all the main beauty of the island: capes, lakes, rocks. We recommend stopping in the village of Khuzhir or the village of Kharantsy.

7. Kalmykia

Duration: 8 days.
Length: about 1,050 km from Volgograd and back.

Route plan: to fly to Volgograd, a ticket from Moscow and back costs from 5,000 rubles. Take a car at the airport - from 1,900 rubles per day. You can spend the day in Volgograd, and then go to Elista and the surrounding area. We recommend driving back through Astrakhan.

Kalmykia is an exotic corner of Russia, and getting there from Moscow is not so difficult: only 2 hours by plane to Volgograd and 4 hours by car to Elista. We advise you to spend the first day in the hero city - to relax and see the main sights. And on the second day, go along the P221 highway to the capital of Kalmykia.

Spend at least two days in Elista. In the city, be sure to visit the Golden Abode of Buddha Shakyamuni with a museum of the history of Buddhism and the older Buddhist temple Syakusn-Sume. The Seven Days Pagoda and Golden Gate are also worthy of your Instagram page. If you do not geotag, no one will guess that you have not left Russia.

Go back to Volgograd through Astrakhan to extend your journey and see the natural sights of Kalmykia: you will meet dunes, dunes and lakes. Formally, the road from Elista to Astrakhan takes about 4 hours, but plan a whole day for the trip so that you can safely stop along the way - take a walk and take a photo. The city itself on the Volga also deserves attention and stops for at least one day. It is 6 hours to Volgograd airport from here.