Russian Travel Guide TV is a dedicated travel channel that brings Russia’s vast and diverse landscapes to screens around the world. Launched in 2009, the channel broadcasts in both Russian and English, reaching over 50 million households across 30 countries. The network focuses on showcasing destinations that international tourists rarely see: the Kamchatka Peninsula with its active volcanoes, the remote villages of the Russian Far North, and the historic cities of the Golden Ring. Unlike mainstream travel media that repeats the same Moscow and St. Petersburg highlights, Russian Travel Guide TV invests in original documentary content produced by local filmmakers. In 2023, the channel aired over 200 new episodes covering everything from ethnic festivals in Siberia to culinary traditions in the Caucasus. For anyone planning a trip to Russia, this channel offers invaluable pre-trip research material.

The Channel’s Signature Series

Russian Travel Guide TV produces six main series. Unknown Russia is the flagship program, with over 300 episodes exploring regions from Kaliningrad to Vladivostok. Each episode runs 26 minutes and focuses on one specific area. Natural Wonders covers Russia’s 48 UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, including Lake Baikal, the deepest lake in the world at 1,642 meters. City Stories profiles urban destinations beyond Moscow and St. Petersburg, such as Kazan, Yekaterinburg, and Novosibirsk. The channel also produces a culinary series, Taste of Russia, which has documented 120 regional dishes. In 2022, the channel launched a Historical Estates series highlighting 25 aristocratic country estates that survived the Soviet period. All episodes are available on the channel’s website for free streaming with subtitles in four languages.

Key Destinations Featured

The channel gives significant coverage to the Republic of Karelia, a region bordering Finland known for its 60,000 lakes and traditional wooden architecture. Episodes document the Kizhi Pogost, a UNESCO World Heritage site featuring a 22-domed 18th-century church built entirely without nails. The Kamchatka Peninsula receives regular coverage, with episodes showing the Valley of Geysers, a 6-kilometer canyon containing 90 geysers. Another featured destination is the Altai Mountains, where episodes follow hiking routes through the 1.5-million-hectare Golden Mountains reserve. The channel’s coverage extends to the Kuril Islands, a remote archipelago of 56 volcanic islands between Russia and Japan, a destination visited by fewer than 5,000 tourists annually. The Solovetsky Islands, a historic monastery complex and former Soviet prison camp in the White Sea, feature in a 4-episode documentary mini-series.

Production Quality and Accessibility

Each episode of Russian Travel Guide TV is filmed in high definition with aerial drone footage and professional sound design. The channel employs over 40 full-time staff across four production hubs: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, and Vladivostok. Programs are subtitled in English, Spanish, German, and Chinese. The channel broadcasts on satellite platforms including Hot Bird and Astra, as well as through online streaming services. In 2023, the channel’s YouTube presence grew by 40%, reaching 1.2 million subscribers. The mobile app, available for iOS and Android, allows offline viewing of downloaded episodes. Production costs average 15,000 EUR per episode, funded partially by the Russian Ministry of Culture and partially by tourism boards of featured regions.

Practical Travel Information

Russian Travel Guide TV complements its programming with practical resources. The channel’s website includes downloadable travel guides for 80 Russian regions, each containing information on visa requirements, accommodation options, and transportation. A 2023 survey found that 35% of viewers reported visiting a Russian destination they first saw on the channel. The most commonly cited trip inspired by the channel is the Trans-Siberian Railway journey, covered in a 12-episode series. The website also lists 150 certified local guides across Russia who have been vetted by the channel’s production team. For travelers from Europe, the channel recommends the most affordable entry point as St. Petersburg, with direct flights from 14 European cities averaging 150 EUR one way in 2024.

The Future of Russian Travel Media

Russian Travel Guide TV continues to expand its reach. In 2024, the channel announced a partnership with 10 Russian regional tourism boards to produce a new series on eco-tourism trails. The series will cover 30 national parks with an emphasis on wildlife observation and sustainable travel practices. The channel is also developing a virtual reality app that will allow viewers to experience 360-degree tours of 15 historic sites. The first VR episode, featuring the Catherine Palace in Tsarskoye Selo, was released in December 2023 and received over 100,000 downloads in its first month. With travel to Russia evolving in new directions, Russian Travel Guide TV remains the most comprehensive visual resource for the country’s tourism landscape. The channel estimates it will produce 250 new episodes in 2025 across all its series.

Would you watch Russian Travel Guide TV to plan a trip to Russia or simply to explore the country from home?

Explore more Russia travel guides.

Russian Travel Guide TV is a dedicated travel channel that brings Russia’s vast and diverse landscapes to screens around the world. Launched in 2009, the channel broadcasts in both Russian and English, reaching over 50 million households across 30 countries. The network focuses on showcasing destinations that international tourists rarely see: the Kamchatka Peninsula with its active volcanoes, the remote villages of the Russian Far North, and the historic cities of the Golden Ring. Unlike mainstream travel media that repeats the same Moscow and St. Petersburg highlights, Russian Travel Guide TV invests in original documentary content produced by local filmmakers. In 2023, the channel aired over 200 new episodes covering everything from ethnic festivals in Siberia to culinary traditions in the Caucasus. For anyone planning a trip to Russia, this channel offers invaluable pre-trip research material.

The Channel’s Signature Series

Russian Travel Guide TV produces six main series. Unknown Russia is the flagship program, with over 300 episodes exploring regions from Kaliningrad to Vladivostok. Each episode runs 26 minutes and focuses on one specific area. Natural Wonders covers Russia’s 48 UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, including Lake Baikal, the deepest lake in the world at 1,642 meters. City Stories profiles urban destinations beyond Moscow and St. Petersburg, such as Kazan, Yekaterinburg, and Novosibirsk. The channel also produces a culinary series, Taste of Russia, which has documented 120 regional dishes. In 2022, the channel launched a Historical Estates series highlighting 25 aristocratic country estates that survived the Soviet period. All episodes are available on the channel’s website for free streaming with subtitles in four languages.

Key Destinations Featured

The channel gives significant coverage to the Republic of Karelia, a region bordering Finland known for its 60,000 lakes and traditional wooden architecture. Episodes document the Kizhi Pogost, a UNESCO World Heritage site featuring a 22-domed 18th-century church built entirely without nails. The Kamchatka Peninsula receives regular coverage, with episodes showing the Valley of Geysers, a 6-kilometer canyon containing 90 geysers. Another featured destination is the Altai Mountains, where episodes follow hiking routes through the 1.5-million-hectare Golden Mountains reserve. The channel’s coverage extends to the Kuril Islands, a remote archipelago of 56 volcanic islands between Russia and Japan, a destination visited by fewer than 5,000 tourists annually. The Solovetsky Islands, a historic monastery complex and former Soviet prison camp in the White Sea, feature in a 4-episode documentary mini-series.

Production Quality and Accessibility

Each episode of Russian Travel Guide TV is filmed in high definition with aerial drone footage and professional sound design. The channel employs over 40 full-time staff across four production hubs: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, and Vladivostok. Programs are subtitled in English, Spanish, German, and Chinese. The channel broadcasts on satellite platforms including Hot Bird and Astra, as well as through online streaming services. In 2023, the channel’s YouTube presence grew by 40%, reaching 1.2 million subscribers. The mobile app, available for iOS and Android, allows offline viewing of downloaded episodes. Production costs average 15,000 EUR per episode, funded partially by the Russian Ministry of Culture and partially by tourism boards of featured regions.

Practical Travel Information

Russian Travel Guide TV complements its programming with practical resources. The channel’s website includes downloadable travel guides for 80 Russian regions, each containing information on visa requirements, accommodation options, and transportation. A 2023 survey found that 35% of viewers reported visiting a Russian destination they first saw on the channel. The most commonly cited trip inspired by the channel is the Trans-Siberian Railway journey, covered in a 12-episode series. The website also lists 150 certified local guides across Russia who have been vetted by the channel’s production team. For travelers from Europe, the channel recommends the most affordable entry point as St. Petersburg, with direct flights from 14 European cities averaging 150 EUR one way in 2024.

The Future of Russian Travel Media

Russian Travel Guide TV continues to expand its reach. In 2024, the channel announced a partnership with 10 Russian regional tourism boards to produce a new series on eco-tourism trails. The series will cover 30 national parks with an emphasis on wildlife observation and sustainable travel practices. The channel is also developing a virtual reality app that will allow viewers to experience 360-degree tours of 15 historic sites. The first VR episode, featuring the Catherine Palace in Tsarskoye Selo, was released in December 2023 and received over 100,000 downloads in its first month. With travel to Russia evolving in new directions, Russian Travel Guide TV remains the most comprehensive visual resource for the country’s tourism landscape. The channel estimates it will produce 250 new episodes in 2025 across all its series.

Would you watch Russian Travel Guide TV to plan a trip to Russia or simply to explore the country from home?

Explore more Russia travel guides.