toughnut underground mine tours

Translate This Site

Chamber Member Business Directory

Good Enough Mine & Trolley Tours

The mine that made tombstone. A 45-minute tour underground in the real silver mine. Good Enough Trolley is a 40 Minute tour of Tombstones history including the town, mining district and both cemeteries.   The Goodenough Mine was Tombstone’s major silver producer. The claim was filed in 1878, production began in 1879. Take the tour and learn how the miners worked, see what silver ore looks like, and experience what it’s like to go underground in a perfectly preserved underground historic hard rock mine. Well informed guides lead you through the old workings. A fun and educational experience. 

Tombstone boomed, but founder Ed Schieffelin was more interested in prospecting than owning a mine. Ed was one-third partners with his brother Al Schieffelin and Richard Gird. There were several hundred mining claims near Tombstone, although the most productive were immediately south of town. These included the Goodenough, Toughnut, Contention, Grand Central, Lucky Cuss, Emerald, and Silver Thread. Due to the lack of readily available water near town, mills were built along the San Pedro River about 9 miles (14 km) away, leading to the establishment of several small mill towns, including Charleston, Contention City, and Fairbank.

Schieffelin left Tombstone to find more ore and when he returned four months later, Gird had lined up buyers for their interest in the Contention claim, which they sold for $10,000. It would later yield millions in silver. They sold a half-interest in the Lucky Cuss, and the other half turned into a steady stream of money. Al and Ed Schieffelin later sold their two-thirds interest in the Tough Nut for US$1 million, and sometime later Gird sold his one-third interest for the same amount.

Business: Good Enough Mine & Trolley Tours   Contact Phone Number: 520-457-3333   Email:   [email protected] Website Address:   https://goodenoughsilvermine.com/ Facebook Address:   www.facebook.com/goodenoughminetours/ Location: 501 E Toughnut, Tombstone AZ 85638

OPEN 352 DAYS A YEAR

Explore An Old Silver Mine 100-Feet Below The Surface On This Underground Walking Tour In Arizona

Katie Lawrence

Katie Lawrence is a Southeast Texas native who graduated 18th in her high school class with a GPA of 4.25. She attended college in the Houston area and began writing for OnlyInYourState in 2015. Today, Katie writes, edits, and performs several other tasks for OnlyInYourState and has never been more passionate about a job before. Outside of work, you can likely find her curled up on with a hot cup of coffee, practicing yoga, baking, or exploring the beautiful Lone Star State (in particular, the vast and mystical West Texas desert).

More by this Author

The iconic Queen Mine in Bisbee might be the most well-known mine in Arizona, but there’s another that’s equally worthy of recognition. Hiding in the rough-and-tumble town of Tombstone, the site of the infamous O.K. Corral shooting, is the Goodenough Silver Mine. One of the largest veins of silver in Arizona history was discovered here, and it transformed Tombstone from a dusty old outpost to a thriving boomtown. Today, you can venture 100 feet below the surface and see the mine for yourself, complete with original artifacts left behind by workers and authentic mineral deposits.

Related Stories

This Moderate 4.2-Mile Trail In Arizona Is Covered In Wildflower Blooms In The Springtime

You Can Get A Slice Of Pie In The Drive-Thru At This Quaint Eatery In Arizona

This Unusual Earth Home Airbnb In Jerome Is Worthy Of An Arizona Getaway

Have you ever taken a tour of the Goodenough Silver Mine? If so, tell us all about your experience in the comments section below. Don’t forget to check out our previous article for another bucket list worthy mine tour in Arizona!

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Want more Arizona in your inbox?

Get the latest on things to see, do, and eat around Arizona!

Thank you! You'll receive your first newsletter soon!

An error occured.

Related Articles

• The Ghost Town Of Lowell, Arizona Is Home To Hundreds Of Preserved Vintage Cars
• This 10-Acre Ranch In Arizona Home To Horses, Donkeys, And Goats Is Perfect For A Rustic Retreat
• Family Fun And Adventure Await At Pecan Lake Entertainment In Queen Creek, Arizona
• There's A Build-Your-Own Cookie Bar In Arizona And It's Open Through The Night
• 12 Airbnbs That Are Available To Rent For The 2024 Indianapolis 500
• 14 Nature Lovers Must-Haves For Ultimate Adventure This Season
• 12 Airbnbs That Are Available To Rent For The 2024 Kentucky Derby
• What Will The US Tornado Season Look Like In 2024? Our Very Own Storm Chaser Weighs In

Featured Addresses

Good Enough Mine Tour

Review Highlights

“ It was fun to walk down into the mine and learn a lot of history not just about Tombstone but mining in general! ” in 8 reviews

“ Our tour guide, Forrest , had a very good sense of humor and made the whole tour even more enjoyable. ” in 10 reviews

“ Went on the Toughnut Mine Tour with my sister with Robert as our guide. ” in 2 reviews

Location & Hours

Suggest an edit

501 E Toughnut St

Tombstone, AZ 85638

Other Historical Tours Nearby

Sunset Charter & Tour Co

Narrated Boat Tours and Excursions focused on the Scenic Beauty of the Colorado River Valley, its Wildlife and the History of the London Bridge & Lake Havasu City. We offer 5 Unique Boat Tours & Excursions and Private Charters. We… read more

in Boat Tours, Boating, Historical Tours

Ask the Community

Ask a question

Yelp users haven’t asked any questions yet about Good Enough Mine Tour .

Recommended Reviews

• 1 star rating Not good
• 2 star rating Could’ve been better
• 3 star rating OK
• 4 star rating Good
• 5 star rating Great

Select your rating

Overall rating

105 reviews

Such a great tour. Ray was our guide and he answered all our questions and seemed very knowledgeable about the mine's history. I would definitely do this tour again. Great for all ages but if you can't climb stairs don't do it. There are quite a few steps you have to use to get to the mine.

You gotta go down!!!

Our guide Ray.

We came here Sunday Oct 2nd and used our GetOut Pass to do a free gold panning activity. It was a lot of fun and Janey was really nice. We plan on coming back to do one of their Saturday night dinner theater experiences inside the mine!

Very fun tour of the mine and educational. Nicholas was a great tour guide and kids loved the little petting zoo. Fun for adults and kids.

Nicholas was an amazing tour guide. He was funny,kind and a wealth of knowledge. I would highly recommend this tour.

See all photos from Tracee A. for Good Enough Mine Tour

I wanna give a shout-out to the staff, first and foremost, who were all very friendly, knowledgeable, and clearly enjoy their profession. My folks and I opted to get the tickets for the combined mine tour + trolley tour, which lowered the price we would have paid for both individually. They made it very easy to do one or the other in whichever order you prefer, with the trolley leaving on the hour every hour. We did the mine tour first, and our guide was an older woman named Amy. She was witty and quick and knew a lot about the details of mining. She took us down into and through the interesting winding tunnels where silver ore was extracted. It was well-lit and low-hanging rocks are marked with red paint to assist those who are taller to not hit their heads; though hard hats are provided to all guests as well to wear during the experience. On a hot day, I recommend the mine tour because no matter what, it's a moderate 68°F underground, and a welcome relief to the heat up top! I later learned that they have intermediate and challenging mine tours as well, which do cost more but also last much longer and take you through more interesting areas. If I ever were to go back, I'd definitely want to try the next step up! (Note: for the intermediate they recommend 12+ yo, and for advanced they recommend adults only.) Our guide for the trolley tour was George, who had a conversational tone and drove us allllll over. It lasted approximately 45 minutes because he really showed us all the different areas of Tombstone, not just the mining areas and Allen street. We also were given complementary water, which was very welcome because it was 109°F that day! The trolley runs with the windows down, no A/C.

This was our favorite attraction in Tombstone, and perhaps the only one that is authentic. The silver mine is the reason the town exists and it is very well-maintained. We had a delightful time with the tour guide, Nick, and because we were the only people on the tour, we were able to have in-depth discussions about the mine and Arizona living. This is a must-see attraction in Tombstone.

Austin was a great tour guide. He was very informative and did a great job leading us down the mine. We especially enjoyed bringing our Golden doodle along for the tour. She really enjoyed learning about the history of the mining town.

We live in Southern Arizona and decided to spend the day in Tombstone. I highly recommend the Good Enough Mine Tour and Historical Trolley Tour. The tour of the mine is less than an hour and is highly informative (history and geology). Relatively easy (physically), comfortable temperature, and a lot to see. I forgot the guide's name but he was knowledgeable and knew how to engage with group members. I will be visiting Tombstone again and will make sure to do one of their many other mine tours.

This was a really interesting 45-1hr tour. Amber was our guide and kept the young kiddos interested as well as the adults!

Really good informative tour . Our guide was awesome !!!! Learned a lot about the area

12 other reviews that are not currently recommended

People Also Viewed

Tombstone Trolley Ghost & Murder Tours

Kartchner Caverns State Park

Tombstone History Tours

Arizona Horseback Experience

Gunfighter & Ghost Tour

Tombstone’s Gunfighter & Ghost Tour

Into The West Jeep Tours

Tombstone Terrors

Tombstone Day Trips Tour

Pato Blanco Lakes Adult Rv Resort

Best of Tombstone

Things to do in Tombstone

Other Places Nearby

Find more Architectural Tours near Good Enough Mine Tour

Find more Historical Tours near Good Enough Mine Tour

Browse Nearby

Restaurants

Campgrounds

Bike Rentals

Architectural Tours Near Me

Historical Tours Near Me

People found Good Enough Mine Tour by searching for…

Underground Mine Tour Tombstone

Best Tourist Attractions in Tombstone

Consilidated Mine in Tombstone

Silver Mine Tour in Tombstone

Ghost Tour in Tombstone

Related Cost Guides

Town Car Service

• Things to Do
• Restaurants
• Vacation Rentals
• Travel Stories
• Rental Cars
• Add a Place
• Travel Forum
• Travelers' Choice
• Help Center

Toughnut Mine Tour - Good Enough Mine

• United States    
• Arizona (AZ)    
• Tombstone    
• Tombstone - Things to Do    
• Good Enough Mine

My husband and I took the Combo Trolley and Mine tour. If you are interested in Tombstone history... read more

Very interesting and fun experience. Ray certainly knew all about the history and was an excellent... read more

Toughnut Mine Tour

This mine tour was great fun, The tour leader was thoroughly entertaining, and we went for the entire three hours, as advertised. The mine was cool, temp. and cool. The history was fascinating, and the scope of the mining truely awesome.

We had no idea of what to expect from this tour. My husband, daughter, 13 yr old granddaughter, 10 yr old grandson and I took the 3 hr Toughnut Mine Tour. We were not disappointed. We were amazed, entertained, educated by our knowledgable guide and challenged by the mine conditions. Even the teenager had a great time. This tour is not for everyone as there are slippery rock areas and ladders to climb.

This was a terrible experience for our family. Three of the four Good Enough Mine employees that we interacted with were VERY DRUNK! On the tour we took, there was our family and one other family, and both families had children and teenagers. The employees were swearing and making inappropriate jokes and references to the brothels. It was really unfortunate because there was a lot to learn from this experience, but we were busy holding our breath waiting for the next inappropriate statement to be made by the drunk employees. I wish we could get our money back. There are other mines in Tombstone and Bisbee that we could have visited instead.

We had an excellent guide named Pat. Seeing this mine was like witnessing a time capsule. This mine was literally abandoned one day and much of the equipment and artifacts were left just as they were. This tour is a great way to beat the heat for an hour or so. Going down into the earth is a very cool experience in more ways than one. They provide hard hats and painted warnings for taller people so that you don't bump your head. Our guide, Pat, was entertaining, informative and funny. I'm glad we had him as our tour guide and would recommend that you call ahead and tour on a day that he works. This tour was worth the money and is something fun for a family to do together.

This was a very interesting tour to the old mines in Tombstone. The guide was very knowledgeable and really enjoyed telling everyone about the mine.

To celebrate our 7th wedding anniversary, my husband and I took the Toughnut Mine Tour (offered by the same company). Instead of one hour, we were down there for three hours, sometimes crawling through tight spaces, sometimes trying to see the "spine" (ceiling). It was exhausting in the best, possible way. Bring flashlights, gloves, and long pants! Carey was the best tour guide one could ask for: well-spoken, informative, and with a great sense of humor. We'll be back for certain!

• Who's Who
• Programs and Events
• Newsletters
• Membership benefits
• MSA Fieldtrips
• Show Vendors
• MSA Sponsor
• MSA Collection
• ESM/MSA Outreach Program

MSA FIELD TRIP: BISBEE & TOMBSTONE MINE TOURS

• Start 07/23/2022
•   9:30 AM
• End 07/24/2022
•   4:00 PM
• Location Queen Mine in Bisbee and the GoodEnough-Toughnut Mines are in Tombstone

Registration

• MSA Member - 7/23 Bisbee Mining Tour ($12.00 at check-in) Attending the Bisbee Mining Tour on July 24th @ 9.30 AM ($14.00 at check-in)
• MSA Member - 7/24 GoodEnough Mining Tour ($20.00 at check-in) Attending the GoodEnough Mining Tour in Tombstone July 25th at 11.00 AM ($18.00 at check-in for adults)
• MSA Member - 7/24 ToughNut Mine Tour ($50.00 at check-in) Attending the Toughnut Mine Tour in Tombstone July 25th at 11.00 AM ($50.00 at check-in)
• Non Member - 7/23 Bisbee Mining Tour ($12.00 at check-in) Attending the Bisbee Mining Tour on July 24th @ 9.30 AM ($14.00 at check-in)
• Non Member - 7/24 GoodEnough Mining Tour ($20.00 at check-in) Attending the GoodEnough Mining Tour in Tombstone July 25th at 11.00 AM ($18.00 at check-in for adults)
• Non Member - 7/24 ToughNut Mine Tour ($50.00 at check-in) Attending the Toughnut Mine Tour in Tombstone July 25th at 11.00 AM ($50.00 at check-in)

The Queen Mine opened in 1877 and discontinued mining operations in the mid-1970's. It opened again as a tour mine in 1976.

The mining district in this area has approximately 2,500 miles of tunnels. 

To read more about the Queen Mine and its history, please visit their website at  www.queenminetour.com  

Photo by Kevin Johnson.

MEET TIM E : 9.30 AM (meeting location will be sent @ registration). The Tour starts at 10.30 and you have to be there at least 30 minutes before the tour to check in.

END TIME:  The Tour lasts approximately 1 hour. At this time, the Bisbee Mining and Historical Museum is closed for visits. This would otherwise be included to be visited following the mine tour. The Museum also offers guided 'Historical Tours" of the town of Bisbee. We will keep you updated on the opening and services of the Museum. If anyone has any other suggestions for additional sites to visit in the afternoon, please feel free to contact the trip leader.

LIMITED TRIP:  Minimum of 10 participants and maximum of 30. 

TRAVEL NOTE:   Please allow at least an additional 30 minutes more  than normal to get to the meeting spot.

VEHICLE:   All vehicles will be able to go to this trip.

SAFETY:   The Tour management advises face coverings at this time.  Bring water.

RECOMMENDED:  No open toe shoes or high heels, normal day hiking clothing.

MATERIAL:   There is no mineral collection allowed on this tour.

TRIP LEADER:  Ken Elliott

RSVP REQUIRED by 6PM on Wednesday, July 13th, 2022.

MSA Members and DAISY MOUNTAIN CLUB members Only.

TOMBSTONE: THE GOODENOUGH MINE TOUR July 24th, 2022

Good Enough Mine Underground Tour

An Epic Fully-Narrated Underground Tour!

Quick Details

• Hour Glass Duration: 45 minutes
• User Ages: All ages
• Hiking Physical Activity : This tour includes a 60 step stairway with handrails.

A Real 1880’s Silver Mine 100 Feet Below the Surface in Tombstone, Arizona!

Tour information.

Good Enough Mine Tour is a 45 minute fully narrated tour that takes you into a real 1880’s silver mine. A walking tour that takes you 100 ft below the surface to the workings of the mine. See what silver ore looks like, learn about how it as processed. Beautiful rocks, minerals, and original artifacts. Well lit path, easy walking. This was done all by hand, no power tools and only candle light.

Well over 300 miles of mine workings under Tombstone and the surrounding area. You will see where men worked that started the rush in the southwest and made Tombstone the largest city between St. Louis and San Francisco in the early 1880’s. It was all about millions in silver at 1880 prices. Anybody can do this tour. You can even bring your dog!

Related Tours

• MOST POPULAR
• User Ages 6 and up
• Hour Glass 75 minutes

Mine & Trolley Combo

Take yourself into a real 1880’s Silver Mine 100 Feet Below the Surface & Historical Tour of the Entire Town of Tombstone all in one combo! Enjoy this educational and exciting combo to get the most out of your Arizona experience.

• User All ages
• Hour Glass 45 minutes

Historical Trolley Tour

Enjoy this Historical Tour where you will see all the important sights such as the OK Corral, Bird Cafe Theater, Boothhill, the mines and much more! All in the comfort of our air-conditioned & heated trolley with nice cushioned seats for your comfort.

• User Ages 7 and up
• Hour Glass 1 hour

Spirits Unearthed Ghost Tour

Get spooked in this haunting tour that tells the stories of past haunts in the Good Enough Silver Mine. Travel on the Trolley to the mining district with this tour while you listen to ghostly tales and visit the cemetery and more!

• Tombstone Tourism
• Tombstone Itineraries
• Tombstone Hotels

Toughnut Mine Tours Ticket Price, Hours, Address and Reviews

• North America
• United States
• Things To Do In Tombstone

Toughnut Mine Tours

• Address: 435 E Toughnut St, Tombstone, AZ 85638, USA, United States Map
• Phone: +1- 5204573333
• Tags: Family And Kids

The Good Enough Mine was one of the very first silver mines in Tombstone. Claimed by Ed Schieffelin, it is said that this mine was dug by hands. Take a tour and you will understand how the silver boom led to the foundation of this town. You will get to know how hard silver rock mining was during the nineteenth century. Today, there are several artifacts, rocks, minerals, and structures here that offer an insight into the glorious as well as turbulent past of Tombstone.

• Toughnut Mine Tours Address: 435 E Toughnut St, Tombstone, AZ 85638, USA, United States
• Toughnut Mine Tours Contact Number: +1- 5204573333
• Try the best online travel planner to plan your travel itinerary!

40.49% of people who visit Tombstone include Toughnut Mine Tours in their plan

• 11 AM - 12 PM

37.5% of people start their Toughnut Mine Tours visit around 11 AM - 12 PM

People usually take around 30 Minutes to see Toughnut Mine Tours

65.63% of people prefer walking in order to reach Toughnut Mine Tours

People normally club together Tombstone Gunfighters and Big Iron Shooting Gallery while planning their visit to Toughnut Mine Tours.

Toughnut Mine Tours Reviews & Ratings

Attractions Nearby

• Old Tombstone Wild West Theme Park
• Sabino Canyon
• Pima Air & Space Museum
• San Xavier Del Bac
• Reid Park Zoo
• Tucson Botanical Gardens
• The Gaslight Theatre
• Tombstone Itinerary for 1 day
• Tombstone Itinerary for 2 days

• Tombstone's Goodenough Mine Tour
• United States
• Tombstone, AZ

This page promotes the mine tour here in Tombstone, The mine tours are for historical and educational purposes.

What's at the Good Enough Silver Mine in Tombstone, Arizona

Here are some more details about the Tombstone Cast Reunion this summer! 🤠 Tombstone 30th Cast Reunion

We are excited to see everyone in Tombstone. Here is the itinerary.

TOMBSTONE DESERT DONKEY DASH - SCHIEFFELIN DAYS You will want to be here for this one!

They are coming!!!

Experince the Toughnut Dinner Theater this Saturday Tickets on our website now.

See our many activities goodenoughsilvermine.com 3 Mine Tours, Dinner Theater, Historical above ground Trolley Tour, Gold Panning, Ghost Tour and more....

Saturday Evening ....What a date night....

The Toughnut Tour is one to remember see all the minerals, artifacts and work men did from 1878.

New Dinner Theater 100ft Underground. 1800's style dinner , mine tour & show in one. An experience like none other. A date night to remember...

Book your Toughnut Dinner Theater at goodenoughsilvermine.com 16 seats per show Saturday @ 5:30 Make your reservations now! The perfect date night!

Toughnut Dinner Theater 100 ft underground, Mini tour of the Toughnut Mine, Miners dinner (Chili, beans, cornbead & cobbler) and hear what the 1800's were like from George Parsons and a Soiled Dove, website: goodenoughsilvermine.com the book NOW button. Opens Sat 5:30, then each Saturday for the month of June. WARNING: short ladder, steep steps and uneven surfaces. Tripping Hazards.

Good Enough Mine 501 E Toughnut Street Tombstone , AZ 85638

• Opening Hours

+15204573333

http://www.goodenoughsilvermine.com/

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Tombstone's Goodenough Mine Tour posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time. Subscribe

• Contact The Museum

Send a message to Tombstone's Goodenough Mine Tour:

Toughnut Dinner Theater

Come join the FUN!!

Dinner Theater 100ft Underground

Poop is Coming!

Get out of the heat, it's cool here! Tours now limited to 9 persons.

HELLDORADO 2019

Now 3 Mine Tours

Join us Wyatt Earp Days at the Mine

• Claim ownership or report listing

Want your museum to be the top-listed Museum in Tombstone?

The Goodenough Mine was Tombstone’s major silver producer. The claim was filed in 1878, production began in 1879. Take the tour and learn how the miners worked, see what silver ore looks like, and experience what it’s like to go underground in a perfectly preserved undergound historic hard rock mine. Well informed guides lead you through the old workings. A fun and educational experience. Good Enough Trolley tour is a Historical tour of not just the entire town, but includes Schieffelin’s Monument, both cemeteries and the Mining District the the hills of Tombstone. See it ALL!

Nearby museums

Eat Stay and Play Tombstone AZ

Other Tombstone museums

O.K. Corral

Audie Murphy Museum

Arizona Rangers Museum - Tombstone

Spirit of the West Ranch

The Bird Cage Theatre Tribute

The Bird Cage Theatre (The Official Site)

Tombstone Western Heritage Museum

Marlowe House Tombstone

Tombstone Art Gallery

Check Availability

• B and B Store
• Guest Rooms
• Area Attractions
• Southeast Arizona Wineries
• Birding Locations in Cochise County

Tombstone Good Enough Mine Tour

Southwestern Arizona offers many experiences to give you the “Old West” feeling. One of the things you can do in Cochise County is to go underground on tours such as Kartchner Caverns in Benson, The Copper Queen Mine in Bisbee and The Good Enough Mine in Tombstone. Each has its own charms and I have experienced them all. Angie and I were in Tombstone prior to the Rose Tree Festival and after touring the Rose Tree we decided to take in the mine tour. We got to the Toughnut Street location 10 minutes before the tour began. Early arrival allows you to look at the old mining equipment that is on the property.

The Good Enough Mine Ticket Office is open for business.

I will give you the short history behind the mining that was done in Tombstone. In 1877, Ed Schieffelin found an ore deposit and filed a claim. He called the mine the Tombstone, because he had been told by his friends that a tombstone was all he would find looking for ore in the Apache wilderness. That is how the town got its name. In 1878, he filed another claim for the Good Enough Mine. Over the years, Ed filed 19 different claims. The mining tunnels from the different mines intersect in places. Ed and his partners also established a lumber mill in the Huachuca Mountains and a stamping plant to process the ore in Contention. Tombstone became the largest town between San Francisco and St. Louis. In the end Ed, his brother Al and a mining engineer, who were partners, sold their mines to Consolidated Mining for $600,000 each, $12 million in today’s dollars. The mines turned out to be one of the richest strike in the southwestern United States.

After the company that owned the mine decided it wasn’t worth anything, The Good Enough Mine was purchased by the ex mayor of

Mining Equipment is available for you to check it out.

Tombstone and his wife for $2000. They wanted to bring back something that made was the reason for Tombstone to exist. After the purchase the real work began. As the mine had been abandoned, the shafts and tunnels were filled with trash and dirt. Over a 6 year period, the debris was removed from the mine, paths were made and the walls were washed down so that visitors could see minerals that were still in the walls. The paths were made smooth and relatively level with the exception of the stairway which takes you down to the main mine trail. In places the roof of the mine tunnels are painted red where the rock hangs down. Head protection is needed and hard hats are available if you don’t have one. Prior to the tour opening, the mine was inspected for safety and there are some areas where additional safety

Ore wagons were pulled by the mule teams to the Contention stamping mill for processing the ore into silver.

screening and shoring have been added to stabilize the rock. The organized tours were started about a year and a half ago and the experience has been improved by the owners over the years.

At the beginning of the tour, our guide introduced himself and gave us a demonstration of what it took to drill holes in the rock walls by hand. The drilling was done so that dynamite could be placed in the rock face. Unlike the western movies where miners were using picks and shovels to get the ore out, miners needed to blast the ore deposit into pieces that could be loaded on to carts and brought out of the mine. The video I made gives a

You can see the copper ore still in the mine. This was a silver mine but copper, gold and lead were also found here.

demonstration of what it took to drill a hole into the rock. After the demonstration, we walked down the slope toward the wash and into the mine entrance.

At the entrance we were told about the debris removal and what we would see during the tour. The mine was worked for many years from the 1880s into the 1930s. Our guide said that he had found an El Paso newspaper down in the mine dated 1908. We were also told that one of the urban legends about the mine being flooded is only partially true. As the miners dug deeper chasing the silver ore, they reached a level where water entered the mine. Pumps were brought in and installed and pumped the water out until the miners reached the 700 foot level. When the pumps failed the water returned to the 500 foot level again covering the pumps. The mine never totally flooded but mining below 500 feet is not feasible.

Shoring the ceiling with big timbers kept the mine roof stabilized.

The mine tour starts with stairs that go down 70 feet to the loop trail that has been made in the mine. The entire trail is lit and there are specific side areas and niches that are lit for people to see different aspects of the mine. Our guide pointed out tunnels and shafts that were roped off. He explained that the entire inner-connecting complex of tunnels goes under the town of Tombstone and out into the surrounding areas. To illustrate his point he showed us one that goes under the wash and comes out at the Toughnut Mine entrance. The mine is a man made hard rock cave and if you are claustrophobic, it isn’t not for you. The miners followed the ore wherever it went, horizontally or vertically. Some passages are low and narrow and other places being are large rooms with 30 tall ceilings. The miners spent 12 hour shifts in the mine and worked by candlelight at the beginning. Carbide lights were introduced much later in the history of the mine. Unlike coal mines, there was no gasses emitted from the deposits and explosions from a live flame did not happen. The air is fresh in the mine. The complex of tunnels creates a draft that is flowing throughout the mine. We were shown some of the items left by the miners in the tunnels from tools to empty cans of food. The mine structure is sturdy and has some shoring. An earthquake in Sonora Mexico in the 1890s didn’t affect the structure at all. There are some areas of town on Toughnut Street that are collapsing due to the mine. If you go to the Courthouse, there are detail drawings there that show the mine tunnels and the levels of the mines in Tombstone. It gives you some more information on just how big the tunnel complex is.

Near the end of the 1 hour tour, we were shown some ore samples from the mine. Most of the silver from the mine was shipped off to New Orleans and was minted into coins. We were also told of a more extreme tour that is done on Saturdays and it takes about 3 hours. The Toughnut mine tour goes back into areas of the mine that are seldom seen. This tour requires a minimum age of 10 years old, hard hats, lighting and water. It is advisable that you have old clothes, gloves, knee pads and protection for scrapes. When you are making plans to go on any of the Cochise County underground tours, remember that your lodging choice should be Down By The River B and B, “ The Lodging Hub of Cochise County .” We are located in St. David about 20 minutes from Tombstone and our San Pedro River BnB is perfect for that quiet relaxing stay in Southeastern Arizona.

This entry was posted 11 years ago on Tuesday, April 16th, 2013. and is filed under Events and Things To Do . RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. -->

Comments are closed.

Recent Posts

• Update on Down By The River B and B Down By The River B and B - an exciting update for our Guests The dream named Down By The River B ...
• Southeast Arizona Parks Southeast Arizona Parks – The Unknown Jewels Southeast Arizona parks and historic sites are not ...

Back to top ↑ | Sitemap | Log in | Hosted on Inndx.com

Listed below are the attractions Tombstone, Arizona offers for our guests to enjoy.  You can choose from a variety of museums to peruse, visit the original silver mine under the streets of Tombstone, enjoy the sway of a stagecoach as it meanders through the historic district, hop a trolley toward Boot Hill, seek out the “other side” with paranormal experiences or be entertained with legendary stories retold through action and reaction of the Colt .45!

This page lists: gunfights, shows, tours & attractions  ~   museums  ~   old time photo studios  ~   other tours & attractions, ~ gunfights, shows, tours and attractions ~, gunfighter & ghost tours, tours leave nightly at dusk 520-255-0019, guided ghost tours leaving nightly from downtown tombstone. see tombstone's 10 most haunted destinations..

Read what other travelers have to say about Gunfighter and Ghost Tours at TripAdvisor

The Good Enough Mine Underground Tours

5th and toughnut streets (520) 457-3333, under new ownership. see one of tombstone's first mines founded by ed schieffelin in 1878. daily tours starting at 10:00 am. last tour at 4:00 pm. tour now open.

Read what other travelers have to say about the Good Enough Mine Tour at TripAdvisor

The Good Enough Mine Trolley Tours

See the town too tough to die from the good enough mine trolley tour. this six mile, 40 minute tour will take you around the streets of tombstone see over 55 tombstone landmarks, ok corral & historama, allen st. between 3rd & 4th - p.o. box 367 tombstone, az 85638 (520) 457-3456, gunfight shows at 11am, 2pm and 3:30pm daily. historama throughout the day. open 9 - 5. admission charge(s)..

Read what other travelers have to say about the OK Corral and Historama at TripAdvisor

Old Butterfield Stage Coach

326 e. allen st. in front of the ok corral, ride the old butterfield stage coach and enjoy a 20 minute narrated tour of historic old tombstone. adults $10.00 - children $5.00 - kids under 6 ride for free - open 9am - 5pm. days of operation vary..

Read what other travelers have to say about Old Butterfield Stage Tours at TripAdvisor

Old Tombstone Historical Tours

Allen st. near 5th st. - p.o. box 545 (520) 559-3590, $10 fare. take a trip back in time with a narrated tour of the town "too tough to die". you can ride by stagecoach, wagon, or other horse drawn vehicles. admission charge. closed christmas..

Read what other travelers have to say about Old Tombstone Historical Tours at TripAdvisor

Old Tombstone Western Theme Park

4th and toughnut streets 520-955-3090, gunfights, pan for gold, miniature golf and more..

Read what other travelers have to say about Old Tombstone Western Theme Park at TripAdvisor

Outlaw Zipline

130 s. 7th street at toughnut (520) 240-1155, tombstone arizona is home to the world’s only laser shooting zipline test your shooting skills while riding sitting up, upside down or spinning around. outlaw zipline is located at the corner of s. 7th street and toughnut street near the lower parking lot. once block south of allen street., ponyland trail rides, 643 w. louis street (520) 409-7611, put on your boots and get ready for horseback riding in tombstone arizona. ponyland features guided trail rides and wagon rides for every occasion. you can enjoy our guided trail rides, sunset and moonlight rides. we also offer a petting zoo and pony rides for the little ones. rides are available by appointment daily., the saloon theatre, 109 s. third street (520) 457-8802, indoor historical gunfights in the town too tough to die.

Read what other travelers have to say about the Saloon Theatre at TripAdvisor

Tombstone Trolley Tours

4th & toughnut streets (520) 955-3090, enjoy a 25 minute historical tour of the town too tough to die featuring on/off service to boothill graveyard group rates closed on christmas..

Read what other travelers have to say about Tombstone Trolley Tours at TripAdvisor

Wyatt Earp's Oriental Saloon & Theater

500 e. allen street (520) 457-2407, wyatt earp’s oriental saloon and theater pays tribute to the personalities who lived and died in frontier arizona ..

Read what other travelers have to say about Wyatt Earp's Oriental Saloon at TripAdvisor

IF YOU KNOW OF A BUSINESS THAT IS NOT LISTED HERE, LET US KNOW!

Find the best deal, compare prices, and read what other travelers have to say about Tombstone Arizona's Attractions at Trip Advisor

~  MUSEUMS  ~

The bird cage theatre, 6th & allen streets tombstone, az 85638 (520) 457-3421, tombstone's historic bird cage. open daily 9 am - 6 pm. ghost tours nightly. group tour rates available by arrangement. admission charge. highly recommended closed christmas.

Read what other travelers have to say about the Bird Cage Theatre at TripAdvisor

Boothill Graveyard

408 n. highway 80 (520) 457-1450, tombstone's first cemetery. used from 1879 to 1884. managed by the city of tombstone . open daily 9 am - 6 pm.  $6.00 admission. check our our online gift shop.

Read what other travelers have to say about Boothill Graveyard at TripAdvisor

Gunfighter Hall of Fame

4th and toughnut streets, extensive displays of historic gunfighters. admission charge..

Read what other travelers have to say about the Gunfighter Hall of Fame at TripAdvisor

Rose Tree Inn Museum

4th & toughnut streets tombstone, az 85638 (520) 457-3326, featuring the macia family collection of authentic tombstone arizona historical artifacts and home of the world's largest rose tree. open daily 9 am - 5 pm. admission charge. closed thanksgiving & christmas..

Read what other travelers have to say about Tombstone Rose Tree Inn Museum at TripAdvisor

Tombstone Association of the Arts Gallery

383 e. allen street (520) 457-2380, local artists show their works. gift shop. free admission., tombstone courthouse state historic park, 3rd & toughnut tombstone, az 85638 (520) 457-3311, now managed by the state of arizona. open 9 am - 4:30 pm october-may 9 am - 3pm june-september. admission charge.  closed christmas..

Read what other travelers have to say about the Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park at TripAdvisor

Tombstone Epitaph Museum

11 s. 5th street tombstone, az 85638 (520) 457-2211, the west's most famous newspaper. founded may 1, 1880. open daily 9:30 am - 5 pm. free admission. closed christmas..

Read what other travelers have to say about the Tombstone Epitaph Museum at TripAdvisor

Tombstone Western Heritage Museum

517 e. fremont street tombstone, az (520) 457-3800, this museum houses a collection of tombstone, western, lawman and outlaw memorabilia, ~ old time photo studios ~, can can old time photos, 4th & allen streets p.o. box 489 tombstone, az 85638 (520) 457-3227, old time photos in the town too tough to die, lady l's creations, old timey photo parlor & wax works 516 e. allen street tombstone, arizona (520) 457-8415, old time photos, wax works, unique gifts & souvenirs...

Ready to book your room in Tombstone, Arizona? Visit Booking.com and see what they offer!

~ OTHER TOMBSTONE RELATED TOURS/ATTRACTIONS ~

Great american adventures, wyatt earp’s vendetta ride tombstone horseback ride, arizona territory october 15 – 20, 2017, a historic & scenic arizona horseback ride and tour into the old west, big jeep tours, big jeep tours is the premier history, scenic, and adventure tour company in bisbee, arizona. 520-423-6279, volare helicopter tours, flight training - sightseeing tours  - photography 11700 w avra valley rd marana, arizona 520-917-0337, volare helicopters provides sightseeing tours and flight training in tucson, arizona and surrounding areas..

MINE HISTORY

The 130-year history of mining in the Coeur d'Alenes has created a unique and colorful mining culture.Go underground and see what they experienced...

A FUN EXPERIENCE

Go underground with Wally! Your guide, Wally, a hard-rock miner for 16 years as he shares experiences and shows you around the Sierra Silver Mine ...

Go Underground on an Adventure! Throughout Summer, Fall and Spring. Hours: May, Sept., & Oct. 10am-2pm, 7 days a week through Oct. 15 June, July & August, 10am-4pm, 7 days a week

Welcome to The Sierra Silver Mine Tour!

What is our Mission?

The Sierra Silver Mine Tour is dedicated to educating current and future generations as to the culture, history and contemporary practices of hard-rock mining in the Coeur d'Alene Mining District.

Read More >>

WHERE WE ARE

New location.

Sierra Silver Mine Tour, Inc. 509 Cedar Street Wallace, Idaho USA 83873 (208) 752-5151 [email protected]

 Need Directions? Click Here.

The most popular, exciting, and educational tour in North Idaho.

Fun for adventurers of all ages! You will personally experience the actual methods of hard-rock mining in the richest silver district on earth! A retired miner is your guide you through a real silver mine. On the short trip to and from the mine aboard our classic trolley, you will be treated to a narrated tour of Historic Wallace. 1 hour and 15 minute tours depart from the ticket office every 30 minutes with the first tour departing at 10am and the last at 4pm.

• Seniors (60 and better) $16
• Children (4-16 years) $10
• (Children under 4 years free)
• Family (2-Adults & 2 or more children between 4 -16) $55
• Group rates available for 10 or more people with advance purchase.
• School field trips and children's activities groups are always welcome and receive a special rate with advance reservations.
• AAA discount
• Open 7 days a week from May 1 st through Oct. 15 th : Jun. - Aug.: 10 AM - 4 PM
• May, September and October: 10 AM - 2 PM
• New tour leaves every 1/2 hour - The first tour departing at 10 AM and the last tour departs at 4 PM
• Tour length: 1 hours and 15 minutes
• Bring your camera and a light jacket
• Mine temp. about 50 degrees F (10 C)

We are committed to the health and safety of our guests and crew. We will sanitize our equipment and trolley after every tour and we encourage you to wear your mask.

Opening May 15th!

• Guided tour

Moscow: City Sightseeing by Car/Bus

• Description
• Choose date

Visiting a new city is akin to going on a first date, it is something you will never forget. Many people imagine Moscow as just a bunch of sporadic landmarks: Red Square, the Kremlin, Lenin’s Mausoleum and GUM. There is so much more to this wonderful city than that and even though we only have a few hours, we will do all we can to show you everything we know and love about our capital in one fell swoop. We will take you on a journey through the ages, from centuries ago, right up to the modern day, soaking in the sights of this vast and bustling metropolis. Bright, luxurious and both ancient and modern at the same time, Moscow invites you on a date you’ll never forget!

On our sightseeing bus tour of the city, you will see:

• The wonderfully historic city centre and its unique museums, magnificent cathedrals, the exquisite Chambers of the Romanov Boyars and of course, the famous towering red brick walls of the Kremlin, The charming beauty of the Alexander Garden awaits the capital's guests - a lush green oasis in the midst of the glass and concrete clad metropolis, basking in the etherial aura emanating from the whitewashed stone walls of the restored Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, the world- renowned fairytale onion domes of St. Basil's Cathedral and other impressive monumental buildings such as the library built in Lenin's honour - the Russian State Library - and the State Duma.
• The Lubyanka KGB headquarters is notorious to members of older generations and although nowadays, the face of the secret police has changed dramatically, the looming enigmatic building on the waterfront maintains its aura of mystery, shrouded in a variety of murky rumours and dark myths. Then, there’s another of Moscow's main attractions - the marvellous Bolshoi Theatre, yew simply cant leave Moscow without taking in its breathtaking architecture. Engrained in the fabric of Russia's cultural heritage, virtuoso performers such as prima ballerina Galina Ulanova, opera singer Feodor Chaliapin and pianist, composer and conductor Sergei Rachmaninoff once stood centre stage of this vaunted institution.
• The memorial complex on Poklonnaya Hill was constructed in the glory and honour of our heroes who defended our nation in the many crucial battles of the Great Patriotic War (WWII). This is a place that embodies a particularly acute and inextricable link between older ancf younger generations. Moving on to the Moscow International Business Centre, not dubbed ‘Moscow City' for nothing, a true glimpse of the future in the present. This incredible, rather jaw-dropping project in the capital has shown that Moscow has come to accept the age of the skyscraper. Finally, the stunning views from the observation deck at Sparrow Hills will leave professional and amateur photographers alike itching to capture them. How could one resist?

The most beautiful of all the world's cities - lady Moscow invites you out on a date!

The cost of an excursion with a personal guide for 1 person

Meeting point We'll pick you up at your hotel

St. Basil's Cathedral

House on the Embankment

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

Vorobyovy Hills

Poklonnaya Hill Poklonnaya Gora

Moscow-City

Alexander garden

Russian State Library

Bolshoi Theatre

End of the tour

Choose your dates

Select time, who's going.

• Excursion Moscow: City Sightseeing by Car/Bus
• Date and time:
• Who's going:

Moscow’s best free city tour

I love Moscow – this charming metropolis, its people, its history and its unique cityscape. I would like to share my passion for this city with you. It is my job to show you the most exciting corners of this fascinating metropolis. That’s why, as a travel specialist and your private tour guide Moscow in Russia, I organize a guided free city tour Moscow – so that everyone, regardless of their budget, would be able to enjoy the insider’s view of Moscow.

You get to see what only Moscow residents know and what other tourist guides keep from you. I am a licensed travel specialist in Russia and would like you to enjoy all facets of the capital of the largest country in the world, without demanding any money from you. I’ll show you the city on my free Moscow walking tour for 1.5-hours on foot.

Everything you need to know:

• My tours take place daily by arrangement, I am the only English-speaking licensed tourist guide Moscow, who offers a free city tour.
• My 1.5-hour free tours Moscow do not cost you a cent, I also offer other great paid tours as well.
• I am an experienced local, I make the tours informative, but at the same time relaxed and not off the plane.

Free Tours Moscow – Daily

My free tours Moscow city starts on Slavonic Square (Kitay-Gorod Metro Station), passes the world-famous St. Basil’s Cathedral, which was built by Ivan the Terrible on the south side of Red Square in the 16th century and where the tsars were once crowned. Then it goes across the Red Square at the Lenin Mausoleum, the luxury department store GUM and with a view of the Kremlin towards the historical museum. Of course, you will also learn more about the stories that once happened behind the thick walls of the Kremlin – from the Tsars and Napoleon to Stalin. Then we continue through the idyllic Alexander Garden.

An advance booking is required!

Practical information:

Time: by arrangement, daily Duration: 1.5 hours Price: Free Language: English

«First acquaintance with Moscow» – a 2.5-hour city tour in the center of Moscow

This Moscow city tour starts on the Theater Square, past Lubyanka Square and the KGB-building, then through Kitay Gorod district and Varvarka Street, past the world-famous St. Basil’s Cathedral. Then it goes across Zarjadje Park, over Red Square at the Lenin Mausoleum, the GUM-department store and towards the Historical Museum. We walk through the Alexander Garden.

Time: by arrangement, daily Duration: 2.5 hours Price: 17 $ Students and children: 6 $ Language: English

A 3.5-hour car/bus tour of Moscow.

This is the best tour of Moscow city as all the important sights are visited. I am your Moscow city guide who will walk you through the city explaining the charming history of the city. This tour begins with picking you up from the hotel. 3 breaks are offered for photographing.

First, we will visit the most famous riverside streets and bridges in the center of the city with the most beautiful views of the Kremlin and the Moskva River (e.g. the Kremlin embankment and the Great Stone Bridge).

The first photo break is made at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. We then pass by the district with numerous museums, Prechistinka Street and the district with numerous medical areas.

We again stop at the Novodevichy Convent, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the other bank of the Moskva River to click pictures.

Then we visit “Sparrow Hills” where you can enjoy a bird’s eye view of the city of Moscow from the observation deck. Then there are the skyscrapers of Moscow-City, the Kutuzov avenue, the New Arbat, Tverskaya Street, the world-famous Bolshoi Theater, the KGB building and Varvarka Street. Here there are ample spots to click pictures.

We then drive past the Kremlin again and finally reach Red Square. We take a short tour of Red Square and say goodbye in the Alexander Garden.

Time: by arrangement, daily Duration: 3.5 hours Price for a group: 170-200 $ (depending on the number of travelers) Language: English

Metro tour – daily

Palaces for ordinary people – that was what Stalin promised to the people when the construction of the Moscow Metro began between the World Wars. The communist dictator hadn’t promised too much. No other underground system in the world can boast such spectacular architecture – chandeliers, decorations, stucco, paintings on the walls – each station is individually designed. No wonder that Moscow residents love their metro. I will guide you through the bustle of one of the busiest subways in the world and show you the most beautiful stations Moscow city has.

Time: by arrangement, daily Duration: 2 hours Price: 21 $ Students and children: 17 $ Language: English Included in the price: Metro tickets / the guided tour

Tour of Communist Moscow – every day

After the Communist October Revolution in 1918, Moscow became the capital of the Soviet Empire and was the center of socialist orbit for more than 70 years. This left its mark on Moscow, even if the USSR disintegrated more than a quarter of a century ago. The city streets are full of remnants of the communist regime and the Cold War. This is a walking tour where I will show you the most exciting places in Soviet Moscow: from the notorious KGB headquarters, also known as Lubyanka to the Karl Marx Monument to small hidden remains from the time of hammer and sickle. You will also learn about Stalin’s Great Terror political campaign and the system of the GULAG and how the USSR, the communist Russian republic, became modern Russia.

Time: by arrangement, daily Duration: 2 hours Price: 21 $ Students and children: 17 $ Language: English Included in the price: the guided tour

Alternative Moscow Tour – daily

Explore the unseen Moscow with your Moscow private guide and discover a range of sights during this alternative walking tour.  Away from the main tourist spots (in the central district of Kitay-Gorod), just a short walk from Red Square and St. Basil’s Cathedral, you suddenly find yourself in one of the trendiest districts of Moscow. This place not only has trendy cafes and green squares, but here you can see the most beautiful spray works (according to Albrecht Dürer), hangout-places of the youth and hipsters, as well as learn what Moscow looked like in the 19th century. Here you will also learn exciting and even bloody stories about famous gangsters, eccentric business people and legends like the wandering preacher Rasputin, who is known in Russia either as the “holy devil” or the mad monk. To learn a little more about Moscow’s culture, this is the tour for you. On my alternative tour, you will get to know Moscow away from the tourist hotspots. This tour is of 2 hours duration and you will experience the following on the tour:

• St. John’s Hill, a quiet oasis right in the center, where time has stopped as it did in pre-Communist times
• Khokhlovka Art Center, where Russian hipsters and street artists hang out
• Samoskvorechye District where you can see beautiful streets and hear stories from old Moscow

Time: by arrangement, daily Duration: 2 hours Price: 21 $ Students and children: 17 $ Language: English Included in the price: the guided tour / tram ticket

Kremlin tour – daily (closed on Thursday)

With its 20 towers and high walls, the Kremlin rises imposingly over Red Square. This world-famous fortress with its area of ​​28 hectares is home to over 800 years of Russian history. Described as the eighth wonder of the world, this historic fortress complex is the principal symbol of Russia that sits on the banks of the Moscow River. Today the Kremlin still harbors numerous secrets and has palaces and cathedrals, surrounded by Kremlin Wall. The current wall was constructed between the 15 th  and 16 th  centuries, but the original wall was made of wood around the year 1147. The Kremlin Wall became an important symbol of Moscow’s importance in the Russian Empire. This top tourist destination attracts millions of people every year and there are various sights to see. With my Kremlin tour, you will see the oldest square in the city in the heart of the Kremlin, the once largest cannon in the world and the scene of numerous dramas – from Ivan the Terrible and Napoleon to Stalin. You cannot miss this unique experience.

An advance booking and prepayment for tickets are required.

Time: by arrangement, daily (closed on Thursday) Duration: 2 hours Price on request Students and children: on request Language: English Included in the price: Kremlin tickets / the guided tour

Moscow pub crawl – Friday / Saturday

Experience the real nightlife of Moscow with my Moscow Pub Crawl and enjoy 4 pubs/bars plus 4 welcome shot drinks. Move from one bar to another and get to know travelers from around the world as well as the locals. Play fun adventure games and contests in addition to getting perks in the bars. Between the bars, move from one place to another on foot. The routes are organized as such that you will walk no more than 10 minutes between the bars. Visit the most exciting events, parties, concerts, and dance in the bars. Moscow Pub Crawl is a tour that you will never forget.

This tour runs every Friday and Saturday evening at 8 PM and you need to bring along your passport or an ID card, comfortable shoes, and wear smart casual clothes.

An advance booking and a small prepayment are required!

Time: by arrangement, daily Duration: 4 hours Price on request Language: English Included in the price: the guided tour, 4 shot drinks

1.5-hour boat trip on the Moskva River.

Taking a boat tour in Moscow on the Moskva River is a very pleasant experience. It allows you to know the city from a totally different perspective and admire the beautiful bridges. In this 1.5-hour river trip, you will sail past many beautiful sites in Moscow, so you can take the best photos to commemorate this day. The ship makes several stops on the way. The trip starts from the Ustinskiy Bridge near Sarjadje Park and ends at the Kiev train station.

On this Boat Trip, you can see sights such as: the former Imperial Education House, Sarjadje Park, the “flowing”, “floating” bridge, the most beautiful view of the Kremlin, the Great Stone Bridge, the legendary House on the Quay, the Christ the Savior Cathedral , the monument to Peter the Great on the ship, the central sports arena Luzhniki, the Sparrow Hills, 240 meters high Lomonosov University, the numerous architecturally spectacular skyscrapers of Moscow-City, the Novodevichy Convent, the building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs etc.

Time: by arrangement, daily Duration: 1.5 hours Price on request Language: English

A military tour – riding on tanks in Stupino (Moscow region)

Russian Military is one of the largest military forces in the world formed in 1992. With my Military Tour experience what it likes to be in the Russian military, shooting guns, ride the Tank T-34 and various models of German tanks from the Second World War, as well as armored personnel carriers and vehicles. You will also shoot from the AK-47 and another combat weapon.

The tour will begin with your private tour guide Moscow in a Soviet army van accompanied with some tasty snacks and tea for a tasty start. Upon arriving, you will have to put on the army safety clothing and climb the Russian armored vehicles. The tour will take you on the noisy, smoky tank, driving through mud roads. All participants will get the chance to drive the tank which is coordinated by the Russian military.

Time: by arrangement, daily Price on request Language: English

Alexander Popov

Welcome to Russia! My name is Alexander, I was born in Moscow and I'm a passionate tour guide. I want to share my passion for Russia and my hometown with you. On my website you will find useful information to make your individual trip to Russia as interesting as possible.

Gorky Park and Sparrow Hills: Green Lungs, place to relax and meet

The travel voucher for the russia visa, you will also like, everything you need to know about russia: included..., traveling‌ ‌in‌ ‌russia‌ ‌–‌ ‌how‌ ‌safe‌ ‌it‌ ‌is‌..., choosing the best guide for a free and..., how do i exchange money in moscow, eating out in moscow, the best time to travel to russia, how do i get from moscow airports to..., the best taxi services in moscow, moscow’s top 13 – the main attractions of..., with sim card purchase in russia: use whatsapp,..., leave a comment cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

@2019-2020 - Moscow Voyager. Alexander Popov

We use cookies to provide you with a better experience. By continuing to use our site you accept our cookie policy. Accept Read More

2018 Primetime Emmy & James Beard Award Winner

In Transit: Notes from the Underground

Jun 06 2018.

Spend some time in one of Moscow’s finest museums.

Subterranean commuting might not be anyone’s idea of a good time, but even in a city packing the war-games treasures and priceless bejeweled eggs of the Kremlin Armoury and the colossal Soviet pavilions of the VDNKh , the Metro holds up as one of Moscow’s finest museums. Just avoid rush hour.

The Metro is stunning and provides an unrivaled insight into the city’s psyche, past and present, but it also happens to be the best way to get around. Moscow has Uber, and the Russian version called Yandex Taxi , but also some nasty traffic. Metro trains come around every 90 seconds or so, at a more than 99 percent on-time rate. It’s also reasonably priced, with a single ride at 55 cents (and cheaper in bulk). From history to tickets to rules — official and not — here’s what you need to know to get started.

A Brief Introduction Buying Tickets Know Before You Go (Down) Rules An Easy Tour

A Brief Introduction

Moscow’s Metro was a long time coming. Plans for rapid transit to relieve the city’s beleaguered tram system date back to the Imperial era, but a couple of wars and a revolution held up its development. Stalin revived it as part of his grand plan to modernize the Soviet Union in the 1920s and 30s. The first lines and tunnels were constructed with help from engineers from the London Underground, although Stalin’s secret police decided that they had learned too much about Moscow’s layout and had them arrested on espionage charges and deported.

The beauty of its stations (if not its trains) is well-documented, and certainly no accident. In its illustrious first phases and particularly after the Second World War, the greatest architects of Soviet era were recruited to create gleaming temples celebrating the Revolution, the USSR, and the war triumph. No two stations are exactly alike, and each of the classic showpieces has a theme. There are world-famous shrines to Futurist architecture, a celebration of electricity, tributes to individuals and regions of the former Soviet Union. Each marble slab, mosaic tile, or light fixture was placed with intent, all in service to a station’s aesthetic; each element, f rom the smallest brass ear of corn to a large blood-spattered sword on a World War II mural, is an essential part of the whole.

The Metro is a monument to the Soviet propaganda project it was intended to be when it opened in 1935 with the slogan “Building a Palace for the People”. It brought the grand interiors of Imperial Russia to ordinary Muscovites, celebrated the Soviet Union’s past achievements while promising its citizens a bright Soviet future, and of course, it was a show-piece for the world to witness the might and sophistication of life in the Soviet Union.

It may be a museum, but it’s no relic. U p to nine million people use it daily, more than the London Underground and New York Subway combined. (Along with, at one time, about 20 stray dogs that learned to commute on the Metro.)

In its 80+ year history, the Metro has expanded in phases and fits and starts, in step with the fortunes of Moscow and Russia. Now, partly in preparation for the World Cup 2018, it’s also modernizing. New trains allow passengers to walk the entire length of the train without having to change carriages. The system is becoming more visitor-friendly. (There are helpful stickers on the floor marking out the best selfie spots .) But there’s a price to modernity: it’s phasing out one of its beloved institutions, the escalator attendants. Often they are middle-aged or elderly women—“ escalator grandmas ” in news accounts—who have held the post for decades, sitting in their tiny kiosks, scolding commuters for bad escalator etiquette or even bad posture, or telling jokes . They are slated to be replaced, when at all, by members of the escalator maintenance staff.

For all its achievements, the Metro lags behind Moscow’s above-ground growth, as Russia’s capital sprawls ever outwards, generating some of the world’s worst traffic jams . But since 2011, the Metro has been in the middle of an ambitious and long-overdue enlargement; 60 new stations are opening by 2020. If all goes to plan, the 2011-2020 period will have brought 125 miles of new tracks and over 100 new stations — a 40 percent increase — the fastest and largest expansion phase in any period in the Metro’s history.

Facts: 14 lines Opening hours: 5 a.m-1 a.m. Rush hour(s): 8-10 a.m, 4-8 p.m. Single ride: 55₽ (about 85 cents) Wi-Fi network-wide

Buying Tickets

• Ticket machines have a button to switch to English.
• You can buy specific numbers of rides: 1, 2, 5, 11, 20, or 60. Hold up fingers to show how many rides you want to buy.
• There is also a 90-minute ticket , which gets you 1 trip on the metro plus an unlimited number of transfers on other transport (bus, tram, etc) within 90 minutes.
• Or, you can buy day tickets with unlimited rides: one day (218₽/ US$4), three days (415₽/US$7) or seven days (830₽/US$15). Check the rates here to stay up-to-date.
• If you’re going to be using the Metro regularly over a few days, it’s worth getting a Troika card , a contactless, refillable card you can use on all public transport. Using the Metro is cheaper with one of these: a single ride is 36₽, not 55₽. Buy them and refill them in the Metro stations, and they’re valid for 5 years, so you can keep it for next time. Or, if you have a lot of cash left on it when you leave, you can get it refunded at the Metro Service Centers at Ulitsa 1905 Goda, 25 or at Staraya Basmannaya 20, Building 1.
• You can also buy silicone bracelets and keychains with built-in transport chips that you can use as a Troika card. (A Moscow Metro Fitbit!) So far, you can only get these at the Pushkinskaya metro station Live Helpdesk and souvenir shops in the Mayakovskaya and Trubnaya metro stations. The fare is the same as for the Troika card.
• You can also use Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.

Rules, spoken and unspoken

No smoking, no drinking, no filming, no littering. Photography is allowed, although it used to be banned.

Stand to the right on the escalator. Break this rule and you risk the wrath of the legendary escalator attendants. (No shenanigans on the escalators in general.)

Get out of the way. Find an empty corner to hide in when you get off a train and need to stare at your phone. Watch out getting out of the train in general; when your train doors open, people tend to appear from nowhere or from behind ornate marble columns, walking full-speed.

Always offer your seat to elderly ladies (what are you, a monster?).

An Easy Tour

This is no Metro Marathon ( 199 stations in 20 hours ). It’s an easy tour, taking in most—though not all—of the notable stations, the bulk of it going clockwise along the Circle line, with a couple of short detours. These stations are within minutes of one another, and the whole tour should take about 1-2 hours.

Start at Mayakovskaya Metro station , at the corner of Tverskaya and Garden Ring,  Triumfalnaya Square, Moskva, Russia, 125047.

1. Mayakovskaya.  Named for Russian Futurist Movement poet Vladimir Mayakovsky and an attempt to bring to life the future he imagined in his poems. (The Futurist Movement, natch, was all about a rejecting the past and celebrating all things speed, industry, modern machines, youth, modernity.) The result: an Art Deco masterpiece that won the National Grand Prix for architecture at the New York World’s Fair in 1939. It’s all smooth, rounded shine and light, and gentle arches supported by columns of dark pink marble and stainless aircraft steel. Each of its 34 ceiling niches has a mosaic. During World War II, the station was used as an air-raid shelter and, at one point, a bunker for Stalin. He gave a subdued but rousing speech here in Nov. 6, 1941 as the Nazis bombed the city above.

Take the 3/Green line one station to:

2. Belorusskaya. Opened in 1952, named after the connected Belarussky Rail Terminal, which runs trains between Moscow and Belarus. This is a light marble affair with a white, cake-like ceiling, lined with Belorussian patterns and 12 Florentine ceiling mosaics depicting life in Belarussia when it was built.

Transfer onto the 1/Brown line. Then, one stop (clockwise) t o:

3. Novoslobodskaya.  This station was designed around the stained-glass panels, which were made in Latvia, because Alexey Dushkin, the Soviet starchitect who dreamed it up (and also designed Mayakovskaya station) couldn’t find the glass and craft locally. The stained glass is the same used for Riga’s Cathedral, and the panels feature plants, flowers, members of the Soviet intelligentsia (musician, artist, architect) and geometric shapes.

Go two stops east on the 1/Circle line to:

4. Komsomolskaya. Named after the Komsomol, or the Young Communist League, this might just be peak Stalin Metro style. Underneath the hub for three regional railways, it was intended to be a grand gateway to Moscow and is today its busiest station. It has chandeliers; a yellow ceiling with Baroque embellishments; and in the main hall, a colossal red star overlaid on golden, shimmering tiles. Designer Alexey Shchusev designed it as an homage to the speech Stalin gave at Red Square on Nov. 7, 1941, in which he invoked Russia’s illustrious military leaders as a pep talk to Soviet soldiers through the first catastrophic year of the war.   The station’s eight large mosaics are of the leaders referenced in the speech, such as Alexander Nevsky, a 13th-century prince and military commander who bested German and Swedish invading armies.

One more stop clockwise to Kurskaya station,  and change onto the 3/Blue  line, and go one stop to:

5. Baumanskaya.   Opened in 1944. Named for the Bolshevik Revolutionary Nikolai Bauman , whose monument and namesake district are aboveground here. Though he seemed like a nasty piece of work (he apparently once publicly mocked a woman he had impregnated, who later hung herself), he became a Revolutionary martyr when he was killed in 1905 in a skirmish with a monarchist, who hit him on the head with part of a steel pipe. The station is in Art Deco style with atmospherically dim lighting, and a series of bronze sculptures of soldiers and homefront heroes during the War. At one end, there is a large mosaic portrait of Lenin.

Stay on that train direction one more east to:

6. Elektrozavodskaya. As you may have guessed from the name, this station is the Metro’s tribute to all thing electrical, built in 1944 and named after a nearby lightbulb factory. It has marble bas-relief sculptures of important figures in electrical engineering, and others illustrating the Soviet Union’s war-time struggles at home. The ceiling’s recurring rows of circular lamps give the station’s main tunnel a comforting glow, and a pleasing visual effect.

Double back two stops to Kurskaya station , and change back to the 1/Circle line. Sit tight for six stations to:

7. Kiyevskaya. This was the last station on the Circle line to be built, in 1954, completed under Nikita Khrushchev’ s guidance, as a tribute to his homeland, Ukraine. Its three large station halls feature images celebrating Ukraine’s contributions to the Soviet Union and Russo-Ukrainian unity, depicting musicians, textile-working, soldiers, farmers. (One hall has frescoes, one mosaics, and the third murals.) Shortly after it was completed, Khrushchev condemned the architectural excesses and unnecessary luxury of the Stalin era, which ushered in an epoch of more austere Metro stations. According to the legend at least, he timed the policy in part to ensure no Metro station built after could outshine Kiyevskaya.

Change to the 3/Blue line and go one stop west.

8. Park Pobedy. This is the deepest station on the Metro, with one of the world’s longest escalators, at 413 feet. If you stand still, the escalator ride to the surface takes about three minutes .) Opened in 2003 at Victory Park, the station celebrates two of Russia’s great military victories. Each end has a mural by Georgian artist Zurab Tsereteli, who also designed the “ Good Defeats Evil ” statue at the UN headquarters in New York. One mural depicts the Russian generals’ victory over the French in 1812 and the other, the German surrender of 1945. The latter is particularly striking; equal parts dramatic, triumphant, and gruesome. To the side, Red Army soldiers trample Nazi flags, and if you look closely there’s some blood spatter among the detail. Still, the biggest impressions here are the marble shine of the chessboard floor pattern and the pleasingly geometric effect if you view from one end to the other.

Keep going one more stop west to:

9. Slavyansky Bulvar.  One of the Metro’s youngest stations, it opened in 2008. With far higher ceilings than many other stations—which tend to have covered central tunnels on the platforms—it has an “open-air” feel (or as close to it as you can get, one hundred feet under). It’s an homage to French architect Hector Guimard, he of the Art Nouveau entrances for the Paris M é tro, and that’s precisely what this looks like: A Moscow homage to the Paris M é tro, with an additional forest theme. A Cyrillic twist on Guimard’s Metro-style lettering over the benches, furnished with t rees and branch motifs, including creeping vines as towering lamp-posts.

Stay on the 3/Blue line and double back four stations to:

10. Arbatskaya. Its first iteration, Arbatskaya-Smolenskaya station, was damaged by German bombs in 1941. It was rebuilt in 1953, and designed to double as a bomb shelter in the event of nuclear war, although unusually for stations built in the post-war phase, this one doesn’t have a war theme. It may also be one of the system’s most elegant: Baroque, but toned down a little, with red marble floors and white ceilings with gilded bronze c handeliers.

Jump back on the 3/Blue line  in the same direction and take it one more stop:

11. Ploshchad Revolyutsii (Revolution Square). Opened in 1938, and serving Red Square and the Kremlin . Its renowned central hall has marble columns flanked by 76 bronze statues of Soviet heroes: soldiers, students, farmers, athletes, writers, parents. Some of these statues’ appendages have a yellow sheen from decades of Moscow’s commuters rubbing them for good luck. Among the most popular for a superstitious walk-by rub: the snout of a frontier guard’s dog, a soldier’s gun (where the touch of millions of human hands have tapered the gun barrel into a fine, pointy blade), a baby’s foot, and a woman’s knee. (A brass rooster also sports the telltale gold sheen, though I am told that rubbing the rooster is thought to bring bad luck. )

Now take the escalator up, and get some fresh air.

R&K Insider

Join our newsletter to get exclusives on where our correspondents travel, what they eat, where they stay. Free to sign up.

21 Things to Know Before You Go to Moscow

Featured city guides.