Kazakhstan tour 11 days

Arrival in Almaty. Meeting a guide. Transfer from the airport. Almaty Grand tour (6 hours). The tour starts with sightseeing in central part of Almaty. You will know more about the Southern capital of Kazakhstan and see its major attractions. You will visit a popular place for townpeople - the Green Bazaar*, where it is impossible to refrain from shopping. Then the tour will continue in one of the oldest Almaty parks - Panfilov Park, where Zenkov Cathedral is located. You will also visit the Memorial of Glory and Eternal Flame. After exploration of sport, cultural and business areas of the city you will get to the Medeo Gorge, well known due to the highest mountain skating rink in the world and the dam, protecting the city from dangerous mudflow. Then you will visit the Kok-Tobe hill where the tallest TV tower in the world is located (if to count from the sea level) and where you will get by the picturesque winding mountain road. In Kok-Tobe Park you can stroll along the winding paths of the park, admire the magnificent panorama of the city from the special observation deck and visit the shop of national souvenirs.

The tour ends with the short ride from the top of the hill to the center of the city by the famous Almaty cableway. Overnight is at the hotel.

*does not work on Monday.

08:00 Departure from Almaty after breakfast at 07:30 we start our way to the Singing Dune. It is located in one of the corners of the Altyn-Emel National Park, which is a few km from the Ili river, between the mountains of Big and Small Kalkan. This sandy hill consists of very fine pure sand, which starts to "sing" in windy weather and its sound reminds the organ music. Before a sandy storm the dune sounds like a drum. From the top of the Dune you can observe the grand panorama of the surroundings. In the south - thin strip of the Ili River is visible as well as purple mountains of Sogety and Boguty, looking out from the white peaks of the Ketmen ridge. On the west the horizon is obstructed by the steep slope of the Big Kalkan, and the Small Kalkan – from the east. In the north - violet-blue ridge of Djungarian Alatau mountains, Chulak mountain, Matai and Altyn-Emel are visible. If the weather is dry and windy, the sand-dune will "sing" you its song, which could be heard as far as several kilometers.
After hiking up to the 150-meter dune, you will return to Basshi village for dinner and overnight in one of the villages' guest houses or cozy local hotel.

After breakfast at 07:30, you will be driving on unpaved park roads over 80 km (approx. 2 hours) to the Aktau mountains. Aktau Mountains (White Mountains) are world-renowned paleontological field. In the layers of Paleogene lacustrine deposits well-preserved remains of ancient animals whose age is estimated at 25-30 million years have been found. Among the finds there are the remains the giant rhinos, crocodiles, turtles. Huge conical mountains remind the Egyptian pyramids and are a magical scene of the variety of shapes and colors. A walk on Martian landscape requires nothing special from you, except being attentive on a soft sandy surface and adding some fantasy listening to the guide's stories about inhabitants of an ancient ocean. Lunch (picnic) and continuation of the tour to the Katutau mountains. These mountains well known by wild shy goats and gazelles living there, as well as for bizarre shaped sandstones, ideal for fun photoset. Katutau Mountains (Harsh Mountains) are very ancient ruined mountains with preserved volcanic outputs. The breed is very fragile and breaks down under the physical impact. Water, time and wind carved intricate shapes in the rock. Sedimentary rock of the bottom of the ancient Tethys Ocean is preserved there. From the effects of environmental factors it took the form of intricate figures and landscapes.
Return to Basshi village. Overnight is in the village.

Today you will have a day trip to Charyn Canyon. It is one of the unique natural monuments of Kazakhstan. The canyon is about 12 million years old and surprises with its vertical cliffs, reminding the ancient castles, created by wind, sun and rain. Upon arrival to Charyn Canyon, you will admire the grand panorama and go down stairs to the bottom of the canyon, then walk around 2 km through the maze of the Castles Valley with its walls of bizarre shapes overhanging you. The bottom of the Canyon has slight descend to the end of the walk, where you will get to the fresh oasis on the bank of icy cold Charyn river. After some rest, walking back the same path to the stairs, then car transfer to one of the observation points for another breathtaking panoramic view.You can admire the grand panorama and then have a walk through the maze of the Castles Valley with its inaccessible walls overhanging you.
After it is transfer to the city of Almaty. Overnight is at the hotel.

Meeting a guide. 10:00 Issyk Lake (7 hours). The tour route to one of the most beautiful gorges of Trans-Ili Alatau - Issyk Gorge lies along the Kuldja tract, where hundreds of years ago the trade caravans travelled. On the way you will learn a lot about nature and history of this region and see the burial mounds of Saka period, where the famous "Golden Man" was found, which has become the state symbol of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Also you will visit the State Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve “ISSYK”, where you will see the expositions dedicated to the history and culture of the Saka period, including a copy of Golden Man and golden items, ancient ceramics, weapon, elements of horse equipment, as well as the model of Saka burial mound. Then the tour route will take you to an altitude of 1756 meters above sea level, to the beautiful mountain lake Issyk, located in the valley with the same name. The lake was formed about 10,000 years ago due to colossal landslide, resulted in formation of the natural dam of 300 meters in height. On the lake you will enjoy the majestic beauty of its turquoise water surface and the Issyk Gorge, as well as listen to the details of the natural disaster of 1963.
Back to the city. Overnight is in the hotel.

10:00 Visiting Almaty City History Museum**. Visiting the First President Park. 13:00 Big Almaty Lake (6 hours). Today we will drive to the Big Almaty gorge, where at an altitude of 2,510 m above sea level located the Big Almaty lake (BAL) - one of the most picturesque lakes in Trans-Ili Alatau. The lake is very beautiful, especially when its blue surface is absolutely calm, and it reflects the sky and surrounding mountains. The lake is a source of potable water for Almaty city, that is why the access of tourists to the lake is limited. The tour route lies higher the Big Almaty lake to the altitude of 3300 meters above sea level, where scientific premises for astronomical and space researches have settled down. Here, at the basis of the Big Almaty peak, you can enjoy a fascinating panorama of mountains and the Big Almaty lake, surrounded by the picturesque mountain peaks covered with Tian-Shan fir-tree, aspen and juniper.
Afterwards is return to the city. Overnight is in the hotel.

Transfer to the airport for flight Almaty – Astana. Upon arrival to Astana at 12:15 you will meet a guide. Transfer from the airport. Ethno-Cultural Tour. By the will of fate Kazakh people were spaced at the crossroad of Eastern and Western cultures, and that is why Kazakhstan is country of rich cultural heritage. As you know, familiarity with the culture and traditions of a country begins with an introduction to its national cuisine. The same holds for Kazakhstan: there is no better way of understanding the Kazakh traditional culture, than a gastronomic experience, consisting of cooking traditional dishes yourself and get acquainted with the secrets of traditional culinary arts, that you will acquire during this tour. You will also have unique opportunity to participate in the process of manufacturing of a very ancient Kazakh musical instrument, an authentic value and heritage of the Great Steppe - ‘sazsyrnay’. Neither of stories about the Great Kazakh steppe and nomadic people do without the yurt - a traditional dwelling of the nomads. Since ancient times methods and secrets of yurt construction, requiring special skills and knowledge passed down from generation to generation. And during this program you will be able personally touch the construction process of wooden walls – ‘kerege’, the traditional raising of the dome – ‘Shanyrak’, as well as the strengthening of wooden poles – ‘uyk’. Finally, at the end of the program you will be offered to try on the Kazakh national clothes and dance the national dance "Kara zhorga".
Overnight is in the hotel.

Meeting a guide. 10:00 Astana Grand Tour (7 hours). The tour starts with visiting historical center of the city. You will see the Constitution Square, where the president of Kazakhstan N.A.Nazarbayev announced the decision of transferring the capital of the country from Almaty to Astana. You will make a step back in time while visiting one of the most beautiful buildings in the city's architecture - Museum of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan**. At the museum you will see the Golden man, well known not only in the Kazakh steppe but also in all Central Asia. In order to better understand today’s life of the city, you will enter the largest and unique shopping center Khan Shatyr.

Then you take the elevator to the top of the “Astana-Baiterek” monument, where you can admire the magnificent panorama of the Kazakhstan capital from the special observation deck. Then you will cross Ishym river and get to the Kazakh Eli Square. There you will visit another unique project - the Palace of Peace and Accord, and also see the extraordinary beauty of Khazret Sultan mosque. Final point of the excursion will be the Palace of Independence, where you can look at the far-reaching plans of the development of Astana in the hall "Layout Astana until 2030". Thus, having made the way from the past to the future through the present, you will understand the fate of this unique city - the pride of modern Kazakhstan.

Overnight is in the hotel. Astana.

Meeting a guide. 09:00 Burabai National Park (10 hours). Full day guided tour to Burabai National park (Borovoe), which occupies 85000 hectares of northeastern part of Kokshetau elevation. There are 14 lakes in the park, each having surface area of more than 1 sq.km, and a large number of small lakes. There are no monuments of material heritage in Borovoe. But the nature itself has created the unique natural landscapes of extraordinary beauty with combination of majestic mountain scenery, blue mirror lakes, coniferous and deciduous groves. On a way to the resort area which is in 270 km from Astana, the professional guide will give you an introduction to history of this region. On arrival you will visit the Khan’s pass and see "Burabay" mountain. On Abylaykhan Valley you will feast your eyes upon “Ush-kyz”, “Ok-Zhetpes”, “Zhumbaktas” rocks and “Kokshetau” mountain, each having the surprising legends reflecting history and identity of the Kazakh people. Further you wil have an easy hiking on “Bolektau” mountain, on the top of which the tremendous view of the “Borovoe” lake and its surroundings opens. Excursion to Borovoe allows to remove not only physical, but also psychological fatigue, and also to enjoy marvelous views of an unusual oasis on the middle of the Kazakhstan steppe. The century pine woods hide a set of secrets and riddles, attracting by beauty and greatness.

Back to Astana. Overnight is in the hotel.

Meeting a guide. 10:00 Visiting Expo area, the Nur Alem Pavilion. The architectural symbol of the Astana EXPO-2017 Exhibition is the central element of the Exhibition Complex: Nur Alem. Its size allow us to think, this is the world's largest spherical building with the diameter of 80 and height of 100 meters. At the first floor of the building, the Pavilion of Kazakhstan was placed where visitors could be able to acquaint themselves with the history, culture, traditions, places of interest and also recent achievements of Kazakhstan. ‘Nur Alem’ is culture center after the Exhibition, more than just a museum, as an innovational hub. 13:00 Time for lunch.

14:00 Astana city tour on the right bank. Overnight is in the hotel.

Breakfast in the hotel. Check-out. Transfer to the airport. Departure from Astana.