Almaty (20km 40 min)

Arrival in Almaty. Meeting at the airport, transfer to the hotel. Rest. Dinner in local restaurant. Accommodation at the hotel. Meals: no

Almaty sightseeing

Breakfast. Drive to Medeo Gorge. Stop at the huge Medeo dam (1733m), from the top enjoy the view of the largest high mountain skating rink in the world – Medeo, surrounded by marvelous mountains of Trans-Ili Alatau. After visit Shymbulak ski resort and will take gondola to enjoy amazing view.

Back to Almaty for lunch.

Almaty sightseeing: visit: Panfilov Park, Zenkov Cathedral church, Memorial complex devoted to the World War Two and eternal flame. Continue sightseeing at green bazaar – a place where you can buy souvenirs, central Mosque, Republic Square with three main symbols of Kazakhstan and Obelisk devoted to the independence.

In the evening visit the top of Kok-Tobe hill (by cable car) where you can enjoy unforgettable panorama of Almaty from the observation desk. Accommodation at the hotel. Meals: breakfast

Almaty – Tamgaly-Tas – Altyn-Emel (380 km 6-7hrs)

Breakfast.

Transfer to the Tamgaly-Tas located on the Ili River to begin Altyn-Emel Reserve and Charyn Canyon Tour. Tamgaly Tas is a unique monument, where you will see rock-carved images of Buddha’s and writings in Tibetan, Kalmyk and other languages. Discover interesting facts and legends about Tamgaly-Tas and enjoy the beautiful views.

Continue to the village of Baschi. After lunch, excursion in Altyn-Emel National Park. Drive to the Singing Dune located in one of the corners of the Altyn-Emel National Park, a few kilometers from the Ili River, between the mountains of Big and Small Kalkan.

Dinner and overnight in guesthouse. Meals: full board

Altyn-Emel

Breakfast. Drive to mountains of Aktau and Katutau. Katutau Mountains (Harsh Mountains) are ancient ruined mountains with volcanic outputs. Water, time and wind carved intricate shapes in the rock. Sedimentary rock of the bottom of the ancient Tethys Ocean is preserved there. Aktau Mountains (White Mountains) are one of the largest paleontological fields in the world. The chalky hills consist of sandstone and red clay, layered with yellow and pink cornelian, jasper and white quartz. Late in the afternoon return to the hotel.

Meals: full board

Altyn-Emel – Charyn canyon – Saty village (310 km 5-6 hrs)

After breakfast depart Altyn-Emel and drive to Charyn Canyon. En route stop to see the old ash-tree grove on the Temerlik River. After some time for picnic and rest continue drive to Charyn Canyon. Arrive in Canyon. Walk along Canyon and enjoy its beautiful views, one of which is the so-called “The Valley of Castles”. It is thought to be one of the sights of the Canyon – these rock deposits resembling a tower by its form seemed to be created by unknown giants. The Valley of Castles is over 2 km in length and its width reaches from 20 to 80 m at some places. Meals: full board

Kolsay and Kaindy Lake

Breakfast.

Today we will visit very amazing lakes. Drive to Kolsay lakes is the system of 3 picturesque lakes on the altitude of 1800m, 2250m and 2700m respectively. Kolsay lakes are often calling the Pearls of Northern Tian-Shan. Here you will take short hike near lake one (option: boating).

Back to guesthouse for lunch.

Transfer to Kaindy lake by old Russian jeep. The imposing shrank spruce trees that previously formed a forest there, now suddenly submerged in the lake that was born from the landslide. Walking in the surroundings. Dinner and overnight in Saty village at the guesthouse.

Saty village – Issyk lake - Almaty (300km 5-6hrs)

Breakfast. Drive to Almaty.

On the visit village of Issyk where you will visit the Golden Man Museum, with treasures from the surrounding burial mounds from the Sakh period.

Then visit Issyk Lake and Turgen waterfall.

Lunch-picnic (by your own) near the lake. Continue drive to Almaty.

Accommodation at the hotel. Meals: breakfast

Almaty – Kazakh Ethno Village – Almaty - Turkestan

Breakfast at the hotel.

Departure to Kazakh Ethno Village “Huns”.

The ethno-village is a perfect place for those willing to plunge into and experience the nomadic past of ethnic Kazakhs. The village, about 35 km from Almaty in the Talgar district, is also a great way to escape to the mountains for fresh air, horseback riding and to discover Kazakh traditional games and rituals.

From the moment of entrance and welcome ritual “shashu” to the horseback riding in the mountains, you will be surrounded by the Kazakh’s culture, hospitality and traditions.

You will enjoy the entertaining program. This includes:

Show of felt craft and a close look at the yurts with every detail described;

Performance of “Besikke salu” or “Tusau kesu” rituals, which are still actual in Kazakh families;

Horse games like “Kyz kuu” – when young man is chasing a girl to kiss her while riding a horse, and “atpen audaryspak” – wrestling of two young men on horseback;

Traditional dances and music, where guests will be shown moves and take part in group flash mob;

Master class of cooking “baursak” – traditional Kazakh pastry.

Lunch in national way.

Optionally: guest can request a horseback riding tour for 30 minutes or 1 hour to explore the area and enjoy the nature.

At 16.00, you return to the city, the rest of the day is free.

20:30 Transfer to railway station.

21:35 Train to Turkestan, overnight in train.

Turkestan

11:10 Arrival to Turkestan. Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Check in at 14:00.

This day you visit the main historical site of the region: The Mausoleum of Khodja Ahmet Yassawi, which is part of UNESCO HERITAGE. The mausoleum was built in the end of XIV century and since then it has become one of the main places of worship in Islam.

After excursion, we drive further to visit ruins of the ancient city Sauran. In historical records, the city is described as a powerful fortification that is surrounded by gardens and cultivated land. A 7 meters high and 3 meters wide wall was erected around Sauran, which partially remains to the present day. In the best years, Sauran’s population was about 15 thousand people, but in the XVII century, the city was almost abandoned. Finally, people left it in the middle of the XIX century. Thanks to this fact, the ancient city is well preserved until now.

You can visit new complex Karavansaray and enjoy wide variety of options: from shows to activities, from exciting experiences to events, from historical venues to modern entertainment units await you to discover the Kazakh culture.

Overnight at the hotel.

Meals: breakfast

Turkestan – Otrar – Shymkent (Bus 270 km)

After breakfast at the hotel, check out and transfer to Otrar, an ancient city.

Otrar (also known as Farab) was an important trading center in the history of Central Asia, situated at the intersection of the caravan ways of the Great Silk Road.

On the way to Shymkent city, tourists also pass the Museum in the Shaulder village and the Mausoleum of Arystan - bab of XII century - one of Muslim shrines in Central Asia that is also famous as pilgrimage place.

14.00 Arrival to Shymkent city and transfer for lunch.

Short city tour.

17.00 Check in and free time. Overnight at the hotel.

Meals: breakfast

Shymkent – Astana

After breakfast, check out and transfer to the airport for flight to Astana at 11.15.

13.00 Arrival to Astana. Transfer to the restaurant for lunch.

After lunch start sightseeing in Astana:

Sightseeing tour in Astana from 15.00 to 20.00. The tour includes:

Then you are going to visit another fabulous work of Mr. Foster, the Baiterek Monument. This is a main symbol of the capital. The height of the tower is 97 meters and visitors can go up by lift and experience the panoramic view of the city.

After the tour, we visit Khan Shatyr – one of the new symbols of capital, the first and only lifestyle center of Astana. The center unites shopping and entertainment under one roof. The building itself is the world’s biggest tent– shaped installation, which makes it unique.

Transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

Meals: breakfast

Astana sightseeing

Breakfast at the hotel.

Sightseeing tour in Astana from 10.00 to 19.00.

Our first stop is Palace of Peace and Reconciliation – a pyramid that was designed by a famous architect Norman Foster. The uniqueness of this building is its golden section proportion: 62 meters of length and 62 meters of height.

The Hazret Sultan Mosque – 2nd biggest mosque in Central Asia that can accommodate 10,000 people at one time. The building is designed as an Oriental palace.

The National Museum – opened in 2014, currently the museum is the biggest in Kazakhstan and consists of 10 thematic halls, including ancient and medieval history, ethnography, history of Kazakhs and other.

We continue our tour by visiting “Nur Alem” center, the world's largest spherical building, 80m in diameter and 100m tall, it is the first scientific/ hi-tech museum in Kazakhstan. The complex is a legacy of EXPO 2017, which was held during summer 2017 in Astana. It takes around 3 hours or even more to cover all eight floors of the Museum of Future, where the basic types of energy will be demonstrated: those of the space, sun, biomass, wind, water and kinetics.

Transfer back to the hotel. Overnight.

Meals: breakfast

Astana – Airport (20km 40 min)

Breakfast. Check out from hotel. Transfer to Airport. End of the tour. Meals: breakfast