Almaty city tour + Medeo & Shymbulak
Guided tours & guiding services
Memorable tours & travels in Kazakhstan
Group and private city-, eco-, ethno-, historical & 4x4 SUV tours
Guided tours & guiding services
Group and private city-, eco-, ethno-, historical & 4x4 SUV tours
9th place
in the world by territory
Located in 4 geographic time zones
both in Europe and in Asia, but with no access to the ocean
The largest mountain skating rink
in the world is located in Almaty city at an altitude of 1691 meters above sea level
The first and largest cosmodrome
in the world is located in Kazakhstan. The first flight into space was made from there
More than 120 ethnic groups
and nationalities live in Kazakhstan in peace and harmony
The incredible beauty of nature: the majestic mountains, endless steppes, picturesque lakes and mysterious canyons
Authentic culture of nomadic people, intertwined with modernity.
Friendly and hospitable people
Interesting historical sites, architectural monuments of antiquity and the Middle Ages, which are protected by UNESCO
Visa-free entry for citizens of more than 60 countries
Learn more
FULL OPTION tours
(transport, guide, meals,
all costs)
Modern and comfortable VEHICLES
ENG/FRA/RUS-speaking certified GUIDES
Individual APPROACH
Excellent SERVICE
Reasonable PRICE
PRIVATE & GROUP tours
Almaty is a perfect city for tourism. And we are glad to invite you to Almaty city tour.
Almaty is rich for the different city attractions like historical and cultural objects, museums and parks. When starting your trip to Almaty, it is very important to learn the history of the city and visit significant places that are the hallmark of the city. In this regard, we specially developed for you the Almaty city overview tour, in which we put together the city sights that are most remarkable and important for Almaty and people. The tour starts from the Almaty History Museum, lasts through business and old city center, and ends at the largest mountain skating rink in the world, located at an altitude of 1691 meters above sea level.
You will climb the cable car to Kok-Tobe Park, which is located right on top of the mountain of the same name, at an altitude of 1100 m above sea level. Then you will have a trip to the ski resort Shymbulak, located in the picturesque gorge of the Trans-Ili Alatau at an altitude of 2260 m above sea level. Further, the ascent along the gondola road to Talgar pass, where a magnificent panorama of the mountains of Zailiysky Alatau opens. The excursion moves down to the Medeo boundary, where you will visit a dam that protects the city from mudflows, and go down it to the stairs, which consist of 842 steps, known to city residents and tourists.
Welcome to Almaty and have an exciting tour!
Watch a short video about the city of Almaty:
09:30 Hotel pick-up
10:00 – 14:00 Almaty city overview:
14:00 – 16:00 Сable car lift from Medeo to Shymbulak ski resort and back, walking, photo shooting
16:30 – 17:30 Cable car lift to Kok Tobe park, walking
18:00 Hotel drop-off
Please submit a form below or contact our Tour Manager via online chat
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Almaty is a perfect city for tourism. And we are glad to invite you to Almaty city tour.
Almaty is rich for the different city attractions like historical and cultural objects, museums and parks. When starting your trip to Almaty, it is very important to learn the history of the city and visit significant places that are the hallmark of the city. In this regard, we specially developed for you the Almaty city overview tour, in which we put together the city sights that are most remarkable and important for Almaty and people. The tour starts from the Almaty History Museum, lasts through business and old city center, and ends at the natural attraction - Big Almaty Lake.
The turquoise surface of the Big Almaty Lake shines among the majestic Trans-Ili Alatau mountains at an altitude of 2500 m above sea level. As a result of the earthquake, the mountains formed a gorgeous lake, the beauty of which will forever remain in your heart and which has long been one of the symbols of Almaty. On the way to the Big Almaty Lake, you will discover the picturesque landscapes of the great mountains and the ancient spruces of Tian Shan, so please prepare your cameras in advance.
Watch a short video about the city of Almaty:
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Watch an amazing video from one of our group tours:
Book Almaty City & Big Almaty Lake GROUP TOUR!
✔️ Small groups of up to 10 people
✔️ Best for couples, solo and budget travelers
✔️ The best way to save money and share costs by joining others
✔️ Interaction and joint fun
GROUP tour price: 60 USD per person
PRIVATE tour price: 30 USD per person, +120 USD for a car and guide
Please submit a form below or contact our Tour Manager via online chat
You will find an informative theatrical show program, which is an acquaintance with the customs and traditions of the Kazakh people in a specially created ethnographic village, located in a picturesque place at the foot of the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains.
In the program, the guests will be acquainted with the structure of the yurt, philosophy and sacred meaning of the yurt for the nomad. The guests will also get acquainted with the life of the Kazakhs: cleaning and whipping wool, making yarn with a spindle, getting flour and talkan in dermen, the rite of laying the child in Besik, the rite of Tusau kesu and Atka Otyrgyzu.
Then you will have a delicious lunch of the national Kazakh dishes.
At the end of the program, you will be given a master class on cooking Baursaks - a traditional flour product of the people of Central Asia.
Watch the video about Kazakh aul:
Kara Zhorga cheerful dance with tourists from Poland
Review about ethnographic aul in French
✔️ Small groups of up to 9 people
✔️ Best for couples, solo and budget travelers
✔️ The best way to save money and share costs by joining others
✔️ Interaction and joint fun
Click here to see GROUP TOUR CALENDAR 2019.
GROUP tour price: 85 USD per person
PRIVATE tour price: 30 USD per person, + 85 USD for a car and guide
Give yourself an unforgettable experience of visiting the mysterious Charyn canyon. The canyon is composed of sedimentary rocks that are more than 12 million years old. The length of the canyon is 154 km along the Charyn River, and the height of the steep mountains reaches 300 meters. And for everyone who has come here at least once, it is breathtaking from the magnificence of the natural monument.
The most known and popular object is the “Valley of Castles”, one of the side canyons of Charyn river. This is completed the ensemble of “palace”, “towers” and ”minarets” formed by Pliocene deposits with complicated forms of airing in a view of cornices, columns, niches. The present view of the canyon reached approximately half a million years ago. The canyon has a length of about 2.5 kilometers and a depth of 150 meters.
Then you will go to the Moon canyon (also known as Uzynbulak or Yellow canyon),
Moon Valley is less known and therefore less attendance than the Castle Valley, but it is a remarkable natural masterpiece. The slopes of the canyon are composed of sedimentary rocks of yellow, and so it is also called yellow canyon. A large number of gullies and ravines form a thick and chaotic network of small independent gorges.
About five million years ago, the water, flown down from the high mountains, carried eroded rocks in a huge pond, which was located at their base. Time passed by, the lake dried up, mountains collapsed, new mountains grew. Wind and water erosion has created amazing architectural forms from sedimentary rocks. Looking at the slopes, you can read the entire multimillion history of the area. You can find the last millennium, according to the age of the annual rings of trees in layers, visible on the slopes of the canyon. One of the smaller ridges resembles a yurt set in a row. The prehistoric man and stone tools were found here.
Watch the amazing videos about Charyn and Moon Canyons:
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Tour to winter Charyn Canyon |
Moon Canyon |
Review of our tourists |
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Inclusions |
PRIVATE tour options |
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FULL |
COMFORT+ |
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Hotel pick-up/drop-off |
✔️ | ✔️ |
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Entrance fees to National Park |
✔️ | ✔️ |
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Newer super comfortable and spacious SUV Toyota Sequoia with entertainment Audio-Video/Karaoke system |
❌ | ✔️ |
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Older comfortable and spacious SUV Toyota Sequoia |
✔️ | ❌ |
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ENG-speaking driver-guide |
✔️ | ✔️ |
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ENG-speaking individual guide |
+$60 |
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Water |
✔️ | ✔️ |
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Snacks |
✔️ | ✔️ |
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Hot tea/coffee |
❌ | ✔️ |
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Lunch in a cafe |
✔️ | ✔️ |
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Photographing on DSLR camera during the tour |
+$50 |
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PRICE in USD |
$20/person +$200/car |
$20/person +$250/car |
You can book this tour by submitting a form below or by contacting our Tour Manager via online chat
Please see the table above
We invite you to a 2-day exciting journey through the pearl of the Northern Tien Shan - the picturesque lakes of Kolsay and Kaindy.
On the first day of the tour, an exciting journey awaits you to the most popular destination among all tourists in Kazakhstan - Valley of the Castles of Charyn Canyon. This is completed the ensemble of “palace”, “towers” and ”minarets” formed by Pliocene deposits with complicated forms of airing in a view of cornices, columns, niches. On the way to Kaindy Lake we will visit the breathtaking Black Canyon. Kaindy Lake in Kazakh language means “abundant in birch trees”. The name of the lake comes from the nearby large birch grove. The lake was created by the strong earthquake in 1911. An incredible sight that you see above the water are the trunks of centenary spruces. And under the surface of the water, branches and needles of spruce trees were preserved in their original form due to the low temperature of the lake water. Tourists from all over the world come here to enjoy the amazing beauty of these places.
On the second day, you will visit the Kolsay lakes - a system of three lakes in northern Tien Shan, in the Kolsay gorge. The lakes are located 330 km southeast of Almaty at an altitude of 1818 m, 2252 m, 2900 m above sea level.
The lakes are called “the pearl of the Northern Tien Shan”. They are surrounded by a coniferous forest of Tien Shan spruce. The depth of the lakes reaches 50 m. The water in the lakes is cold and clean. There is a rainbow trout - fish that live only in clean running water, as well as 4 more fish kinds, 2 amphibia, 197 bird and 29 mammal kinds, including deer, mountain goats, wolves, lynxes, bears and snow leopards.
As part of our tour, you can visit the Lower Kolsay lake and experience unforgettable 8-hours hiking to Middle Kolsay lake and back.
Those who are lucky enough to visit these places at least once will never forget their magnificence, peace and energetics.
Watch amazing videos:
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Kolsay Lakes National Park |
Winter Charyn Canyon |
Moon Canyon |
Review of our tourists |
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Day 1
Day 2
Day 1
Day 2
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Watch an amazing video from one of our group tours:
Advantages of our group tours:
✔️ Small groups of up to 10 people
✔️ Best for couples, solo and budget travelers
✔️ The best way to save money and share costs by joining others
✔️ Interaction and joint fun
|
Inclusions |
GROUP tour option |
PRIVATE tour options |
|
|
FULL |
COMFORT+ |
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Hotel pick-up/drop-off |
[City center only] |
✔️ | ✔️ |
|
Entrance fees to National Parks |
✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
|
Newer super comfortable and spacious SUV Toyota Sequoia with entertainment Audio-Video/Karaoke system |
❌ | ❌ | ✔️ |
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Older comfortable and spacious SUV Toyota Sequoia |
✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ |
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ENG-speaking driver-guide |
✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
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ENG-speaking individual guide |
❌ |
+$150 |
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Water |
✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
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Snacks |
❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
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Hot tea/coffee |
❌ | ❌ | ✔️ |
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Hotel/guesthouse meals |
✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
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Hotel/guesthouse accommodation in a private room with private shower/WC |
❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
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Hotel/guesthouse accommodation in a shared room with shower/WC |
✔️ | ❌ | ❌ |
| ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | |
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Photographing on DSLR camera during the tour |
❌ |
+$100 |
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PRICE in USD |
$150/person |
$50/person +$400/car |
$50/person +$500/car |
Please submit a form below or contact our Tour Manager via online chat
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We are glad to invite you to the 2-day trip to the National Nature Park "Altyn Emel", which is located in Almaty region at the valley of Ili River.
On the 1st day of the tour you will head towards the Singing Dune - a sandy mountain 3 km long and 150 m high, located 182 km from Almaty. The phenomenon of nature, famous for the fact that in dry weather the sands of the dune emit a sound from a faint squeak to organ melody and even a roar. An enormous sandy mountain grew here as a result of blowing sand from the shores of Ili river. The Singing Dune does not move across the plain, despite the fluctuation of sand and strong winds, but has remained in place for several millennia. During the tour, you will hear interesting legends that are enveloped in the mysterious Singing Dune. And from its top, you will see an amazing panorama of the picturesque local landscape.
On the 2nd day of the tour, you will admire the unearthly beauty of the Cretaceous mountains of Aktau and the volcanic Katutau mountains. Enjoy the incredible beauty of the bizarre forms and learn the history of the formation of these amazing mountains.
Also within the tour, you will see the 700-year-old majestic willow, stone steles of the XI century as well.
After lunch, you will go to the most popular destination among all tourists in Kazakhstan - Valley of Castles of Charyn Canyon. This is completed the ensemble of “palace”, “towers” and ”minarets” formed by Pliocene deposits with complicated forms of airing in a view of cornices, columns, niches.
Watch the amazing videos about Altyn Emel and Charyn National Parks:
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Altyn Emel National Park |
Charyn National Park |
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Day 1
Day 2
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Inclusions |
PRIVATE tour options |
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FULL |
EXTENDED |
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Hotel pick-up/drop-off |
✔️ | ✔️ |
|
Entrance fees to National Parks |
✔️ | ✔️ |
|
Newer super comfortable and spacious SUV Toyota Sequoia with entertainment Audio-Video/Karaoke system |
❌ | ✔️ |
|
Older comfortable and spacious SUV Toyota Sequoia |
✔️ | ❌ |
|
ENG-speaking driver-guide |
✔️ | ✔️ |
|
ENG-speaking individual guide |
+120 USD |
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|
Water |
✔️ | ✔️ |
|
Snacks |
✔️ | ✔️ |
|
Hot tea/coffee |
❌ | ✔️ |
|
Hotel/guesthouse meals |
✔️ | ✔️ |
|
Hotel/guesthouse accommodation in a private room with private shower/WC |
✔️ | ✔️ |
| ✔️ | ✔️ | |
|
PRICE in USD |
60/person +500/car |
60/person +620/car |
Please submit a form below or contact our Tour Manager via online chat
Please see the table above
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We are glad to invite you to the 3-day tour to the most picturesque National Nature Parks of Almaty region: Altyn Emel, Charyn Canyon and Kaindy & Kolsay Lakes.
On the 1st day, we will head towards the unearthly beauty of the Cretaceous mountains of Aktau and the volcanic Katutau mountains. Enjoy the incredible beauty of the bizarre forms and learn the history of the formation of these amazing mountains.
On the way, you will visit the 700-year-old majestic willow as well.
In the morning of the 2nd day, we will go to Singing Dune - a sand mountain 3 km long and 150 m high, located 182 km from Almaty. The phenomenon of nature, famous for the fact that in dry weather the sands of the dune emit a sound from a faint squeak to organ melody and even a roar. An enormous sandy mountain grew here as a result of blowing sand from the shores of Ili river. The Singing Dune does not move across the plain, despite the fluctuation of sand and strong winds, but has remained in place for several millennia. During the tour, you will hear interesting legends that are enveloped in the mysterious Singing Dune. And from its top, you will see an amazing panorama of the picturesque local landscape.
Afternoon, the tour will lead you to the most popular place among tourists visiting Kazakhstan. It's a Charyn Canyon. You will visit the Valley of the Castles, the orange-red cliffs of which resemble fabulous buildings, towers and castles. For the night we will arrive in the village of Saty in the evening, where we will have dinner in a warm and cozy home of hospitable villagers.
Waking up and having a hearty breakfast in the morning we will go to the picturesque Lower Kolsay Lake. Kolsay lakes - a system of three lakes in northern Tien Shan, in the Kolsay gorge. The lakes are located 330 km southeast of Almaty at an altitude of 1818 m, 2252 m, 2900 m above sea level.
The lakes are called “the pearl of the Northern Tien Shan”. They are surrounded by a coniferous forest of Tien Shan spruce. The depth of the lakes reaches 50 m. The water in the lakes is cold and clean. There is rainbow trout - fish that live only in clean running water, as well as 4 more fish kinds, 2 amphibia, 197 bird and 29 mammal kinds, including deer, mountain goats, wolves, lynxes, bears and snow leopards.
As part of our tour, you will visit the Lower Kolsay lake only.
Then after lunch, we will move to amazing Kaindy Lake, which is in Kazakh language means “abundant in birch trees”. The name of the lake comes from the nearby large birch grove. The lake was formed by the earthquake. An incredible sight that you see above the water are the trunks of centenary spruces. And under the surface of the water, branches and needles of spruce trees were preserved in their original form due to the low temperature of the lake water. Tourists from all over the world come here to enjoy the unbelievable beauty of this place.
Those who are lucky enough to visit these places at least once will never forget their magnificence, peace and energetics.
Watch amazing videos about National Parks of Almaty region:
|
Altyn Emel National Park |
Charyn National Park |
Kolsay Lakes National Park |
|
|
|
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
|
|
Watch an amazing video of one of our group tours:
Advantages of our group tours:
✔️ Small groups of up to 10 people
✔️ Best for couples, solo and budget travelers
✔️ The best way to save money and share costs by joining others
✔️ Interaction and joint fun
|
Inclusions |
GROUP tour |
PRIVATE tour options |
|
|
FULL |
COMFORT+ |
||
|
Hotel pick-up/drop-off |
[City center only] |
✔️ | ✔️ |
|
Entrance fees to National Parks |
✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
|
Newer more comfortable and spacious SUV Toyota Sequoia with entertainment Audio-Video/Karaoke system |
❌ | ❌ | ✔️ |
|
Comfortable and spacious SUV Toyota Sequoia |
✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ |
|
ENG-speaking driver-guide |
✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
|
ENG-speaking individual guide |
❌ |
+$240 |
|
|
Water |
✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
|
Snacks |
❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
|
Hot tea/coffee |
❌ | ❌ | ✔️ |
|
Hotel/guesthouse meals |
✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
|
Hotel/guesthouse accommodation in a private room with private shower/WC |
❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
|
Hotel/guesthouse accommodation in a shared room with shower/WC |
✔️ | ❌ | ❌ |
| ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | |
|
Photographing on DSLR camera during the tour |
+$150 |
||
|
PRICE in USD |
$275/person |
$100/person +$700/car |
$100/person +$900/car |
Please submit a form below or contact our Tour Manager via online chat
Please see the table above
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Do you know that the most ancient petroglyphs are located in Kazakhstan?
We invite you to a fascinating tour in the footsteps of ancient civilizations.
The petroglyphs of the archaeological landscape of Tamgaly is one of the most ancient and vivid monuments of the rock art of Seven-Lakes valley. Since 2004 it has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here in the late 1950s, a sanctuary was discovered with multiple rock paintings of an unknown civilization.
The mysterious civilization disappeared, not having survived till our days, but left more than 4,000 drawings in which displayed their life and worldview. The pictures depict both individual animals and people, as well as whole scenes from life - ritual ceremonies, hunting scenes. In Tamgaly there are drawings of animals that already disappeared in these parts. Also curious are the images of mythical heroes and gods in the form of sun-headed creatures.
Most of the petroglyphs belong to the Bronze Age. But there are also rock carvings from the Middle Ages.
In addition to petroglyphs, a ceremonial altar for sacrifices and a large number of ancient graves of people were found in Tanbaly: stone boxes-cysts of the middle and late bronze age, mounds of earth and stones from the early Iron Age to the present.
Dear tourists, we are glad to welcome you to our wonderful city of Almaty. Almaty is located at the foot of the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains. This location is perfect for people who fond of hiking/trekking, healthy lifestyle and who love our beautiful nature. There are a lot of hiking routes with different levels of difficulty in the mountains of Almaty. And we invite you to a day hiking tour to the picturesque Butakovka gorge.
Butakovsky gorge is a picturesque mountain gorge in Kazakhstan, located in the mountains of Ili Alatau on the territory of the city of Almaty. Located at an altitude of 1700-2900 m above sea level. In the gorge there are: Tien Shan spruce, aspen, mountain ash, barberry, and apple orchards.
One of the most beautiful places of the Butakovsky gorge is the waterfall of the same name. The waterfall has a height of 10-12 meters. Depending on the flow of water in the stream, you will see either streams of water over the rocks or a small film of water on them. Very interesting waterfall in December, early January. The cliffs are overgrown with beautiful blue ice shell. In January-March, a visit to the waterfall is not recommended, because at this time avalanches come down from the surrounding slopes, which is a mortal danger for tourists.
Level of difficulty: Middle (you must be in average physical shape)
Walking distance: ~10 km
Required clothing:
Dear tourists, we are glad to welcome you to our wonderful city of Almaty. Almaty is located at the foot of the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains. This location is perfect for people who fond of hiking/trekking, healthy lifestyle and who love our beautiful nature. There are a lot of hiking routes with different levels of difficulty in the mountains of Almaty. And we invite you to a day hiking tour to Kok Zhailau tract.
Kok Zhailau is a natural boundary on the territory of the Ile-Alatau State National Natural Park, located from east to west between the Small and Large Almaty Gorges 10 km from the city of Almaty in Kazakhstan. The absolute height of the tract is 1450–1740 m above sea level.
The Kok-Zhailau tract, due to its location, is one of the most accessible and favorite recreation places of Almaty residents, who are fond of hiking, cycling, skiing and horseback riding.
Level of difficulty: Middle (you must be in average physical shape)
Walking distance: ~10 km
Required clothing:
In this tour, we suggest you follow in the footsteps of the Great Silk Road in the south of Kazakhstan. The Great Silk Road is a caravan trading road linking East Asia with the Mediterranean in ancient times and in the Middle Ages. The Great Silk Road served as a conductor for the spread of trade, technology, religion and art from east to west across the territory of present-day Central Asia.
You will visit several ancient settlements that ran along the route of the Great Silk Road. The very first in the tour is the city of Shymkent, where your journey will begin with the local history museum located in the modern ethnohistorical complex. Nowhere else will you learn so many interesting and impressive facts from the history of the southern region of Kazakhstan, as in this museum.
Then you will go to the Otrar hillfort, known for its tragic history. Here you will visit the archaeological museum-reserve.
Finally, you will arrive in the ancient city of Turkestan, formerly known as Yassy - which was a fortress city in the Middle Ages. You will see with your own eyes the most beautiful architectural monument of Kazakhstan - the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yassawi, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. This is a true masterpiece of medieval architecture with several domes and a grand entrance portal. Persian architects were involved in the construction of the mausoleum, innovative solutions were used, as in the construction of Samarkand (the capital of Timurids - in the time of Tamerlane). You will also visit the mausoleum Arystan Baba - a teacher and spiritual mentor of Khoja Ahmed Yassawi.
The next city you go to is the ancient city of Taraz. Here you will visit the historical and cultural museum-reserve, see firsthand the archaeological excavations of ancient Taraz, and, of course, visit the Aisha-Bibi and Karakhan mausoleums and learn the tragic story of their love. Aisha-Bibi Mausoleum is a unique and beautiful monument of medieval architecture of the XII century, which has no analogs in the architectural and construction culture of Kazakhstan and Central Asia. The mausoleum is decorated with a magnificently beautiful solid veneer of terracotta tiles, decorated with ornaments of 60 formes.
Do not miss the opportunity to go on an exciting tour of the Great Silk Road, to be even closer to the culture of the people of Central Asia, learn their history, culture, touch the ancient monuments of architecture and get real pleasure from what you see.
Watch the promo video about Southern Kazakhstan:
Day 1
Day 2
Please submit a form below or contact our Tour Manager via online chat
In this tour, we suggest you follow in the footsteps of the Great Silk Road in the south of Kazakhstan. The Great Silk Road is a caravan trading road linking East Asia with the Mediterranean in ancient times and in the Middle Ages. The Great Silk Road served as a conductor for the spread of trade, technology, religion and art from east to west across the territory of present-day Central Asia.
You will visit several ancient settlements that ran along the route of the Great Silk Road. The very first in the tour is the city of Shymkent, where your journey will begin with the local history museum located in the modern ethnohistorical complex. Nowhere else will you learn so many interesting and impressive facts from the history of the southern region of Kazakhstan, as in this museum.
Then you will head to the Otrar hillfort, known for its tragic history. Here you will visit the archaeological museum-reserve.
Finally, you will arrive in the ancient city of Turkestan, formerly known as Yassy - which was a fortress city in the Middle Ages. You will see with your own eyes the most beautiful architectural monument of Kazakhstan - the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yassawi, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. This is a true masterpiece of medieval architecture with several domes and a grand entrance portal. Persian architects were involved in the construction of the mausoleum, innovative solutions were used, as in the construction of Samarkand (the capital of Timurids - in the time of Tamerlane). You will also visit the mausoleum Arystan Baba - a teacher and spiritual mentor of Khoja Ahmed Yassawi.
Do not miss the opportunity to go on an exciting tour of the Great Silk Road, to be even closer to the culture of the people of Central Asia, learn their history, culture, touch the ancient monuments of architecture and get real pleasure from what you see.
Watch the promo video about Southern Kazakhstan:
Please submit a form below or contact our Tour Manager via online chat
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The very first in the tour is the city of Shymkent, where your journey will begin with the local history museum located in the modern ethnohistorical complex. Nowhere else will you learn so many interesting and impressive facts from the history of the southern region of Kazakhstan, as in this museum. Also, you will have a fascinating excursion in the Center of folk customs and traditions of the Kazakhs.
After lunch in a traditional Kazakh restaurant, you will go to one of the most mysterious places of South Kazakhstan - Akmeshit cave. This is a huge underground cave 254 meters long, 25 meters high and 65 meters wide. A unique natural object not only in terms of size but also due to the fact that at the top there are no trees within a radius of many kilometers and a real oasis is located in the cave.
On the second day of the tour, you will go to the Otrar hillfort, known for its tragic history. Here you will visit the archaeological museum-reserve.
Finally, you will arrive in the ancient city of Turkestan, formerly known as Yassi - which was a fortress city in the Middle Ages. You will see with your own eyes the most beautiful architectural monument of Kazakhstan - the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yassawi, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. This is a true masterpiece of medieval architecture with several domes and a grand entrance portal. Persian architects were involved in the construction of the mausoleum, innovative solutions were used, as in the construction of Samarkand (the capital of Timurids - in the time of Tamerlane). You will also visit the mausoleum Arystan Baba - a teacher and spiritual mentor Khoja Ahmed Yassawi.
Watch the promo video about Southern Kazakhstan:
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Western Kazakhstan is quickly becoming known all over the world for its unique unearthly landscapes, incredible historical monuments of the Middle Ages and amazing mysteries of nature. During this tour, you will visit the following places:
Zhygylgan
"Zhygylgan", translated from Kazakh means "fallen down". It looks as if the earth has fallen in this place. At the entrance, an almost flat and seemingly endless steppe suddenly ends with a steep precipice of more than 3 km. The height of the sheer wall in places reaches a height of 50 m. At the base of this wall, there is unimaginable stone chaos.
In stone gorges were found deep caves, where various tribes hid from enemies in ancient times. Here was found several ruins of fortresses and a lot of rock paintings.
Zhygylgan remains a place far from being known and mysterious. They say that spirits live here. It's hard to convey all the power and beauty of Zhygylgan in the photos, you need to see it with your own eyes.
Sultan Epe Mosque
Underground mosque of the protector of sailors holy Sultan Epe - a monument of religious architecture.
The mosque was built around the IX-XII centuries. The mosque consists of 11 rooms. It is so narrow here that in some places you have to crawl to get from one room to another. According to the architecture, the ventilation system and lighting, the building was erected according to the advanced model of its time.
Kapamsai Canyon
Kapamsai is a narrow chalky canyon that strikes with its steep and even walls, reaching a height of 70 meters. Weathered canyon niches are secluded refuges for eagle nests, whose owners often hover over the canyon abyss. In quiet calm weather in the canyon, "echoes" strayed in the steep walls. You can get into the canyon only from the mouth. But the top view of the canyon is very impressive. In the depths of the canyon lurks another rare sight for these places - a huge grotto, in the heart of which rainwater washed the hole. The water accumulating under the arch feeds a small grove of mulberry and hawthorn trees. Even on hot days, there is always shade and coolness.
According to archaeologists, a narrow and deep river flowed at the foot of the chalk cliffs of the canyon. In addition, there were workshops for the production of silicon tools. Today, the Kapamsay canyon is admired by travelers from different parts of the world.
Shakpak Ata Mosque
The underground mosque Shakpak-Ata, which, according to archaeologists, dates from the 9th and 10th centuries - a unique place worthy of world attention, one of the most impressive monuments of Mangystau. Nature herself created this temple and the stonecutters who came here only adapted it for their own purposes, giving a complete look. There are no shapes honed to full symmetry and geometric perfection. Everything is done simply and naturally. This is the special enchanting beauty of the Shakpak Ata Mosque.
Torysh Valley (stone ball valley)
The plain stretches for many kilometers, and then suddenly - stone balls, some up to three meters in diameter, like peas, scattered along the valley. Where did they fall from or who rolled these stone balls to Mangystau peninsula?
The valley of balls in the tract Torysh is a unique and one of the most mysterious sights of Mangystau, attracting tourists from all over the world. For 250 years, scientists have been puzzling over the solution of balls of different sizes and colors, consisting of sedimentary rocks - sand and clay, but they have not come to common opinion how they were formed.
Sherkala mountain
The huge mysterious mountain Sherkala is a lonely standing mountain of unusual shape, located about 170 kilometers from the city of Aktau, not far from the village of Shetpe. This is large sediment of unusual shapes that arose during the formation of the mountainous Kara-Tau valleys as the result of raising the land from the sea depths.
If you look at it from one side, the mountain resembles a huge white yurt, but on the other - Sherkala resembles a sleeping lion, who laid his huge head on his paws. Therefore, they called the mountain - Sherkala, which in Turkmen means “Lion's Mountain”.
Airakty - Shomanai Mountains
The Airakty-Shomanai Mountains also called the Valley of Castles, is a fantastic creation of nature. In the ancient ocean of Tethys above Ustyurt, fantastic mollusks once lived. Of their remains were formed amazingly beautiful mountains. A tectonic movement formed the landscape. When the water was gone, the wind, like a jeweler, for thousands of years, carved out incredible works of art from rocks and spurs. For those who love to travel, there is something to see. In the Valley of Castles, you will find many towers, fortresses and other amazing forms. You will not get tired to enjoy these species even all day.
In the spring, in the valley among the Airakty-Shomanai mountains grow Sogdian tulips. If you are lucky, you can see in the Valley of Castles a couple of cautious mouflons - mountain sheep. But you will surely meet camels. They often graze peacefully nearby, completely paying no attention to visitors.
Climbing to the top of the mountains, you can admire not only the amazing panorama of the Mangystau landscape and the neighboring mountains but also the works of modern artists. Not so long ago, the Mangystau archaeologist Andrei Astafyev created his gallery of geoglyphs in this mountain valley. Giant geoglyphs unwittingly rivet attention and amaze with their greatness. They became the decoration of the Valley of castles, giving it a unique Turkic feature.
Watch an amazing video about Western Kazakhstan:
Day 1
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Western Kazakhstan is quickly becoming known all over the world for its unique unearthly landscapes, incredible historical monuments of the Middle Ages and amazing mysteries of nature. During this tour, you will visit the following places:
Tuzbair salt-marsh
Tuzbair - the majestic creation of nature. In this place, the chink of the Ustyurt Plateau abruptly ends with a cascade of clay-limestone and chalk stages, at the base of which lies an extensive salt marsh, called "sor" by the locals. The plummets of the chalk cliffs are carved with numerous scour and deep channels, forming endless rows of the most bizarre columns. At the very base of the chink, there is a huge natural semi-arch created by wind erosion. During periods of snowmelt and heavy rain, the lowland is filled with water, forming a huge salt mirror in which the sky and chalk colonnades are reflected.
This is a place of indescribable beauty that combines 3 colors: white - the salt, limestone; blue - the sky; yellow-brown - the color of the soil, emphasizing white of the salt.
Beket Ata underground mosque
Mangystau region is very rich in historical monuments, one of the most prominent of which is the underground mosque Beket Ata - the most revered saint in Western Kazakhstan.
Two centuries have passed since this legendary man settled in the lap of virgin nature, led educational activities, was engaged in healing, possessing supernatural abilities. But the memory of him is alive to this day and with time becomes even stronger in the minds of his descendants. Therefore, thousands of pilgrims strive to where the air itself is imbued with mystery and holiness, where the sacred spirit rules over worldly bustle.
Boszhyra tract
Boszhyra is a picturesque place of the Ustyurt plateau, decorated with the chalk mountains of residual outcrop origin. It is amazing with its unearthly landscapes and numerous boulders which come different shapes and sizes. These are dazzling white rock pillars whose limestone peaks reach for the sky, resembling the shape of fangs. Surrounded by dazzling white fantastic landscapes, somewhat similar to the landscapes of Monument Valley in the USA, you can fully experience the greatness of nature.
Karynzharyk valley
The picturesque valley Karynzharyk divides the Ustyurt Plateau and the Mangyshlak Peninsula. The depth of the valley is 75 meters below sea level, and the height of chinks can reach 300 meters. At the bottom of the Karynzharyk depression, there is a legendary Kenderli sor.
Sor is a salt-marsh, which in hot weather turns into a cracked salt slab, and during rains, it prevents water from entering the ground and collects mirror pools on its surface. On such days, the slopes of Karynzharyk are reflected throughout the Kenderli valley. Their curving contours intertwine with the lines of dawn-lit clouds and honeycombs, cells filled with water, and then the valley fills with a soft, almost mystical glow.
Almost the entire territory of the valley belongs to the Ustyurt reserve - the habitat of the Ustyurt argali or mouflon. Broken by hooves, the bottom of the salt marsh long keeps traces of the presence of their herd.
Watch an amazing video about Western Kazakhstan:
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Big Almaty Lake + Almaty city overview group tour
Kolsai & Kaindy Lakes + Charyn Canyon group tour
Altyn Emel + Charyn Canyon + Kaindy & Kolsay Lakes
Ethnographic Kazakh village group tour✔️ Small groups of up to 9 people
✔️ Best for couples, solo and budget travelers
✔️ The best way to save money and share costs by joining others
✔️ Interaction and joint fun
Submit the request and we will arrange the tour according to your wishes
4 easy steps:
We agree with you the booking details and send you an invoice
You pay a deposit of 10%
of the tour through the electronic payment system PayPal*
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We book the tour and send you the booking confirmation by email
*We make full refund in case of force majeure
Address:
Kazakhstan, Almaty, 32 Moldagulova str.
E-mail: info@kazguidedtours.com
WeChat ID: Kaz_Guided_Tours
Skype: Kaz_Guided_Tours
©2019 Kazakhstan Guided Tours (Kaz GT, IE). All rights reserved.
| Country | Visa free days |
|---|---|
| Argentina | 30 |
| Armenia | 90 |
| Australia | 30 |
| Austria | 30 |
| Azerbaijan | 30 |
| Belarus | 90 |
| Belgium | 30 |
| Brasil | 30 |
| Bulgaria | 30 |
| Canada | 30 |
| Chile | 30 |
| Croatia | 30 |
| Cyprus | 30 |
| Czech Republic | 30 |
| Denmark | 30 |
| Estonia | 30 |
| Finland | 30 |
| France | 30 |
| Georgia | 90 |
| Germany | 30 |
| Greece | 30 |
| Hong Kong | 14 |
| Hungary | 30 |
| Iceland | 30 |
| Ireland | 30 |
| Israel | 30 |
| Italy | 30 |
| Japan | 30 |
| Kyrgyzstan | 90 |
| Latvia | 30 |
| Lithuania | 30 |
| Luxembourg | 30 |
| Malaysia | 30 |
| Malta | 30 |
| Mexico | 30 |
| Moldova | 90 |
| Monaco | 30 |
| Mongolia | 90 |
| Netherlands | 30 |
| New Zealand | 30 |
| Norway | 30 |
| Poland | 30 |
| Portugal | 30 |
| Republic of Korea | 30 |
| Romania | 30 |
| Russia | 90 |
| Serbia | 30 |
| Singapore | 30 |
| Slovakia | 30 |
| Slovenia | 30 |
| Spain | 30 |
| Sweden | 30 |
| Switzerland | 30 |
| Tadjikistan | 30 |
| Turkey | 30 |
| Ukraine | 90 |
| United Arab Emirates | 30 |
| United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 30 |
| United States of America | 30 |
| Uzbekistan | 30 |
Leave your contact details and we will contact you shortly!
Hi dear travelers!
We are Kazakh married couple Madina and Annat, the founders of Kazakhstan Guided Tours. Madina is a certified guide, fond of fitness and hiking. Annat is an entrepreneur, fond of travel photography, active sports, off-road driving. The key thing that unites us is love for our homeland Kazakhstan and traveling.
We offer city, eco, ethnic, historical and 4x4 SUV tours with all-inclusive service (car, guide, meals, accommodation, all expenses, pick-up/drop-off) in Almaty, Southern and Western Kazakhstan regions.
Our guides are officially certified, passed special training in this area and have permission to work as a guide. They have fluent English & French language speaking skills.
All our vehicles are modern, equipped with auto-conditioners, entertainment systems (audio/video, karaoke) and car-refrigerators for comfortable and cheerful long trips.
We can't show scenes more beautiful than nature has created, and we can't take you further than the road allows. But we can create the most comfortable conditions for you, so you can fully enjoy the journey and don't care about anything.
The full satisfaction of our tourists is a top priority for us. Therefore, we took into account all nuances, tourists' needs, wishes, and designed the best tour products with excellent service to make your travel comfortable, unforgettable and full of positive emotions.
If you are interested in our services, please feel free to contact us at any time. We will be very happy to make Kazakhstan more accessible to you!
Enjoy the photos of us and our happy tourists in the gallery below!
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