Itinerary

• Day 1: Arrival in Almaty

  Arrival at Almaty International Airport. Meet our representative in Kazakhstan. Transfer to the hotel. Enjoy your welcome dinner. Overnight stay in Almaty.

• Day 2: Almaty City Touring

  After breakfast, the tour starts with sightseeing in the central part of Almaty. You will learn more about the history and development of the southern capital of Kazakhstan and see its major attractions: Central State Museum, Palace of President, Republic Square and Monument of Independence, Abai Opera and Ballet Theatre, Astana Square, Almaty Railway Station, Central Mosque, Green Bazaar, Panfilov Park, Abai Square and Palace of Republic.

  Lunch at a local cafe and enjoy some local Kazakh delicacies.

  After that, you will explore sports, cultural and business areas: Sports Palace, Central Stadium, Kazakh Circus, Wedding Palace, Auezov Drama Theatre, Almaty Towers, Nurlytau Business Center, and Financial Center.

  Have a nice dinner in a lively restaurant and transfer to the hotel for a good night’s sleep.

• Day 3: Almaty – BAO – Almaty

  After breakfast, your guided tour starts. On this day you will visit The Big Almaty Lake.

  Your time starts with the tour to Big Almaty gorge, situated at 2,510 m above sea level. The Big Almaty lake is one of the most picturesque lakes in Trans-Ilitau Ala. The lake is beautiful, mainly when its blue surface reflects the sky and surrounding mountains. The Big Almaty lake was formed due to the movement of an ancient glacier. Thanks to the high-mountain location, the water in the lake are always cold. The lake is a source of potable water for Almaty city, which is why the access of tourists to the lake is limited. The tour route lies higher than the Big Almaty lake to an altitude of 3300 meters above sea level, where scientific premises for astronomical and space research have settled down. Here, at the base 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 trees, aspen and Juniper.

  After visiting Big Almaty Lake, you will see the Falcon Farm. You will enjoy a spectacular show at the Falcon Farm with specially trained hawks. Hunting with hawks is one of the unique features of the Kazakh way of life.

• Day 4: Excursion to Charyn Canyon

  After breakfast, your guided tour starts. Charyn Canyon is one of the unique natural wonders of Kazakhstan. It surprises with its vertical cliffs, reminding of ancient castles created by wind and sun. It will take about 3 hours to reach the canyon. Meanwhile, you will hear a lot of enjoyable history about the nature of the region, about Kazakh people, their life and traditions, and lunch in a local cafe. You can admire the grand panorama and then walk through the Castles Valley maze with its inaccessible walls overhanging.

  After the exciting Charyn Canyon tour, have lunch in a local cafe.

  Return to the city by evening. Transfer to dinner and return to the hotel.

• Day 5: Almaty – Issyk – Almaty

  After breakfast, your guided tour starts. On this day you will visit “ISSYK”. The journey en route to one of the most beautiful gorges of Trans-Ili Alatau. Issyk Gorge lies along the Kuldja tract, where the trade caravans travelled hundreds of years ago. On the way, you will learn about the nature and history of this region and see the burial mounds of the Saka period, where the famous “Golden Man” was found. “Golden Man” 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. Here you will all see a copy of Golden Man and golden items, ancient ceramics, weapons, elements of horse equipment, as well as the model of the 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 formed 10,000 years ago due to a colossal landslide, which resulted in the formation of a 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. Also, at the lake, you will have a picnic and free time for recreation in nature.

• Day 6: Almaty City and Around

  After breakfast, at around 10.00 AM, your guided tour will start. On this day, you will visit Almaty Mountain Surroundings. This tour provides the best opportunity to see the beautiful mountain surroundings of Almaty city. The first stop of the tour awaits you in the Medeo Gorge. In the beautiful mountains of TransIli Alatau, the world’s largest high-mountain skating rink is located. Also, a massive dam protecting the city from destructive mudflows formed on the tops of the western Tien Shan. The next destination is Shymbulak ski resort, located at an altitude of 2230 meters above sea level. It is prevalent for its mild climate, many sunny days, snow through the winter, and remarkable scenery of mountain ranges. Then your mountain adventure continues at the top of Kok-Tobe hill, which offers an unforgettable panorama of Almaty near the city. At the foot of the tallest TV tower in the world, you can stroll along the winding paths of Kok-Tobe park. A must-see option is a monument devoted to “The Beatles” (the only one in CIS countries), visiting the shop for national souvenirs and many other exciting things. The tour ends with a short ride from the top of the hill to the city’s centre by the famous Almaty cableway.

  Lunch at a local cafe. Free time for you.

  Dinner at a local restaurant and then transfer to the hotel.

• Day 7: Rest Day in Almaty

  This is a Free day for you. Spend your time at leisure—dinner at a restaurant in the city centre of Almaty.

• Day 8: Departure

  After breakfast, Hotel Check-out and transfer to the airport.