Express Tour to Kazakhstan & Kyrgyzstan

Express Tour to Kazakhstan & Kyrgyzstan

Days

10

From / per pax

US$ 1,400 US$

Start and end in Almaty

Experience the charm and beauty of Central Asia on this 10-day exploration from Kazakhstan to Kyrgyzstan and back. Bask in the culture and history of vivacious Almaty, discover the hidden fairy tale gem of Barskoon and be one with nature of Tian-Shan sitting on a lakeshore and surrounded by pines. Our days are spent on walks through spectacular canyons, stunning mountains and local villages.

"Express Tour to Kazakhstan & Kyrgyzstan" is a private tour which will include accommodation, transport, meals and others. With an expert guide to lead the way explore the highlights of two countries, nature and varied cuisine all await.

Itinerary

Day 1: Almaty City Tour

11:00 meeting at the hotel

12:00 visit Park of 28 Panfilov Guardsmen, Ascension Cathedral, Kazakh Museum of Folk Musical Instruments, Republic Square

13:30 lunch

15:00 cable car ride to Kok-Tobe, the highest point in the city of Almaty standing on a 1100-meters hill at the Southeast edge of the city

15:10 walking around the Kok-Tobe, free time

16:00 visiting zoo, attractions

18:30 come back to hotel

Green Bazaar

The Green Bazaar on Zenkov St. is a landmark of Almaty and a great tourist destination. The market is more than a hundred years old.

Here you can find food products, clothing, furniture, and сonstruction materials. And if you are hungry, then there is a dining room with delicious homemade food. The Green Bazaar attracts visitors with its unique energy and wide product range.

Park of 28 Panfilov Guardsmen

The Park of 28 Panfilov Guardsmen is an urban park located in east-central Almaty in the area surrounding the Ascension Cathedral. It is dedicated to and named after the Panfilov heroes which were the 28 soldiers of an Alma-Ata Infantry unit who died while defending Moscow from the German invasion during the Second World War.

An eternal flame commemorating the fallen of the World War II and the Eastern Front burns in front of the giant black monument of soldiers from all 15 Soviet republics.

Museum of folk musical instruments

One of the unique museums of musical instruments is Museum of folk musical instruments named after Ykhlas in Almaty, it was opened in 1981, and in 1990 the museum was assigned the name of Ykhlas Dukenuly.

There are 9 halls representing the national musical instruments of the Kazakh people, as well as the musical culture of more than 50 countries of the world.

Day 2: Medeu, Shimbulak & Big Almaty Lak

09:00 meeting at the hotel

09:30 arrive at Medeo, walking around, ascenting a dam

10:30 cable car ride to Shimbulak at the height of 2300 m. above the sea level

13:00 lunch

14:15 driving to Big Almaty Lake

15:30 arrival

15:30 walking around, rest

17:00 arrive at the hotel

Medeu Skating Rink

The Medeu is a sports complex near Almaty, located at an altitude of 1691 meters (5548 ft) above sea level. It is the world's largest high-altitude skating rink under an open sky.

It is surrounded by the picturesque Ile Alatau Mountains. The weather conditions here are superb: perfect atmospheric pressure, light refreshing breeze, acceptable levels of solar radiation. No matter how many times you visit Medeu, you'll always be coming back there.

A variety of activities, excellent service, beautiful panorama, happy smiles of its visitors - the atmosphere of Medeu is indescribable. You are most welcome to visit the ice rink and feel it yourself.

Shymbulak

Shymbulak Ski Resort, located just 25 km from Almaty in the Zaiilisky Alatau mountains, is the largest ski resort in Central Asia and a favorite destination for visitors year-round. The resort offers a variety of activities to suit every season. In winter, it features skiing and snowboarding slopes suitable for both beginners and professionals, meeting European standards. The highest point, Talgar Pass (3,200 m), offers breathtaking views of glaciers and the majestic mountain ranges that surround the area, making it a perfect spot for photography and sightseeing.

In the summer, Shymbulak transforms into an adventure hub with activities such as mountain biking, paragliding, buggy rides, and a rope park. It’s also a great destination for families, offering a children's mountain camp and a relaxing escape from the city heat.

Easily accessible within an hour from Almaty, Shymbulak boasts cozy cafes, gourmet restaurants, and comfortable hotels for a relaxing retreat. Whether you’re seeking thrilling outdoor activities or a peaceful getaway with stunning alpine scenery, Shymbulak Ski Resort offers an unforgettable experience for all visitors.

Big Almaty lake

Big Almaty Lake is a mountain reservoir located in the Trans-Ili Alatau at an altitude of 2,511 meters above sea level, 15 km south from the center of Almaty. The lake, which is part of the Ile-Alatau National Park, as well as the vast majority of lakes in the Tien Shan mountains, appeared as a result of earthquakes. Depending on the time of year, Big Almaty Lake changes its color – from light-green to turquoise-blue

Day 3: Charyn Canyon & Kaindy Lake

07:00 meeting at the hotel

10:00 arrive at Charyn Canyon. Visit panoramic views, walk 3 km into the canyon to Charyn River

12:00 transfer to Saty village

13:30 lunch

15:00 arrive at Kaindy lake, walking around the lake

18:00 arrive at guest house at Saty village or hotel at Kolsay lake, dinner and overnight

Charyn Canyon

Canyon Charyn is located on the territory of the Charyn National Park, created with the purpose of preserving natural and geological objects. The National Park was established on February 23, 2004. On the territory of the park there is a large number of rare and endangered species of animals listed in the Red Book.The most famous attraction of the park is Canyon Charyn. It is a picturesque natural place, which strikes with its unearthly landscapes. The depth of the canyon is 200 m. The height of the sheer mountains of the canyon reaches 150-300 m.

Kaindy Lake

Kaindy Lake – a truly amazing example of the creation of nature. It is located among a huge coniferous forest at an altitude of more than 2000 thousand meters above sea level. It was formed by a landslide of a huge accumulation of limestone, as well as subsidence of the soil. The lake contains trunks of submerged Picea schrenkiana trees that rise above the surface of the lake. The area is often referred to as a "sunken forest". The cold water helps preserve the tree trunks, which are overgrown with algae and various other water plants.

Day 4: Lower and Middle Kolsay Lakes

08:30 breakfast

09:00 transfer to Kolsay lakes

10:00 arrive at Lower Kolsay lake. Hiking to Middle Kolsay lake - 16 km, lunchbox

16:00 transfer to Saty village or hotel at Kolsay lake

17:00 arrival

20:00 dinner

21:00 free time at bonfire

Lower Kolsay Lake

The Kolsay Lakes is a popular tourist destination. They are located in the Northern Tien Shan. The word “kolsay” means “lake in the gorge” and there are three of them: Upper, Middle and Lower. They are all quite deep, cool and scenic.

There is also the village of Saty, where you can stay in comfortable and authentic guest houses, try national cuisine, and see the everyday life of the Kazakh people.

The lower lake is located at 1818 meters above sea level and 80 meters in depth. It is accessible by road and has guest-houses, campsites, boats and horse riding.

Middle Kolsay Lake

The middle lake is located 8 kilometers upstream from the lower lake, at the height of 2252 metres.

It's the largest of the three, and reaches a depth of 50 meters. It is considered the most scenic of the three Kolsay Lakes.

Day 5: Karakol

07:00 breakfast

08:00 transfer to Karakol city

13:00 arrival and lunch

14:00 excursion at Holy Trinity Cathedral

15:00 shopping and free time

19:30 dinner and overnight at guest house

Holy Trinity Cathedral

The town of Karakol is located 12 kilometers from the coast of Issyk-Kul, at the foot of the majestic Terksey-Alatoo gorge. In the very center of the town is the Trinity Orthodox Church, which is one of its most beautiful sights and the only active Orthodox church in Karakol, Kyrgyzstan.

The Trinity Orthodox Church was built in 1894-1895 on the site of an old brick church destroyed by an earthquake in 1876. The walls of the building are lined with hewn logs, and the facade is decorated with carvings.

One of the main Orthodox sights of the church is the icon of the Theotokos of Tikhvin, which was written in 1897.

Day 6: Jeti-Oguz & Fairytale Canyon

07:00 breakfast

07:30 departure to Jeti-Oguz valley

09:30 visit Broken Heart rock

10:00 short hiking at Jeti-Oguz valley

11:00 departure to Fairytale Canyon

14:00 explore the canyon, lunchbox

16:00 transfer to Kaji-Say village

17:00 arrive at guest house

18:30 dinner and overnight

Jety-Oguz

Jety-Oguz is a ridge of red rocks covered with forest thickets. The huge dark green forests spreading over the red sandstone mountain slopes create an amazing color contrast. Above the forest zone, in a valley about 15 km wide, there are magnificent subalpine and alpine meadows - jailoo.

In the spring and summer Jety-Oguz gorge “hosts” a real flower festival, as the rocks cover with silvery stars of edelweiss, alpine chamomiles and asters, elecampane. In the upper reaches of small rivers, there are mountain lakes and waterfalls, picturesque gorges.

The fauna of Jety-Oguz canyon is rich. One can still meet the lords of highlands - snow leopards, formidable bears, vultures and eagles here. The mountains are home for herds of fast goats, wild boars, roes, pheasants and other representatives of the region’s fauna.

Fairytale Canyon

Skazka (Fairy Tale) Canyon, located on the southern shore of Issyk-Kul Lake, is one of the most interesting and frequently visited natural places in Kyrgyzstan.

The canyon is famous for its red clay rocks. The wind has been polishing natural and fabulous sculptures here for years. One of the most famous rocks is the "Chinese Wall". Walking through the labyrinths of the canyon, you will feel like in a real fairy tale. The rocks resemble castles, towers, monsters, giants, people and animals.

In windy or rainy weather, the relief of the rocks can change, and tourists can see other images that nature creates. If you climb one of the rocks, you will get a stunning panorama of Lake Issyk-Kul.

Snow almost never falls in this area, so the canyon can be visited at any time of the year.

Day 7: Barskoon Gorge & Arabel Plateau

07:30 breakfast

08:00 transfer to Barskoon Gorge

10:00 hiking to Barskoon waterfalls: Tears of the Leopard and Bowl of Manas

14:00 coming back and lunch at yurt

15:00 transfer to Arabel Plateau

16:00 exploring the plateau

17:00 departure to guest house

19:30 dinner and overnight

Barskoon Gorge

Barskoon Gorge is one of the most beautiful gorges on the southern shore of Issyk-Kul, famous for high waterfalls and dense spruce forests. The length of the Barskoon Gorge is about 30 kilometers. It stretches deep into the mountains of Terskey Ala-Too, reaching the high plateau Arabel, which is separated from the gorge by a cascade of passes. The height of the passes in the Barskoon Gorge are very high and reach 4000 meters.

Barskoon is very attractive for tourists for its natural beauty, including Cascade of Barskoon waterfalls: Tears of the Leopard, Bowl of Manas, Sparkling Champagne and Beard Ak-Sakal.

Arabel Plateau

The Arabel Plateau is a highland valley, located at an altitude of 3800 meters above sea level. This is an amazing place in the southern part of the Issyk-Kul region. It is situated near the Barskoon Gorge and the gold mine Kumtor.

High-mountain valleys are a rare and very surprising phenomenon, especially at this altitude. The average annual temperature in these places is only 5-7 degrees and the earth is almost completely devoid of vegetation.

Due to abundant precipitation and melting of glaciers, there is a lot of water in the valley. This water is used to form rivers, lakes and marshes. The Arabel Plateau is a peculiar high mountain tundra where you can find more than 50 lakes.

The valley has such an interesting relief and a large number of lakes due to a very old glacier. It leveled the valley and left so many lacustrine basins.

Day 8: Kochkor Village and Son-Kul Lake

07:30 breakfast

08:00 transfer to Kochkor village

10:00 arrival, walking around local market and shopping

11:00 departure to Son-Kul lake

13:00 lunch on the way (lunchbox)

15:00 arrival, accommodation in yurts. In addition, you can ride a horse and drink kumis - a fermented dairy product traditionally made from mare milk

19:00 dinner and overnight

Song-Kul Lake

Song-Kul Lake is a picturesque alpine lake situated in the midst of Tian Shan mountains. It is located at the altitude of 3016 meters above sea level and its depth reaches 22 meters in some spots. Son-Kul feeds off of small mountain rivers.

The lake is situated in a mountain plain surrounded by meadows. These meadows, or zhailoo, as the locals call them, have been used as grazing fields for livestock since the ancient times. Numerous petroglyphs found at the shore of the lake are the evidence of that. Local shepherds bring livestock to the lake for the summer and stay in yurts.

That is why the tourists visiting the area can luckily experience multiple colors of the Kyrgyz culture: not only do they get to stay in a national dwelling – yurt, but they also have a chance to satisfy their thirstiness with the traditional Kyrgyz drink – kumis. It is made of mare milk in accordance with the special technology and has a vast number of health benefits.

Because of the low temperatures, large amounts of snow precipitation – snow covers the fields of the region for roughly 130-160 days a year, and road closures, Song-Kul is unavailable for tourism during the winter months.

Day 9: Konorchek Canyons & Bishkek

07:00 breakfast

08:00 transfer to Konorchek Canyons

11:00 exploring the canyons

14:00 lunch

15:00 departure to Bishkek

17:00 arrival

19:00 dinner and overnight

Konorchek Canyons

Konorchek Canyons is an amazing tourist destination in the eastern part of the Kyrgyz Range. Thousands of years of soil erosion have made this place incredible.

It is famous for the remains of the ancient volcano Seghizhan-Shokny. Even to this day, it is possible to find the remains of shells from ancient times when there was a sea.

There is practically no snow in the winter and the temperature hardly drops below 40 degrees Celsius in summer. Therefore, it is better for tourists to visit during spring or autumn.

The way to the canyon passes along the canal of a long dried up river. At times, the rocks are so close that there is a passage about a meter and a half wide.

The hiking path to the canyon is 5 kilometers, but for fans of long hikes, there are many places to go because the canyon area is 200 km.

Day 10: Tanbaly & Almaty

07.00 meeting at the hotel

07:30 departure to Tanbaly Petroglyph site

11.00 arrival, excursion

14.30 lunch (lunchbox)

15.30 transfer to Almaty

19.00 arrive at the hotel

Tanbaly

Tanbaly is a petroglyph site in the Zhetysu of Kazakhstan. Tanbaly became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004. Tanbaly is located 170 km (by road) northwest of Almaty.

The earliest of the petroglyphs of Tanbaly date from the Bronze Age (about 3,000 years ago), when the area was populated by the precursors to the Saka/Scythian people, and the most recent from the 18th or 19th century. There are approximately 5,000 petroglyphs at Tanbaly distributed among 48 sites.

What's Included

  • Transport
  • English-speaking guide / driver
  • Accommodation
    • Almaty: 4★ hotel
    • Saty village: guest house
    • Karakol city: guest house
    • Kaji-Say village: guest house
    • Son-Kul lake: yurt
    • Bishkek: hotel
  • Meals according to the program
  • Entrance tickets to national parks
  • Shymbulak cable car ride
  • Water

What's Excluded

  • International flights
  • Alcoholic drinks

Reviews

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