Classic Kazakhstan Tour

Welcome to Astana, formerly known as Nur-Sultan, which replaced Almaty as Kazakhstan’s capital in 1997 and thus became one of the world’s youngest capitals. Upon arrival, you will meet our driver guide at the airport, and he or she will drive you to our hand-picked hotel downtown. The rest of the day is yours to do as you please.

► Money Tips in Kazakhstan
The official currency of Kazakhstan is the Tenge, short for KZT. The USD to KZT exchange rate is about 1:500. At the airport, a row of currency exchange counters is on the left of the arrival hall, with a reasonable exchange rate and no service charge. In downtown, you can exchange currency at Bailyk Finance when we visit the Bayterek Tower tomorrow. Remember to count your money carefully to avoid any mismatch in the amount.

► Useful Apps for Your Free Time
① For taxi-hailing: Yandex Go
After entering the starting and ending points, the price will be automatically calculated, and you can choose the on-site payment. It is not recommended to make an online payment via your bank card, which usually automatically completes about 5 minutes after picking up, to avoid the driver asking for cash after the online deduction.
② For navigation: 2GIS, Google Maps, Yango Maps
2GIS is the most used; it accurately searches routes and recommends the best routes in real time.

► Recommended Restaurant in Astana (at your own expense)
Mamashvili, a Georgian restaurant on the first floor of Zhk Edem Palas 1, is less than a 10-minute walk north of the hotel. The restaurant is tiny but delicately and warmly decorated, with considerate service. When eating the classic dish Khinkali, a Georgian “soup dumpling” filled with minced mutton or beef and onions, pinch the top of the dumpling wrapper and bite it through first to suck out the soup, whose delicacy has won the thumbs of countless diners.
Average Cost per Person: 4,000-6,000 Tenge (about $8-12)
Address: Kenesary St 65, Astana 010000

Accommodation: Ibis Hotel Astana (3 stars) or similar

Today, we will thoroughly tour Astana by visiting its famed landmarks. Astana has grown along the Ishim River in the vast desert steppe area in north-central Kazakhstan, making Kazakhstan the world’s first country to set its capital in the desert.

The first stop is the old town on the east bank of the Ishim River, where Astana originated in the early 19th century. Many buildings from the Soviet era, over 100 years ago, are preserved here. Like in the old towns of most cities, residential areas, restaurants, shopping malls, and small squares stand close to each other. Then, come to Hazrat Sultan Mosque, a traditional Islamic building with a solemn and serene white exterior. Walking into the main hall, you will be amazed by its magnificent interior again, with a very high roof, pillars, and walls decorated with Kazakh ethnic patterns and designs. It can accommodate 5,000 to 10,000 people for worship indoors and outdoors.
► Note: Female tourists should wear robes and shawls the mosque provides to enter.

Continue following your driver guide to the National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the largest museum in Central Asia, where you can learn about how Kazakhstan developed from the Stone Age to an independent country through rich exhibits. The Kazakhs are known as the “nation on horseback,” so most exhibits are related to horseback riding, herding, and marching, including many weapons, bows and arrows, musical instruments, and ethnic costumes from the Genghis Khan period. You may ask why Kazakh people deeply respect Genghis Khan, a Mongolian. He once incorporated Kazakhstan into the Mongol Empire, uniting various tribes that had long competed for resources, which later enabled Kazakhstan to rise in peace and stability.

The following four landmarks we will visit are all artfully constructed modern architecture. Palace of Peace and Reconciliation, a pyramid-shaped building covered with stainless steel grids and light grey granite, is mainly used to hold international regional leaders’ meetings, so if an international conference is being held, we can only visit from outside. Head west to the 79-meter (260-foot) high Bayterek Tower, the most prominent landmark on Nurzhol Boulevard, crowned by a giant glass ball on top, symbolizing a Kazakh legend: the mythical bird Samruk laid a golden egg on a cloud-kissing poplar tree, inside which hidden the secret of human desire and happiness. Take the elevator to the interior of the “Golden Egg,” where you can enjoy Astana’s panorama and ponder the secret in the “Golden Egg.”

Keep moving west to Khan Shatyr Entertainment Center, which looks like a giant Mongolian-style tent, known as the world’s tallest tent. Affected by the cold front from Siberia, Astana is the second coldest capital in the world, so Khan Shatyr was designed to have a constant temperature, allowing Astana citizens to enjoy the tropical climate and indoor water entertainment facilities. During the preceding overlook from the top of Bayterek Tower, you might notice a spherical building resembling a globe, and that is our last spot, Nur Alem Future Energy Museum, once the core pavilion of EXPO 2017 Astana in Kazakhstan. The world’s only completed spherical building, with a diameter of 80 meters (262 feet), has eight floors, each showcasing different types of alternative energy. Standing on its internal tiered terraces with wavy edges extending toward the glass curtain wall, you will gain a bird’s-eye view of the entire site.

After all visits, the driver guide will transfer you back to the hotel. Remember to pack up and rest earlier since we will leave Astana tomorrow morning.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Ibis Hotel Astana (3 stars) or similar

This morning, the driver guide will escort you to Astana Airport, where you will fly 1.5 hours to Almaty. After arriving, your driver guide based in Almaty will pick you up and take you to the hotel downtown.

In the afternoon, the driver guide will take you to the Sunkar Raptor Center for the Falconry Show (available from Apr. to Oct. except for Monday & Tuesday), where you will see different species of falcons displaying their unique hunting techniques, including black vultures “dancing,” white-tailed eagles catching fish, saker falcons flying at 320 km/h, golden eagles hunting wolves, and bearded vultures eating bones, and learn how hunters tame these birds of prey.

Before dusk, follow your driver guide to Kok-Tobe Hill to watch the sunset. Take the eco-friendly electric bus to the mountaintop, and you can enjoy the 360-degree panoramic view of Almaty at the viewing platform, extremely dazzling when the golden light shines on the surrounding mountains. Also, take photos with the Kok-Tobe photo frame, the TV tower, the Beatles sculpture, etc. On the cable car down the hill, immerse yourself in the snow-capped mountains’ embrace with the whole city. Ultimately, the driver guide will send you back to the hotel.

► Where to Have Dinner in Almaty (at your own expense)
A 15-minute walk northeast or a five-minute taxi ride from the hotel will take you to Shashlychok Na Pastera, a top-class kebab restaurant in Almaty known for its generous portions and high cost-effectiveness, unmissable for meat lovers. Each skewer arrives chargrilled to perfection, crispy outside, and tender inside; the mutton or beef is fresh with a rich taste, with no need for seasoning so that you can enjoy its original flavor. Lamb Sausages, Ribs Shashlik, Mushroom Shashlik, and Baked Naan are all recommended.
Average Cost per Person: 6,000-8,000 Tenge (about $10 - 15)
Address: Mukagali Makataev Street 29, Almaty 050000

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Renion Park Hotel, Almaty (3 stars) or similar

Today, we will first leave Almaty for Basshi Village by driving for 3.5 hours. After hotel check-in and lunch, rest up for the following tour. This afternoon, we will spend three hours exploring Altyn Emel National Park, Kazakhstan’s largest nature reserve. With a unique semi-desert climate and diverse landforms, from steppe and gobi to rocky mountains, the park is home to dozens of rare animals. Along the way to the park, you can see horses splashing water by the lake and reeds swaying in the endless grassland that grows small yellow flowers and many amazing plants.

Entering the park and heading to the Aktau Mountains, you will see acres of Mars-like landscapes, with rock formations in rich colors such as white, red, orange, and yellow, extraordinarily captivating. In addition, traces of extinct subtropical plants and skeletal fossils of ancient animals have been found in rock cracks, including giant rhinos that lived on Earth 20 to 50 million years ago, inspiring imagination of ancient creatures’ life scenes at that time.

Not far to the west is the Katutau Mountains, which means “steep mountains” in Kazakh, with the highest point reaching 1,720 meters (5,640 feet) above sea level. Formed by the solidification of lava from the eruption of two large volcanoes, the mountains’ deep red subsoil is rich in various minerals, presenting a complex landscape with unique-shaped rocks and caves for you to discover. Continue west along the road we come from, and you will see an oasis with long-lived ancient trees growing around streams and lakes, especially an old-growth willow of 700 years old. After that, the driver guide will directly drive you back to Basshi Village.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Basshi Hotel

This morning, we will continue exploring Altyn Emel National Park to climb Singing Dune. As its name suggests, the dune emits a low humming sound as if singing when the wind blows over. Step on the fine and soft sand with your shoes off, listen to the “song” under your feet, and finally reach the top and look into the distance; you can see the strip-like Ili River in the south, as well as the lavender-hued ridges and snow-clad peaks afar. It’s believed that the wishes made here are sure to come true.

Leaving Altyn Emel National Park and driving on the highway to Zharkent, we will be accompanied by the Katutau Mountains’ foothills for a long stretch. These mountains are also called Tiger Mountains because of their tiger-stripe-like landforms. We will stop for a short visit so you can observe closely and take pictures.

After arriving in Zharkent, try authentic local food for lunch. Lagman, a classic staple diet in Kazakhstan, is worth tasting. It stir-fries shredded lamb or beef and vegetables such as bell peppers, eggplants, radishes, potatoes, onions, etc., with garlic and spices, then mixes with pulled noodles. Grabbing a bite of rich vegetables, beef shreds covered with tasty sauces, and chewy noodles, you will instantly feel the fantastic combination bursts with mellow hints. Also, tea is often served with meals in Kazakhstan because Nomadic people regard tea as a beverage and medicine. As the native saying goes, “Rather go without salt for three days than without tea for one,” they believe that tea is precious for relieving fatigue and keeping healthy, making Kazakhstan one of the world’s largest tea consumers, with an average annual per capita tea consumption of 1.54 kilograms.

Next, we will visit Zharkent Mosque, designed by a Chinese architect in the 1870s. It combines Chinese and Central Asian architectural styles by using a pavilion roof with upward bends at the end, a columned corridor, prominent eaves, and the Islamic symbol of the star and crescent. You can feel cultural integration everywhere in this colorful mosque. At last, we will stroll in a local market in Zharkent and drive for two hours to our hand-picked resort in Chunja Hot Springs, where you will stay tonight.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Kara Dala Hot Springs Resort or similar

Today, we are going to appreciate two kinds of distinctive scenery. After driving for 1.5 hours, we’ll first arrive at Charyn Canyon National Park, known as the “Little Colorado Grand Canyon” in Central Asia with magnificent natural landscapes and a rich geological history. Formed about 12 million years ago by the long-term erosion of the Charyn River and its tributaries, Charyn Canyon stretches 154 km (95 miles) and reaches the deepest to 300 meters (985 feet). As the most beautiful and popular part of Charyn Canyon, the Valley of Castles is named after its boulders that resemble ancient castles, and we will leave you enough time to hike through peculiar rock landforms, reddish-brown sandstone columns, as well as find rare animals and plants.

Drive another 1.5 hours to Saty Village, and we will head to Kaindy Lake, hidden in Heaven Mountains. After an over 30-minute bumpy drive, the lake’s turquoise water will suddenly catch your eyes, with many notable straight dead spruce trunks standing in it, enchanting and mysterious. It turns out that the lake was formed by gradual water accumulation in the depression created by the landslide in the 1911 earthquake, and the original spruce forest was submerged. Over the years, they have become the most unique wonder of Kaindy Lake. Ultimately, return to Saty Village for dinner and prepare for tomorrow’s long hike.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Saty Village Guest House

Starting early morning from Saty Village, we will make it to Kolsai Lakes, which means “lakes in the valley” in Kazakh. It consists of three lakes at different altitudes, and we will drive directly to Lower Kolsai Lake, 1,800 meters (5,905 feet) above sea level. Under sunlight, the lake changes from light blue to rich emerald, poetic and breathtaking.

There are some falconers by the lake, and you can pay to take photos of a golden eagle standing on your shoulder, filled with the feeling of conquering a bird of prey. Kazakhstan is one of the few regions still retaining the golden eagle hunting tradition. The obedient golden eagle you see now is trained after going through the cruel “eagle training” — stimulate a newly adult golden eagle to stay awake for many days through sound, intense light, and shaking until it surrenders, and then train it to obey commands and flying skills to become a loyal partner who will accompany the hunter for a lifetime.

In addition, you will challenge a 7-km (4.5 miles) hike to Middle Kolsai Lake at an altitude of 2,250 meters (7,380 feet), which takes about 3 hours one way. Alternatively, you can choose horseback riding, popular among tourists for its thrilling experience on the winding path.
► Note: Horseback riding, available from April to October, is at your own expense, costing $30-40 per person for a round trip.

After returning from Middle Kolsai Lake, the driver guide will transfer you to Bayseit Village for dinner and then drive for 3.5 hours to Almaty. Rest well in the hotel tonight to relieve the fatigue of such a long journey.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch-box, Dinner
Accommodation: Renion Park Hotel, Almaty (3 stars) or similar

Today, we will have an Almaty city tour by visiting specific unmissable landmarks. The first stop is the Central Mosque of Almaty, one of Kazakhstan’s largest and most beautiful mosques. From afar, the golden domes of the main hall and towering minarets are shining resplendently in the sunlight, seeming like a mysterious castle. Standing at the gate, the eye-catching array of flawless white columns and the magnificent corridors look like they are leading you to an exquisite palace.

Then, head south to Green Bazaar (Zeleny Bazar), the largest comprehensive market in Almaty, with a centuries-old history. On the outside, many stalls sell ethnic wool products, such as wool and camel wool clothing, woolen shoes, and handbags. Stepping into the bazaar, its interior is spacious and reasonably designed, stacked with goods in great demand. Kazakhs traditionally live a nomadic life and are still accustomed to having goat milk, horse milk and camel milk in their staple diet, so various dairy products are sold here — dry cheese for milk fragrance lovers, fermented horse milk or camel milk for novelty hunters. The taste of horse milk is not readily accepted for being sour and bitter with a hint of wine, but it is said to be good for the lungs; you can try a bit if interested.

Keep moving south to the Ascension Cathedral (Zenkov Cathedral) in the center of 28 Panfilov Guardsmen Park. As one of the few surviving buildings from the Tsarist era in Almaty, this Russian Orthodox church’s candy-colored exterior with glittering golden domes and crosses etches in the photographic memory of everyone who comes here. You may hear about a household legend that when the 1911 earthquake almost destroyed the entire city, Ascension Cathedral, made entirely of wood and does not use a nail, is the only building that had survived intact thanks to its mortise and tenon construction.

Continue following your driver guide to Rakhat Candy Factory, a confectionary store of Kazakhstan's most famous candy brand, selling a wide range of chocolates, gummies, toffee, and candy to entice sweet-toothed people. The last destination in Almaty is the Medeu Ice Arena in the southeastern mountainous area, where the Medeu Mudflow Control Dam stands at an altitude of 1,733 meters (5,580 feet), providing reliable mudslide protection for the ice skating rink. We will climb up its 842-step-long staircase to get closer to snow-capped mountains and enjoy a bird’s-eye view of Medeu Ice Arena.

Say Goodbye to Almaty, and you will fly 2 hours to Astana again with provided airport see-off and pick-up.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Ibis Hotel Astana (3 stars) or similar

At the beginning of the itinerary, we visited Astana’s distinctive landmarks. Today, we will drive nearly three hours out of Astana to visit the Korgalzhyn Nature Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an essential stop on the migratory route of birds from Africa, the Middle East, and India to their summer breeding grounds in Siberia, boasting over 200 grassland lakes.

If you come here between June and September, when the saltwater lake Tengiz becomes the northernmost breeding ground for flamingos, you can see thousands of these rare birds. Meanwhile, single flamingos will move together in groups, sway their bodies and dance to court. What a spectacular sight!

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Ibis Hotel Astana (3 stars) or similar

On the last day of our 10-day Kazakhstan private tours, your driver guide will pick you up at the hotel and escort you to Astana Airport today at the appointed time.

If your flight schedule allows, we will stop by the Astana Grand Mosque en route, only a 10-minute drive from the airport. “Magnificent” immediately pops into your mind upon first glance. From the outside, you can marvel at its eye-catching blue dome and four towering minarets. Entering the main hall, you’ll be amazed by the incredible ceiling height, spacious interior, exquisite marble walls, and murals, purifying your soul in the tranquil and sacred ambiance.

After appreciating Kazakhstan’s untouched nature and classic architecture, are you attracted by its uniqueness and mystery? If you want to expand your travel to other Central Asian countries, such as Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, to explore the legendary historical sites of ancient Central Asia in-depth, please feel free to contact us to customize your itinerary!

Meals: Breakfast