Reviews
★★★★★
We had a fantastic experience booking our trip through Madina!
Everything was perfectly organized from start to finish. The itinerary was well-planned, and both of our driver-guides were absolutely wonderful, extremely helpful, and made us feel safe throughout the entire journey. Communication with Madina was smooth and clear. We loved every moment and would happily use her services again.
Highly recommended!
★★★★★
Amazing trip planned by Madina! Couldn't have asked for a better guide that Bahyt. Very weel organized and always felt safe.
★★★★★
We couldn't have asked for a better experience planning our Almaty leg with Madina. From the very first conversation, she listened patiently and understood our specific requirements, which included some real mobility constraints within our family. It took just two rounds of back-and-forth to finalize an itinerary that felt tailor-made for us.
What impressed us even more was the execution. The entire trip ran without a single hiccup. Both the guide and driver assigned to us were fully briefed on our needs and constraints, and they looked after us thoughtfully at every step, never once making us feel like an inconvenience, even with our specific requests around pacing and comfort.
I can genuinely say this was one of the best family trips we've ever had. Madina's planning, patience, and attention to detail made all the difference.
10/10, and I'd recommend her without hesitation to anyone planning a trip to Almaty.
★★★★★
Very friendly communication with Madina. She was basicaly available 24/7 and assisted with all my needs. The tours were very well planned and organised. We arrived at most of the spots before the big crowds. The places and views are simply stunning. No pictures can really do it justice. You have to see it with your own eyes. The views will stay with me forever.
★★★★★
absolutely perfect, stunning views, very enjoyable trip in mangystau. Marina is a very kind host.
★★★★★
Madina was great. She built the tour based on our needs and wants. We had a terrific time. I highly recommend her services; you won't be disappointed. She was also able to provide LOI, which was needed to visit KZ.
★★★★★
The trip went great and well organized. We got Issa as our guide and he was super helpful and took care of us throughout the trip.
We recommend using Madina for service provider as the price is reasonable and she also making sure our trip went well. She even help us making sure our trip went smooth even we did not using her services for the next itinerary.
★★★★★
On time, clean and confortable car.
I even forgot my jacket on the car, and got it back right away.
Thank you very much
★★★★★
Perfect and well organize. I strongly reccomend Madina
★★★★★
Good exchanges with Madina for a tailored tour, and great tour (kaindy/kolsai/charyn) with Ergali! Thanks
★★★★
Great trip and getting to see some beautiful sides of Kazakhstan in the Almaty.
Itinerary suggested was met satisfactorily. Some initial issues with communication pre-trip but all worked out. Driver-guide provided could be better.
★★★★★
Everything that was planned and arranged with Madina went well! Our guests enjoyed the tour thoroughly. Though there were some miscommunications in between, eventually we learned to adapt and manage each other's expectations to make the tour worthwhile for everyone. Me and my team are happy with Madina's service, and we are looking forward to more trips to Almaty, and perhaps beyond Almaty as well! Thanks Madina Tours, we truly enjoyed ourselves and immersed into the beautiful and rich culture and nature of Kazakhstan. All of us fell in love with the stunning landscape of your country!
★★★★★
Madina organized a fantastic day trip for our family to the Gundar Ethno Village in Almaty. Everything was smooth and well-organized. Her driver was punctual, safe, and we were very comfortable in his car. The ethno village was a wonderful experience that gave us an authentic glimpse into Kazakh nomadic culture. Our 6-year-old son especially loved the horse games and horse riding, which made the day extra special for him. Madina’s attention to detail and her ability to tailor the experience for families made this trip a highlight of our time in Kazakhstan. Highly recommended!
A
Alex & Ati of Indy
August 2024
★★★★★
We had a fantastic time in Almaty and then traveling from Almaty to Kirghistan. The organization of the whole trip was flawless. Madina is reliable and responsive. Fully recommend!
★★★★★
She arranged for our trip to Borovoe from Tashkent, and Tours outside Almaty. We have great experience with her, The guides and drivers are good. She is very accommodating and helpful.
★★★★★
Everything was good! She was really kind and helpful
★★★★★
The tour was great. Madina helped a lot with suggestions and things to do. Had an excellent tour.
★★★★★
Connected with Madina via Indyguide due to her good reviews, and she promptly did up a tour itinerary for me to include the attractions I wish to cover. Our driver-guide was Natalya - an absolutely fantastic guide who was knowledgeable, fluent in English and properly paced our hikes. We couldn't cover the Big Almaty Lake during the trip, and Madina offered to bring us there separately after the tour has ended - showing a high level of professionalism and commitment to those who engage her services. Thank you for the wonderful memories.
★★★★★
Good organization and very good driver-guide.
★★★★★
Wow! What a wonderful experience at the jewellery workshop today with the master jeweller. Initially I had messaged Madina 2 months ago enquiring about another workshop but it eventually ended up not being available. Madina messaged me every step on the way keeping me informed and updated. She suggested the jewellery masterclass as an alternative and what an amazing alternative it was! My husband crafted a stunning silver pendant with the expert guidance of the jewellery master and Madina to translate. I now have a priceless handcrafted pendant that I will treasure for years! Thank you so much for organising Madina!
★★★★★
We are so lucky to have Madina to be our host in Almaty well management and hospitality,we had unforgettable memories in Kazakhstan,I highly recommend Madina to all who want to visit Kazakhstan.
★★★★★
Madina was extremely helpful and professional. Very patient in replying and satisfying to all our doubts and requests. I totally and higly recommend her. Oir tour was wonderfully organized and we had a really great time visiting Mangystau thanks to her.
★★★★★
Very good service for those who does not have much time to explore the regions!
★★★★★
Madina was very cooperative from the start. Before the trip, she also suggested itinerary which we can enjoy and save time.
We only find 1 day she didn't sent professional guide, which next day she rectified and sent when we told her.
Coordination was proper and she was helpful
★★★★★
I Will say Medina is One the best guides I have ever meet. Been traveling many countries. She is very very helpful and never mind how much time she uses. She knows every corner of Almaty. She is very good at planning your days. really enjoyed my time with her. She is very special guide. I can recommend her to everyone. Thank you medina for my 7 days with you
★★★★★
Madina made our first Almaty, Kazakhstan trip in a great one. She replies quickly and prepared a very good itinerary based on what sights we wanted to see. She speaks very good English too. She is highly recommended in planning your next Kazakhstan travel.
★★★★★
Madina is really nice guide! My first traveling to Almaty was super great and she made me unforgettable memories. Even she helped me to buy some souvenirs and helped me a lot. If i go to Almaty again, i will definitely be with her, her tour. And Dana and Yerbol - guides from Madina’s tour, they were so nice too. Thank you so much for everything. I was really happy?
★★★★★
Thanks for all your hard work, Madina! You ensured that i had a fantastic experience in your country, much appreciated.
★★★★★
I would recommend Madina to anyone going to Kazakhstan ! She is extremely helpful, answers any questions before, during and far after the tour, about anything you might have to ask of Central Asia, She will always try her best to organise the trip that would suit you most and I totally recommend doing an Almaty city tour with her, her knowledge is impressive !
Thanks again Madina and see you soon !
★★★★★
I had an amazing trip planned and managed by Madina. This is my first time in Kazakhstan and she made this trip unforgettable for me. I would recommend everyone who is visiting Kazakhstan to plan their trip with Madina, for sure she will take a good care of everything. The trip went so smooth without any problems. She is always available to answer all the questions and very helpful.
Tugcenur is a very nice, decent young lady. Customer that anyone would like to have as a guest. Thank you for choosing us as hosts! Always welcome back. There is still lots of to see and experience in Kazakhstan
★★★★★
I did two tours via Madina, the Almaty city tour and the 2 day trip to Charyn/Kolsai/Kaindy. Everything went perfect, she even helped me get a (shared) taxi to Bishkek!
Martin is a decent and intelligent gentleman. Was a pleasure to have him as a guest for my city tour.
★★★★★
Madina helped me with a 2 day trip from Almaty to Charyn Canyon and lakes Kolsay + Kaindy and brought me together with other travelers to share the costs. She responded within minutes to all my questions and offered several options for the tour. We had a great trip, and I highly recommend Medina as your tour agent.
Katrin is a very nice and well organized lady. Best guest you can wish.
★★★★★
Traveling alone, I met up w/ my driver guide Jomak who is on time & helpful in every way. Madina checked on me & if I am satisfied all the time. A wonderful trip for you to experience local treatment.
Ria is a friendly and lovely young lady
★★★★★
The day was great. Had an absolute blast driving the snowmobiles in a very beautiful setting. The road to Lake Almaty was covered in snow and our driver handled it like a champ.
J
★★★★★
We are happy with their service and prompt reply . Guide is helpful . We had a great time
. Thank you guys
S
★★★★★
Everything well smoothly. Madina is an excellent guide. Will definitely use the service of INDY GUIDE again.
F
★★★★★
It was a smooth 2 night 3 days on a tour around Almaty, good 4wd and guesthouses, skillful driver. A lot of repairs were necessary in one of the guesthouses, cold shower in the morning.. but otherwise a great trip and Madina is surely attentive.
A
★★★★★
Everything fine good communication
N
★★★★★
The whole experience was very positive. For Kazakhstan, this trip was incredibly good value for money. Madina and Sergei were a delight and incredibly helpful even providing me contacts and information for other parts of Kazakhstan (outside Almaty region). Only complaint would be that the yurt was not available to sleep in but it was explained why it wasn`t available quite clearly and understandably.
A
★★★★★
I really enjoyed the trip to Charyn Canyon, Kayindy Lake and Kolsay Lakes. Our group was nice. The accomodation in Saty was very comfortable and we`ve got good homemade food. Sergej, our driver was very kind.
K
★★★★★
Everything went really well. No misunderstandings about payment, timetable or accommodations. Madina gave us a great service, comunication was fast and clear, she easily adapted to our needs and arranged everything to get a good price. Our driver Nurlan was great, very kind, patient and calm person. Even if he is not a guide, he tried to give us some information about visited places. Accommodations in Bashy and Saty villages were great. Country style, but with home made saturated food, ventilator and clean shower and bedroom. They even adapted to vegetarian needs. Car was comfortable enough even in super hot daytime. Driver Nurlan was really reliable, drives saflty even in hard conditions and doesn`t hurried us up in sightseeing places. We strongly recommend this team!
G
★★★★★
The communication with Madina before the trip went well. She even tried to get more travelers to join my trip. At the end I was traveling alone, but she picked me up at the airport and she introduced me to the driver (Dos). Dos was a safe and fun driver and we managed to communicate his English was basic. The Altyn Emel Park is really nice the time you spent there are around 1-2 h per stop the accommodation are descent the families cook nice dinner. The car had some issues but Dos repaired it and we still went to the canyon which was then around sunset which was beautiful. The last day I saw the Lakes Kolsai and Kaindy (picture) there are crystal blue and very cold total different to the Altyn Emel park. the way to Kaindy takes one hour and is really off-road and fun :-) at around 14:30 we drove back to Almaty where Madina took me out for a city tour which was also very interesting. So all in all a great experience!
M
★★★★★
Our trip was excellent!
+ Driver was super friendly although he did not speak english.
+ Very friendly stuff at accommodation (they even prepared vegetarian option for us).
- No bathroom at our accommodation
- Quite expensive, but everything was included (entrance, food, water, accommodation,...)
M
★★★★★
Our 3 days tour of Altyn Emel:Aktau Katutau, Singing Dune, Charyn, Kolsay, Kaindy went well and was well organised. Madina was easy to contact, the price was very reasonable and she helped join us with two other travelers which made it even cheaper. The driver we had was very experienced and drove well. Our tour guide was friendly and proficient enough in English but she was a bit inexperienced (it was only her second trip). The tour would have been even better if she was more knowledgeable about the places we were going and she was a bit more attentive to our needs (needing towels at guesthouses, and stopping at shops before stopping for the night). I`m sure she will get better at this with more experience. We would have also liked to have been offered some other options, like accommodation at the bottom of Charyn Canyon, which might have costed more but would have been an amazing place to stay. Overall, we had a nice trip and I would recommend Madina`s services.
P
★★★★★
The trip was well organised and Madina took very good care of us! She was very friendly and knew much about many things. It was also easy to book the tours. Positive experience, I recommend it! Regards from Finland!
S
★★★★★
Hi I am Lavanya from India(Chennai) I went on a 2 day solo trip to Kolsai,Kaindy and charyn canyon in september 2018. Madina planned it so well. She contacted me herself after seeing my group tour request in indy guide. As I dont know russian she arranged a english guide.
She combined me up with such an wonderful organiser and enjoyed the tour to the fullest. After most a year I am writing this review, as the memory are fresh and it will always remain fresh throughout my life such a wonderful experience. Thank u Madina..
L
★★★★★
Tour was great! Madina and Zakiya were very attentive and friendly. They really cared about my experience and I had a great time. I was a little nervous about being in Kazakhstan all by myself, but I still had a lot of fun and interesting conversation.
K
★★★★★
Madina was very friendly and helpful and was able to put me together with 2 other travelers on a budget 2 night trip to Charyn Canyon and Kolsay and Kaindy Lakes, based in the town of Saty. Great value for money and she was always responsive to questions via Indy Guide or Whatsapp.
K
★★★★★
Madina promptly replied our request and proposed a tour corresponding our desires. The tour went smoothly and we enjoyed our trip.
L
★★★★★
Even tho I could not do the tour with Madina, she really tried her best to find me the best tour ever and fulfill my expectations.
A
★★★★★
Everything was well organised! Thanks a lot Madina. Vesna
V
★★★★★
Altyn Emel, Charyn, Kaindy & Kolsai Lakes, WOW. They all blew me away. Thanks to Madina customising a tour for me and finding others to join, I was able to see everything I wanted and more for a good price. She has an extensive network and will help you organise the best Kazakhstan experience!
D
★★★★★
Thanks to Madina, we had a fantastic 2-day tour of Charyn canyon, Kolsai and Kayindy lakes. Madina was very thoughtful and caring. During a difficult off road drive, our 7 yr old son got very scared - but Madina did really well to reassure and calm him down. As a result, he gained confidence, and even enjoyed the return trip. Madina did a lot to make sure that all logistics (food, accommodation, transport, washing facilities) along the way were in place. This wasn’t always easy around that area. We really enjoyed our trop with Madina. We certainly would recommend her.
If you wish to see Madina in action during our trip:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sicPFSpZxtM
H
★★★★★
Amazing tour. And Medina took care of everything.
S
★★★★★
Very good communication before the tour. Madina explain me everything and she also gave me tip on things to do in Almaty. Recommended
S
★★★★★
Tour was nice but the car beside being very old and broken front glass, it didnt have any seatbelts and she was telling me this is normal in kazakstan. But we are paying for a tour that will cover our safety too.
The last day she agreed to put us on the bigger suv car that had seatbelts.
Beside that she s lovely and the 2days tour was fun
M
★★★★★
We enjoyed the City tour + Big Almaty Lake + Falcon show (lunch included) tour with Madina very much. Madina is a great guide and very helpful and friendly. I can happily recommend her!
P
★★★★★
Madina organised a great tour, always careful to meet the needs of the group and checking that we were OK for water/food/toilet and photo stops. She is very chatty and good at getting people to integrate as a group and her English is excellent.
J
★★★★★
Everything was great. Madina was an excellent guide and gave us a good insight on Almaty n the country`s history. Thank you.
T
★★★★★
Thanks Madina for organising a great day trip to the Kolsai and Kaindy lakes despite the tough weather conditions. I’m so glad I got to witness and experience the winter wonderland.
T
★★★★★
The day trip to Big Almaty Lake went well too
It was amazing to see it
Thank you!
T
★★★★★
Excellent! Madina reccomended another guide for this tour: Gulzat. It was an excellent, interesting and very fun tour. Gulzat knows very well the history and the culture of Kazakhstan, but her explanations are not boring. On the contrary, they are based on everyday life examples, she feels comfortable explaining personal anecdotes and lots of stories. We went to the Charyn Canyon, and I enjoyed this short trip through the steepe. Lots of good vibes during that Monday tour. Thanks for your smile and shared stories, Gulzat!
A
★★★★★
Everything went smoothly. The family of gesthouse was nice and prepared yummy local dishes. Also, the views of lakes were impressive. Thanks a lot.
I hope it can have enough time to go Kolsai Lake 2 and 3 in the trip.
H
★★★★★
I did a day trip from Almaty with Madina. She is a fantastic and very knowledgeable guide and I had a great time with her. She responded to all messages immediately and made this day trip possible at short notice, although I only booked it the night before. I got picked up at my hotel by her and the driver and everything went smooth and well. After getting back to Almaty she showed me a few additional things which actually weren`t included in the tour, told me how to use the metro in Almaty and gave me additional tips. If I get back to Kazakhstan I will definitely hire her as a guide again and I would highly recommend to everyone travelling to Almaty and Kazakhstan to do. Thank you so much for the wonderful day, Madina.
V
★★★★★
Madina is very friendly and welcoming. Dimitry, the driver I had was hospitable and funny, which made the excursion enjoyable.
N
★★★★★
Madina replied to messages quickly. Everything went as planned.
A
★★★★★
My four friends and I had a long layover in Almaty on our way to Seoul, and we booked Madina as our guide for a whirlwind 18 hours. She was an excellent guide, and very responsive to our messages as she helped to arrange a driver for the whole day, entry to Big Almaty Lake, a cable car trip up the city`s neighboring mountain, and all of our meals. For a time she wasn`t able to be in the van with us, but she gave me a sim card so that we could text and be in touch the whole time. I`ve had layovers that were long enough to go explore a city before, but thanks to Madina`s help I really feel like we had a trip to Almaty, not just a stop there.
A
★★★★★
Everything went well. Madina and her assistance can speak English well and are able to arrange for a trip in such short notice. The driver is very nice and kind. He is also a good driver. Although he may not be able to speak English but he tried to say some English words when he can.
G
★★★★★
Madina replies fast and the driver is nice and helpful though he doesn`t speak English. Overall is fine. Thanks!
E
★★★★★
Madina is the best guide in Almaty, and the driver was super aslo.
W
★★★★★
Madina took great care of us for 3 days in the tour to Altyn Emel and Charyn Canyon, all was organised, the driver was helpful and in the end he took us all the way to Kyrgyzstan border, he didn`t speak English but Madina was on the phone all the time to help and advise. We highly recommend the tour. Thanks!
O
★★★★★
Madina is a great guide and is very knowledgeable and accommodating. She really went the extra mile with providing water and helping me find postcards and stamps. I had an am amazing experience in Almaty, which was only possible because of Madira. I really enjoyed the sunse!
J
★★★★★
We had a really great time with Timur and madina in and arounf Almati.
They were ready to offer really personalised service and much more - personal expreience. Madina herself is a knowledgable guide and what is more, a marvellous person. It was easy to commun icate with her and made all effort to make us feel great in Kz.
Thank you for the unforgettable days.
A
★★★★★
Wonderful trip! Very friendly and competitve driver, fantastic local food :) Thanks a lot and see You next time in Kazakstan!
M
★★★★★
Madina provided us everything we needed and more. She even arranged us vegan meals. If you`re looking for someone going the extra mile, Madina is the right choice. Special thanks also to our driver Gennadiy who took care of us during our trips. Highly recommend.
P
★★★★★
We had a great experience with Madina. She is very reliable, speaks good English and always tries to accomodate you. We were on a road trip tour of severals days. We relied on madina for the whole organisation since the driver spoke very basic english. I would definitely recommend her.
S
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