Reviews
★★★★★
Yerlan was unavailable for the dates I wanted to book, and I asked for a few customizations of the tour to take into account my unusual time available. He worked really hard to find a good solution, and as a result I worked with his son as a guide. We did have the opportunity to run into Yerlan as well periodically throughout the day (who was on a tour with another guest) and he was excellent. I'd highly recommend him, and this unique tour!
Jason is very positive person, ready to act and flexible in changing or urgent situations. On the day of the trip I met him only few times for less than an hour in total. But I am greatly impressed by his strong passion to travel, sincere interest about what he sees.
Jason has travelled through all countries in the worlds already and now his idea is to visit same countries 15-20 years later, very interesting approach and strong will to live "in parallel" with whole planet!
I recommend Jason very much for cooperation and just talking - he is a great company.
★★★★★
I contacted Yerlan to see how about booking a tour when I was to be in Karaganda, Kazakhstan. He was booked the days I needed but found a colleague, Beibit, to assist me in my journey.
Oh my, we had a wonderful time exploring Karaganda and surrounding area.
Her local knowledge was so helpful in understanding the town and area.
On the spur of the moment she arranged an early morning visit to see the sunrise happen over Red Rocks.
It was magical to see the light illuminate the rocks and wash over the river and valley.
On our two days Beibit kept me engaged in her town. Through her I feel I left with a better understanding of Karaganda and its people.
★★★★★
Excellent adventure. Yerlan was great. He is very knowledgeable on all of the subjects regarding the tour and not only. Awesome experience and definitly recommend him as a tour guide. The informations he provided were on point and accurate. Sharing personal experince made the tour even better.
I wish all visitors were prepared and well-read about their future journeys as Mihai was. His questions are always right to the essence, many times he asked exactly what I was going to says at that moment Full mutual understanding.
I wish Mihai good further travel and highly recommend him to everyone on his and Claudia's further route.
★★★★★
My brothers and I went on this tour, and thought that it was absolutely incredible. We learnt so much, shared so many laughs, and saw some incredible pieces of history. The highlights were the atomic lake (with protective suits), nuclear missile silos, the ghost town, and spending time talking to Yerlan. He's very knowledgeable, and is a really nice guy - he is so passionate, obviously cares so much about this topic, and is genuinely interested in your passions as well. The next time we are in Kazakhstan, we will definitely get Yurlan to show us around, and would love to stay in contact!
10/10 would recommend and do it all over again :)
★★★★★
It was a truly valuable experience for me.I regret that my English comprehension wasn't perfect, but I really appreciate your detailed and professional explanations throughout the day.
Personally, I am interested in how nuclear testing has impacted the local people and society. It was a great tour!
R
★★★★★
One word - perfect. I really appreciated very honest and transparent communication upfront - that made me secure as I was travelling alone. Everything was according to plan and local guide was great to share stories,
Taking care about me, going extra mile about program where possible. Just great customer service! Recomend without doubt! The trip itself despite I had my doubts costs was great expierience- much more than I expected. Birds, animals are surprising, close but you feel you are on their territory. I am not bird watching person but after that trip I understood beauty of that activity
Agnieszka is very quick to ask specific question and make decisions. This saves a lot of time. I appreciate her style. Highly recommend to deal with!
★★★★★
I am writing to express my deepest gratitude for the incredible journey Yerlan led us through. My friends are especially touched by the stamps he gifted us. They are truly precious.
Actually, I have a deep interest in the Soviet-era futurist architecture and the "Space Race" history. The "religious-like" fervor the Soviet Union had for space is truly impressive and thought-provoking.
It is a pity that the language barrier prevented us from having deeper conversations at times. It all feels like a "cinematic adventure"—a unique experience that one will never forget.
Thank you again for your professionalism and hospitality.
M
Miao and Chang
January 2026
★★★★★
Yerlan is such an amazing guide, and this was truly an unforgettable experience. He is incredibly knowledgeable and professional. Unfortunately, we had some slight communication gaps due to our limited English—we definitely need to practice more! To top it all off, he was so kind that he even gave us some precious Soviet stamps as a gift.
★★★★★
Yerlan was our tour guide when visiting the Polygon, and I found him to be extremely knowledgeable. The way he shares historical facts and puts them into context makes you listen. I came to know Yerlan as a very thoughtful and considerate tour guide, and I would contact him again anytime for future such expeditions. Thank you, Yerlan, for your hospitality and for making history feel close and meaningful.
N
★★★★★
I spent a whole day with Yerlan exploring the area between the former nuclear test site and Semey.
It was a fantastic experience. Yerlan is communicative and cooperative. You can tell he knows the area well. I learned a lot from him. He was always friendly.
I would definitely recommend tours with Yerlan.
Thank you very much, Yerlan!
Things went very well. Markus is good planner, he know early and exactly what he wants. So it was easy for me to visit places matching his professional taste. Markus has his own style of photography that he explained me beforehand. So we did good job within scope of his interest.
Communication style is accurate, punctual and tiimely.
★★★★★
Very interesting tour. Yerlan is an exceptional tour guide with lived experience of the area and a lifetime studying the subject. Yerlan was very welcoming and accommodating with our schedule to make the tour work. Highly recommend.
Harry and Rebekah are nice young couple easy to travel with. Both were well prepared to the subject of the tour, well-read and aware of basic information about nuclear tests, so it was easier for me to tell about more sophisticated details.
Also, both are open-minded.
We also talked about our own lives.
As a whole, the tour was smoothed by interesting talks about variety of subjects.
My impression of these guests is very positive, I highly recommend them for cooperation.
★★★★★
Yerlan was an absolutely incredible guide. His depth of knowledge of nuclear history goes well beyond the testing in Kazakhstan and he does a fantastic job of putting everything in context. It would be impossible to describe how much we learned on this tour. Yerlan was also very quick with communication to get pickup sorted and get the appropriate permitting in place. Probably the best travel tour I have ever taken. Also incredibly nice!
I've had great time with Jack! Visiting the Atomic lake was only a small part of his great interest to our country. It seems like we talked unstoppably about nuclear tests, life in USSR and life generally. I enjoyed Jack's curiosity about every aspect of life in Kazakhstan. He was also well read about history, shared his knowledge. It can be said like we guided each other. 😁
I wish Jack good further trip and highly recommend him for cooperation.
★★★★★
I had an incredible experience with Yerlan. Probably the most knowledgeable, intelligent, and personable guide I have ever had (and probably among the most knowledgeable, intelligent, and personable people I have ever met). His academic and professional treatment of the nuclear and historical topic came always with lighthearted anecdotes and good conversation, which made the many hours on the road pass quickly. I cannot recommend him enough!
I feel God blessed by William's visit 😁
He is very well read prepared boy, his question about the Polygon and USSR very were smart. I love this kind of visitors and was happy to gift him rarity Soviet item in the end of the tour.
Highly recommend William for cooperation.
Yerlan.
★★★★★
Very knowledgeable guide, very interesting tour.
It looks expensive but when you realize how much actually goes into it, I was happy with the cost.
Rod and Joshua are very enthusiastic, working for such kind of people is easy and inspiring. I enjoyed amount and diversity of their questions. All in all, I highly recommend them as people to work with.
★★★★★
What an incredible experience with Yerlan over 4 days. I cannot recommend him enough. He's deeply knowledgable of local history, science, and geopolitics. He's warm, caring and always quick with seemingly the perfect anecdote or hidden backstory, Yerlan was also always on time, super available, and quick with communications leading up and during the tour. And all this with a lighthearted touch filled with humor, grace and goodwill. I feel like I learned a college course worth of material in 4 days from Yerlan. Moreover, he's someone that is just very fun to spend time with—the perfect kind of guide.
Michael is rare kind of visitor, well-read, showing his sincere interest in lands where he travels. I've enjoyed his smart question and attention even to nuances of local life. We've travelled mainly through lands of former Semipalatinsk nuclear test site and Michael was great companion, I am very pleased to recommend him as reliable partner for cooperation.
★★★★★
Their tour made me and my friends enjoyable. Very good guide with good English.
Yohei and friends are rare kind of guest, who learn well before visiting chosen place. All team is very well read and understands quite complex subject. Very good luck, they all are very proficient in nuclear physics, so I've enjoyed telling the about Soviet Atomic program. Very competent and interested audienct. I felt very pleased to gift them old Soviet post stamps about pacifist and anti-nuclear activity. I highly recommend Yohei and his friends.
★★★★★
Yerlan is the most knowledgeable guide that I've ever met. His deep knowledge of the region’s history and culture, combined with engaging storytelling, made the tour fascinating. Truly appreciate his passion for sharing this unique part of Kazakhstan, exploring the haunting beauty and the amazing story of the test sites. Thank you for making this trip memorable—it was a privilege to explore with you!
Roy is brief and specific in messages, well-read and well-prepared to the tour. He was a rare kind of visitor, who learns enough before travelling and asks relevant questions. I felt him like long-familiar person when talking about political history of post-war period despite different understanging in some aspects.
Roy is also flexible and quick to make decisions. I was very pleased to make Roy a gift in the end.
Highly recommended.
★★★★★
A senior guide with good historical and cultural knowledge. He was able to provide beyond the standard textbook information and share his actual experience and in-depth insights living and growing up under the soviet occupation. Enjoyed the trip and especially his frank and honest view of historical and current events.
The tour was very interesting, it felt like we both were guiding each other. While I was telling about Kazakhstan, PJ was telling about Singapore. We talked very much about USSR and international politics, economy and corruption. I am very happy for having such interesting guest. Highly recommend to cooperate!
★★★★★
We have recently toured Kurchatov, the Polygon and Semipalatinsk with the help of Yerlan. Yerlan proved the best guide by far. He knows extremely well the history of Imperial Russia, the USSR and Kazakhstan and integrates it with ease in the wider world history, objectively and without bias. Our tour was not restricted neither by time and space, instead we felt that we toured Kazakhstan during the days of Imperial Russia, the USSR and more closely to the present, during its times as an independent country. Throughout the duration of our tour, Yerlan was very receptive to our wishes and integrated them into the tour programme. He kept in close contact with us and did not hesitate to help us with the most mundane of tasks (restaurant and shopping recommendations, hotel bookings, etc.). Were we to visit Kazakhstan again, we would definitely contact Yerlan!
The tour was great! We have very much in common with Iulia. Interest, opinion, position about many aspects of life are similar. Iulia is very curious about general understanding and smaller details of life in Kazakhstan and USSR, easy to communicate, discuss and make decisions. I felt very comfortable with her, the tour was joy than work this time. :-)))
I highly recommend Iulia as a person to deal with.
★★★★★
I had a fantastic trip with Yerlan. Together, we planned an itinerary that suited my travel plans, visiting Priozersk, Karaganda and Semipalatinsk. Yerlan is extraordinarily knowledgeable, and a fantastic guide. He is full of very interesting and educational anecdotes, and is extremely well placed to take you around the sites of Kazakhstan. Highly recommend!!
I loved travelling with Luke!!
He is easy to communicate, at the same time organised and punctual.
Through the travel Luke was very curious and sincerely expressed his feelings, asked a lot of smart questions.
Despite hard road and climate conditions travelling with Luke was very easy and comfortable emotionally.
Highly recommend!!
★★★★★
The trip was great, nothing, nothing to complain about. As soon as we arrived, the adventure began. Yerlan is a great guy, we talked a lot and bombarded him with questions. That made the trip even more exciting and strangely enough, something like a friendship developed. It remains an unforgettable trip. At no point was it boring or did I feel lost. It was great. Thank you for everything, really! And hopefully in person! LG
O
★★★★★
Yerlan was an incredible help during our time in Astana. He assisted us in booking train tickets to Semey and went above and beyond by personally escorting us to the train station to ensure we got on the right train and found our cabin smoothly. His knowledge and passion for his work are evident, and he made the entire process stress-free for us. Yerlan’s attention to detail and genuine care for his clients set him apart. We highly recommend his services to anyone visiting Astana!
A
Alex & Ati of Indy
August 2024
★★★★★
Really great day - everything went beyond expectations! It was so good to have such a knowledgeable guide taking us safely and comfortably through the day.
I am very pleased with interest of Harri and Anu about our country and diversity of their scope of interest, from ethnography to economy.
I wish them happy further travel.
Welcome again, Harri and Anu!!
★★★★★
Yerlan organised a trip to Korghalzhyn Reserve for me from Astana. It all went smoothly, including the arrangement with the 4x4 driver/guide to get into the reserve and spot animals. It was a full-day excursion, including a picnic lunch. Recommended!
I like preparation style of Els.
She doesn't rush, but is quick to ask her question and answer mine.
Els looks forward for next steps and asks all important questions early.
Generally, her communication is very comfortable, timely, relevant.
Therefore organizing this trip was easy for me.
I am thankful to her for travelling with me and I highly recommend Els to cooperate with.
My best wishes,
Yerlan.
★★★★★
Yerlan is a warm, generous, and erudite tour guide. His interest in regional history, in the sites he tours, and in the people living in their vicinity were evident throughout our two days together. Our time together was rich with Yerlan's stories, scaling from large historical events to portraits of peers and historical personalities. I strongly recommend him as a guide.
I am very pleased to meet Tyler. He turned out to be very well prepared about the subject of the tour, punctual in scheduling and plannin as a whole. Tyler has read enough and showed great interest even in minor issues of Kazakhstan. Of course working for such "audience" was both easy and pleasant. I highly recommend Tyler as a person to deal with.
Yerlan.
★★★★★
test
I loved traveling with Tarjei.
He is already well travelled, always fine to do more or go further.
In his scope of interest Tarjei is very proficient and experienced, I'll learned many new things too.
Our journey was mutually useful, I believe.
I can highly recommend Tarjei as a person to deal with.
★★★★★
Very nice and concise city tour through Astana, tailored to our needs. Yerlan is very knowledgable about the city and the country. Thanks very much!
I am very pleased to meat and work for Julian. He was sincerely interested in our country and asked many questions.
Although he had very short rest after long flight, he was punctual and started the tour early, was very attentive during the day.
I highly recommend Julian as a person to deal with.
★★★★★
Yerlan is delightful and incredibly knowledgeable about Kazakhstan. He was a brilliant guide and organised an amazing trip to a nearby nature reserve. 100% would recommend
Aurelien has broad scope of interest and knowledge. I was pleased with his curiosity about Kazakhstan and aspects of our life. I strongly recommend Aurelien as a person to deal with.
Yerlan.
★★★★★
A fantastic trip. 10/10. Engaging, Interesting, knowledgable and fun! I fully intend to go on some more tours and hope to return at some point!
The trip was very comfortable in terms of mutual understanding. Dan turned out to be very knowledgeable at nuclear physics and history of nuclear weapons and arms race. Intellectual "audibility" was very good.
Besides, on the second day we experience great adventure, where he behaved like true man, being calm in extreme situation.
I highly recommend Daniel as a guest.
★★★★★
I've now just had my last dinner in Kazakhstan two day later than planned. Soon back to the hotel and early flight home tomorrow. But I wanted to say a huuuuuge thank you to you Yerlan for organising the tours and helping me glue together the different parts of my trip. It has been an absolute astonishing experience to see this country and the tours have all been spot on. I will remember this trip forever!!
I
★★★★★
This was a trip that definitely met all of my expectations. Mr Yerlan, although not present on the trip was extremely helpful in providing an audio guide, which put everything into historical context. I couldn`t have asked for a nicer driver than Mr Azermat, who was helpful and polite. I will definitely reach out to Mr Yerlan again to help with future trips in Kazakhstan.
C
★★★★★
Everything was great services ,food and hotel
And the tour was amazing special the nuclear test site in korchatov and the history of Cold War , thanks a lot yerlan.
J
★★★★★
We had a very interessting tour to the Polygon nuclear testare and Kurchatov. We also visited the ghost town Chagan and the abandoned airbase. Yerlan did a very good job and everything was fine.
C
★★★★★
Yerlan was a great guide! He took us on a custom-made tour and was ever so patient, kind and helpful. He is also very knowledgeable, educated and speaks English perfectly. Could not have chosen a better guide. Thanks a lot!!
T
★★★★★
Yerlan, this is Scott and Dave and just wanted to thank you so much for everything you did for us. You`re ammmazing, and we love you! So, here is Dave. Thank you for everything Yerlan, we had a great time, we couldn`t have done this without you. We are so thankful. And Scott can say, he`s happy! Bye-bye!!
T
★★★★★
Yerlan did a great job. He has an intensive knowledge about history and facts about the semey nuclear test site. He is a fun guy. Unfortunatly his 4x4 car broke down on the tour. He solved the problem very good by organizing an alternative driver (who unfortunatly didn`t speak english).
M
★★★★★
Yerlan is a great guide! We had a blast at the Semey test site, super enjoyable time. Yerlan was able to effortlessly troubleshoot problems as they arose and deliver an unfortgettable experience.
K
★★★★★
Yerlan is a super nice guy and knows a lot about the nuclear test site and it`s history! In summary everything was perfect and I can highly recommend you to book a tour with Yerlan! It`ll be worth it! ✌️
M
★★★★★
The tour to the Atomic test site is a very interesting and good tour. Yerlan is a fantastic tour guide. Extremely good knowledge about what he is speaking about. He is very helpful and very willing to share his knowledge.
I strongly recommend the Atomic test site tour.
J
★★★★★
My Brother and I are keen Dark Tourists and having booked our trip to Khazakstan, really didn`t know what to expect. After a really enjoyable stay in Almaty we joined Yerlan in Semey for our private tour. Yerlan was very well read on history and military conflicts, giving us an incredible understanding of the country. He provided local guide help allowing us access to areas often unseen on local maps and guides. We were not worried about our safety and enjoyed the ride in Yerlans 4x4. I hope to see you again sometime Yerlan. Good fortune with yoiur venture . Ian and Colin( United states of Great Britain )( Not to be confused with the European Union ! haha )
T
★★★★★
One of our most memorable trips. The Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site is an experience one will never forget. And if one is looking for such an adventure, Yerlan is definitely the guide to do it with. Huge knowledge on historical facts spiced up with funny, insightful and eye opening anecdotes that make history become alive during the trip. He gives suggestions for interesting photo spots and is eager to organize a full experience of reality for you and that you get what you paid for and even more. Yerlan is a great organizer but also open for coincidental or short-term opportunities and a good connecter to interesting locals you would have never thought to meet before. Thus for any trip that needs professional guidance or special permit in Kazakhstan Yerlan is the one to contact.
S
★★★★★
An incredible experience I will never forget!
I made a very last-minute booking on the off-chance Yerlan would be free and I am so lucky he was.
Our two-day trip to Burabay was amazing, all thanks to Yerlan`s guidance. He knew so much about the history and stories behind each place we visited and was more than happy to answer my many questions about Kazakh culture.
The drive was safe, comfortable, and well-worth the time to see such fantastic landscapes. He showed off the wares in the local market, and shared them with me. They were absolutely delicious! He even helped me with checking into my hotel near the park.
We hiked around the lakes through beautiful forests and even up to the highest peak. Climbing the mountains was sometimes difficult but he was always there to help and happy to take a rest whenever I needed it.
Swimming in the lakes was so refreshing after the hike and he even helped me find my goggles when I lost them.
I would definitely take another tour with him in the future! As a guide he is kind, thoughtful, knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the places he visits. He has my highest recommendation :)
S
★★★★★
Yerlan is wonderful. I had to organise a trip to Astana for 9 people and he helped me where ever he could. Despite all my questions and a certain mistrust from my side, he was always honest and transparent. He responded at any time to any question. When we had the tour with him, it continued positive. Thanks to his knowledge, he was able to tailor an individual tour according our preferences and interests. Additionally, he was able to answer all questions we had. He is friendly, has a positive and motivated attitude and is always smiling.
Thanks to Yerlan, our time in Astana was very convenient and we got a deeper insight about the life in this crazy city.
I am incredibly thankful for everything he made for me and my group.
S
★★★★★
It was great spending time with you and meeting your family. Thank you so much for your warm hospitality and sensitive translation during a very difficult time. Thank you also for making a special trip up to Astana to deliver the gifts from Aigul as well as the flash drive. Best wishes and please come visit us if you should ever come to Utah.
T
★★★★★
It was truly a very experience to visit Kazakhstan, I think we`ll recommand it to everyone!! Thanks again for spending this time with us, it was very very nice to get to meet you, all the best for your interview, and we hope to see you in France very soon :)
T
★★★★★
Yerlan is an excellent guide. I reached out to him months before my trip and he helped tiredlessly me with the booking of hotel, arranging transfers, and gave me advice on my other days in Kazakhstan, even though i was not traveling with him on those days. He also provided help after the conclusion of the tour, as he helped me to get my jacket left behind in Kurchatov back. Yerlan also provided excellent guiding service in Semipalatinsk and have vast knowledge of Kazakhstan, politically or culturally. I highly recommend him.
T
★★★★★
Yerlan was a great guide! He took us on a custom-made tour and was ever so patient, kind and helpful. He is also very knowledgeable, educated and speaks English perfectly. Could not have chosen a better guide. Thanks a lot!!
T
★★★★★
Everything went very well with Yerlan. He made us a very nice trip in Astana and was always giving us lots of information about history of Astana and Kazakhstan. We had a very nice time with Yerlan and will warmly recommend him.
M
★★★★★
Yerlan is an absolute gem of a driver / guide to find, he is fun, passionate, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, extremely helpful, caring, polite and accommodating.
Yerlan was with us for 4 days, but we also used his service for our airport transfers. He was always on time to collect us from our hotel, and he was there waiting for us when our flight landed.
What separate Yerlan from other guides or drivers I`ve used on my holiday`s, is that Yerlan makes small touches that make all the difference, not only to your holiday but to your relationship with him, Yerlan was texting me for about 2 weeks before hand, just to give us advice from dress wear to wishing us a safe journey. The attention to detail this man puts into his trips is brilliant and you should not think twice or hesitate about booking his services, my holiday to Kazakhstan was amazing and this is because Yerlan made sure we had a great time, when I come back to Kazakhstan I`ll 100% be meeting him again.
You`ll leave Kazakhstan with a new friend!
A
★★★★★
We had dinner with a lovely young couple :)
The food was delicious and the couple was very talkative (they answered all our questions about the everyday life in Kazakhstan). All in all they were great hosts, always endeavored around our well-being
(for example by always keeping our plates full :D ).
A wonderful experience!
A
★★★★★
Yerlan picked me up at the airport and showed me around the city for the day. He has excellent knowledge and good English and good conversation! Everything went exactly as planned and he dropped me back at the airport for my onwards flight at just the right time. Thanks for your company Yerlan.
G
★★★★★
We had a great time with Yerlan on our recent trip together. Lots of relevant knowledge, great organization and nice personality - we can totally recommend Yerlan for your future trips around Kazakhstan. Good luck!
A
★★★★★
Yerlan is a great guide. Everything was perfectly organized, and he went out of his way to accommodate all of my preferences for the trip. He is also a great conversationalist. Highly recommended.
D
★★★★★
My husband and I were in Astana just for a short time so we decided to visit the city with a guide, and Yerlan was the perfect one! he brought us around the old part and the new part of Astana, the Expo and the different religious buildings, explanining the history and many interesting things about Kazakhstan! He is very professional, knows everything about his city and his country and was always very funny! and as we are italian he could explain both in english and italian language.
Yerlan is definitely a great guide! :-)
B
★★★★★
Yerlan was incredibly knowledgeable and thoughtful. I had an amazing time and was surprised at Yerlans efforts to go above and beyond ensuring my trip went according to plan. I highly recommend Yerlan if you intend on visiting Kazakhstan
S
★★★★★
Yerlan was a great guide! He took us on a custom-made tour and was ever so patient, kind and helpful. He is also very knowledgeable, educated and speaks English perfectly. Could not have chosen a better guide. Thanks a lot!!
A
★★★★★
Yerlan is an excellent guide. I reached out to him months before my trip and he helped tiredlessly me with the booking of hotel, arranging transfers, and gave me advice on my other days in Kazakhstan, even though i was not traveling with him on those days. He also provided help after the conclusion of the tour, as he helped me to get my jacket left behind in Kurchatov back.
Yerlan also provided excellent guiding service in Semipalatinsk and have vast knowledge of Kazakhstan, politically or culturally. I highly recommend him.
L
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