10 Days Birdwatching Tour In Kazakhstan
About this tour
Available in English, French, Italian, Spanish, German
Charyn canyon, Big Almaty lake, Taukum desert
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1: Almaty, Kazakhstan
You board a flight to Almaty, the greenest city in Central Asia. You spend the afternoon in Ili-Ala-Tau National Park, where you get to know some of the country's most common species, such as the grey-headed subspecies of the European Goldfinch, the Cerulean Tit and the crowned Rémiz. You can also find the Long-tailed Bunting, the Whistling Arrenga or the Blue-capped Redstart here. Overnight in a good hotel in Almaty.
Day 2: Almaty, Kazakhstan to Charyn Canyon National Park, Tamerlik, Kazakhstan
In the morning, we go 200 km east to one of the best-known and most spectacular sites in Kazakhstan, the red, yellow and black canyons of the Charyn River gorges. In this magnificent landscape, you potentially observe beautiful species, such as Chukar Partridge, Blue and Rock Mounds, Hume's Warbler, as well as Stewart's, Booby, Grey-necked and Red-headed Sparrows. Raptors may include Cinereous and Himalayan Vultures, Egyptian Vulture, Eurasian Buzzard, Golden Eagle and Saker and Lesser Kestrels. During the route, it is possible to encounter colonies of a pink and black bird: the Rosy Starling. Night and dinner in a lodge.
Day 3: Kokpek, Kazakhstan to Saty, Kazakhstan
The day begins early with a walk in the Sogety River valley in search of one of the most sought-after species in Central Asia: the Paradoxical Syrrhapte. You can also find here the Steppe Eagle, the Hypolaïs rama, the Little Warbler, the Horned Lark. While walking in the Sogety plain, you may spot a Goiter Gazelle! Your route continues south towards the Kyrgyz border, where your lunch break will be an opportunity to observe the Soulcie Sparrow. As you approach the mountains you enter an area of farmland with a good chance of seeing interesting birds, such as the Chinese Buzzard and Saker Falcon. Large flocks of Demoiselle Cranes are seen regularly. You then return to your accommodation, where a good dinner awaits you.
Day 4: Kokpek, Kazakhstan to Almaty, Kazakhstan
Your day begins with a walk in the Sogety Plain to ensure that all participants see the Paradoxical Syrrhaptis. This elegant bird is unfortunately still difficult to see due to its rarity in this part of Central Asia and its plumage which provides good camouflage. Bird watching en route back to Almaty. During a stop in a small village, among the expected species are the European Oriole, the Red-headed Swallow, the Eastern Shrike, the Greenish Chiffchaff or the Ring-necked Dove. Arrival at your hotel in Almaty late in the afternoon for a good shower before dinner. Night in a comfortable hotel in Almaty.
Day 5: Almaty, Kazakhstan to Taukum, Kazakhstan
Depart this morning for your Taukum Desert adventure, crossing fields of poppies and other wildflowers with the snow-covered peaks of the Tien Shan Mountains in the background. First stop at the fantastic Sorbulak Lake, where a colony of European Bee-eaters and European Rollers could delight the photographers in your group. The Dalmatian Pelican, the rare Northern Duck, Black-necked and Horned Grebes are visible on the lake, while Temminck's and Little Sandpipers are quite common. The Common Sandpiper is also seen every year, sometimes in good numbers. Lunch in the open air before continuing your journey to your camp of yurts or tents, the nomadic dwelling of the inhabitants of this beautiful country in the Taukum desert. You should arrive for tea time and have time to observe the Red Sandgrouse and Catas coming to drink from an artesian well.
Day 6: Taukum, Kazakhstan to Zheltorangy, Kazakhstan
A wonderful day awaits you, during which you will explore a wide diversity of environments, optimizing your chances of observing “beautiful” species of birds and mammals. When you wake up in the middle of this desert, you will likely witness the extraordinary parade of the Macqueen's Bustard. The Asian Plover nests nearby and you should see Wolves and Goitered Gazelles before lunch. You then take small roads through a desert steppe habitat to the Turanga Forest where, with a bit of luck, you find some specialties such as the Turkestan Great Tit, the Saxaoul Sparrow, the White-winged Woodpecker , Eversmann's Pigeon and, if you're very lucky, Bruce's Screech-Owl. Along the way, you will undoubtedly encounter myriads of Little-eared, White-billed, and Black-billed Larks, Ivory Wheatears, and Turkestan Shrikes, among which you look for the Steppe Shrike. Other possible species along the way include Pied and Desert Wheatears, Spanish and White Sparrows and the adorable Cerulean Tits and Black-capped Remy. Night in a comfortable yurt or tent camp.
Day 7: Zheltorangy, Kazakhstan to Almaty, Kazakhstan
Early this morning, you travel around thirty kilometers in the desert in search of the very beautiful Caspian and Leschenault plovers, particularly elegant in breeding plumage. You break camp after breakfast to return to Almaty. Several stops are planned en route, including one at a fascinating location, where you can see ancient petroglyphs, a rocky area that is home to the pretty Nuthatch, as well as a colony of exotic Rufous-headed Sparrows. With a bit of luck you might find something exceptional, like the Little Bustard seen in 2011. The surrounding bushy areas act like a magnet for nesting birds, such as the Eurasian Hoopoe, European Roller, the European Bee-eater, the Shikra Hawk, the Rose-breasted Shrike, the Bush Warbler, the Hypolaïs rama, the Oriental Dove or the Lichtenstein Finch. Night in a comfortable hotel in Almaty.
Day 8: Almaty, Kazakhstan to Big Almaty Lake BAL, Almaty, Kazakhstan
It takes about 2 hours to drive from Almaty to the Tien Shan astronomical observatory at an altitude of 2,600 meters. As you climb, you stop to look for Dippers and Pallas Dippers, as well as Whistling Arrenga, along the rapid mountain streams. Greenish and Hume's Chiffchaffs are quite common in areas of mature mixed coniferous and deciduous forests. The observatory, a former Soviet construction, is set in a very pretty landscape of flower-covered mountain meadows and juniper-covered slopes with 360-degree views of the high peaks of the Tien Shan Mountains. Arriving in time for lunch, take a stroll near the observatory, where the Ruby-throated Nightingale and Golden-fronted Serin are present. Night in a hotel near Big Almaty Lake.
Day 9: Big Almaty Lake BAL, Almaty, Kazakhstan
You have all day in this magnificent high altitude landscape to find a superb series of mountain specialties: the Himalayan Accentors, brown and black-throated, the Gray Chiffchaff, the Red-backed Finch, the White-winged Grosbeak and the incomparable Orite de Sophie await you. You then go down a little by bus to Lake Almaty, where the wide stony river beds are the domain of a totally unique bird of its kind: the Tibetan Ibisbill. Higher up the mountain, at over 3,300 meters above sea level, you look for the Bearded Vulture, the Himalayan Vulture, the Yellow-billed Chocard, the Red-billed Chough, the Güldenstadt Redstart, the Hogdson's Finch and the star of the day: the Himalayan Tetraogalle which you have a good chance of observing. Night in your hotel near Big Almaty Lake.
Day 10: Big Almaty Lake BAL, Almaty, Kazakhstan to Almaty, Kazakhstan
You spend most of the day in the Tien Shan region and leave slowly to arrive in Almaty at the end of the afternoon. This allows you to look for high altitude species that you might have missed and look for Eversmann's and Blue-capped Redstarts, Songar (Boreal) Tit and the rare Three-toed Woodpecker at medium altitude as you descend into the forests. In the evening, last dinner in a traditional restaurant in the city. Night in a comfortable hotel in Almaty.
What's included
What to know
This tour can be customized. Please get in touch with me.
Route & locations
Almaty, Kazakhstan