3-day Tour Around Almaty
About this tour
On our 3 day tour around Almaty, you will discover endless semi-desserts of Altyn Emel, stunning Charyn canyons & breath-taking Kolsay mountain lakes. Lots of hiking, lots of dusty trails, smoky tang from last night’s campfire, unimaginable amounts of village food, tons of chats and laughter – it will be the best 3 days on your trip to Central Asia!
Highlights:
- Enjoy a 3-day tour to the best natural parks around Almaty;
- Open the mystery of Singing Dunes;
- Hike the fantastic “lunar” Aktau mountains – 70 millions year ago it was a bottom of an ancient Tethys Ocean;
- See Charyn Canyon, one of Kazakhstan’s natural treasures.
- Enjoy a breathtaking scenery and take spectacular photographs while hiking around Kolsay lakes;
- Experience Kazakh cuisine and culture in a carefully selected homestay family;
ITINERARY:
Day 1: Almaty – Aktau & Katty Tau Mountains;
Day 2: Singing Dune & Charyn Canyon;
Day 3: Kolsay lakes or Kaindy lake – Almaty.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1: Almaty, Kazakhstan to Kalinino, Kazakhstan
Day 1: AKTAU & KATTYTAU MOUNTAINS Hike at Aktau & Kattytau mountains and revel in the awesome panoramic view. We will have an early start today by picking you up from your hotel (or Airbnb) on an air-conditioned vehicle led by the super-experienced driver. Our guide will meet you at the lobby and you get to know your crew and hear about the adventure ahead. Our way will wind to the north along the scenic drive away from the big city. You’ll be soon be greeted by sweeping views of artificial Kapchagai lake – the last big ambitious Soviet project on the territory of Kazakhstan, it provides electricity to the whole region around. You will also be a bit surprised by luxurious casinos lined up along the highway. Kapchagai town is one of the two places in Kazakhstan where gambling is officially allowed. It usually takes 3-4 hours to reach a hotel at Altyn Emel National Park, where we stop for a lunch and rest break. It’s time to hop in the car for a scenic drive through a few rustic rural villages and infinite semi-desert valleys on the way to the mysterious Kattytau & Aktau mountains – a museum of the earth’s distant past. Fantastically-shaped natural sculptures rise in all the colors of the rainbow, from the pale blue Lunar landscape to the red Martian hills. These mountains are 30 km long, 1 km high – and 400 million years old. We will show you the most epic hidden paths leading to the top of Aktau mountains to revel in the awesome panoramic view – on a clear day you can see the naked and boundless bottom of the ancient Tethys ocean in front of you for hundreds of miles! This is a moment to recognize how much a little tiny thing we are in this tremendous universe around us. After the scenic hike, it’s time for a relaxed picnic with the best view of splendid Aktau and drive to the next place to wander – Kattytau! These mountains are formed by lava and some associated volcanic rocks. Time, water, and the sun have created intricate rock rarities here for us to explore. Coming back to the hotel, dinner, night at the hotel. P.S. if you are taking a trip to Altyn Emel in August, don’t miss the opportunity to see numerous falling stars – it is far enough from any big city to enjoy the best dark sky in the region.
Day 2: Kalinino, Kazakhstan to Saty, Kazakhstan
Day 2: SINGING DUNE & CHARYN CANYON Hike the Singing Dune, enjoy the view of Ili river valley and explore Charyn Canyon. Fuel up with a hearty village breakfast and take a driving journey through the remote barren Kazakh steppes to experience the first miracle of our trip – Singing Dunes. On the way, extra beady eyes may catch sight of the gracious black-tailed gazelle or Asian wild ass moving for the Ili river’s drinking place. Arriving at the Singing Dunes learn how it is possible that dunes appeared in steppe vast area and, despite a wind, never moved from their place for hundreds of years! Never have climbed a dune before? Here we will have enough time for hiking, taking magnificent photos, and enjoy an amazing panoramic view of the valley around Ili – the main river of the region! Today you will not only hike a sand dune but also be awestruck by an impressive Charyn Canyon. We will have gentle descent at the Valley of Castles and have a picnic at the shore of the Charyn river that carved the canyon 12 million years ago, and then ascend up back to the surface with a short scramble up at the end. So please make sure to wear comfortable shoes with a good outsole. After spending around 3 hours in the canyon we will leave it and drive to Satty village, which is the closest village to Kolsai lakes. Driving from the canyon to the village will take around 2,5 hours, but don’t worry: the road is brand-new and landscapes you’ll see on the way worth driving! Arrival to the village, homestay with a local family (very basic conditions), dinner. Overnight in Satty village.
Day 3: Saty, Kazakhstan to Almaty, Kazakhstan
Day 3: KOLSAY LAKES Hike and scramble from the first Kolsay lake to the second through the spruce forest. Wake up in the heart of the Northern Tian Shan mountains, enjoy breakfast at the guesthouse before starting the ascend from the first Kolsay lake to the second one. Today’s hike is a wonderful waltz of ascending and descending through the old spruce tree’ forest, it’ll take around 6-7 hours both ways (16 km, around 500 meters is a height between lakes). The hike is great training for the whole body, so don’t forget to bring comfortable hiking clothes and shoes! Important: Please take an actual passport (not a copy) for hiking, cause the border with Kyrgyzstan is located around 10 km from the second Kolsai lake and you can be asked to show your passport by border soldiers. In the afternoon we will have a well-earned picnic and relax time on the shore of the second lake. My favorite part of the hike I should say! It’s time to move back to the first Kolsay lake, after giving the last glance at the lake we will drive back to Almaty. Optional: You can skip hiking to the second Kolsay lake and see sunken forest of Kaindy lake instead.
What's included
What is included: Transportation – 4WD air-conditioned car Accommodation (village B&B’s) Food – 3 lunches, 2 breakfasts, 2 dinners. Water – 1L per person per day Tour-guide All fees & tickets
What to take: Comfortable shoes (better if it is waterproof & with rubber relief sole) Warm rain jacket (it’s possible to have some rain on the way to the second lake) Hiking sticks Sunscreen Hat Insect repellent
What to know
This tour can be customized. Please get in touch with me.
Route & locations
Almaty, Kazakhstan to Kalinino, Kazakhstan