Altyn-emel Singing Dune & Aktau Mountains: 2 Days Private Tour From Almaty
About this tour
Altyn-Emel National Park is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Cold Winter Deserts of Turan", a desert landscape that looks nothing like the mountains around Almaty. Over two private days you see its two most famous sights: the Singing Dune and the layered, colored hills of the Aktau Mountains.
On the first afternoon you climb the Singing Dune (Aygaykum), short but steep on loose sand, and stop at the Oshaktas stele on the way back. You spend the night at a guest house in Basshi village, the park headquarters. The next day you stop at a 700-year-old willow and walk through the Aktau valley among its Cretaceous hills, a wonderful place for photos.
It suits travellers who love wide open landscapes and want time to enjoy them without rushing. In the warm months, a night in tents at the foot of the Aktau Mountains can be arranged on request.
Highlights:
- Climb the Singing Dune in a UNESCO-listed national park
- Walk through the colored Cretaceous hills of the Aktau Mountains
- See a 700-year-old willow and the Oshaktas stele
- A night at a Basshi guest house, in a private room with a private bathroom
- All meals except breakfast on day 1 are included
- A private tour: only your group, with your own guide who speaks English, Russian and Kazakh
Activities included
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1: Almaty, Kazakhstan to Altyn Emel National Park, Алматы, Kazakhstan
Your guide-driver picks you up from your hotel at 07:30. Around midday you check in at the guest house in Basshi village, the park headquarters, and have lunch. In the afternoon you drive to the Singing Dune (Aygaykum) for a walk and a climb to the top, short but steep on loose sand, about 30 to 40 minutes. On the way back you stop at the Oshaktas stele, then have dinner and spend the night at the guest house, in a private room with a private bathroom.
Day 2: Basshiy, Kalinino, Kazakhstan to Almaty, Kazakhstan
After breakfast you drive to the foot of the Aktau Mountains, stopping for photos at a 700-year-old willow. Then you walk about 3 km through the Aktau valley among its layered Cretaceous hills. After an early dinner at the guest house you drive back to Almaty, arriving around 21:00.
What's included
Private tour: only your group, with your own guide-driver and SUV, with hotel pickup and drop-off anywhere in Almaty. 1 night at a guest house in Basshi village in a private room with a private bathroom, and all meals except breakfast on day 1, including an early dinner on day 2 before the drive home. National park fees and 1.5 liters of drinking water per person per day.
Personal expenses. Pickup from outside Almaty city costs extra.
Languages spoken
What to know
The Singing Dune climb is short but steep on loose sand, about 30 to 40 minutes; you can go at your own pace or wait at the bottom. In Aktau you walk about 3 km. We run the tour all year. The best time is April to June and September to October; summer days in the desert pass 40 °C, so in July and August we start very early and rest in the middle of the day. The guest house has private rooms with private bathrooms, Wi-Fi and hot water. Meals are home-made local food, and special diets can be arranged if you tell us in advance. A night in tents at the foot of the Aktau Mountains can be arranged on request in the warm months (not in winter or cold periods). Bring walking shoes, sunglasses, a hat, sunscreen, a warm layer, a change of clothes and toiletries. Child seats are available on request, and your luggage can stay in the car during the tour. If weather or a closed road makes the route unsafe, we move the tour to another day or refund it in full. Prices are per person for groups of 1 to 4. For 5 or more people, message us for a price.
Route & locations
Almaty, Kazakhstan to Altyn Emel National Park, Алматы, Kazakhstan