Silk Road Jeep Tour In Kazakhstan
About this tour
Our Silk Road Tour is the best opportunity to see and feel the historical part of Central Asia. Also you will have great chances to enjoy the beautiful nature of Silk Road. We provide the fullest tour including all places of interest on the way.
The Almaty region’s Golden Ring of Zhetysu tour could be added to the program in the beginning, and also tour can be extended further to Mangystau region’s tour.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1: Almaty, Kazakhstan to Taraz, Kazakhstan
Early in the morning we are leaving Almaty city and keep our way to the city of Taraz. Our first location to see will be Tanbaly (Tamgaly) open air gallery with petroglyphs (rock carvings). This place became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004. Tanbaly petroglyphs were made by different generations dating from the 2nd half of the second millennium BC to the beginning of the 20th century. Those generation’s settlements and necropolis were found around: the complex of curved stones, burials and altars were used as a cult place for thousands of years. Our second place of interest will be Akyrtas Buddha Palace complex. Nobody still doesn’t know what for and for whom it was built and the research is still in process. But we will tell you about all versions that even exist. The ancient palace complex is really a place for the imagination and who knows may be you will invent a new story for Akyrtas? In the evening we end up in Taraz city and the place to overnight is the tourist’t choice. We can find a camping spot (cooking and camping equipment is included) or make a reservation in the hotel/guest house.
Day 2: Taraz, Kazakhstan to Shymkent, Kazakhstan
In the morning our day starts from the city tour in Taraz city which has a huge history. Our guide will lead you everywhere. We will visit: • Taraz regional museum with unusually impressive collection of balbals (totem-like stone markers with the carved faces of honoured warriors or chieftains). • Karakhan and Shamsur mausoleum. It is a place where rests Kara Khan - the founder of the Karakhanid dynasty. He was the first of turks who became muslim. • Dautbek mausoleum. It is the architectural monument which is protected by the government. Dautbek was the governor of Genghis Khan and was murdered in 1262. • Bazaar. It is an enclosed marketplace or street where goods and services are exchanged or sold. Best chance to feel the Central Asian vibes. • Tekturmas mausoleum. It is a place where rests Saint (auliye in Kazakh) Sultan Mahmood Khan. Generations of local people come to Tekturmas for religious rites. Mausoleum has tough history: it was fired on during the war, dismantled into bricks for construction needs but every time recovering again. After lunch the road leads us to the city of Shymkent. On the way we will visit Aisha Bibi mausoleum. The legend says that 16-year-old beauty, Aisha-bibi, was just an hour away from meeting her lover. She was in love with the Emir of Taraz and wanted to marry him, against the wishes of her father. She decided to run away. When she was emerging from the river, she reached for her clothes and was bitten by a snake. The bite was fatal and she died soon after. The Emir was returning from a military mission to meet her but was too late. He ordered the construction of the tomb to commemorate her and their love for eternity. Aisha Bibi is part of a larger complex. Ten meters away is a second mausoleum called Babaji Khatun ("wise queen"), and across the road is a sacred limestone cavern. Together with a garden area and parking lot they form the national monument. In the end of the day we arrive in Skymkent city and the place to overnight is the tourist’s choice. We can take you to our camping spot or make a reservation in the hotel.
Day 3: Shymkent, Kazakhstan to Turkistan, Kazakhstan
Early in the morning the road leads us to ancient Sairam city. It the medieval on this place the Ispidzhab city was located. It was huge market city on the Silk Road. Sairam is the motherland of the most famous Turkish storyteller Ahmad Yasawi. That’s why his parents (Ibrahim and Karashash) rest there and we will visit their mausoleum. In the end of discovering of Sairam we will visit Buddha monastery. Then we take our path to the famous Ak-Meshit cave. The cave has a peculiar microclimate. It is usually warmer inside it than outside, in spring it is cooler inside. In addition, trees do not grow in the vicinity of the cave, but inside it there is an oasis with its own ecosystem. This unusual phenomenon strikes the imagination of any traveler. Then we will visit ancient City of Otrar - one of the most ancient cities in Central Asia. It is a ghost town that was a city located along the Silk Road. Otrar was an important town in the history of Central Asia, situated on the borders of settled and agricultural civilizations. It was the center of a great oasis and political district, commanding a key point connecting Kazakhstan with China, Europe, Near and Middle East, Siberia and Ural. After Otrar we will visit Arystan Bab mausoleum. As the tradition says before visiting Ahmad Yasawi mausoleum you should visit the place where his teacher rests. So we’ll do that and take our way to Turkestan. In the evening we arrive at the city of Turkestan and will stay overnight in the hotel.
Day 4: Turkistan, Kazakhstan to Kyzylorda, Kazakhstan
Our 4th day starts it Turkestan with the visit of mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi. It was built 233 years later Ahmed Yasawi was passed away by Tamerlan. The place is a huge complex which except the mausoleum has a medieval sauna, mosque, big and small palaces. Turkestan city is interesting by itself and last couple of years attaches great government invests and someday may become the capital of Kazakhstan Republic. After Turkestan we are going towards the ancient city Sauran. It was very powerful but fired and rebuilt many times. The history of this place is connected with the heritage of Kazakh nation. Like Otrar, the city suffered with the decline of Silk Road, and struggles for power in the region. Then the road takes us to the city Kyzyl – Orda where we will stay overnight or go to the camping spot nearby. In this day the historical part of the tour ends and tourist can take a train back to Almaty (where we will meet you again and transfer to your hotel) or continue our trip.
Day 5: Kyzylorda, Kazakhstan to Aral Sea, Kazakhstan
On the next day we take our way to Aral village. On the way we will see worldwide famous Baikonur Cosmodrome from the road. The Cosmodrome is the world's first spaceport for orbital and human launches and the largest (in area) operational space launch facility. All known human launches were made from this place. It is a great chance to see the story of world space discovering. We will appear in Aral village closer to evening and take a walk around it`s sights. In the end of the day we will overnight in a hotel or in a camping spot next to the village.
Day 6: Aral Sea, Kazakhstan to Almaty, Kazakhstan
The 6th day will be all about the manmade catastrophe of Aral Sea and the life of local people. We will drive through Saksaulsk village to old and new Akespe villages. The old and new exists because the old one is once a year disappearing in sands and government built new houses for these people. But some of families refused to move and are staying in the old village. All their life is to clean up the salty sand from their houses. After Akespe village we are going to the hot spring (62°C) and take a bath there. Then we continue driving through the North Aral Sea to Karasandyk plateau. It was the coastline of Aral sea in the past but now it forms amazing cliffs. Then we are going to small fishing village Tastubek and have a lunch in a fisherman’s house. After lunch we are going back to Aral village. This small trip really gives you an impression of manmade disaster. We will drive through the bottom of huge Aral sea in the past where you will see only salt plains, camels and horses and of course the seashells. On this note our tour ends up and we will take you to the railway station and then pick you up from the station already in Almaty to drive to your hotel.
What's included
The price for accomodations includes 1 night in a hotel and 4 nights in beautiful camping spots (we provide all camping equipment). It is possible to overnight every day in a hotel but it is not included to the price.
What to know
This tour can be customized. Please get in touch with me.
Route & locations
Almaty, Kazakhstan to Taraz, Kazakhstan