Tour Time: 6 Days / 5 Nights
Departure:
Return:
Location: Almaty, Kazakhstan
Age: 16 - 60+
Max People: 10
Themes: Cultural, Historical, Archaelogical, Arts, Adventure, Eco tours, Photography tours,
If you love to be active, then Kyrgyzstan & Kazakhstan Tour will prove irresistible! Mixing the great outdoors with a liberal helping of adrenaline, the breathtaking scenery of Kazakhstan and its neighbor Kyrgyzstan will form the photogenic backdrop to a fortnight of action-packed adventure. Mountain bikes form our mode of transport as we explore the city of Almaty & the valleys bordering China in the northeast of Kyrgyzstan. We’ll hike high into the mountain valleys of rural Kyrgyzstan to viewpoints that afford uninterrupted panoramas of mountain ridges and snow-capped peaks topping out at over 5000m. We’ll swim in pristine mountain lakes, and ride horses across serene Alpine meadows.
Amidst such incredible scenery, there’ll be plenty of opportunities to engage with the local communities along the way, learning about nomadic lifestlye, and sleep in yurts. You’d be hard pushed to find a more hospitable welcome anywhere on the planet.
Meeting at the airport. Transfer to the hotel. Check in after 14-00.
Almaty grand tour +Central museum.
The tour starts with sightseeing in central part of Almaty. You will know more about history and development of the Southern capital of Kazakhstan and see its major attractions. You will visit a popular place for townpeople - the Green Bazaar, where it is impossible to refrain from shopping. It is the great chance to experience an atmosphere of the real eastern market, its colors, smells and crowds. There you can obtain famous Oriental sweets, but don't forget to bargain...
Then the tour will continue in one of the oldest Almaty parks - Panfilov Park, where one of the most beautiful wooden building in the world - Zenkov Cathedral is located. You will also visit the Memorial of Glory and Eternal Flame, dedicated to the memory of the fighters who died for freedom and independence of the country.
After exploration of sport, cultural and business areas of the city you will get to the Medeo Gorge, well known due to the highest mountain skating rink in the world and the dam, protecting the city from dangerous mudflow.
Next destination is the Kok-Tobe hill where the tallest TV tower in the world is located (if to count from the sea level) and where you will get by the picturesque winding mountain road. In Kok-Tobe Park you can stroll along the winding paths of the park, admire the magnificent panorama of the city from the special observation deck and visit the shop of national souvenirs.
The tour ends with the short ride from the top of the hill to the center of the city by the famous Almaty cableway.
Night in hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel.
11:00 Sightseeing tour.
Go to Alma - Arasan, recreation area, have a lunch at ancient Kazakh home “yurta”, feel real Kazakh atmosphere, culture and traditions, taste Kazakh national food, drink Kumis and Shubat (horse and camel milk), dance traditional Kazakh dance (not include)
The tour continues with driving to the Big Almaty gorge, where at an altitude of 2,510 m above sea level located the Big Almaty lake - one of the most picturesque lakes in Trans-Ili Alatau. The lake is very beautiful, especially when its blue surface is absolutely calm, and it reflects the sky and surrounding mountains. The Big Almaty lake was formed as a result of movement of an ancient glacier. Thanks to high-mountain location the water in the lake is always cool - even in July the water temperature does not exceed 10 degrees.
The lake is a source of potable water for Almaty city, that is why the access of tourists to the lake is limited. The tour route lies higher the Big Almaty lake to the altitude of 3300 meters above sea level, where scientific premises for astronomical and space researches have settled down. Here, at the basis of the Big Almaty peak, you can enjoy a fascinating panorama of mountains and the Big Almaty lake, surrounded by the picturesque mountain peaks covered with Tian-Shan fir-tree, aspen and juniper.
On the way back to the town you will visit the Falcon Farm, where you will enjoy a spectacular show with specially trained hawks - hunting with them is one of the most unique features of the Kazakh way of life.
20:00 return to the hotel and overnight.
Breakfast at the hotel and check-out. Drive to Karakol
Sightseeing at Charyn Canyon on the way.
Charyn Canyon is a natural complex, unique in its kind not only in Kazakhstan but also worldwide. It was formed during Paleogene and reminds the Grand Canyon of Colorado River in North America, although inferior to it in size. The height of the steep slopes of the canyon is up to 150-300 meters. Extraordinary dissection of the terrain is striking: the numerous ravines form a dense, chaotic network. Wind and water have created the beautiful "Valley of Castles", where you are always surrounded by the fancy towers composed of sedimentary rocks. The length of the valley - more than 2 km, width - 20-80 meters. For millions of years the nature has been creating a unique architecture, erecting magnificent castles carefully and slowly. You can spend hours walking among the strange towers and columns, being surprised by the wild imagination of the nature.
Then, drive to Karakol city. Cross the border.
In Karakol city, you will visit the Dungan mosque. One of its highlights is the fact that it was built in Chinese style without using a single metal nail.
Night in hotel
Your guide will pick you up at 8 a.m. Afterwards you will be transferred to Issyk Kul Lake. This time we will drive along the northern shore of Issyk Kul Lake. This is a great chance to see the whole lake from all sides. It is the biggest mountain lake in Central Asia and also the favorite place for swimming in summer time. People come to vacation at the lake from neighboring countries. In the afternoon you will visit a small local museum that has examples of handicrafts, musical instruments, and a lot of artifacts. Night is in a hotel
In the morning you will be transferred to Bishkek city. On the way, we will make a short break to give you the opportunity to visit ancient stone inscriptions (dating back to 800 B.C.). Also you will visit Burana Tower (an 11th century minaret) and an open air museum of Balbans (stone warriors).
Second half day is dedicated to a guided tour of Bishkek. It includes visiting Pobeda Square (Victory Square), Duboviy Park (Oak Park), Central Ala-Too Square, the History Museum, National Philharmonic, and many others places of interest. But no tour of Bishkek is complete without visiting our Asian Bazaar! We will show it to you today and you will be able to take a lot of dynamic photos of bustling local life. This bazaar is a noisy and colorful tapestry of fabrics, produce, and people selling and buying goods. Then we will visit Ala Archa gorge. It is a Natural Park. At the Soviet Time only V.I.P. people had permission to go for a walk here. The Ala Archa gorge is on a spur of the Tien Shan mountain range. It is just 45 km from Bishkek. You can have a short hiking tour to see a panoramic view of the gorge. If you want we can go hiking a little bit longer to see a small scenic waterfall. Afterwards we return to Bishkek. You will spend the night in a hotel
Today we will visit Ala Archa gorge. It is a Natural Park. At the Soviet Time only V.I.P. people had permission to go for a walk here. The Ala Archa gorge is on a spur of the Tien Shan mountain range. It is just 45 km from Bishkek. You can have a short hiking tour to see a panoramic view of the gorge. If you want we can go hiking a little bit longer to see a small scenic waterfall. Afterwards we return to Bishkek, and transfer to airport Manas.
