Classic Kazakhstan Travel

Welcome to Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana, once known as Nur-Sultan. Upon arrival, your private driver guide will greet you at the airport and escort you to the hotel downtown. The rest of the day is free for you.

Located in Kazakhstan’s northern steppes, Astana has become a freezing capital due to cold fronts and strong winds. Its winter lasts more than 5 months, from November to March, when the temperature often drops to -20℃ (-4℉) or even lower. Therefore, the best tour time is from late April to late September, while the warmest period is from mid-June to mid-August, with favorable temperatures around 26℃ (80℉). Still, remember to bring some windproof and warm clothes in these months.

Despite the harsh climate, Astana has developed astonishingly since being designated the new capital in 1997. Its construction scale, listed in the Guinness World Records, is well-deserved as a work of art in the 21st century by boasting many bold and trendy buildings.

► Useful Apps You May Need
For having meals and navigation in your free time, it’s recommended to use Google Maps and 2 GIS together since the former is convenient for checking restaurant reviews, and the latter can accurately provide the best route in real time. For taxi-hailing, Yandex Go is as convenient as other apps you are familiar with. The only thing to know is that you’d better choose to pay on-site and then via Kaspi - a local payment app - or cash when you arrive at your destination.

► Recommended Dinner Site in Astana (at your own expense)
Saksaul, a Kazakh-style furnished restaurant serving authentic Kazakh cuisine, is a 20-minute taxi ride from the hotel. The servers are friendly but do not speak English, so you need to order with the help of a translation app. Its Beshbarmak - a traditional Kazakh dish with horse meat, onions, potatoes, and noodles, Lamb Kebab, and Foie Gras Salad are highly recommended. Moreover, they provide free photo-taking in traditional Kazakh costumes. After dinner, you can also enjoy the night view of Bayterek Tower ablaze with lights.
Average Cost per Person:  8,000 to 10,000 tenge ($15-20)
Address: Northern Lights, Dostyq St 5, Astana 020000

Accommodation: King Hotel Astana (4 stars) or similar

Today, the driver guide will accompany you on a full day of exploring vibrant Astana. Start in the compact old town, where you can admire the remaining Soviet-style buildings. Stop at Hazrat Sultan Mosque, built in traditional Islamic style that appears light, airy, and elegant, with exquisite details, including beautiful wall decorations featuring Kazakh patterns and Arabic calligraphy. Also, focus on its precious artifacts, such as the 162-page silver Quran made by the Moscow Mint and the 12th-century original Quran that Timur brought to Kazakhstan in the 14th century, weighing 40 kilograms (88 pounds). 

The next destination is the National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan, whose streamlined white main structure with blue glass curtain walls echoes the Kazakhstan flag, consisting of seven buildings of different heights, the tallest of which is nine stories high. In History Hall, Ethnography Hall, Astana Hall, etc., you will learn about the nomadic history of the Kazakh people, how they fought for freedom, established the Kazakh state, and developed rapidly after independence. Besides, don’t miss the key highlight of all collections, a Scythian warrior in golden armor, revered as a symbol of Kazakhstan.

Then, move to Astana’s new city zone, dotted with ingeniously-designed architecture. You will first see a pyramid-shaped building made of silver-grey stone and steel frames, with a spire covered by gold and light blue translucent glass, symbolizing the Kazakhstan flag’s colors. It is the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation, often used to hold international regional leaders’ meetings (closed if there are meetings), delivering Kazakhstan’s determination to enhance its importance in global affairs.

Rising in the distance is the Bayterek Tower, whose 97-meter height symbolizes Astana’s declaration as the new capital of Kazakhstan in 1997. Bayterek means “white poplar” in Kazakh, believed to be the “tree of life,” with its roots deep into the earth and branches reaching the sky. An ancient legend goes that the sacred bird Samruk once laid eggs in the crown of the “tree of life,” which inspired the design of the Bayterek Tower. You may have already met it on a 10,000 tenge banknote.

Next, pay a short visit to the 150-meter (490 feet) high Khan Shatyr Entertainment Center, which appears like the Kazakhs’ nomadic style yurt, known as the world’s most enormous “yurt”. Finally, explore the Nur Alem Future Energy Museum, which looks like a giant tellurian from afar and is the largest one of spherical architecture. As the core pavilion of the 2017 World Expo with the theme of future energy, it best demonstrates how new energy works by using special glass to withstand Astana’s lousy weather and generating energy with solar panels and wind turbines.

So far, your Astana city tour is drawing to an end. Have a good rest tonight, pack your luggage, and prepare for the following visits to Almaty.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: King Hotel Astana (4 stars) or similar

This morning, your driver guide will take you to Astana Airport. After a 1.5-hour flight to Almaty, the driver guide based there will pick you up and escort you to the hotel.

Compared with the vibrant and modern Astana, the old capital Almaty highlights the heroic complex in the genes of the Kazakh nation, evident in the country’s name – “Kazakh” meaning “nomadic god of war” in Turkic – and in its living customs. Many young people lay wreaths at the martyrs’ tombs as part of their wedding ceremonies, and streets here are mostly named after historical celebrities, including politicians, national heroes, writers, and musicians, always hoping to remember those who have made outstanding contributions to the country, the nation, and humanity.

Regarding people who have shaped the history of Kazakhstan, we must mention Genghis Khan, who is worshipped as Kazakhs’ hero and ancestor. During Genghis Khan’s unification of Central Asia, he ended the tribal disputes in Kazakhstan, allowing it to develop rapidly. Later, after the Mongolian regime collapsed, the descendants of Orda Khan, the eldest son of Genghis Khan’s eldest son Jochi, established the Kazakh Khanate regime, when the first time in history that the name Kazakh appeared.

In the afternoon, the driver guide will lead you to Sunkar Raptor Center for a splendid Falconry Show (available from April to October except Monday and Tuesday). In ancient times, falcons were the perfect hunting partners when the Kazakh area was still a wasteland. A tamed eagle was regarded as a family member who could feed the whole family. But it’s undoubtedly challenging to do so. Hunters may need to train for at least three years to achieve skilled cooperation with eagles. However, such a tradition is controversial due to the cruel eagle-taming method, and people no longer live a nomadic life, so the inheritance of falconry culture has turned to falconry competitions or performances to keep this unique skill.

Then, let’s move to Kok Tobe Hill at an altitude of 1,100 meters (3,600 feet) for sunset viewing. Reach the hilltop by Kok-Tobe’s electric bus, enjoying the sweeping vistas of Almaty and the Ili Alatau Mountains. Take pictures of the Beatles Memorial Sculpture and the TV Tower, one of Almaty’s tallest and most earthquake-resistant buildings, whose spire can be seen from many city areas. If you like, you can have dinner at your own expense at the food court, cafes, or restaurants here, with tasty Kazakh, Georgian, and European cuisines. Go downhill by cable car, and you will be transferred back to the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Renion Park Hotel, Almaty (3 stars) or similar

Today, we will leave for Basshi Village by driving for 3.5 hours. After hotel check-in and a lunch break, you will be guided to Altyn Emel National Park, a paradise for ecotourism and geomorphology lovers.

Hiking past grasslands, Gobi, and deserts, you’ll find every corner worth exploring. Once the bottom of an ancient sea in the Ili Basin, the Aktau Mountains’ steep canyons are the most unique landscape in the park and also preserve many Cenozoic fossils and imprints as a paleontological monument, including the remains of some previously unknown species.

Keep going and marvel at the Katutau Mountains formed by volcanic eruptions thousands of years ago, with a strange but fantastic landscape composed of volcanic ash and lava flows. In addition to natural wonders and archaeological sites, you’ll visit an ancient willow up to 700 years old and encounter various animals, including Siberian wild goats, red deer, lynx, goitered gazelles, or Przewalski’s horse, the last remaining wild horse breed in the world native to steppes in Central Asia.

After about three hours of exploration here, we will return to Basshi Village. Don’t worry if you have not enjoyed it enough because we will come here to visit another attraction tomorrow morning.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Basshi Hotel

After breakfast, follow your driver guide to Altyn Emel National Park again to climb the Sing Dune. Formed by silt deposits from the ancient Ili River, the dunes are over 150 meters (492 feet) high and more than 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) long. When climbing up, you will hear its singing under your feet when the wind blows through, with a low-frequency sound similar to a distant airplane’s roar or a whale’s song.

Then, set off for Zharkent, during which you can see the Tiger Mountains that border the National Park, and we will stop for a while for you to photograph their eye-popping stripes. Arrive at Zharkent, and you will visit Zharkent Mosque, which may give you a sense of cognitive dissonance at first sight, as if it should be in Southeast Asia rather than Kazakhstan. The mosque breaks the traditional style and uniquely combines Chinese and Central Asian styles: pavilion roof with upturned eaves complementing the golden crescent on the top; colorful painted hollow carvings in artful design; the interior decorated with elements like Chinese-style flowers, birds, Uyghur patterns, and Arabic characters, making it a rare religious fusion.

Meander in the local market and have a lunch break, and we will keep driving for 2 hours to our hand-picked resort in Chunja Hot Springs complex. There are as many as 140 hot spring sources, the origin of which date back 200 million years, still heated by the remaining magma from an ancient volcano. Rich in minerals, Chunja Hot Springs attracts hot spring lovers around Almaty to turn themselves loose.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Kara Dala Hot Springs Resort or similar

Today, we will make it to Charyn Canyon National Park after a 1.5-hour drive. One of the longest and deepest canyons in the world, Charyn Canyon stretches 154 kilometers (96 miles) in length and reaches 300 meters (984 feet) in depth, boasting a unique landscape of towering cliffs and colorful rock formations. Despite the harsh desert environment, many rare trees growing here await you. The Sogdian Ash trees are some of the most impressive trees on Earth. They can grow up to 10 meters (33 feet) tall, with trunks that reach several meters in circumference; some even live up to 700 years or more. Another fascinating tree species is the Asian Poplar, whose roots can get up to 50 meters deep to gain underground water to survive the arid conditions.

You will have three hours hiking through the most stunning part of Charyn Canyon, Valley of Castles, named after its rocks resembling ancient castles. The rock formations eroded by the river tell the canyon’s history. Here, you can see several types of granite, volcanic rocks from 250 to 350 million years ago, and clastic rocks from 20 million years ago. Have a close-up view of the rocks, and you may find fossil remains of ancient animals, including rhinos, elephants and mastodons.

Return to Saty Village for a short break and drive another 1.5 hours to another spot, Kaindy Lake. With its turquoise waters and towering underwater spruce trees, this glacial lake is an amazing natural wonder hidden in Heaven Mountains. An earthquake in 1911 triggered a massive landslide that blocked the valley, causing the original forest to be submerged in the newly formed lake, creating today’s unique and picturesque underwater forest, which has remained largely intact thanks to the lake’s freezing temperature. After visiting, drive back to the guest house for dinner.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Saty Village Guest House

Starting early this morning, you will be accompanied to explore Kolsai Lakes, a group of three alpine lakes at different altitudes. With their clear aquamarine waters and surrounded by coniferous forests, Kolsai Lakes are highly praised as the “Pearl of Northern Heaven Mountains”. Lower Kolsai Lake is 1,800 meters (5,900 feet) and is easily accessible by car, making it the most popular. The middle is 400 meters (1,300 feet) higher in altitude and is the largest of the three lakes. The upper is the highest, the cleanest and most pristine, but is less visited due to its challenging hike and proximity to the Kyrgyz border.

Let's hike about 7 kilometers (4.4 miles) from the lower lake to the middle lake, which takes 3 hours one way. The hike can be divided into three sections. First, walk along the path on the right side of the lake leading to the mountain, and then continue up the mountain road. This is the flattest section to enjoy the beautiful lake view. Gradually climb along the stream and the grassland in the pine forest until you reach the first rest station at an altitude of 1,882 meters (6,175 feet), which is also relatively easy. The remaining 3.5 km (2.2 miles) will begin to challenge your physical strength, with the second rest station only 1.5 km (1 mile) away, but you need to trek through the forest, over boulders and tree trunks. Finally, after another 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) of arduous trek, arrive at Middle Kolsai Lake deep in the mountain. At this time, looking at the snow-capped peaks, forests and lakes in the distance, you instantly feel that all the fatigue is worthwhile.

Return the same way to the lower lake and rest in the car; your driver guide will take you to have dinner in Bayseit Village and then continue driving to Almaty in 3.5 hours, arriving at around 9:00 pm.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch-box, Dinner
Accommodation: Renion Park Hotel, Almaty (3 stars) or similar

Today, we will drive for nearly three hours to Korgalzhyn Nature Reserve, a striking oasis amidst Kazakhstan’s endless steppes and deserts, inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2008. As an essential major stopover for migratory waterfowl from Europe, Africa and South Asia on their way to breeding in Siberia, Lake Tengiz and its surrounding salt waters are home to many protected rare bird species, such as Steppe Eagles, Great Bustards and flamingos. Remember that flamingos are known to be shy and cautious, so you can only view from about 100 meters (109 yards) away.

► Best Seasons to Watch Flamingos
Ornithologists recommend visiting in spring from March to May - the nesting season - and in fall from September to October, during their migration. In summer, flamingos are scattered over the lake in smaller numbers. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: King Hotel Astana (4 stars) or similar

Your best private tours of Kazakhstan draw to an end today. The driver guide will pick you up from the hotel and transfer you to Astana Airport. We wish you a smooth journey home!

► Tips at Astana Airport:
It takes about 35 minutes to drive from the hotel to the airport. Despite low passenger traffic, the immigration and security check is slow; sometimes, it may take nearly 2 hours, so please discuss the airport see-off time with the driver to avoid missing the flight. In addition, there is no drinking water facility at the airport, and bottled water is sold at $2. You can bring some water when you leave the hotel.

If your 10-day trip to Kazakhstan has aroused your interest in Central Asia’s history and culture, and you would like to continue visiting neighboring countries such as Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan, please contact our travel consultants to customize itineraries for you!

Meals: Breakfast