Arrive Almaty
Transfer in, an evening on Panfilov Street.
Kazakhstan
Steppe and Canyon
Almaty, Charyn and the mountain lakes
A landscape trip out of Almaty: the Valley of Castles, the sunken forest at Kaindy, and the Kolsai lakes from 1,800 metres up, with a city that knows what coffee is at either end.
Suits
- Landscape photographers
- Active travellers
- A different Central Asia from the Silk Road
Day by day
Almaty and Medeu
Green Bazaar in the morning, the cable car up to Shymbulak in the afternoon for the altitude and the view.
Charyn Canyon
Out early with a packed lunch. The Valley of Castles floor, then on east to the lakes.
Kolsai and Kaindy
The first Kolsai lake in the morning, Kaindy with its drowned spruce forest after lunch. Guesthouse night at Saty.
Return west
The long drive back with a stop at the Assy plateau if the road is open. Last night in Almaty.
Depart
Morning free, transfer out.
What's included
- All accommodation as listed, with daily breakfast
- All internal transfers by private, air-conditioned car with a professional driver
- Licensed English-speaking guide for every sightseeing day (Russian on request)
- All entrance fees named in the day-by-day
- A single named trip designer, reachable by WhatsApp for the whole journey
- 24/7 on-trip support line covering your time zone
Not included
- International flights, unless the journey says otherwise
- Visas, visa fees and travel insurance (we prepare the paperwork; the fees are yours)
- Lunches and dinners other than those named
- Anything personal — minibar, laundry, spa, tips
- Optional experiences marked as add-ons