This journey is a complete immersion into Kazakhstan through its landscapes, nomadic culture, and the sacred spaces of the Great Steppe — from the vibrant urban life of Almaty to the Tien Shan mountains, dunes, lakes, and canyons.

Tour Intensity

• Moderate
• Non-extreme activities
• Suitable for travelers with average physical fitness
• Includes moderate walking, possible descents in natural areas, and light hiking

Comfort Level

• Mid-range / Comfortable
• City hotels in Almaty
• Guesthouses and eco-lodges in the regions
• Private transportation throughout the route

Day 1 — Arrival
Gateway to the Tien Shan
Almaty International Airport — Warm welcome beneath snow-capped mountains, the first breath of Central Asia’s alpine air.
Transfer to hotel, time to rest and feel the rhythm of the southern capital.
Overnight: Almaty

Day 2 — Almaty City Classics
From Silk Road to Modern Metropolis
Central Museum
A journey through nomadic empires, the Silk Road, and Kazakhstan’s path to independence.
Republic Square & Astana Square
Grand symbols of modern statehood and historical memory.
28 Panfilov Guardsmen Park & Ascension Cathedral
Wooden Cathedral rising like a fairytale among ancient trees and war memorials.
Central Mosque (drive-by)
A sign of spiritual life and Islamic heritage of the region.
Kok-Tobe Hill (cable car)
Panoramic views where the city meets mountains, artisan stalls and a lively atmosphere.
Overnight: Almaty

Day 3 — Ethno Day
Living Nomadic Heritage
Ethnic Nomad Center
Eagle hunters, horses, warrior games, and traditions that shaped steppe civilization.
Botanical Garden in national costumes
Photos in traditional attire among greenery, blending culture and nature.
Overnight: Almaty

Day 4 — Esik Valley
Water, History & Taste
Esik Lake
Turquoise alpine lake framed by pine forests and legends.
Trout Farm
Fresh Mountain fish and insight into local rural life.
Esik Museum
Archaeological treasures and stories of the ancient Saka civilization.
Overnight: Almaty

Day 5 — Qonaev city & Ili River Valley
Sacred Stones and Steppe Modernity
Tulpar Retro Car Museum
"Soviet-era classics and the romance of the open road. Founded by a car-loving family: long ago, a father bought his first retro car and restored it, and that passion grew into a family business.
Tamgaly Tas
The open-air temple dated to the second half of the 17th century in the cliffs above the Ili River.
Nomads City
Cinematic open-air town recreating ancient steppe life and Silk Road trade.
ASP Arena, Qonaev city
Creative workshops, adrenaline activities and sunset tea overlooking the vast Kapchagai reservoir.
Overnight: ASP Arena

Day 6 — Altyn Emel National Park
The Singing Dunes
Village & Park Museum
Introduction to desert wildlife and geological history.
Singing Dune
A golden mountain of sand that hums with the wind, echoing caravan legends.
Overnight: Altyn Emel Guesthouse

Day 7 — Mountains of Fire & Healing Waters
Aktau Mountains
White chalk hills layered like pages of Earth’s ancient history.
Katutau Mountains
Volcanic formations sculpted into surreal shapes.
Chundzha Hot Springs
Outdoor mineral pools, traditional place of relaxation and healing.
Overnight: Chundzha

Day 8 — Canyons of Time
Moon Canyon
Fantastical rock forms resembling another planet.
Charyn Canyon
Dramatic red cliffs formed 12 million years ago.
Black Canyon (photo stop)
Narrow dark gorges carved by wind and water with fascinating legends and myths.
Overnight: Saty Village

Day 9 — The Blue Pearls of the Tien Shan
Kaiyndy Lake
Sunken forest rising from crystal water, one of Kazakhstan’s most iconic sights.
Kolsay Lakes
Alpine lakes surrounded by pine forests and snow peaks, perfect for gentle walks and reflection.
Overnight: Almaty

Day 10 — Mountains & Markets
Shymbulak & Gorelnik
Cable car ride into alpine landscapes, mountain cafés, fresh air.
Green Bazaar
Colors, spices, dried fruits and everyday life of Almaty.
Rakhat Chocolate Factory
Taste of the country’s most beloved sweets.
Mega Mall
Modern shopping and cafés for a relaxed final evening.
Overnight: Almaty

Day 11 — Departure
Transfer to Almaty International Airport, carrying memories of mountains, canyons, nomads, and the warm hospitality of Kazakhstan.

What’s Included:

• All transfers along the route by private transport
• Accommodation as per the program
• Meals on a breakfast basis
• Services of a professional guide
• All entrance fees and activities according to the itinerary

What’s Not Included:

• International flights
• Visa (if required)
• Personal travel insurance
• Personal expenses and optional activities outside the program
• Lunches and dinners

This journey offers an intimate encounter with Nauryz as a living nomadic tradition rather than a public festival. Set in remote mountain pastures, it combines rituals, food, storytelling, and nature, creating a slow, reflective experience centered on renewal, unity, and the cyclical rhythm of life.

Tour Intensity

• Low to Moderate
• Gentle walking and light horseback riding
• No extreme physical activity
• Suitable for travelers with basic physical fitness
• Focus on cultural immersion rather than movement

Comfort Level

• Moderate / Authentic
• Accommodation in guesthouses
• Basic yet comfortable conditions adapted to the natural environment
• Shared spaces reflecting nomadic hospitality
• Limited connectivity due to remote location

Location: Karasay Pastures, near Tekes Waterfall — 350 km from Almaty, a location in complete isolation from civilization.

What is Nauryz?

Nauryz is the ancient New Year of Central Asia, celebrated on the Spring Equinox, when nature awakens and a new life cycle begins. For nomadic cultures, it is a time of renewal, unity, gratitude, and welcoming spring with rituals, food, and hospitality.
This 3-day immersive journey invites you to experience Nauryz not as a festival, but as a living tradition — in the mountains, in yurts (or Kiiz ui in Kazakh a traditional nomadic tents), by fire, and among wide pastures where nomads have greeted spring for centuries.

21st March — City Nauryz: Public Festivities
Arrival to Almaty and participation in city celebrations: national music, dances, traditional food, and festive atmosphere in the city.
In the morning, transfer to the Karasay Pastures — a remote mountain area near the Tekes Waterfall — for a private continuation of the holiday in nature.

DAY 1 — Welcoming the Nomadic New Year
Traditional welcome with shashu (a blessing ritual where sweets are gently thrown over guests as a wish for happiness and abundance) in the yurt.
Tea ceremony and storytelling about the meaning of Nauryz and the nomadic philosophy of renewal.
Festive meal with beshbarmak (Kazakhstan's national dish of boiled meat and handmade noodles, shared from one large platter as a symbol of unity), traditional sweets.
Horseback riding across spring pastures.
Overnight in a guesthouse in the pasture.

DAY 2 — Taste of Nauryz
Hands-on preparation of Nauryz-kozhe (a ritual New Year soup made from 7 ingredients symbolizing life, balance, and prosperity) and kazy (traditional horse-meat sausage, a delicacy of the steppe).
Shared festive table, tasting of kumys (fermented mare’s milk) and shubat (fermented camel’s milk), both ancient drinks of nomads.
Visit to the powerful Tekes Waterfall — a sacred place of water and renewal.
Sunset tea in the mountains.
Overnight in a guesthouse.

DAY 3 — Beauty & Memory
Experience traditional clothing and jewelry, learning the meaning of ornaments and silver in Kazakh culture.
Professional photoshoot in nature and inside the yurt.
Open-fire lunch, campfire circle, sharing wishes and intentions for the New Year.
Evening return to Almaty hotel.

DAY 4 — Departure.
Transfer to Almaty hotel or Almaty International Airport.

What Is Included:

• All transfers according to the program
• Accommodation in Almaty according to the program and in guesthouse
• Meals
• Full board during the pasture stay
• Participation in cultural activities, and workshops
• Horseback riding experience
• Professional guide and local hosts
• Entrance fees and activities as per itinerary
• On-site coordination throughout the journey

What Is Not Included:

• International flights
• Accommodation in Almaty outside the program (unless specified)
• Travel insurance
• Personal expenses and optional activities

The experience is about freedom, fire, silence, and shared stories — nights by the river, cooking together, and feeling the scale of the Great Steppe beyond marked roads.

Tour Intensity

Moderate to High

• Long off-road drives and uneven terrain
• Light to moderate hikes
• Outdoor camp activities
• Best suited for active travelers comfortable with nature-based conditions

Comfort Level

• Basic / Expedition-Style
• Overnight camping in remote locations
• Sleeping tents and shared camp facilities
• No permanent infrastructure or mobile coverage in some areas
• Comfort is secondary to experience and immersion

Day 1
Almaty — Tamgaly Tas
Drive: 120 km — Off-road entry
Camp: Riverside near Tamgaly Tas

Program:
Departure from Almaty, off-road briefing
Arrival to Tamgaly Tas, exploration of rock carvings and Buddha images

Storytelling:
Silk Road, why Buddhist monks reached these lands, sacred rocks and caravan routes
Light hike along the river, photo session

National dish of the day:
Beshbarmak (simplified camp version)
Snack: Kurt, irimshik, baursak

Day 2
Tamgaly Tas — Komirshi Gorge
Drive: 180 km, mixed off-road
Camp: Inside Komirshi Gorge near mountain stream

Program:
Morning tea by the river
Drive through steppe and rocky landscapes
Arrival to Komirshi Gorge, short canyon hike

Storytelling:
Sacred gorges, water in Tengri belief, spirits of mountains

National dish:
Kuyrdak (meat fried on open fire)
Snack: Tary (roasted millet), dried apricots
Interactive: Cooking together on fire, traditional knife and saddle stories

Day 3
Komirshi — Tekes Valley

Drive: Long scenic off-road day
Camp: Tekes River Valley (wide open steppe-meets-mountains)

Program:
Early departure
River crossing points, wide pastures, herders' lands

Storytelling:
Role of horses, migration routes
Optional horse encounter with locals (if possible)
Sunset over endless valley

National dish:
Manty (prepared with local family or camp kitchen)
Snack: Shelpek with honey
Evening: Nomad games (asyk, archery intro, rope games)

Day 4
Tekes — Tuzkol (Salt Lake)
Drive: 150 km off-road
Camp: Tuzkol Salt Lake shore

Program:
Drive across lunar-like landscapes
Arrival at Salt Lake, barefoot walk on white surface

Storytelling:
Salt in nomad trade, healing lakes
Floating experience (seasonal), drone filming
Sunset in total silence

National dish:
Kazy with flatbread
Snack: Zhent (sweet millet dessert)

Day 5
Tuzkol — Charyn Canyon (Lodges)

Drive: Scenic final off-road section
Accommodation: Canyon lodges / wooden cabins

Program:
Sunrise at Tuzkol
Drive to Charyn
Valley of Castles hike

Storytelling:
Time, wind, erosion, and legends of stone warriors
Comfort night with hot shower, real beds
Farewell dinner

National dish:
Lagman (Dungan style, at local restaurant)
Snack: Chak-chak, tea ceremony
Final circle: Sharing impressions, nomad philosophy, certificates of "Steppe Traveler"

Day 6 — Departure to Almaty
Transfer to Almaty hotel or Almaty International Airport.

What Is Included:

• Off-road transportation throughout the route
• Professional driver and expedition guide
• Camping equipment (tents, basic camp setup)
• All meals and snacks as per program
• Storytelling sessions and cultural interpretation
• All activities listed in the itinerary
• On-site coordination and safety support

What Is Not Included:

• International flights
• Personal camping gear (sleeping bags, personal items, unless otherwise agreed)
• Travel insurance
• Personal expenses
• Optional horseback encounter (subject to availability)

It’s an experience shaped by open space, firelight, and quiet moments — nights by the river, cooking together, and discovering the scale of the Great Steppe far from marked roads.

Tour Intensity

Moderate to High

• Long off-road drives and uneven terrain
• Light to moderate hikes
• Outdoor camp activities
• Best suited for active travelers comfortable with nature-based conditions

Comfort Level

• Basic / Expedition-Style
• Overnight camping in remote locations
• Sleeping tents and shared camp facilities
• No permanent infrastructure or mobile coverage in some areas
• Comfort is secondary to experience and immersion

Day 1
Almaty — Zhasylkol Lake
Drive: 230 km — asphalt, forest tracks, mountain dirt roads
Camp: Lakeshore camp or forest eco-camp near Zhasylkol

Program:
Departure from Almaty toward the Dzhungar Alatau range
Gradual ascent through forested valleys and mountain passes
Arrival at Zhasylkol — an emerald alpine lake hidden among dense spruce forests
Quiet lakeside walks, reflection photography, "Lost Lake" atmosphere
Camp set on the shore, evening by the fire

Storytelling:
Zhetisu as the land of ancient migration routes
Mountain lakes as sacred mirrors in Tengri worldview
Why water was considered the keeper of memory and time

National dish of the day:
Beshbarmak (camp-style)
Snack: Baursak, kurt, herbal mountain tea

Day 2
Zhasylkol — Hundred Lakes Valley
Drive: 120 km — mountain serpentine, off-road meadows, river crossings
Camp: Сamp in the alpine valley

Program:
Morning mist over Zhasylkol
Climb into high-altitude basins of Gyeongsu
Off-road through green rolling hills dotted with dozens of glacial lakes
Panoramic viewpoints, drone filming, slow exploration
Sunset over the scattered waters, "Alpine Wonderland" mood

Storytelling:
Glaciers as creators of the landscape
Why nomads avoided high alpine zones yet revered them
Sky, clouds, and mountains in steppe cosmology

National dish:
Plov (prepared in camp)
Snack: Shelpek with honey, dried berries
Evening: Star navigation stories, how nomads read the sky

Day 3
Hundred Lakes Valley — Burkhan-Bulak Waterfall
Drive: 90 km — rocky off-road, narrow gorges, hiking approach
Camp: Near the waterfall or in a remote mountain shelter

Program:
Descent from open alpine world into forested canyon
Off-road through stone corridors and riverbeds
Hike to Burkhan-Bulak — the highest waterfall in Kazakhstan
Powerful cascades, mist, rainbow spray, long-exposure photography
Camp in the sound of falling water

Storytelling:
Sacred forests and mountain spirits
Why waterfalls were seen as places of purification and strength
Legends of Burkhan ("Holy") waters and healing power

National dish:
Kuirdak (meat on open fire)
Snack: Zhent, hot tea
Final circle: Water ritual, gratitude to the mountains, sharing impressions of Zhetisu as the land where rivers, forests, and sky meet.

Day 4 — Departure to Almaty
Transfer to Almaty hotel or Almaty International Airport.

What Is Included:

• Off-road transportation throughout the route
• Professional driver and expedition guide
• Camping equipment (tents, basic camp setup)
• All meals and snacks as per program
• Storytelling sessions and cultural interpretation
• All activities listed in the itinerary
• On-site coordination and safety support

What Is Not Included:

• International flights
• Personal camping gear (sleeping bags, personal items, unless otherwise agreed)
• Travel insurance
• Personal expenses
• Optional horseback encounter (subject to availability)