The big one · Almaty, Mangystau, Turkestan
The Great Kazakhstan Journey
Thirteen days in three parts of the country: the mountains and lakes around Almaty, the chalk cliffs of Mangystau by the Caspian, and the old Silk Road towns in the south. Flights cover the long distances, so you don’t spend whole days in a car.
Why it made the cut
Most visitors see the area around Almaty and fly home. That’s a good trip, but Kazakhstan is huge, and the west and south look nothing like the mountains. Driving from Almaty to the Caspian would take three days. The flight takes about three hours.
We sleep close to the places that matter. Two nights in Saty for the Kolsai lakes and Kaindy, one in Basshi at the edge of Altyn-Emel, and one in a camp at Bozjyra, so you see the cliffs at sunset and again in the morning without a 300 km drive in between.
Mangystau is the reason to fly two thousand kilometres west. Nothing near Almaty looks like it.
How the days feel
Day 1
Almaty. Panfilov Park and the wooden Zenkov Cathedral, the Green Bazaar, then the cable car up Kok-Tobe for the view over the city in the evening.
Day 2
Mountains above the city. The Medeu ice rink at 1,691 metres, then the Shymbulak cable car up to Talgar Pass at about 3,200 metres. Dinner and a walk on the Arbat.
Day 3
Charyn, then Saty. A walk down through the Valley of Castles to the Charyn river and back, about 3 km each way. Then on to Saty village for the night. Around five hours of driving in total.
Day 4
The Kolsai lakes. A hike from the first lake (1,818 m) to the second (2,252 m), about 8 km each way through spruce forest. Horses can be hired if you’d rather ride. Second night in Saty.
Day 5
Kaindy, then north. An early visit to Kaindy, the lake with drowned spruce trunks left by the 1911 earthquake. Then a long drive to Basshi village, five to six hours with stops.
Day 6
Altyn-Emel. A day in the national park by 4×4: the Singing Dune, the striped Aktau mountains, the Katutau rocks and a 700-year-old willow. Back to Almaty in the evening, about four hours.
Day 7
Fly to the Caspian. A morning flight to Aktau, about three hours. The afternoon is yours on the Caspian shore.
Day 8
Into Mangystau. Out of Aktau by 4×4 to Ybykty canyon and the underground mosque of Karaman-Ata, then south to Bozjyra for sunset. Night in a camp on the plateau.
Day 9
Bozjyra in the morning. The white spires in early light, then Tiramisu canyon and Mount Bokty on the way back to Aktau.
Day 10
South to the Silk Road. Fly to Shymkent. Drive past the ruins of Otyrar and the Arystan Bab mausoleum to Turkestan, about three hours.
Day 11
Turkestan. The 14th-century mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, a UNESCO site, the underground Hilvet mosque and the old citadel walls. Evening flight back to Almaty.
Day 12
Big Almaty Lake and falcons. The lake at 2,511 metres in the morning, the bird show at the Sunkar falcon centre in the afternoon.
Day 13
Departure. Transfer to the airport at the time that suits your flight.
Stays and what’s included
- Stays
- 3–4★ hotels in Almaty, Aktau and Turkestan, guesthouses in Saty and Basshi, one camp night at Bozjyra
- Included
- Driver and English-speaking guide, 4×4 in Altyn-Emel and Mangystau, park fees, cable cars, museum tickets, Sunkar show
- Not included
- Domestic flights (we book them for you), meals, tips
- Group
- Private, only your group
Good for you if
- You want to see more than the Almaty region in one trip.
- Early flights and a night in a camp don’t bother you.
- You like deserts as much as mountains.
Maybe not if
- You want to unpack once. This trip has eight changes of bed.
- Heat is a problem. Mangystau gets above 35 °C in July.
- You only have a week. The Perfect Week in Almaty is the shorter version.