5-Day Southeast Kazakhstan Highlights: Altyn-Emel, Charyn & Kaindy

An excursion to the Ykhlas Museum of Folk Musical Instruments with a collection of 1200 dombras, kobyz, and zhetygens. The guide will play a kui, Kazakh instrumental music that is best heard live. In the morning, a stop at the Eternal Flame in Panfilov Park, a memorial of granite, flame, and silence in memory of the soldiers of the Great Patriotic War. Closer to noon, a visit to the Green Bazaar, operating since 1875, a true Eastern market with piles of dried apricots and raisins, rows of kazy and shuzhuk (horse sausage), barrels of mountain honey from the jailau, and friendly vendors who let you taste everything before you buy. In the afternoon, a short stop at the flagship store of Rahat chocolate, Kazakhstan’s oldest brand, with gift boxes in 1970s-style design, a good place to pick up gifts. After lunch, a visit to the Central Department Store (TSUM), a Soviet department store on Zhibek Zholy, where you can still find souvenirs, felt goods, and local clothing at a good price. Overnight in Almaty.

An early start for the long drive east (about 286 km) to Altyn-Emel National Park, about 4,600 km² of desert landscapes with herds of kulans and gazelles. The scale here is felt physically. In the first half of the day, a visit to the chalk mountains of Aktau, pink, green, and blue bands of rock from the Paleocene era, which began 66 million years ago. The colors are the trace of an ancient sea that retreated long ago. Closer to noon, a stop at the colorful mountains of Katutau, volcanic rocks shaped by the wind into sculptural forms. After lunch, a short stop at the 700-year-old willow near the village of Basshi, a living tree whose trunk remembers the era of the Golden Horde. Then on to Basshi village, the gateway to Altyn-Emel: a quiet aul at the foot of the ridge, where the air smells of steppe and burnt straw. Dinner is simple and hearty. Overnight in a guesthouse in Basshi.

In the morning, climb the Singing Dune, a 150-meter-high, 1.5-kilometer-long ridge of sand. On the way down, the dry sand gives off a deep hum, almost like an idling engine, and you can feel it under your feet. By midday, drive to Zharkent to see the Zharkent Mosque, a 19th-century mosque built with Chinese architectural motifs. In the afternoon, relax at the Chundzha thermal springs, mineral water at 39–45°C that eases tired legs after the long drive. A convenient pause on the way across the southeast of the region. Overnight at the Chundzha thermal base.

A long day of about 12 hours, partly on the road. In the morning, descent into Charyn Canyon and a walk through the “Valley of Castles”: the canyon stretches for 154 km, and this best-known section is a 2–3 km walk among red sandstone towers that turn copper in the midday sun. The trail follows the river between jagged cliffs. Then Moon Canyon, Charyn’s neighboring valley with gray and bluish rock formations, a landscape that feels like another planet. Closer to noon, a visit to Black Canyon with volcanic walls and narrow passages, a dark contrast to Charyn’s red palette. After lunch, a walk around the first Kolsai Lake (1818 m), surrounded by centuries-old Tian Shan spruces, with mountain quiet all around. Then transfer to Saty village, a mountain aul in Kolsai Lakes National Park and the starting base for Kolsai and Kaindy. By evening, visit Kaindy Lake, formed after the 1911 earthquake. Spruce trunks rise from the water like the masts of a sunken fleet; the turquoise water between them is one of Kazakhstan’s most recognizable images. Overnight in a guesthouse in Saty.

An early departure from Saty for the drive back to Almaty (about 288 km, 5–6 hours), arriving around midday. In the afternoon, visit the Medeu skating rink, at 1691 meters one of the highest mountain rinks in the world. In winter the ice is a smooth mirror; in summer the stadium is a cool mountain amphitheater with a walk along the dam and views of the gorge. Then ride up to the Shymbulak mountain resort (2260 m); the three-stage cable car reaches the top station at Talgar Pass (3200 m) in about 25 minutes and opens a full panorama of the Trans-Ili Alatau. The slopes are for skiing and snowboarding in winter, and for walks and cafés with a view in summer. In the evening, ride up Kok-Tobe by cable car (about 1100 m), the city’s signature viewpoint. Almaty lies at your feet, with the Alatau mountains behind your back; especially striking at sunset, when the peaks turn pink and lights begin to glow in the valley below. The tour ends in Almaty.