7-Day Altyn-Emel & Charyn Tour with the Singing Dune

A walk through Panfilov Park, a shaded green area in the city center with the memorial to the 28 Panfilov heroes who fell near Moscow in 1941. Old oaks, quiet alleys and the sound of bells keep a piece of old Alma-Ata alive inside the modern city. After that, 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, and friendly traders who let you taste everything before you buy. Overnight in Almaty.

A visit to the Medeu ice rink, set at 1691 meters, one of the highest-altitude ice rinks in the world. In winter the ice is the draw; in summer the cool mountain amphitheater invites a walk along the dam with views of the gorge. In the first half of the day, a ride up to the Shymbulak mountain resort (2260 m); the three-stage cable car continues to the top station at Talgar Pass (3200 m), about 25 minutes in all, with a full panorama of the Trans-Ili Alatau. Winter brings skiing and snowboarding, summer brings trails and terraces with views. Near midday, a cable car ride up to Kok-Tobe (about 1,100 m), Almaty's signature viewpoint. The whole city lies before you, with the Alatau mountains behind your back; sunset is especially striking, when the peaks turn pink and the lights of the metropolis begin to glow in the valley. Return to Almaty in the evening.

The day starts at Sunkar Falconry Center with a falconry show. A berkut (golden eagle) takes off from the glove and returns precisely to the ring, a living display of the nomads' ancient hunting tradition. Near midday, a walk through Alma-Arasan Gorge with a mineral thermal spring, a mountain stream, and trails along cascades under a conifer canopy. In the afternoon, a stop at the Ayusai eco-park in the Small Almaty Gorge, with wooden boardwalks, alpine flowers, and a waterfall along the trail toward Big Almaty Lake. Return to Almaty in the evening.

After an early start, the first stop is Tamgaly-Tas, Tibetan Buddhist petroglyphs from the 14th–18th centuries on the bank of the Ili River, a rare combination of cultures carved into stone. In the afternoon, a long transfer (about 220 km) continues 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. Guesthouses serve a simple but hearty dinner. Overnight in Basshi.

Explore Altyn-Emel National Park, 4600 km² of desert landscapes with herds of kulans and gazelles, where the open scale is felt physically. In the first half of the day, climb Singing Dune, a 150-meter dune 1.5 kilometers long; on the way down, the dry sand hums with a deep note that really does come from under your feet. Near midday, visit the Aktau chalk mountains, pink, green and blue rock strata of the Paleocene, 56–66 million years old, left by a sea long gone. In the second half of the day, relax at the Chundzha thermal springs, mineral water at 39–45°C that eases tired legs after a day in the dunes. Chundzha is a convenient stopover in the southeast of the region. Overnight at the Chundzha thermal base.

A long transfer from Chundzha leads toward Saty village, a mountain aul in Kolsai Lakes National Park and the starting base for Kolsai and Kaindy. In the first half of the day, a walk around the first Kolsai Lake (1818 m), a turquoise surface surrounded by Tien Shan spruces. Near midday, a visit to Kaindy Lake, formed after the 1911 earthquake. Spruce trunks rise from the water like the masts of a sunken fleet, and the turquoise water between them makes this one of Kazakhstan's most recognizable images. By evening, the group settles in Saty, where guesthouses serve homemade beshbarmak and manti. Overnight in Saty.

Descend into Charyn Canyon and walk through the “Valley of Castles”, a 2–3 km section of the 154 km canyon where jagged red towers line the river and the midday sun turns the cliffs to copper. Then a viewpoint of Moon Canyon, Charyn's neighboring valley with gray and bluish rock formations like a lunar landscape. Near midday, a visit to Black Canyon with volcanic walls and narrow passages, a stark dark palette after the red tones of Charyn. Then the road leads back to Almaty (about 255 km), where the tour ends in the evening.