Tour of Almaty Region: Charyn, Kolsai, Kaindy, Medeu and Shymbulak, Hunny Ethno-Village · 3 days

An immersion in nomadic culture at Hunny ethno-village, a reconstruction of Kazakh everyday life 70 km from the city. Yurts, beshbarmak cooked over an open fire, horse performances and an introduction to the musical instruments of nomads. Return to Almaty by evening.

A visit to Medeu ice rink at an altitude of 1691 meters, the highest-altitude stadium in the world. In winter, the ice is perfectly flat here, in summer, it is a cool mountain amphitheater with a walk along the dam and views of the gorge. In the first half of the day, a ride up to Shymbulak mountain resort (2260 m) on a three-stage cable car, which takes you to 3200 meters in 25 minutes and opens a full panorama of the Zailiysky Alatau. In winter, skiing and snowboarding, in summer, hiking and view-facing cafes. Closer to midday, a ride up to Kok-Tobe by cable car (1070 m), the city’s signature lookout point. Almaty lies beneath you like an open map, with the Alatau mountains at your back; especially striking at sunset, when the peaks turn pink and the lights of the metropolis begin to glow in the valley. Return to Almaty by evening.

Descent into Charyn Canyon and a walk through the “Valley of Castles”, 154 kilometers of red sandstone where the midday sun melts the rocks into copper. The trail runs between jagged towers along the river, giving the feeling of stepping onto a Western film set. In the first half of the day, an overview of Moon Canyon, Charyn’s neighboring valley with gray and bluish rocks. An otherworldly landscape where it is easy to forget the time and your phone. Closer to midday, a visit to Black Canyon with volcanic walls and narrow passages, a dark palette in contrast to red Charyn. In the second half of the day, a walk around the first Kolsai Lake (1818 m), a turquoise surface surrounded by ancient Tien Shan fir trees. The ringing silence of the mountains, the rare cry of a falcon and trout biting right from the shore.