12 day | Hiking Adventure in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan

Airport Pickup: Begin your journey with a warm welcome as you arrive at the airport. Having dinner and reviewing the program.

Transfer to Hotel: Relax and enjoy a comfortable transfer to your hotel. Take the evening to rest and prepare for the exciting days ahead.

• After breakfast leave hotel at 09:00
• Please take food and drinks in advance 
• Hiking in Big Almaty Lake:

Level of difficulty: easy

Total: 5km
Elevation Gain/Loss: 390m+ /133m-

Altitude: 2500m

Temperature: up to 20-27 degree

Raincoats, fleece are important to take

• Drop off at the hotel

Level of difficulties: easy, straight and flat area to walk 

Altitude: ~1300m

Distance: up to 5 km one way

NOTE: May and June are the wet months: it is raining almost every day in the afternoon. Normal day temperature in Kolsay and Kaindy area in July is +15..+20C, night +5…+12C.

• Marvel at the captivating panorama of Charyn Canyon, where nature paints a vivid canvas of colors. Take a leisurely walk through the enchanting Castle Valley, where ancient rocks tell a timeless tale.
• Embark on a scenic drive to Kol-Sai Lake and be captivated by the breathtaking panorama of one of Kazakhstan's magnificent lakes. Revel in the simplicity of nature's beauty as the pristine waters mirror the grandeur of the surrounding mountains. 
• Transfer to Saty village and have dinner there. A guesthouse has a sauna, the booking should be in advance.

Driving hours:  Almaty-Charyn canyon: 2.5 hrs, Charyn – Kol-Sai lake: 2.5 hrs

Level of difficulties: easy

Distance: 4.07 km 

Elevation gain: 265 m

Elevation loss: 265 m

Max elevation: 1,894 m

• After breakfast this morning, getting to Kaiyndy lake by Soviet UAZ car called Bukhanka.
• After lunch at Saty village in one of the guesthouses we’ll cross the border into Kyrgyzstan, the duration of driving is 3.5-4 hours. 

• Dinner at Chinese Muslim family and get to know more about their culture, history and the reason of living in Karakol

We will drive to Jyrgalan village the distance of it is 1-1.5 hours to get there. 

Hiking to Turnaluu Kol Lake 

Distance: 13.3 km 

Max. Elevation: 2,862 m

Min. Elevation: 2,205 m

Difficulty: Easy

Duration: 1.5-2 hrs one way

 In Karakol, you’ll enjoy a little sightseeing in Karakol, once a small Russian military post, then a bustling soviet state, this town is bursting with history just waiting to be explored. You’ll visit the Dungan Mosque, built in 1910 this colourful mosque was created without the use of a single nail – instead, the structure was built using special cutting and groove techniques. You’ll also get a chance to explore the Holy Trinity Orthodox Cathedral. Or we can just take a rest in the hotel.

• Photo stop in Broken Heart Rock 
• Hiking to see the panoramic view of Seven Bulls Rocks and Jeti Oguz gorge

Level of difficulty: easy, Altitude: 2200m

• Hiking to “Bowl of Manas: waterfall at picturesque Barskoon gorge. It takes 15-20 min one way on 2500 m. Level of difficulties: easy 
• Hiking in “Skazka Canyon” - Fairytale Canyon, where you will see different unusual shaped rocks where we will hike for around one hour. 

Level of difficulty: easy 

Altitude: 1765 m 

• The southern part is close to the shore of Issyk-Kul lake so that it is possible to have a nice picnic on the wild beach and enjoy the horizon of the lake surrounded with Tian-Shan mountain range.
• Driving to a modern hotel in a yurt camp style with a modern washroom inside. Dinner at a yurt camp.

• Relaxing at a modern hotel in a yurt camp style with a modern washroom inside 
• Bürküt eagle hunting show
• Kyrgyz felt carpet making master-class
• Dinner at 3rd generation of Eagle hunter’s home and get to know more about his, eagle hunting.

• Hiking at Ak-Say canyons
• Lunch at a master’s home who makes Kyrgyz dwelling “boz-üi”, that you know as a yurt (in Russian)
• Driving to Kyzart village and prepare for hiking to Song-Kul lake
• Total driving:  4-5 hours to get to Kyzart 

Level of hiking: from moderate to difficult

Distance- 11 km 

Day of hiking to the Tuz Achuu pasture. Transfer by vehicle to the starting point (the bridge) where we will center the local team. Along the hike, we discover magnificent views of the pastures of Chaar Archa. Picnic lunch. We gain height and arrive at the Tuz Achuu pass (3400m). We continue towards Tuz Achuu, surrounded by mountains and begin to see Song Kul Lake. Arrival at the lake and descent to the pastures of Tuz Achuu (3080m), crossing on our way several herds of cattle with their shepherds. On our arrival, meeting with the family of shepherds who welcome us for dinner and the night.

Distance: 16 km on foot / approx 4-5h 

Positive elevation: + 1100 m.

Negative elevation: - 200 m

Night and dinner at the yurt camp

The total driving is 4.5-5 hours.

Hiking to Kok-Moinok canyons with different trails inside.

Level of difficulty: easy

Altitude: 1600 m 

Duration: ~1 km one way, 30min one way

Early start of tour: 07:30 if we want to hike to Kol-Tor lake 

After early breakfast driving to Kegeti gorge. It takes around 2 hours.

After check in at the guesthouse, start of hiking to Kol-Tor lake 

Duration: 3-4 hours, one way

Length of the hike: 8 km, one way

Level of difficulties: moderate

Elevation difference: 900 m

Elevation: 1850-2725 meters

NOTE: we can skip this hiking if you feel that you need relax time. Next day will be easy hiking. 

• Relaxing day
• City tour:

Here are the places we will visit: 

1. Victory Square
2. Central Department Store (ZUM)
3. Opera and Ballet Theater
4. Cinema "Ala-Too"
5. Monument to Kurmanjan Datka
6. Art gallery shop of local artists
7. Oak Park
8. Erkindik Boulevard
9. The State History Museum
10. “Ala –Too” Square
11. Supreme Court Building
12. Old Square and Lenin Monument
13. The Palace of Sports
14. Government House. Monument to events of April 7
15. Kyrgyz National Philharmonic

• Transfer to the airport