Golden ring of Semirechie

Description

4WD tours in Kazakhstan are both exciting and comfortable. The 4WD tour is a great opportunity to enjoy amazing nature, see boundless steppes, grazing flocks, ancient mounds, pure lakes, strong rivers and incredible beauty of mountain peaks, all that filled the life of nomads.

Itinerary

Day 1. Almaty – Tuyuk-su valley

Meeting at the airport. City tour of Almaty. Lunch at the restaurant. Drive along the Lesser Almaty Gorge to the place called Tuyuksu Gates, which is 6 km further than Shymbulak high-mountain ski resort. Setting up a camping area. Overnight in tents at an altitude of 2600 m.

L – café
D – tents

Day 2. Tuyuk-su valley

After the breakfast we move up a mountain road along the Lesser Almaty River. There are huge 600-meter rocky cliffs on the left with a several difficult climbing routes. After about an hour we reach Mynzhilki sill dam with a meteorological station next to it. That is the point where the road will head uphill and there will be a clearly marked path heading up steep the grassy ridge to Alpengrad. Alpengrad is a large flat field located at an altitude of 3450m above the sea level. That’s one f the best ways to see Tuyuk-su glacier and all surrounding peaks from above. That’s the ending point of our trip. After taking some rest and having a meal we start walking down. In the second half of the day we set off from the camping area and drive towards the Turgen gorge. On the way to Turgen gorge we stop by Issyk kurgan (burial grave), an open air museum. World famous “Golden man” was discovered in one of the mounds of Issyk kurgan. The road extends deep into the gorge along the overflowing Turgen river. Then we move to Batan village to set up a camp next to it. Dinner and overnight in tents.

B – tents
L – tents
D – tents

Day 3. Turgen valley – Asy Plateau

After breakfast we hike towards Kayrak Falls. It is 8 km from the mouth of Turgen River to Kayrak Falls along the mixed forest area. Falls drop over 55 meters and are actually three-tiered cascade falls although it’s hard to tell. It will take approximately 2.5-3 hours for the whole trek including stops. Walk down to the camp. In the second half of the day we drive across the Asy plateau. Setting up a camping area. Dinner and overnight in tents. B – tents
L – tents
D – tents

Day 4. Asy Plateau – Red Canyon

Drive across Assy Plateau with short stops by the most scenic spots with small radially extending outlet where you can have a break after long drive and take some pictures. We reach the Red Mountains and set up the camp. Dinner and overnight in tents. B – tents
L – tents
D – tents

Day 5. Red Canyon

A day trip towards the Red mountains and set of ancient rock paintings. It will stir your imagination with it’s weird and colourful rock formations. This hike will take about 5-6 km. In the second part of the day you can do some fishing in a mountain river. This night we stay in the same place.

B – tents
L – tents
D – tents

Day 6. Red Canyon – Sharyn Canyon

Drive from Asy Gorge to Bartogai Reservoir (you can swim there) and further drive to the famous Sharyn Canyon. The canyon itself is a monument of nature formed with sedimentary rocks aged more than 12 million years. The height of the rocky cliffs reaches 150-300m, and it’s length exceeds 150km. You will enjoy a tour around the most picturesque part of the canyon – the Valley of Castles (4 km, 3 hours). Set up camp. Dinner and overnight in tents.

B – tents
L – tents
D – tents

Day 7. Charyn Canyon – Kaindy Lake

Morning drive to Kaindy Lake. Walk around the lake. Walk down to Saty village. Accommodation in the guest house. Lunch in national style. Today is a rest-day so you can do your laundry and dry your clothing. There’s also a wood fired sauna you can use. Dinner and overnight in a guest house.

B – tents
L – guest house
D – guest house

Day 8. Saty village – 1st Kolsai lake – 2nd Kolsai lake – Saty Village

After breakfast in the guest house, transfer to the first Kolsai lake. The lake is located at an altitude of 1818 m, has a length of 1,450 meters, a width in the wide part of 400 meters, and a depth of 80 m. It was formed as a result of seismic activity. The slopes surrounding the lake create a peculiar crown of Shrenk Tien Shan relict trees, growing only in this region of our planet. Rainbow trout lives in the lake. The lake at all times of the year and at different times of the day is beautiful in its own way. It is especially beautiful in the fall, when against the background of evergreen firs, deciduous plants bloom with all the colors of the rainbow. Above the gorge, if you climb the scenic path, which lies in a virgin forest, after six and a half kilometers you find yourself on the second, Middle Lake. This part of the way we will walk. The lake is located at an altitude of 2250 meters, in a hollow, also formed as a result of a powerful earthquake and collapse of the eastern slope. The lake has a length of one kilometer and a width of up to 550 meters as well as considerable depth. Snack. Rest near the lake. Return down. Dinner and overnight at the guest house.

B – guest house
L – lunch box
D – guest house

Day 9. Saty village – Temirlik Canyon

Today we have to move to the canyon Temerlik located on the river of the same name. This is a fairly long and picturesque canyon, and the river is a major tributary of the Charyn River. The frozen lava flows, bizarre forms, and at the bottom of the canyon, along the river, relic Sogdian ash grows, creating shade and coolness on a hot day. Walk through the canyon. Dinner. Night in tents.

B – guest house
L – nents
D – tents

Day 10. Temirlik Canyon – Altyn Emel National Park, Basshi village.

Today we have a rather long journey to the Altyn Emel National Park. The end point will be the village of Basshi, here is located the office of the national park and the hotel. Dinner. We make passes. Hotel accommodation. Excursion to the Singing dune. Singing sand dune is one of the most unique natural phenomena. Many legends and tales are associated with it. For a long time, scientists did not understand this phenomenon. And in the Middle Ages, people who heard the singing of the dune, believed that this was howling the devil of the desert. This phenomenon of nature is located on the right bank of the Ili River, 182 km from Almaty. The dune reaches a length of almost 3 km and is 150 m in height. It is the largest of the known dunes. It stretches for several kilometers perpendicular to the ranges of the Great and Small Kalkan. From the sand dune there is a beautiful view of the surrounding countryside: the Ili River and the mountains, as well as the nature reserve on Altyn-Emel. Return to the hotel. Dinner.

B – tents
L – hotel
D – hotel

Day 11. Basshi village – Aktau Mountains – Basshi village – Tamgaly Tas area

The open-air geological museum – the limestone mountains of Aktau. This is one of the most interesting and spectacular tourism facilities in the State National Natural Park “Altyn-Emel.” Millions of years ago, a huge lake was splashing in these places. Frequent rains and mudflows washed into him the land of the surrounding mountains. Here it was deposited on the bottom with red, white, yellow clay. Over time, the lake dried up, the bottom sediments began to wash off with water, blown off by the winds. As a result of erosion, low mountains were formed. The thickness of lake sediments exceeds 1,800 m, the water has washed hollows and deep gorges in them, and the wind has helped the water to transform the landscape. Dinner. Transfer to Tamgaly – Tas area on the Ili River. Here on the rocks are preserved many petroglyphs – images of mysterious deities, late Buddhist inscriptions. Among the petroglyphs, there are about a thousand rock images, among which the most famous are the images of Buddha Shakyamuni. In addition to Buddhist drawings and inscriptions there is a stone with ancient Türkic runic inscriptions of the 8th-9th centuries, supposedly left by the Kipchaks. Tamgaly-Tas is protected by the government of Kazakhstan as a cultural monument and is a Buddhist temple in the open. Dinner. Night in tents.

B – hotel
L – hotel
D – tents

Day 12. The Ili River – Almaty.

Today we return to Almaty. Accommodation in hotel. Lunch. Free time. Dinner

B – tents
L – café
D – cafe

Day 13. End of program. Transfer to airport B – hotel

Map

Additional Info

Attention!! You need an insurance policy!

Photos

Prices

Price per person\USD

The tour price - 1486 USD per person (*for the group of 3 people)

1 per - 3602USD
2 per - 1980 USD

For more information about dates and prices for the tour please fill in the form in the upper right corner of the page. The manager will contact you as soon as possible with more information about the itinerary and prices.