Culture & Nature of Kazakhstan Group Tour

Fly to Almaty from the UK.

• Hotel Description

Arrive in Almaty and transfer to your hotel for early check-in, breakfast, and some rest. In the afternoon, explore the vibrant Green Bazaar, sampling traditional delicacies like smoked horsemeat sausage and camel milk. Visit Panfilov Park and the Cathedral of the Holy Ascension, one of the tallest wooden buildings worldwide. Discover the Museum of National Musical Instruments, then continue to Republic Square. Finish with free time on Arbat Street to explore local shops, cafes, and street performances. (B)

• Hotel Description

Today, explore the traditions and lifestyle of nomadic tribes such as the Saks, Usuns, Kangyuys, Turks, and Kazakhs at the Nomad Ethno Centre near Almaty. Participate in master classes on archery, Kazakh cuisine, and assembling a yurt. Additionally, you can dine on a local lunch inside a yurt before returning to Almaty to visit Kok Tobe Hill, where you’ll take a cable car to the 1100m summit for panoramic city views and sunset. (B, L)

• Hotel Description

Fly to Turkestan in the morning and transfer to your hotel. Once the political and cultural heart of the Kazakh Khanate, Turkestan offers rich history and vibrant local life. During free time, visit the Flying Theatre, a unique 7D experience showcasing Kazakhstan’s heritage. In the late afternoon, join a Kazakh family to prepare traditional tandyr-nan bread and meet a craftsman making leather horse saddles. The day ends with entertainment at the Karavansaray complex. (B, D)

• Hotel Description

After breakfast, visit the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, a UNESCO World Heritage site and a key place of Sufi pilgrimage. Explore the nearby Hilvet Underground Mosque, where Yasawi spent his final years. After lunch, head to the Uly Dala Heritage Museum, featuring interactive exhibits about the Great Steppe. Finally, visit a local craftsman’s studio to see intricate wood art made from rare, locally sourced timber, each piece telling its own unique story. (B)

• Hotel Description

After breakfast, travel to Otrar, an ancient Silk Road fortress known as Farab, destroyed by Genghis Khan’s Mongols. Visit the Mausoleum of Arystan Baba, a revered Sufi shrine. After lunch, continue to Shymkent to explore the Altyn Orda Art Gallery, founded by the Beisbekov family. The gallery offers exhibitions, craft workshops, a souvenir shop, and a clothing design space, showcasing local artistry and creativity. (B)

Start your day at the Ethnographic Museum, founded by Kendebay Karabdalov, where handmade instruments, ancient clay artifacts, and a hilvet (underground mosque) reveal centuries of Kazakh tradition. Next, ascend to the historic City Citadel for panoramic views and insight into Shymkent’s turbulent past. In the afternoon, transfer to the airport for your flight back to Almaty, where you’ll check in to your hotel for the evening. (B)

After breakfast, set out on an exhilarating drive across the vast Kazakh steppes to Charyn National Park. Marvel at dramatic views before descending into the Valley of Castles, where surreal red rock formations guide you to the Charyn River. Choose to return on foot or ride a rugged Soviet-era army vehicle. Your adventure continues to the peaceful Saty Village, where a warm welcome and delicious home-cooked dinner await at your guesthouse - surrounded by the beauty of the Tian Shan foothills. (B, D)

After breakfast, transfer by rugged Soviet-style vehicle to the mystical Kaindy Lake, where submerged spruce trees rise eerily from turquoise waters - a hauntingly beautiful result of a 1911 earthquake. Choose to hike, ride horseback, or use a smaller vehicle to reach the lake. Continue to Kolsay Lake, the “Pearl of the Tien Shan,” and enjoy scenic views from above or along the shoreline. Return to Saty Village for a warm, home-cooked Kazakh lunch before heading back to Almaty for the night. (B, L)

After an early breakfast, it's time to bid farewell to Kazakhstan. You'll be transferred to the airport for your departing flight, filled with unforgettable memories. (B)