Kazakhstan & Kyrgyzstan Nature Tour

During the following 5 days in Kazakhstan, the jeep will be our main transportation due to the rugged landforms of most attractions. This morning, your guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel lobby for a 3.5-hour journey to Basshi Village. After check-in and lunch in the local guesthouse, ready to meet the dreamlike Aktau Mountains in the Altyn Emel National Park. 

The name means ‘white mountains’, but the sight is never monotone, as the ancient sea’s bottom had been geologically reshaped into steep canyons with a rich tapestry of strata in chalk white, ochre red, burnt orange, and pale yellow. During your 3-hour hike, keep watch for those sediment layers, home to ancient animal remains from 25 to 30 million years ago.

Nearby stands the 700-year-old Willow Tree, deemed sacred as legend has it that the steppe’s ancient souls dwell within its giant body. Locals affectionately call it ‘the wise grandma of Altyn Emel’. Anyone who arrive with sincerity will feel its spiritual energy. Finally, your team will escort you back to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Local Guesthouse

Today welcomes another highlight in the Altyn Emel National Park - Singing Dunes. After a morning greeting at your hotel, follow the bumpy roads and dash to the aim. Since the wind collision brought them here 10,000 to 12,000 years ago, the dunes have been holding their positions between two ridges, and yet they are rarely silent. Locals attribute the humming to a demon who sleeps deeply within the sands. According to legend, the Almighty punished this sower of chaos by demanding him to walk back to his distant home. After a tough trek, he felt asleep here and became a dune, making low roars to threaten passersby when disturbed.  

► What to Prepare for the Altyn Emel National Park?
The Park boasts the unique semi-desert climate, broiling and dusty from May to August. Please wear breathable, light-colored long-sleeved shirts and pants, as well as wide-brimmed hats and sunglasses for sun protection. Comfy shoes with a good grip will be helpful for long hikes. The most crucial is travelling light, so just bring a small carry-on bag containing sunscreen, insect spray, wet wipes, and drinking water. 

We’ll then return to the Basshi Village for lunch. You may savor Kazakhstan’s national dish, Beshbarmak, whose flavor lies in five ingredients: sliced horsemeat, mutton, or beef, round or square noodle pieces, rich broth, onions and garlic sauce, and salted cottage cheese. 

After satiating yourself, embark on a 2.5-hour trip to our well-selected resort in Chunja Hot Springs. Sweet dreams!

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: All Seasons Chundzha or similar

Morning! Your guide and driver will accompany you to Charyn Canyon National Park after the hotel pickup. There, the Charyn River had left a 300-meter (984-foot) deep wound on the earth, stacked with 12 million years of red sandstone. We’ll hike deep into the celebrated Valley of Castles, home to the famous ‘Gate of the Sky’, a natural arch formed by massive rock columns. The top walkway offers the best view, alongside with its other eerie counterparts like spires and gate towers. When posing for photos, please keep a safe distance from the edge as there are no guardrails.

Followed that, a 1.5-hour private car transfer will lead you to Saty Village at the foot of Heavenly Mountains, rimmed with pine forests and meadows. Remaining the primitive lifestyle, locals live in bungalows pieced together with wood and ride horses for transportation. Due to its 15-minute car ride distance to Kolsai Lakes and Kaindy Lake, the village is now thriving with guest houses. Spend a night in our handpicked one, and you will feel truly woven into life of Kazakhstan when enjoying the homemade meals of your gracious hosts.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch-box, Dinner
Accommodation: Saty Village Guest House

This morning, after meeting your guide and driver at your guest house, you’ll proceed to Kolsai Lakes, a chain of three alpine lakes at different altitudes. Fed by glacial meltwater, the water is clear enough to seem unreal, and pristine forests ring every shore. We’ll visit the gentlest one of them, the Lower Kolsai Lake, getting an eyeful of scenery with a joyful lakeside stroll. Best photography spots? Just climb to TRAY Restaurant or adjacent cafes halfway up the mountain and capture the lake’s panorama from the terraces.
► For Your Information: 
1.Please carry your passport for potential border inspections as the lakes are only a dozen kilometers from the Kyrgyz border.
2.For hiking buffs, consider venturing to the Middle Kolsai Lake with our one-day mountain hike itinerary. The arduous 4-kilometer (5-mile) trek takes about 3 hours one way. Also, you can ride a horse between the two lakes at your own expense from April to October, costing USD 30-40 per person for a two-way trip.

After a home-made lunch with a local family, embrace the last stop of your Kazakhstan journey, the Kaindy Lake, a glassy quake lake formed after an earthquake-triggered landslide in 1911. However, what steals the show is the submerged spruce forest, whose trunks still stay upright more than a century later. As private cars cannot reach the lake directly, our jeep will stop at the barrier, from where your guide will accompany you on a 30-minute Soviet minibus ride, with the round-way tickets included, followed by a 10-to 15-minute short walk to the shore. 
*Note: The alternatives to approach the lake include a 1.5-hour hike from the mountain base, as well as a 45-minute combination of horse ride and walk (at your own expense). Please tell your preference to your guide in advance.

Going downhill, we’ll escort you back to your guest house in Saty Village.

Meals: Breakfast, Home-made Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Saty Village Guest House

Today, your driver will escort you to the Kyrgyzstan border after breakfast. After completing customs, you’ll meet your Kyrgyzstan guide and driver, who will escort you to your hotel in Karakol for check-in. 

► Why do Central Asian Countries Have the Suffix ‘Stan’?
Culturally influenced by Persian Empire (550 - 330 BC) that once controlled the area, these countries lend the suffix ‘stan’ to identify their main ethnic groups, extending its meaning from ‘a large area’ to ‘a place where a particular ethnic group lives’. Their citizens are all mixed blood of Indians, Turks, Mongolians, and Han people, differentiated by the proportion of mixed blood. The Kazakhs are mainly Turkic and supplemented by Mongolians, while the Kyrgyz are partly of Han people descent.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Green Yard Hotel, Karakol (3 stars) or similar

Exceptionally favored by nature, Kyrgyzstan has a long-history animal husbandry, thanks to its more than 9 million hectares of pastures, high-quality mowed pastures, and sufficient sunshine, which is evident in the Karakol animal market. So, if today is Sunday, your guide and driver will pick you up early for the market visit. 

After probing into the 18th-century Russian explorer’s trip journal at the Nikolai Przhevalsky Museum, you’ll be guided to admire two distinctive religious architectures, Holy Trinity Cathedral and Dungan Mosque. The former reflects the typical Orthodoxy design with five golden onion-shaped domes, while the latter is akin to a Mongolian temple with its unique upturned triangular roof and richly carved eaves. 

Out of the city, let’s escape to Karakol Nature Park hidden in the northeastern Terskey Alatau Mountains. Hike to the Karakol Valley and the Ala Kul Lake, accompanied by gurgling streams and meadows burst with wildflowers, during which you can also scrutinize petroglyphs in mounds. Finally, your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel downtown.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Green Yard Hotel, Karakol (3 stars) or similar

Let’s kick off today’s sightseeing at Jeti-Oguz Gorge after the hotel meet-up and a quick 40-minute drive, which is nature’s red sandstone overachiever. Tick off the iconic Seven Bulls and Broken Heart rocks, and stand atop the canyon to marvel at pine forests, knife-cut rock walls, and lush pastures.

Later, continue on a 1.5-hour road trip to Tamga along the enchanting Issyk-Kul Lake’s south bank. En route, you’ll be obsessed with the rimless blue waters, mysterious for the legend about Genghis Khan (1162 - 1227 AD), who ravaged most of Central Asia to expand his Mongol Empire (1206 - 1260 AD) to the west. It is believed that the lake houses his coffin, because his second son, who dominated the place at that time, sank the Khan’s body and countless jewels in a sarcophagus into the lake. In the 1990s, archeologists salvaged some daily necessities and ancient coins from Genghis Khan’s era, lending credibility to this legend. 

Upon arrival, check into your lodge and head to the last spot, Skazka Canyon, aka Canyon Fairy Tale. Despite a cute name, focus is important when hiking among the canyon’s earth and stone forests. Please follow your guide to take the regular route to avoid landslides, and bring sunscreen and enough water for the heat. Before dark, we’ll escort you back to your lodge.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Nomad Lodge, Tamga

After breakfast, your private guide and driver will accompany you on a 1-hour car ride to Bokonbayevo. Slop around the local bazaar before witnessing the region’s main event - Golden Eagle Hunting Demonstration. During 1-2 hours, a hunter will introduce the bond between him and his falcon, including daily training, feeding, and care, and then command the predator to capture both stationary and mobile targets. Although just baits and fox furs are involved in the whole process, some people still have doubts about the ethics. Rest assured, instead of performance props, these golden eagles are regularly released and trained, with their owners prioritizing health over everything. Once detecting the eagle in an unusual state, they would rather end the demonstration early.

Then, we’ll hit the road for 5 hours to Song Kol Lake via the Kochkor Village. Around this alpine lake, you’ll find herds of cattle and sheep, expansive meadows, and tranquil waters. What you won’t find are the over-commercialized vibe and crowds.

★ A Unique Yurt Accommodation Experience

Stay in a yurt camp tonight, on a hillside, grassland, or lakeside, to become a member of the nomadic people temporarily. Walk out at night, and the unpolluted starry sky is just above your head. Our well-selected camp is equipped with a fireplace, as well as thick mats and quilts, ensuring a warm and healing night.

► Important Tips:
1.The nighttime temperatures sometimes drop to 0℃ (32℉). If you’re extremely sensitive to cold, bring a sleeping bag or warm pastes for extra warmth.
2.There is almost no signal around the lake, and WIFI in the camp’s public areas requires an additional charge.
3.Given unstable power supply, it’s wise to carry a power bank and a small flashlight.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Aksai Yurt Camp, Song Kol Lake or similar

When the sun wakes you up through the yurt’s skylight, prepare for an entirely unplugged day at Song Kol Lake. An orderly everyday hustle and bustle has already unfolded: males driving cattle and sheep out of the fence before taking them to more distant meadows, while females lighting fire, milking cows, and preparing breakfast. Take some time to glimpse their authentic yurts, in which felt carpets almost sweep over every corner. The cast-iron stove is set in the center, both for warmth and cooking. These yurt camps are seasonally operated by locals as the lake opens from June to September, vital for household income as their life is beyond livestock herding. After that, they will reembrace village life at the mountain base for harsh winter. 

As a local proverb says, ‘Horses are wings of herdsman’, so consider galloping on horseback at your own expense after that. Your initial nervousness will soon be replaced by unprecedented excitement and freedom. Or, just idle away by the lake as you wish. 

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Aksai Yurt Camp, Song Kol Lake or similar

After meeting your private guide and driver at your hotel, journey 3 hours to the Kochkor Village and visit the Altyn Kol Workshop, a Women’s Handicraft NGO specializing in felt-making. Originally built to survive economic difficulties by making Shyrdak carpets, it now dedicates to pass down traditional techniques while offering more job opportunities for local unemployed women. Watch a live demonstration to see how women collaborate to stitch felt fragments together to form the final one with native patterns, symbols, and colors. A medium-size Shyrdak often takes 2 months to complete, but if it is kept in salt when leaving unused, it can use for 100 years or even longer. 

Followed by a brief visit at the local bazaar, another 3-hour road trip will lead you to Burana Tower, which commands the desolate Balasagun ruins and some balba stone carvings left by the Turks. After admiring the surrounding valley from its top, we’ll continue to drive 1.5 hours to your hotel in Bishkek. 

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Solutel Hotel, Bishkek (4 stars) or similar

Unconsciously, it is the last day of your vacation. Your driver will pick you up at your hotel and escort you to Bishkek Airport. Wish you a happy journey!

Meals: Breakfast