South Kazakhstan Tour

Our journey will begin at the Almaty Museum, located within a historic wooden structure built for Russian royalty in the late 19th century. This institution serves as a testament to the city's tumultuous past, revealing its story through exhibits on both triumphs and tragedies. Visitors can admire murals depicting ancient life, photographs from the Soviet era, and a diverse collection featuring traditional Kazakh costumes, modern furniture, and ancient armor and manuscripts, ensuring a truly rewarding experience.

Then, head to the Park of 28 Panfilov Guardsmen. Just as its name suggests, the park was built to commemorate 28 warriors who lost their lives in the war safeguarding Moscow. Following the avenue, you’ll drop by their majestic statues and finally stop in front of the Ascension Cathedral (Zenkov Cathedral), a landmark and an important religious center in Almaty. From afar, you’ll see its candy-colored exterior matched with golden crosses. The interior is lavishly decorated, with a massive crucifixion of Christ hanging above the altar, the walls inlaid with exquisite mosaics, and murals showing stories of the Orthodox religion, bringing every visitor into a sacred world.

Near the park, lose yourself among the vibrant stalls in Green Bazaar (Zeleny Bazar), one of the oldest markets in Almaty, dating back to 1868. Roaming in the bazaar, meet vendors in uniform, orderly stalls, and various foods, instantly integrating into Kazakhstan people’s daily lives. With resource-exporting as its only pillar industry, Kazakhstan is like a “Green Bazaar” for the world. Rich in resources but overly dependent on the outside, the country’s economic environment is very fragile, so becoming a “factory” rather than a “bazaar” is imperative for Kazakhstan. 

Afterward, the driver guide will escort you out of Almaty city to Medeu Gorge in the southeastern suburb. Take a cable car to the Shymbulak Ski Resort at an altitude of about 3,000 meters (9,840 feet). When you are lifted, just look around and you’ll be staggered by the panoramic view of the fir-covered mountains. On sunny days, you may even have a chance to see the snow peaks of Heavenly Mountains glittering with steel-blue light in the distance.

Return to the city area in the late afternoon and follow your driver guide to view the sunset at Kok-Tobe Hill. Take the electric bus to the mountain top, where you can gain a bird’s eye view of the snow-capped mountains in the setting sun and Almaty’s cityscape accented by green trees and red-roofed buildings. Besides, Kok-Tobe Hill is punctuated with cafes, restaurants, mini zoos, roller parks, roller coasters, Ferris wheels, and other recreational facilities. Local music fans even built statues of the Beatles here, which is said to be the only memorial statues of the four members together worldwide. It is pretty worthwhile to take pictures! After going downhill by cable car, the driver guide will transfer you back to the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Renion Park Hotel, Almaty (3 stars) or similar

Today, we will drive a 4.5-hour bumpy trail deep into the Heavenly Mountains, arriving at Kaindy Lake. The 1911 great earthquake caused a large-scale landslide of the mountaintop glacier, whose melted water could not flow out but formed this lake. The original spruce forest was thus submerged, with only higher trunks exposed above the water. However, since the lake is icy all year round, the tree trunks have not rotted and still maintain their original appearance, forming a magical natural wonder.

After visiting Kaindy Lake, head west for about 11km to another charming alpine lake, Lower Kolsai Lake. Surrounded by dense fir trees and mountain meadows in the valley, the lake looks extraordinarily blue and clear in the sun, enchanting beyond words. No wonder it is known as the “Pearl of Northern Heavenly Mountains”. You can walk along the path on the right side of the lake to the end to enjoy the lake view and meet various cute flowers and plants. Finally, the driver guide will transfer you to Saty Village, where you will stay overnight at the local guest house. 

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

Today, we will begin at Saty Village and drive for 1.5-2 hours to Charyn Canyon National Park, exploring specific astounding landforms of several branch canyons. The Charyn Canyon, eroded by the fast-flowing Charyn River, reaches 150-300 meters (490-980 feet) deep and extends to the flat grassland east of Almaty. We will have a deep exploration of its most marvelous part, the Valley of Castles, whose rock walls have been formed into colorful rock layers by the magic of nature for 12 million years. Going down to the bottom, looking up at the cliffs formed by red rocks on both sides due to the erosion of wind and water over the years, each rocky peak has a different shape: some are like roosters with their heads held high, some mysterious castles, some butterflies in the wind, and some galloping horses, each boulder owning an ancient legend.

After admiring the breathtaking sunset scenery of the canyon, we will drive for about 3 hours back to Almaty. Upon arrival, you’ll be escorted to the hotel for a brief respite to recover from the day's journey before being transferred to the railway station for your overnight sleeper train to Taraz. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: On the Train

After waking up from the cracking train in the morning, you’ll arrive in Taraz, once an important town on the Ancient Silk Road and now one of the oldest cities in Kazakhstan. Meet our local guide at the train station and directly head to the Karakhan Mausoleum, the tomb of a potentate of the Karakhanids (840-1212), and an architectural symbol of Taraz in the 11th century. Then, move on to visit the Aisha Bibi Mausoleum, the tomb of a noble female from the 11th to 12th century AD. Aisha Bibi was a girl who bravely pursued free love, and her admirer was the owner of the mausoleum we’ve just visited before. Defying her father’s obstruction, she left home to find her lover, but was accidentally bitten by a snake on the way and unfortunately died. What a pity, like the Kazakh story of Romeo and Juliet!

The driver guide will also show you around the Ancient Taraz City, which witnessed the first and only confrontation between the two most powerful empires in history, the Chinese Tang Dynasty (618-907) and the Arab Empire (632-1258), in 751 AD, namely the Battle of Taraz. It ended with the Arab army winning a Pyrrhic victory over the exhausted and understrength Tang army, after which the Tang Dynasty suffered internal and external troubles and completely lost control of Central Asia. 

Finally, a 3-hour drive will transfer you to Shymkent, where we will take a stroll around the downtown. Ubiquitous parks and leisure citizens allow you to closely experience Kazakhstan’s authentic life. You may also encounter a tulip fountain landmark and many stalls selling tulips, and genuinely feel that Shymkent is the cradle of tulips in Kazakhstan. After that, the driver guide will take you to the hotel. Settle in the hotel and sleep early tonight to relieve the fatigue of today’s long travel.

Accommodation: Aidana Plaza Hotel, Shymkent (4 stars) or similar

Today, we’ll drive for 1.5 hours to Ak Meshit Cave, a spacious yurt-shaped cave made of limestone formed during the Neolithic period (8000-1500 BC), with growing mulberry and caragana trees. Embracing a peaceful atmosphere with water drops falling from above, the cave’s air is said to have potential benefits for reducing high blood pressure. 

Then, continue to Otrar, one of the important towns in the fertile Syr-Darya Valley in the past. However, its governor killed Genghis Khan’s merchant envoys in 1218 and thus invited brutal retaliation. Again attacked by the Dzungar Khanate (1678-1757) around 1700, Otrar never recovered from it, and now we can only imagine its original glory from the restored fortress, city walls, and mosques.  

Still, Otrar is home to the Mausoleum of Arystanbab, a legendary mentor of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, whose mausoleum we’ve visited yesterday. Although the 12th-century Islamic brick tomb is less luxuriously decorated, it is vital for pilgrims, especially examination candidates, who often stay overnight and pray to realize their wishes.

Finally, another 1-hour drive will take you to Turkestan.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel Khanaka, Turkestan (3 stars) or similar

Today’s Turkestan sightseeing will start at the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi. As a famous Turkic poet and Sufi 800 years ago, he played a crucial role in promoting Islam in the Turkic-speaking world by translating obscure Islamic scriptures and doctrines into Turkic poems to help Turkic people understand, absorb, and gradually believe in Islam. Therefore, Timur, the founder of the Timurid Empire (1370-1507), built a mausoleum to commemorate Yasawi’s outstanding achievements, and this is one of the most significant and completely preserved buildings from the Timurid period.

We will also explore several other buildings in the mausoleum complex. Go down to the Hilvet Underground Mosque, built to protect worshippers from the scorching summer heat, and you will feel noticeably calm. Next, watch the Ancient Baths built for pilgrims in the 15th and 16th centuries. They have a central hall and individual rooms with different functions, such as a hot water room, steam room, cold water room, and massage room. Your guide will explain their respective designs and functions to you in detail. Then, learn about specific items used by mosques in the Juma Mosque Museum. Opposite the museum is our last spot today, the Mausoleum of Rabia Sultan Begum, artfully decorated with a vibrant turquoise tile-made dome and intricate carvings. At the end of the day, you’ll be transferred back to Shymkent. 

► Suggested Dinner Site in Shymkent (at your own expense)
You can take a taxi to Kok-Saray to taste Uzbek specialties. The restaurant has a good environment and gorgeous Central Asian decoration. The must-try is Uzbek Plov, considered Uzbekistan’s national dish. It stir-fries long-grain rice, carrot cubes, onion cubes, lamb or beef cooked with fat and seasoned with salt and cumin.
Average Cost per Person: 4,000-6,000 Tenge (about $8-12)
Address: Zholdasbekov St 24, Shymkent 160000

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Aidana Plaza Hotel, Shymkent (4 stars) or similar

Early this morning, the driver guide will accompany you to visit local bazaars in Shymkent, especially the best one, Qyrgy Bazar, where everything is cheaper than stores or supermarkets. Friendly sellers offer a tempting variety of fresh fruits, nuts, local cheeses, and snacks. Your driver guide will help you avoid tourist rip-offs if you want to buy some as food supply or to take home. Afterward, our driver guide will escort you to the airport for a 1-hour flight to Almaty. Upon arrival, the driver in Almaty will greet you and provide a private transfer to the hotel for check-in.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Renion Park Hotel, Almaty (3 stars) or similar

On the last day of our Kazakhstan tour package, the driver guide will pick you up and escort you to the airport. We wish you a smooth journey home! If Kazakhstan leaves you panting for more to explore its young capital, Astana, or expand your trip to other Central Asian countries like Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, etc., you can contact our travel consultants to customize the itinerary!

► Where to Leave the Last Image of Almaty
Before leaving Almaty, you might walk westward less than 10 minutes from the hotel to visit Arbat Street on your own. Flanked by shopping malls, cafes, universities, monuments, and historic buildings, it is full of vitality and youthful spirit but not cut off from traditional charm. Meander through the street, watch the hustle and bustle of locals, and use camera to record the last moments of your Kazakhstan trip.

Meals: Breakfast