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Glimpse Of Kazakhstan
The perfect addition to your Central Asian travels – connect from Uzbekistan back to China with this short introduction to Kazakhstan!
Travelling even a portion of the enormous expanse of Kazakhstan encompasses a variety of terrain and ethnicities. Experience this quick but engaging look at this big player in Central Asia and enjoy beautiful land, back-lot hamlets and diverse peoples. The natural abundance and brilliance of Kazakhstan’s world heritage-listed Aksu-Dzhalaby biosphere reserve will enchant from alpine meadow to clear blue lake. A phalanx of endangered species make their home here, including snow leopard, brown bear and lynx. Spend a few days in guesthouses with hospitable and engaging locals, ride horses and trek through the foothills of the stunning Altau range. Further discover a once secret country in the museums, parks, cathedrals and bazaars of the largest city and former capital, Almaty before take the classic rail route to the heavenly lakes of Urumqi in Western China.
Gallery View map
Tour Highlights
- Aysha-Bibi Mausoleum
- Almaty’s Zelyony Bazaar
- Aksu-Dzhabagly Nature Reserve
- Nail-less Tsarist Zenkov Cathedral
- Chorsu Bazaar of Tashkent - one of the largest and oldest farmers' markets in Central Asia
Inclusions
Local tour leader, local guides, arrival transfer, transport, sightseeing and entrance fees.
- Minibus
- Sleeper train
- Trek
- 6 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 3 dinners
Glimpse Of Kazakhstan
Day 1
Arrive Tashkent
Meals Privided:
On arrival in Tashkent you are met and transferred to your hotel. In the evening you meet your tour leader and the other group members for a pre-tour briefing. This is generally followed by an optional group dinner at a local restaurant. The national dish is ‘plov’, a mixture of rice, vegetables and bits of meat. It is something we are going to see a lot of on our journey!
With most of its historic buildings flattened in an earthquake in 1966, the Tashkent we see today is a fine example of Soviet-era architecture and city planning. As the capital of Uzbekistan, this surprisingly green city contains many interesting examples of 1960s architectural styles and enjoys a cosmopolitan mix of cuisines and influences. The ancient heart of the city still beats in the shady squares and vibrant markets of the Old Town. Families still live in communities of courtyards and imams from the small medressas and mosques still call the faithful to prayer.
Day 2-3
Cross border to Kazakhstan, explore Aksu-Dzhabagly Nature Reserve
Meals Privided:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We leave Uzbekistan and re-enter Kazakhstan, but this time we get to explore this massive and vibrant country. After crossing the border at Yallama, we are met by our Kazakh tour leader and transferred on our private vehicle to the village of Zhabaghly – gateway to the beautiful Aksu-Dzhabagly Nature Reserve. This reserve lies at the end of the Talassky Alatau range, which is a continuation of the mighty Tian Shan range. It is a nature-lovers paradise with glacial mountain peaks, grand canyons and waterfall-fed valleys. Meadows are ablaze with colourful wildflowers and crystalline lakes home to migrating birds. It is home to many species of wildlife including brown bear, lynx and the elusive snow leopard, as well as several species of mountain goat or sheep such as ibex. About 238 species of birds have been recorded here with vultures and eagles often seen soaring high above. We enjoy a whole day to explore this nature wonderland. Options include an eight-kilometre hike or a horse ride to Kishi Kaindy – a mountain rest hut located near a beautiful waterfall. A picnic lunch is provided on our excursion. The overall impression one gets when exploring Central Asia’s oldest reserve is of splendid, serene isolation a place where you’re more likely to see wildlife than other people.
Day 4
Merke Village
Meals Privided:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast we are transferred to the village of Merke. Along the way we stop at the Aysha-Bibi Mausoleum – a 12th century burial place of a noble woman. Built of delicate terracotta bricks in over 50 different motifs, this Muslim shrine is located on the Silk Road in the small village of Aysha-Bibi, 11 kilometres west of the town of Taraz. During Soviet time, the original bricks were removed and the whole structure has had to be restored. As legend has it, the mausoleum was built by a local ruler for his beautiful fiancée Aisha-Bibi, who died of a snake bite. We also stop at the Babazhi Katun Mausoleum – the burial place of a companion of Aysha. En route we enjoy lunch and a walk through a gorge along a river. The area is very scenic and there is usually an abundance of wildflower, when in season. We spend the night in a guest house in Merke.
Day 5
Merke Gorge - Almaty
Meals Privided:
Breakfast, Lunch
In the morning we take a scenic half-day walk down the mountainous Merke Gorge, in the Kirghiz Alatau mountain range. Look out for the bright red Zanaida’s tulip – a species endemic to this area. After lunch we drive to Almaty (known as ‘Alma-Ata’ in Soviet times), Kazakhstan’s largest city and capital until 1998 (when the capital was moved to Astana). It remains the country’s urban heart, a place where life moves a little faster and is also a repository for the cultural heritage of Kazakhstan. It is also a city with a modern cosmopolitan face, with a great range of restaurants and dining choices.
Day 6-7
Almaty - overnight train
Meals Privided:
We spend the day exploring the sights of Almaty. The Central State Museum gives us a comprehensive overview of the history of the country. Modern and historic come together most markedly in Panfilov Park - the city’s green lung that was laid out in the 1870s. Here war memorials can be found alongside nightclubs, but in the midst of it all stands the magnificent Zenkov Cathedral. Built in 1904, it is one of the few Tsarist buildings in Almaty, although the wooden nail-less structure seems an unlikely survivor of an earthquake that flattened most of the city. During Soviet times it was used as a history museum, but in 1990 it reverted to being a Russian Orthodox cathedral. We also take a walk through the Zelyony Bazaar (Green Market), where all sorts of things can be found on sale. A free afternoon is set aside for us to conduct our own discoveries in Almaty. You can wander around Gorky Park, admire the Monument to Independence at Respublika Alangby or catch a cable car up Green Hill for a panoramic view. Just before midnight on Day 6, and accompanied by our Kazakh tour leader, we depart on the sleeper train to Urumqi, in the Xinjiang province of China. Our rail journey takes two nights and one day and offers us another great opportunity to engage with the local people on our travels.
Day 8-9
Urumqi
Meals Privided:
Breakfast
We arrive early in the morning in Urumqi and are met by our Chinese tour leader. Urumqi is the capital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, a multi-national province with many languages, customs and colourful ethnic traditions. The city is China’s gateway to central Asia with air links to all of the former Soviet ‘stans’ and is also widely regarded as ‘the city farthest from the ocean’. We visit the large and fascinating Xinjiang Autonomous region Museum, which houses an amazing collection of Silk Road artefacts and treasures including some incredibly well-preserved mummified bodies. Your tour ends on the morning of Day 9, after breakfast.
IN A NUTSHELL
9 days
$2,695
15
TOUR INFORMATION
| Start | End | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 21/05/2012 | 29/05/2012 | $2,695 |
| 02/07/2012 | 10/07/2012 | $2,695 |
| 13/08/2012 | 21/08/2012 | $2,695 |
| 17/09/2012 | 25/09/2012 | $2,695 |
| 01/10/2012 | 09/10/2012 | $2,695 |
| 06/05/2013 | 14/05/2013 | $2,695 |
| 20/05/2013 | 28/05/2013 | $2,695 |
| 01/07/2013 | 09/07/2013 | $2,695 |
| 07/05/2012 | 15/05/2012 | $2,695 |
