Itinerary

Day 1

Arrival in Almaty. Meeting in airport, transfer to the hotel Otrar ****, accommodation. Rest. Breakfast. City sightseeing: visit to the 28 Panfilov's guardsmen park, Cathedral, Museum of national musical instruments, National museum, Medeo gorge, Republic square (4 hrs.). Lunch. Dinner. Night at the hotel.

Day 2

Breakfast. Transfer: Almaty - Big Almaty gorge (28 km.). The vehicle drops us at "The Alpine rose" hotel and we go up to "Moon glade". Then we go to the old moraine of Big Almaty lake (H-2527) (4 km.). Lunch on the way. Walking near the lake. Dinner. Night in the tents.

Day 3

Breakfast. Radial trekking. Hiking: Big Almaty lake - confluence of Ozernaya and Turistov rivers (H-3000) (6km.). From the lake our way goes to the south-east on the old deserted motor road. To the left Sovetov peak (H-4317) is seen. We ford Ozernaya river, to the right the glacier and Almaty-Alagir (H-4223) peak is seen. We reach moraine of Constitution glacier and have lunch there. Return to the camp. Night in the tents.

Day 4

Breakfast. Transfer: Big Almaty lake - Almaty - Small Almaty gorge, Kim-Asar (Í-4200) (42 km.) Walking in the upper part of Kim-Asar river, ascent up to Butakovskii pass (H-2870) (4 km.). Lunch on the way. Return to the camp. We live behind the small cabin and move up the gorge on the old road. Tien-Shan spruce, grass and flowers cove the nearby slopes. Dinner at "Kazakh Aul" restaurant. Night in the tents.

Day 5

Breakfast. Transfer: Kim-sar gorge - Chimbulak ski center (10 km.). At Chimbulak we take a ski lift to reach Big Talgar pass (H-3163). Wright in the front we see the flat summit of Chkalova peak (H-3892). From here on the left valley we go to Bogdanovicha glacier (H-4000) (2 km.). Lunch on the way. Transfer: Chimbulak - Almaty (25 km.). Accommodation at the hotel "Otrar". Dinner at the local cafe. Night at the hotel.

Day 6

Breakfast. Transfer: Almaty - Kapchagai town - Ili river (101 km.). Rafting on Ili river (21 km., 4 hrs). Beneath the Kapchagai water reservoir Ili flows in a deep rocky canyon, up to 200 meters wide. River in this part is full-flowing with rapid current and clear water. The canyon is about 100 meters deep. There are small islands in the river-bed. In 1,5 - 2 hours another rocks are seen to the right - it is Tamgaly-Tas gorge, where on one of the rock the image of Buddha is engraved. Lunch on the way. After visit we continue rafting to the base camp, that will be situated 2 km down the river. Dinner. Night in the tents.

Day 7

Breakfast. Transfer: Ili river - Chengeldy village - Altyn-Emel nature reserve (150 km.). On the way stop and visit to the place where the colonies of tortoises live. Visit to Besshatyr Saks burial mounds. They belong to (VII - IV c.). There are 31 burial mounds there, from 45 to 105 m in diameter. Lunch on the way. Transfer to "Singing" dune (45 km.). On the hot sand we go up to the top of the sandy hill, which is 200 m high and 500 m long. Two more dunes stretch to the south. Dinner. Night in the tents.

Day 8

Breakfast. Transfer: "Singing" dune - White mountains (48 km.). Visit to the White mountains. On the territory of the national park from our car we can see the wild local deer, mountain goats, foxes, hares, birds. Transfer: White mountains - Aidarly village - Chundja village - Temerlik river - (140 km.). Lunch on the way. Dinner. Night in the tents.

Day 9

Breakfast. Walk to canyon Temerlik. Transfer: canyon Temerlik - canyon Charyn (60 km,). Lunch on the way. Visit to the Charyn canyon. Dinner. Night in the tents.

Day 10

Breakfast. Transfer: Charyn canyon - Jalanash village - Saty village - Kolsai lake-1 (H-2100) (130 km.). Lunch on the way. Walking at environs. Dinner. Night in the tents.

Day 11

Breakfast. Radial trekking to Kolsai lake-II (H-2500) (5 km.). It is one of the most beautiful lakes of the Northern Tien-Shan, surrounded by spruces, Alpine meadows and flowers. Lunch on the way. Return to the camp. Dinner. Night in the tents.

Day 12

Breakfast. Transfer: Kolsai lake-1 - Kegen village (H-1848) - Bayankol valley (H2167) (240 km.). Lunch on the way. After the lake our way goes among the inmontane hollows and dried our river beds. We pass by Kegen pass (H-1900) and next Sholadyr pass (H-2065). Go down to the wide valley that borders upon Central Tien-shan mountains. In clear and fine weather the highest summits of Central Tien-Shan Khan-Tengri (H-7010) and Pobeda (H-7439) peaks may be seen from the road not far from Tekes village. Lunch on the way. Passing by another two villages we enter the wide Bayankol valley. Rapid white-gray Bayankol rover flows to the left. Our camp is set up in Kaishi gorge, near the shepherds house. Dinner. Night in the tents.

Day 13

Breakfast. Radial trekking to Obzornaya mountain (H-4370) (6 km.). From the mountain we see Central Tien -Shan with peaks over 600 meters in China and Kyrgyzstan. In clear weather Khan-Tengri and Pobeda peaks will be perfectly seen. Lunch on the way. Return to the camp. Dinner. Night in the tents.

Day 14

Breakfast. Today we transfer to Kyrgyzstan. Transfer: Kaishi gorge - Karkara village - Syptas pass (H-1987) - Santash pass (H-2185) - Teplokluchenka village - town Karakol (200 km). We pass by number of Kazakh villages. In one of the villages we'll see the statue of one of the Kazakh Khans Kaishi. Behind Karkara village there are immigration and customs check points, documents check. Accommodation at the yurts base camp. Dinner. Night in the yurts.

Day 15

Breakfast. Transfer to thermal springs desired Altyn-Arashan ("Golden springs") (30 km.). Bathing in thermal springs if desired. Temperature is from +31 C to +57 C. Spring waters contain radon. Radial trekking to the upper part of the gorge to sea a waterfall on Kashkasu river. Meeting with local shepherds. Lunch. Return to the Karakol. City sightseeing: dungani mosque, orthodox church, local market. Dinner. Night in the yurts.

Day 16

Breakfast. Transfer: Karakol town - Djety-Oguz - Issyk-Kul lake - Kochkorka village - Song-Kol lake (385 km.). Stop at Red Rocks of Djety-Oguz ("Seven Bulls"). Red rocks are so beautiful and unique that in 1968 their image was printed on the national mail stamps of Kyrgyzstan. South shore of Issyk-Kul is the most beautiful and picturiesque shore. The road runs 30 m at a distance of lake in the some places. On the way - stop at Kadzhi-Sai village for swimming. Our way lies to the west. Pass Ortokoy reservoir . Chu river - one of the big rivers of Kyrgyzstan, flows into this reservoir and flow from out of this one. Soon we stop at bazaar in Kochkorka village. Lunch on the way. After Kochkorka the road is not asphalt and runs to the mountains. Camping in shore of Song-Kul lake. Dinner. Night in the tents.

Day 17

Breakfast. Full day in shore of Song-Kul lake. Visit to shepherds yurtas, walking at environs, ascending to one of nearby hills- form here we can see beautiful lake panorama. Lunch. Dinner. Overnight in the tents.

Day 18

Breakfast. Transfer: Song-Kul lake - Kochkorka village - Balykchi - Tokmak town - Bishkek (390 km). Passing Balykchi, the road runs to beautiful Boomsky gorge. Chu river flows along this gorge. On the way: visit and excursion to Burana Tower (ancient capital of Karakhanids state in X-XII c.c.) - archeological museum . Accommodation in the hotel "Ak-Keme"****. Dinner at local cafe. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 19

Breakfast. Sightseeing of Bishkek: orthodox church, National museum of History, Republic square with a Lenin statue, Osh market. Lunch at the cafe. After lunch transfer: Bishkek - Almaty (240 km). Accommodation at the hotel "Otrar"****. Dinner at the cafe. Night at the hotel.

Day 20

Departure from Almaty.

General Information

Duration:

20 Days

Location Start:

Almaty

Location Finish:

Almaty

Payment Types:

Credit/Debit Cards, Paypal, Cheque, Travellers Cheque

We Speak:

Russian, German, French, English

Extra Information

Extras -

Prices include: Visa support to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan; All land transfers; Meeting and seeing off at the airport, services of interpreter, cook and his helper; Guide; Accommodation at hotels (double rooms with breakfast) according of program: accommodation in yurtas in Karakol (5 persons in one yurta); Sightseeing; Entry fees; Ecological taxes; Police registration; Serving of tea/coffee in the tent in the morning; Special permits; Tents during the autotrekking on double basis; Full board in the cities and during autotrekking; Packed lunch on the way; Kitchen and camp equipment; Guide consultations; Bottled water on transfers 1,5 l/day/person; Safety vests for rafting.
Price does not include:Airline tickets, tips; Insurance and other medical subcosts; Additional excursions, not mentioned in the program; Personal extras like luggage overweight; Laundry, phone, fax, e-mail services; Alcohol drinks; Mini bar and other extra services at the hotels.