Price on request
Region: Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan
Activities: Tour
Dates: Year Round
Duration: 8 Days
For dates and prices, please email info@gatewaytravel.com.au or call 0414955109 (local) or +61 414955109 (international)
8-day Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan Tour
Overview:
Starting at Almaty city you will visit the Green Bazaar, Panfilov Park, Zenkov Cathedral, Medeo Gorge, Shymbulak resort. Next is Kok-Tobe Hill, Almaty cableway. We follow this is with a trip to Charyn Canyons, Castles Valley, Saty village. Next you will visit Karakol city, Dungan mosque, an old wooden Orthodox Church, the museum of M.V. Prejvalsky and visit local bazar. The following day we visit Jeti Oguz gorge, Broken Heart Mountain, Bokonbaeva village, meet a local eagle-hunter, then transfer to Kochkor village. Visit the second largest lake in Kyrgyzstan – Son Kul Lake via Kalmak Ashu and Moldo Ashu Pass. Take a look at Burana Tower, then on to Bishkek city. Ala Archa gorge is the next stop, on a spur of the Tien Shan mountain range. In Bishkek, you will visit Pobeda Square, Duboviy Park, Central Ala-Too Square, Old Square, National Philharmonic, and more. The last day you will visit our Asian Bazaar, later transferring to the border and back to Almaty.
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Bookings
Day 1: Almaty
Your guide will meet you at the airport and accompany to Almaty city, where we do a city tour. You will visit the Green Bazaar, where it is impossible to refrain from shopping.
The tour will continue in one of the oldest Almaty parks – Panfilov Park, where one of the most beautiful wooden buildings in the world – Zenkov Cathedral is located. After exploration of sport, cultural and business areas of the city you will get to the Medeo Gorge, well known due to the highest mountain skating rink in the world and Shymbulak resort.
Next destination is the Kok-Tobe hill where the tallest TV tower in the world is located (if to count from the sea level) and where you will get by the picturesque winding mountain road. In Kok-Tobe Park you can stroll along the winding paths of the park, admire the magnificent panorama of the city from the special observation deck and visit the shop of national souvenirs. The tour ends with the short ride from the top of the hill to the center of the city by the famous Almaty cableway.
Transfer to the hotel.
Day 2: Almaty – Charyn Canyon – Saty
Today you will have a day trip to Charyn Canyons, one of the natural monuments of Kazakhstan. The canyon is about 12 million years old, with its vertical cliffs, and ancient castles. The canyon was created by wind, sun and rain. It will take about 3 hours to reach the canyon, during which you will hear a lot of interesting information about the history and nature of the region, about Kazakh people, their life and traditions.
As soon as you see Charyn Canyon you will forget about the long drive – so much so you will be impressed with the beauty and splendor of the canyon. You can admire the grand panorama and then have a walk through the maze of the Castles Valley with its inaccessible walls overhanging around you.
In the evening is transfer to Saty village.
Night is at the homestay.
Day 3: Saty – Kazakh-Kyrgyz border – Karakol
In the morning you are transferred to the border. The guide will meet you and accompany to Karakol city, a a small town of green avenues and wooden cottages located just to the east of the Terskey Ala-Too Mountains, and 10 km the west is the shoreline of Lake Issyk Kul.
Karakol was founded in 1869 as a Russian garrison, and grew rapidly as explorers passed through the town on their way deeper into the Tian Shan. The city grew as Dungans fled violence in China in the 1880s and resettled in Karakol. Then, in 1888, the Russian explorer Nikolai Przhevalsky died in Karakol, and the town was renamed in his honor. In 1921, Karakol was given its original name back, only to have the decision reversed by Stalin in 1939. In 1991, Karakol once again became Karakol.
Day 3 sees us taking a sightseeing tour.
In the morning we will visit the Dungan mosque. It was built in Chinese style without using a single metal nail. This will be followed by the visit of an old wooden Orthodox Church. Also you will visit the museum of M.V. Prejvalsky, one of the world’s greatest explores. After this you can visit local bazar.
Night is at the hotel.
Day 4: Karakol – Jeti Oguz – Bokonbaevo – Kochkor
Today we will drive to Jeti Oguz gorge. It’s famous for its red rocks formations that have a name Seven Bulls – Jeti Oguz. Also you will see there the Broken Heart Mountain. If you want it is possible to go to the top of the mountain (20 minutes) to see a panorama view of the gorge.
We continue our trip, breaking in Bokonbaeva village, where we will meet a local eagle-hunter who hunts hares and foxes with the help of eagles (a traditional way of nomadic hunting).
Transfer to Kochkor village.
Night is at the guesthouse.
Day 5: Kochkor – Kalmak Ashu Pass – Moldo Ashu Pass – Son Kul Lake
After breakfast we start our drive to the second largest lake in Kyrgyzstan – Son Kul Lake via Kalmak Ashu and Moldo Ashu Pass. This lake is surrounded by mountains and it is the highest alpine lake in Kyrgyzstan, situated at an altitude of 3013 meters above sea level. Kyrgyz nomads started to come to this wonderful area with their families for rest and relaxation. Herders of the Naryn region come to the lake to use it as a pastureland. After our arrival, you will be free to explore and enjoy the virgin nature of the lake and its surroundings.
Night is at the yurts.
Day 6: Son Kul Lake – Kalmak Ashu Pass – Kochkor – Burana – Bishkek
In the morning you will be transferred to Kochkor village via Kalmak Ashu Pass. The road will go along amazing gorge and you will drive today over Kalmak Ashu pass that is 3,225 meters high. In Kochkor village you will spend some time with a family that will show you the way our national felt carpets are produced. Also you will visit a small handicraft museum there. On route to the gorge, you will visit Burana Tower. It is a minaret dating from the 11th century. Afterwards you will be transferred to the capital of Kyrgyzstan – Bishkek city.
Night is at the hotel.
Day 7: Bishkek – Ala Archa – Bishkek
In the morning we will visit Ala Archa gorge. It is a Natural Park. At the Soviet Time only V.I.P. people had permission to go for a walk here. The Ala Archa gorge is on a spur of the Tien Shan mountain range. It is just 45 km from Bishkek. You can have a short hiking tour to see a panoramic view of the gorge. Afterwards we return to Bishkek.
The second half of the day is dedicated to a guided tour of Bishkek. It includes visiting Pobeda Square (Victory Square), Duboviy Park (Oak Park), Central Ala-Too Square, Old Square, National Philharmonic, and many others places of interest.
Night is at the hotel.
Day 8: Bishkek – Kyrgyz-Kazakh border – Almaty – Airport
In the morning we will visit our Asian Bazaar! We will show it to you today and you will be able to take a lot of dynamic photos of bustling local life. This bazaar is a noisy and colorful tapestry of fabrics, produce, and people selling and buying goods.
Afterwards we transfer to the Kordai border point where you will meet your guide.
Transfer to Almaty airport to catch back flight.
Price: ON REQUEST
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