National Parks of Central Kazakhstan
- Tour countries:
- Kazakhstan
- Type of tour:
- Adventure, General
Day 1
Arrival in Almaty city. Meeting at the airport, transfer to the hotel. Accommodation. Rest. Breakfast. Departure from Almaty by train №15 Almaty - Karaganda at 12.55 local time (1050 km). To the west from Balkhash lake Betpak Dala steppe stretches. Betpak Dala from Kazakh means "Hungry steppe". Almost all the way long we will see only endless Kazakh steppe, stretching to the horizon. From time to time we will see flocks of sheep and horses. Night on the train.
Day 2.
Arrival in Karaganda city at 07.00 local time. Here we change from train to a bus. Transfer by bus: Karaganda - Botkara village - Shiyly river - Ashisu river - Karabushevka village - Karkaralinsk village - "Shakhter" hotel (224 km). Breakfast on the way. Accommodation at "Shakhter" rest house. Walking around. Rest house is situated in the surroundings of picturesque rocks. The highest peak is called Pioneer. The highest peak of Karkaraly mountains, Komsomol'skyi, is situated 5 km to the east from Pioneer peak. Night at the hotel.
Day 3
Breakfast. Today we will take a ride to Kent gorge, one of the picturesque places in Karkaralinskiy national park to mountains. Transfer: rest house "Shakhter" - Kent gorge (40 km). The road from the rest house stretches along a wide ravine, slopes are covered with leafy trees and flowery meadows. There are remains of enigmatic castle Kyzylkenesh in Kent gorge. One legend says, there were remains of the cloister, where talapoins lived in XVI c. Talapoins were moving from Kalmyk steppe to Mongolia and stayed in Kent gorge for a winter and decided to stay forgood in spring. The local archaeologists restored the walls of the cloister. We will walk around. On the way we will ride over to Kim-Asar gorge. Transfer to the hotel, overnight.
Day 4
Breakfast. Today we will visit the museum of nature in a Karkaraly National Nature Park, take a look at house of wild animals. Then we will walk to the lakes Bassein (Swimming pool) and Shaitankol (Devil's lake). Transfer: rest house - museum of nature (22 km). Visit to a museum. After then we take a look at a house of wild animals. We will see bisons, wild apers, Przevalsky's horses, mules. Transfer: Museum of nature - Karkaraly village - rest house "Pine forest" (17 km). Hiking to the mountain Lake Bassein (Swimming pool) (H-320) (2 km). A path to the lake is not difficult. Just very close to the lake it is needed to go on slight rocks. Bassein lake reminds of huge four-cornered casket, filled up with water. Return to the hotel, overnight.
Day 5
Breakfast. Transfer: hotel "Shakhter" - Karkaralinsk - Karaganda - Astana - Shuchinsk - Borovoye national park to Borovoe lake (580 km). On the way we will see the outlines of the high buildings of new capital of Kazakhstan - Astana city. After we pass Astana, we will see enermous Kazakh steppe, flat to the horizon, with clouds hanging over to the ground. Steppes will be only changed with pine forests and hills near Shuchinsk, situated close to National Nature Park Borovoye. Accommodation at the rest home. Night at the hotel.
Day 6
Breakfast. Walking around Borovoe lake: "dancing" birchwood, visit to the Museum of History and Nature. Transfer: Museum - Blue bay at Borovoye lake - rocky island "Zhumbaktas" ("Sphinks"). Transfer to Okzhetpes mountain - Bura mountain (H-690) ("Camel") - Svetloye lake - Shuchye lake - hotel (20 km). On the way stops for sightseeing and walking. Night at the hotel.
Day 7
Breakfast. In the morning we go boating on the lake. After that we take a bus ride: Borovoye village - Zelenyi bor village - Svetloye lake ("Akkol") - Maibalyk sanatorium - Tekkol lake - Bolshoe Chebachye lake - Maloye Chebach'e lake - Dorofeevka village - Rakushka (Shell) - Borovoye village - rest home. On the way stops for sightseeing and walking. Night at the hotel.
Day 8
Breakfast. Transfer: Borovoye village - Shuchinsk village - Makinsk village - Astana city. Accommodation at the hotel. Sightseeing of the city: excursion to the State Museum, walking along the quay, visit to "Kazakhstan in miniature" park. Night at the hotel.
Day 9
Breakfast. Early departure from Astana. Transfer: Astana - Shiderty town - Ekibastuz town (460 km). The road from Astana goes to the east through the endless steppe. We will pass through Ekibastuz town - Kazakh center of coal getting. There are biggest coal deposits in Kazakhstan near Ekibastuz. Then we continue and reach Bayanaul village in the evening. Night at the rest home at Zhasybay lake.
Day 10
Breakfast. Transfer: Rest home - Toruaigyr lake - Nazaitas ("Loaf") rock - Kempirtas ("Witch") rock - Saimantas rocks - Aulietas cave (46 km). Our day in a National Nature Park Bayanaul starts from a ride to Toruaigyr lake - one of the most beautiful lake in Bayanaul mountains. Our guide will tell legends and stories of the region. Visit to the grave-memorial of Toruaigyr poet. Then we ride to Kempirtas rock, this unique shape of the rock reminds of witch's side-face. Then ride to Aulietas cave, walking up to the cave - it is cool and moist inside. Return to the hotel. Night at the guest house.
Day 11
Breakfast. Ride to Kirgish gorge (12 km). Air in the gorge is clean and limpid. Return to Bayanaul. Visit to Balandykol lake, walking around. Visit to Dravert grotto. Night at the rest home.
Day 12
Breakfast. Transfer: Bayanaul - Pavlodar city (230 km). Arrival in Pavlodar. City sightseeing: city museum, central square, Christian church, Irtysh river quay. Departure by train №45 at 21.42 to Almaty (32,5 hours on the train). Night on the train .
Day 13
Full day on the train. Overnight in the train.
Day 14
Arrival in Almaty at 05.23 local time. Breakfast. Accommodation at the hotel "Kazzhol". Time for rest. City sightseeing in the afternoon: visit Panfilov park, the remarkable Cathedral of the Holy Ascension (built in 1907 by architect Andrei Zenkov during a period in which the main building material of the earthquake-wary city was wood. The cathedral reaches a height of more than 53m, making it one of the tallest wooden buildings in the world), Museum of national musical instruments, National museum, Medeo gorge, Republic square (4 hrs). Overnight at the hotel.
Day 15
Transfer to the airport. Departure from Almaty.
