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Duration · 5 DAYS |
Season · SUMMER |
Activity · SUV / ADVENTURE |
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From USD $890 Customer reviews |
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| Route overview |
Get inspired | Itinerary | Service and prices | Important notes |
Experience the incredible diversity of Almaty region landscapes through the eyes of a passionate traveler. See the snow-capped peaks of the Northern Tien Shan from the Talgarsky pass in the middle of a hot summer. Touch the ancient Scythian history and meet Kazakh nomads at a highland Assy Plateau. Feel the coolness of dense forests and meet the dawn surrounded by mountains in our famous camping in the Turgen gorge. See the beauty of the Kolsai alpine lakes and sunken forest in Kaindy. And finally, descend from the cloudy heights into the colorful desert canyons of Charyn!
Route overview
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Almaty - Talgarsky pass - Issyk Lake - Turgen Gorge - Assy Plateau - Charyn Canyon - Kolsai & Kaindy Lakes - Temirlik & Bestamak & Moon canyons - Almaty Difficulty: ♦ ♦ ◊ ◊ ◊ Type: SUV / adventure Group size: min 1 - max 6 |
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Get insipired |
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What to expect |
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| #Issyk&Turgen |
#AssyPlateau | #TurgenCamping | #CharynCanyons | #Charyn | #KolsaiLakes | #Rockcarvings | #Kaindy |
Itinerary
Day 1 · Almaty - Talgarsky Pass - Issyk Lake - Turgen camp
Morning pick up in Almaty, drive to Medeo skating rink where take a cable car to Talgarsky pass (3200m) via Shymbulak ski resort. Enjoy the view of the Northern Tien Shan snow-covered mountains and glaciers around. Talgarsky pass is also known as one of the best viewpoints of the highest peak in this reagion - Talgar 5017m. Take a cable car down to Medeo, drive to the Issyk highland lake.
Lake Issyk is the pearl of the Trans-Ili Alatau ridge. The color of its water changes depending on the season and can be from steel gray to turquoise. The surrounding peaks are reflected in the surface of the lake, and this is definitely worth seeing before sunset. Take lunch and go to Turgen gorge. Late afternoon arrival at Trekking Club camp in Turgen. Accommodation, dinner and overnight at a camp in "glamping" style.
Meals · lunch, dinner 
Accommodation · glamping (camping) at Trekking Club camp
Driving · 5 hours, ↔140km
Day 2 · Jeep-tour by Assy highland plateau
Breakfast at a camp, drive up by the gorge (real offroad!) to the Asy plateau.
The road starts in the forest zone of Turgen gorge, and climbs up through the thicket that ends suddenly at a height of 2600 meters ASL. And a boundless green highland valley appears.
The Kazakh nomads use Asy plateau for the thousands of years as a summer pasture, and they are still there with their goats, sheep, horses and white yurts. Enjoy the nomadic wanders: immense highlands full of beautiful happy animals, white beads of yurts scattered here and there across the vast plateau, shepherds followed by their faithful Tazy dogs, ancient Saki (Scythian) ruins and burial pyramids, Bronze age rock carvings, and of course wildlife. After a picnic on the plateau with incredible views Tien Shan snow peaks and glaciers, we stop to see the Assy space observatory and drive down to the camp. Relax, dinner and another night at camp. Meals · breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation · glamping (camping) at Trekking Club camp Driving · 6 hours, ↔ 70km
Day 3 · Turgen - Charyn Canyon - Saty
Breakfast at a camp, transfer to the Charyn Canyon. National Park's entry procedures. Excursion along the canyon called Valley of Castles known for its fantastic colorful rock formations, 2 hours. We will hike down the cliff up to the Charyn riverbank. Take lunch in Charyn, with a stunning views. Back to the cars. Transfer to the Kolsai area. Late afternoon arrival at a guesthouse in Saty. Accommodation, dinner and overnight.
Meals · breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation · guest house in Saty village (Kolsai area)
Walking · 1 hour, ↔ 2.5km, no elevation
Driving · 5 hours, ↔ 265km
Day 4 · Visit Kolsai-1 Lake and Kaindy
Breakfast at a guest house, drive to Kolsai-1 Lake - the biggest of the whole cascade. Take a short excursion around to see it from different sides. Take lunch at a local cafe and drive to the Kaindy gorge. Take a hike around the famous lake with a sunken forest.
The lake was formed in 1911 after a huge earthquake that resulted in a big landslide from the eastern slope. The uniqueness of the lake is that after the rise of natural dam that blocked the gorge, water that filled a basin has formed a lake but has not destroyed the spruce that had been growing in this place along the river. The upper parts of the trees sticking out of the water lost lateral branches and bark, and the wood became white. The lower part of the “drowned” pines retained branches that were overgrown with algae under the water, thus created fantastic underwater landscape.
Late afternoon back to the same guest house. Take dinner and stay overnight.
Meals · breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation · guest house in Saty village (Kolsai area)
Walking · 2 hours, ↔ 5km
Driving · 3 hours, ↔ 35km
Day 5 · Visit Temirlik, Bestamak and Moon canyons, back to Almaty
Breakfast at a guest house, drive to the right bank of Charyn River to explore less popular but not less interesting deserted cliffs. First stop is at Temirlik canyon with a beautiful grove of relic Sogdian ash-trees inside. After checking Temirlik, we move to another canyon called Bestamak (Red Canyon) known for its amazing landscapes and wildlife. After a short excursion in Bestamak, we take lunch and drive back to Almaty - with a stop at a famous viewpoint of the Yellow (or Zhabyr) Canyon - to complete the impression of all the canyons in the memory.
Meals · breakfast, lunch Walking · 2 hours, ↔ 5km
Driving · 6 hours, ↔ 370km
Service and prices
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Guiding
Prices:Important notes
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