| TRAVEL TIPS | EXPLORE KAZAKHSTAN | TREKKING / CLIMBING / CAMPING | TRAVEL REPORTS | ALL BLOG POSTS |
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Based on the reviews and impressions of tourists, personal experience and the recommendations of colleagues from the Trekking Club, our guide compiled a list of the 12 best places to visit in Kazakhstan |
Best destinations in Almaty region: Charyn canyon, Singing Dune, Zharkent moscue, Kolsay and Kaindy lakes, Touyuk-Su glacier, Turgen falls, Aktau hills, Tanbaly petroglyphs, Assy plateau |
This guide contains descriptions of the best hiking trails around Almaty. We have selected the safest and most beautiful routes, which will help you exploring the variety of natural landscapes from glaciers to deserts. |
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Glamping is a glamorous camping. It is a modern, eco-friendly and very comfortable way to escape from the city to where you can listen to the sound of the river all night, wake up with a view of the mountains.
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How to plan a trip to Kazakhstan: 9 useful tips TIn this post we tried to systematize the answers to questions that arise among tourists planning a trip to Kazakhstan - in particular, we focused on the Almaty region, since most travelers begin their acquaintance with our country here. |
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Nomadic fest and other interesting facts about Kazak traditions Kazakh people historically lead a nomadic way of life. Despite the fact that now most of the country dwellers are settled, some of us still adhere the traditions of nomadism, tough in a modified way. |
Kazakhstan is the ninth largest country in the world. Its territory is huge, and the nature is amazing and diverse. With such dimensions, our country remains one of the most sparsely populated in the world. We can afford huge National Parks! |
Trekking Club team at the top of Kazbek peak 5033m At the end of the season-2019, we realized an old dream - made a trip to Georgia: the main goal was to climb Kazbek peak from the south. But also to leave a couple of weeks for subsequent trips around the country |
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Turgen: best trekking destination Love trekking? Inspired by nature? Search for wildness? Check the following 5 reasons to choose Turgen Gorge as your next trekking destination in Tien Shan mountains. |
How to climb a peak in North Tien Shan There is a number of beautiful, high and accessible mounts in Zailisky Alatau ridge that can be climbed in almost any season, just in 1 day. If you are firm with your decision to make aclimb, check these 3 steps. |
1 day around Almaty - from glaciers to deserts Almaty is the biggest city and the main entrance point to Kazakhstan. If you start your journey here, then don’t miss a chance to explore the extreme diversity of Almaty region! |
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Modern genetic studies have confirmed the thesis that the Sievers apple tree is the ancestor of most cultivated apple varieties, and its origin is the area of Semirechie (Almaty region). |
The Silk Way, which became operational in the middle of II century AD as a regular trade and diplomatic artery, until the 5th century had two main directions from China: the "South Way" and "Northern Way". You can partly follow one of its branches in Almaty region. |
Khan Tengri peak history - first ascent Khan Tengri (7010m) was first climbed on September 11, 1931 by alpinists Mikhail Pogrebetsky, Boris Tyurin and Franz Zaubrer. The expedition was organized by the Academy of Sciences, it included both climbing tasks and scientific investigations in the Central Tien Shan. |
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Top activities around Almaty: hiking and trekking; backcountry skiing and snowshoeing; rafting, cycling, rock climbing and mountaineering. |
By the number of images, this is the largest cluster in Kazakhstan. There are finds from the Bronze Age (XIII century BC) to the 19th century AD. Experts distinguish periods by design and application technique |
Trekking club team successfully summited Elbrus in January 2019. In this post we report how it was and share climbing tips: tactics of acclimatization, specific gear, marking of the route, timing etc. |
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Turgen is a lovely place: don’t miss a chance to explore its wonders even if you have only few days for Almaty! What is Turgen gorge and why is it the “must visit” place for any traveller? |
Bektau Ata is a mountain area 70 km to the north from Balkhash. The mountains attract with their amazing volcanic forms. After the rain, the cascades of small lakes appear on the slopes. |
Almaty is surrounded by mountains. When look to the south from the city, you see ice covered peaks of the Northern Tien Shan, and they are so close! Just in an hour you may find yourself at an altitude of 3,000m ASL. Looks like a climber’s paradise? |
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The Mustang is a small kingdom geographically located in Tibet, but legally being Nepal autonomy. Until recently, the country of Lo (how it is called by local residents) was poorly studied and rarely visited by tourists. Our trip to the capital of Mustang, Lo Mantang, started in Jomsom. |
Useful tips from our senior guide and famous mountaineer Alexey Raspopov. How and where to set a tent? How to anchor it in a wind? How to survive and keep warmth in the snow? How to cook? Find answers here. |
Cycling and mountain biking options around Almaty Almaty - the biggest city in Kazakhstan - offers great opportunities for active tourists loving to be on the move, whether on foot or horseback, by bike or ski. What there is in this place that makes more and more people prefer cycling to any other activity. |
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Rock engravings and images are found all over Kazakhstan. The most ancient – commonly called "petroglyphs" - date back to the early Bronze Age (3500-2000 BC). To explore all the variety of rock art of all époques, you should go up Asy plateau. |
Touyuk-Su glacier: a history of melting ice Northern Tien Shan, Trans-Ili Alatau Range. Our big is located at its foot, being the entrance gate to the dazzling kingdom of snow, ice and majestic peaks. But what do we, the inhabitants of the city, know about this white kingdom? |
Expedition to Upper Turgen - new historical findings The aim of our expedition was to discover ancient monuments of the upper reaches of Turgen river. Further to the information from different sources we have chosen few areas marked as zones with a crowd of barrows and settlements of Bronze and Early Iron age. |
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We are glad to present a report of Mount McKinley expedition that took place in May, 2014. Have started on 10th May, a Trekking Club team gone through a long period of acclimatization and successfully reached the summit of McKinley (Denali) peak 6194m on 23d May! |
Trekking Club expedition to the South America in January/February, 2015. The whole journey took 30 days and started in Argentina: the main aim was to reach the summit of Aconcagua peak (6962m) - the highest point of South America, and it was successfully did on January 25th |
Relict Ash-tree grove is an outstanding place in Charyn river area…People come here to see the famous canyons, as well as enjoy an epic forest. What could help these giant trees (some of them are 700-years old) surviving for the millions of years, in the middle of a desert? |
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Khan Tengri peak (7010m) expedition Trekking Club expedition to the top of Khan Tengri peak 7010m - the highest point of Kazakhstan and northermost seventhousander in the world. How it was and what helped us succeeding. |
Climbing Khan Tengri: tactics and acclimatization plan Climbing recommendations from a famous mountaineer Alexey Raspopov, who worked as a guide at Khan Tengri peak for more than 10 years and reached its top 11 times. Classic route from the north. |
Surprising findings at the bottom of Batogay Lake The area around Bartogay and Assy is a godsend for an explorer: it is full of rock carvings, Scythian settlements and burials. Some of them were excavated in Soviet period, but there are much more places yet to be discovered. |
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Here you will find a short photo-report of another Nepal journey, that was organised by Trekking Club. The itinerary included the classic trek to the Everest Base camp and a climb of Kalapathar hill 5550m. |
An interesting fact: tulips as a species appeared about 10 million years ago in the foothills of the Tien Shan mountains, on the territory of modern Kazakhstan. It is from here that these unusual flowers spread all over the world. |
Annapurna cirquit trek in Nepal Trekking Club team in Nepal: the small circle of Annapurna (along the Kali-Gandaki River Valley) with a group from Kazakhstan. Report with pictures. |
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Trekking for flowers: highland flora of Northern Tien Shan As soon as summer starts, again and again we re-discover the fantastic world of Tien Shan nature. Herewith we're glad to share interesting info about mountain flora - the descriptions of the plants are taken from the books of famous botanist A.Ivaschenko. |
Photo-report of the trekking season in Turgen gorge - one of the most beautiful and wild in the Northern Tien Shan. Many pictures are done during a 6-day trek, which was organized by Trekking Club team for a group of 16 people. |
Avalanche safety by Alex Raspopov Safety recommendations from the famous climber: what must be remembered when going to the mountains. Weather aтв season, relief, snow conditions. How to assess the avalanche danger. |
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Outdoor adventures with kids: early spring in Tamgaly Tas An international 4-days outdoor trip for children on 11-14 March at Ili riverbank. More than 20 kids with 5 teachers enjoyed a new camping format with geocaching and rescue games, rock climbing and canyoning. |
Trekking club - winner of Zhasyl Zhol award The Trekking Club Company became a winner of “Zhasyl Zhol – trip to a native land” in a “Touristics companies” nomination with a score of 14 points from a maximum 16. The award is established by Ecotourism recourse information center. |
List of clothes and gear for trekking in Nepal
Nepal is perhaps one of the best trekking destinations in the world. It is easy to get here, there is a choice of routes to suit every taste and level. |
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Anchoring on rocks with stoppersStoppers are one (of the few) types of fixation elements used to belay on rocks. Unlike friends or camalots (whose cams actively expand in cracks), stoppers are passive protection and work by jamming in rock cracks due to their wedge-shaped shape. |
All about carabiners
In this review we will talk about the different types of carabiners, their features and applications. Let's touch on such important aspects as design, gate and lock, forms, size, weight, materials, durability, certification and maintenance. |
 How to choose climbing harness Buying a climbing harness is now no longer difficult - there is a large selection of brands and stores. You just need to spend a little time studying the issue before purchasing so that the item fits and meets the objectives. |
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How to choose boots for the mountainsHere is an overview of the different types of boots suitable for trekking and climbing in our mountains (Northern Tien Shan) and other regions. By clearly defining your goals and the experience you want to have, you can make the right choice of shoe type. |
Care and maintenance of climbing gear
Climbing equipment must be checked regularly and properly maintained. This will not only increase the service life of the parts, but will also keep the gear in working order, providing much of safety. |
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This list of hiking gear and clothes/boots can serve as a good guide when preparing for a day trip to the mountains. The length, weather and difficulty of the upcoming hike will determine what items you take with you and what items you leave behind. |
Climber's checklist for Talgar peakRegularly organizing commercial and sports expeditions to the highest point of the Northern Tien Shan, Talgar Peak (5017m), we have accumulated extensive experience in preparing such events. Based on it, we decided to share a basic list of clothing and special equipment. |
Descenders and belay devices
As a rule, almost all belay devices can be used in two ways: for rappelling and for belaying a partner. Their shapes and designs differ in functionality and purpose. |
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