Trip Highlights
- Kazakhstan is truly off the beaten track and sees few foreign travellers, especially outside NurSultan, Almaty and for much of this trip you will truly feel the remoteness of Central Asia.
- Discover the history and architecture of the Silk Road, visiting ancient mausoleums and mosques on guided tours in the cities of Turkistan, Sayram and Otrar.
- Explore Alzhir how people lived, worked and survived in soviet concentration camps.
- Travel alongside locals and admire wild, sweeping vistas on epic train rides across the Kazakh steppe.
Destination: Kazakhstan
Duration: 8 days
Season: April – September
Tour descriptoin
Price in USD
Early arrival to Almaty. Meeting with the guide and transfer to hotel. City tour: Visit to Republic Square and Monument of Independence. Walk via old city center (today: Square Astana) to the 28 Panfilovtsev Park. Along the Avenue of memory obelisks with names of 28 fighters of the 1075th regiment of the 316th shooting division, accepted unequal battle with German tanks in the winter of 1941 are established during fight for Moscow), Zenkov Cathedral (monument of cult architecture of Christians in Kazakhstan). Also we will visit the Museum of Musical Instruments, Abai Theater and Green Market. Overnight at the hotel.
The entrance to Golden Room of National Museum is paid by the clients if they prefer to visit this room, about 7-8 USD per person.
Breakfast in the hotel. Transfer to Sport Complex Medeo. Besides beautiful nature there are some other attractions to see, one of which is the world’s largest speed skating rink known as Medeo. Continue drive to Kok Tobe tower, enjoy panoramic view of Almaty. Walk there. Evening transfer to railway station to catch a night train to Shymkent. Overnight onboard train.
Arrive in Shymkent. Transfer for rest in hotel. Today is reserved for Shymkent’s surroundings exploring. Excursion to Sayram village: “Ibragim-Ata” mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi’s father; “Kharashash-Ana” mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi’s mother, middle age minarets. After lunch continue to Kemekalgan village — so called “forgiving sins “Adam&Eve” cliffs”, stone made statues of animals, water from healing strings there are 3 spring with different taste, you will be able to taste the water. Overnight at hotel.
Transfer to Turkestam (170 km). Visit to the Azret-Sultan historical — architectural complex — Khoja Ahmed Yasawi mausoleum, Turkestan town necropolis, oriental baths and the underground Mosque. Continue by road to Shymkent. Visit to Arystan-Bab (Khoja Ahmed Yasawi’s teacher’s mausoleum) is the architectural monument of the XII-ХІV centuries and Otrar. Otrar is one of most ancient cities of Central Asia. In Arab sources the city is call Farab. The first settlements in the place of the city appeared in the VIII century. The city was developing rapidly since it situated on one of the main branches of the Great Silk Road. By the XII century it already became a large trade center of crafts and art with palaces, caravansaries and cities blocks. Back to Shymkent. Overnight at the hotel.
Morning flight to Astana. Pick up and transfer to the Hotel for rest. Later meet your guide at hotel lobby to start sightseeing in the capital of Kazakhstan. Visit “Old centre” – Akmolinsk town of merchants. In the afternoon visit Millennium Axis line named by KishoKurokawa, chief architect and creator of Astana general layout. Visit Astana Opera building, numerous fountains on the Round Square. Continue to Nurzhol and Green Water boulevards with skyscrapers of exceptional architectural forms. At the top of Astana — Bayterek monument, enjoy the breathtaking panoramic view over the city. At the end of the tour, stroll in the shopping and entertainment center Khan-Shatyr. Transfer back to the hotel for overnight.
After breakfast transfer to Alzhir. Alzhir was the biggest concentration camp in USSR for country traitors’ wives and their children. Visiting this place, you will learn how people lived, worked and survived in soviet concentration camps. Camp located 40 km away from the Astana. Concentration camp was built in the middle of vast Kazakh steppe in 1938 and stopped functioning in 1953, the year Stalin died. For 15 years, just as much as 20,000 women were brought to the camp from different regions of USSR. Back to Astana. Overnight at the hotel
Start the second day with a walk in Akbulak district. Visit the Historical Museum, then Palace of Peace and Reconciliation, the Aquarium of the Entertainment Centre «Duman» — the first and the only in the CIS and Ethno-memorial complex «Atameken». Overnight at the hotel.
Early breakfast at hotel. Transfer to airport for flight home.
- 2 pax - 2329 USD
- 3 pax - 1934 USD
- 4-5 pax - 1684 USD
- 6-7 pax - 1435 USD
- 8-9 pax - 1257 USD
- 10-12 pax - 1198 USD
- Standard double room accommodation in hotels indicated in the program;
- English speaking tour guide;
- Mineral water during the tour (one liter a day per person);
- Meal full board
- Entry fees
- Single room accommodation;
- Alcohol and soft drinks;
- Porter service at airport and hotels;
- International and domestic flight tickets;
- Train tickets Almaty-Shymkent
- Flight tickets Shymkent – Astana
Supplement for train ticket Almaty-Shymkent is 40 USD per person
Supplment for flight ticket Shymkent-Astana is 100 USD per person
The price of the tour does not include the cost of international and domestic flight tickets. But if you want, we can organize international flight tickets with TURKISH AIRLINES via Istanbul, AIR ASTANA via Nur-Sultan or AEROFLOT via Moscow.
Flight tickets:
Flight tickets with TURKISH AIRLINES via Istanbul: is 650-900 EURO per person
Flight tickets with AIR ASTANA VIA NUR-SULTAN: is 650-900 EURO per person
Flight tickets with AEROFLOT via Moscow: is 650-900 EURO per person
Almaty – KazZhol Hotel or similar
Shymkent – Aidana Plaza Hotel or similar
Astana – KazZhol Hotel or similar