7-day Winter Tour in Kazakhstan

7-day Winter Tour in Kazakhstan

7-day Winter Tour in Kazakhstan

DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN ALMATY    MEAL: 

XX:XX Arrival at Almaty International Airport. After passing through border control and collecting your luggage, you will meet your local guide holding a nameplate with your name.

You will be transferred to your hotel for check-in (14:00).

Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 2: ALMATY   

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 – 18:00 | Full-Day Sightseeing Tour in Almaty:

This day you will visit the city’s old center and cover one of the main sites that best highlight Almaty’s history. The first stop is Park of 28 Panfilov Soldiers – named after the division during WWII, formed of men from the Almaty region under command of General Ivan Panfilov. The park itself is popular among locals and guests of the city. Inside the park visitors will find the eternal flame, memorials of different heroic characters, the Ascension Cathedral – Orthodox wooden church that magically withstood a strong earthquake in XX century, and Museum of Musical Instruments, where you can admire the collection of over 1000 exhibits including rare exhibits dating back to the XVII century.

Just a walking distance away, you could enjoy another touristic attraction of Almaty – “Green Bazaar”. This is a perfect way to experience the true Eastern market. Here you might taste the food, bargain and buy local tasty goods for a very nice price.

Optional: Then we stop for lunch at a local restaurant.

Walking Tour in Almaty (1–1.5 hours):

Discover Almaty’s cultural heart on foot, starting at the Abay Opera and Ballet Theatre — a landmark of Stalinist architecture and performing arts. Stroll along lively Panfilov Street with its cafés, street art, and musicians, before ending at the vibrant Arbat, known for local crafts and souvenirs.

Today’s last stop is Kok Tobe, a park located at an altitude of 1,100 meters on the green hill. Take a ride on a comfortable cable car and within 10 minutes you are admiring the magnificent panoramic view of the city.

Once we come down from the hill, we go back to the hotel.

DAY 3: ALMATY  

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 – 18:00 | Full-Day Sightseeing Tour in Almaty:

After breakfast, you will begin your exploration of Almaty with a journey into its most iconic natural setting — the Ili Alatau Mountains. The Ili Alatau National Park, founded in 1996, stretches across 120 km with a total area of over 200,000 hectares. Elevations range from 600 to 5,000 meters, offering dramatic landscapes and rich biodiversity.

Your first stop is Medeu — once the world’s highest ice skating rink at 1,691 meters above sea level. Though currently closed for renovation until 2027, the area remains a popular spot for its alpine scenery and walking paths.

Your main destination today is Shymbulak Mountain Resort — the most famous alpine destination in Central Asia. Located at 2,260 meters above sea level, Shymbulak offers stunning mountain views, cozy cafés, hiking trails, and some of the best skiing in the region during winter months.

To reach the top, you’ll take a scenic ride on a three-stage cable car system:

  • Stage 1: Medeu to Shymbulak (2,260 m)
  • Stage 2: Shymbulak to Mid-station (2,800 m)
  • Stage 3: Mid-station to Talgar Pass (3,200 m), offering panoramic views of the Zailiyskiy Alatau range.

Note: In case of maintenance, an eco-transfer will be provided to the Shymbulak base station.

Optionally you will have an opportunity to try bobsleighing or ski experience (extra charge applies).

Shymbulak Ski Resort characteristics:

  • Plateau Length – 3,800 meters, Width – from 100 to 600 meters
  • Ski Zone – 2,260–3,163 meters, Difference in Height – 943 meters
  • Average Slope – 12–28 degrees, Maximum Slope – 45 degrees

*Optional skiing or snowboarding (extra charge applies).

Transfer back to the hotel.

DAY 4: ALMATY – CHARYN CANYON – SATY VILLAGE –  JEEP TOUR

Breakfast at the hotel.

07:30 Departure from Almaty to Charyn Canyon (200 km).

Why is it so early? It allows maximum coverage of both canyons and the viewing platforms. Regular bus tours include a visit to Valley of Castles only, whereas our Jeep tour covers at least four more breathtaking places that capture your imagination in the canyons.

Panoramic site – Valley of Castles, Charyn Canyon:

We leave the cars in the parking lot at the descent into the canyon of Valley of Castles. Take a bottle of drinking water and walk down into the gorge. It is a leisurely trek with some stops (~50 minutes) to the Charyn River (2 km one way). The tour guide tells you about the differences of Charyn Canyon. A short stop (15 minutes) at the river in the shade of trees for photos, then we return back to the cars (~1 hour since it is uphill). 10 min. break beside the cars and then leaving to discover other fascinating landscapes.

Lunch boxes included.

Departure to Lunar Canyon.

Lunar Canyon abounds with streams and small waterfalls. The road to the river is full of small rocky obstacles. After visiting the canyon, we visit a viewpoint — Lunar Canyon panorama (top view). Passages are carried out on dirt roads, sometimes there are obstacles surmountable by cars with large clearance only.

Descent inside the Canyon and 20 min. stop to walk around.

Visiting the locations: Stone Shelf (12 km), Napoleon (4 km), Austrian View (2 km).

After exploring the area, we head back to the parking and drive to Kolsay Lake. Upon arrival, check-in and overnight.

DAY 5: KOLSAY LAKE – KAINDY LAKE – ALMATY –  JEEP TOUR

Breakfast and transfer to Kolsay Lake.

Kolsay Lakes is a group of high mountain lakes in the Northern Tien Shan, close to the Kyrgyzstan border. The place is for true lovers of nature — surrounded by mountains and coniferous forests, these lakes are located at 1,800m, 2,300m and 2,900m above sea level. No surprise, this area is also known as “The Necklace of Tien Shan” or “Pearls of Zhetysu Region”. You will love the landscapes and remember them for long.

Take a ride to Kaindy Lake — famous for its unique origin. It was formed as a result of a strong earthquake in 1911. The landslide covered the gorge and water flooded into the coniferous forest. The water at the lake is cold and therefore the trees are still well preserved and can be seen through the water. No words can describe this mystical magnificence — you must see it with your own eyes.

Once we pass the off-road area and stop by the slope, you go for a walk to Kaindy Lake, where a fascinating view of the lake opens from the top of the hill. Alternatively, you can get there by horseback, as locals are happy to offer this service for an additional charge.

On the way back we stop by a local house in the village for a tasty homemade lunch.

Once you have partaken of your meal, take a seat, relax, and enjoy the ride back to Almaty. Arrival at the hotel. Check-in and overnight.

DAY 6: ALMATY – KAZAKH ETHNO VILLAGE – ALMATY  

Breakfast at the hotel.

Departure to Kazakh Ethno-Village “Huns”.

The ethno-village is a perfect place for those willing to plunge into and experience the nomadic past of Kazakhs. The village, about 35 km from Almaty in the Talgar district, is also a great way to escape to the mountains for fresh air, horseback riding and to discover Kazakh traditional games and rituals.

From the moment of entrance and welcome ritual “shashu” to the horseback riding in the mountains, you will be surrounded by Kazakh culture, hospitality and traditions.

You will enjoy the entertaining program, which includes:

  • Show of felt craft and a close look at the yurts with every detail described
  • Performance of “Besikke salu” or “Tusau kesu” rituals, which are still actual in Kazakh families
  • Horse games like “Kyz kuu” – when a young man is chasing a girl to kiss her while riding a horse, and “atpen audaryspak” – wrestling of two young men on horseback
  • Traditional dances and music, where guests will be shown moves and take part in a group flash mob
  • Master class of cooking “baursak” – traditional Kazakh pastry
  • Lunch in national style

Optional: guests can request a horseback riding tour for 30 minutes or 1 hour to explore the area and enjoy the nature.

At 16:00, return to the city. The rest of the day is free. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 7: ALMATY – DEPARTURE  

Breakfast at the hotel. Check-out.

Transfer to Almaty International Airport to take your flight back home or to continue your journey through Central Asia.

End of the services.

Hotels:Price per person
1234
comfortUSD$ 3425USD$ 1855USD$ 1620USD$ 1430
standardUSD$ 2940USD$ 1580USD$ 1345USD$ 1155
economyUSD$ 2635USD$ 1445USD$ 1205USD$ 1020

The program includes:

◉ 5 nights’ hotel accommodation on BB as per chosen category (DBL/TWN shared) in Almaty

◉ 1 night accommodation in mountain resort (DBL/TWIN shared) or guesthouse (TWIN shared only)
*The guesthouse cannot accommodate large groups due to a limited number of rooms.

◉ Meals: 6 breakfasts, 3 lunches

◉ Private A/C transport with driver as per program:

  • 1–2 pax – sedan up to 3 seats
  • 3–7 pax – minivan up to 10 seats
  • 8–14 pax – minibus up to 18 seats
  • 15 pax and more – coach up to 48 seats

◉ JEEP TOUR on days 4–5 (Toyota Land Cruiser / similar), 3/5 pax per car

◉ Entertaining program at ethno-village

◉ English-speaking guide

◉ Entrance fees to sites listed

◉ Ecological fees

◉ Mineral water 1L per person daily

◉ Tour Leader in SGL room

The program excludes:

◉ International air tickets

◉ SGL accommodation

◉ Meals: supplement for 1 lunch – 30 USD per person, 1 dinner – 35 USD per person (pre-ordered) in Almaty

◉ Activities at the ski resort

◉ Tips and gratuities

◉ Personal expenses

◉ Any services not included in the above itinerary

Recommendations when planning your trip:

◉ Green Bazaar, Museum of Musical Instruments and Falcon Show are closed on Mondays.

◉ Temperature is different in and outside the city; therefore, warm clothes are needed when travelling outside.

◉ Due to limited number of rooms at guesthouses at Kolsay National Park, booking must be done in advance.

◉ Recommended number of people in one group when travelling to Almaty region – 20 pax.

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Tour Details

Note:

This is a private guided tour. No other tourists will join you/your group during the tour.
You can choose the sequence of visits to the attractions yourself. You can choose a convenient start time for the tour: from 09.00 to 16.00. The tour can start directly from the airport / train station, where our guide will be waiting for you.

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