Overnight International Flight to Almaty

Upon arrival at Almaty, you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel.

After lunch, we will start your sightseeing tour. Almaty may have lost its status as the capital of Kazakhstan, but it remains the country's first city, cultural, educational, tourist, and business capital and main transport hub. This beautiful town at the foot of the emerald Tian-Shan Mountains is rightly called a garden city. We also will see the Central Museum with Ethnographic and Archaeological departments and we will see the Independence Monument in Republic Square. After your excursion, we will drive back to the hotel. Overnight in the hotel. ...read less

This morning we start driving to Issyk architectural complex. (approximately 50 km). We will visit the famous museum, The Issyk kurgan in south-eastern Kazakhstan, near Issyk Lake. It is a burial mound discovered in 1969 sating back to the 4th or 3rd century B.C. Situated in eastern Scythia just north of Sogdiana, the kurgan contained a skeleton, warrior's equipment, and assorted funerary goods, including 4,000 gold ornaments. Although the sex of the skeleton is uncertain, it may have been an 18-year-old Saka (Scythian) prince or princess. This afternoon transfer back to Almaty for your half-day city tour. Visit Park of 28 Panfilov's fighters, Zenkov Cathedral, and the War Memorial complex. In the same area, we will see the National Instruments museum and get acquainted with local traditional music. Before your flight to Shymkent, transfer to the Green Bazaar and walk along with the numerous shops and stalls. (Total Distance & Time: 100km/2hrs.)

Domestic Flight to Shymkent

Upon arrival to Shymkent, you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. ...read less

Today, you will depart to Otyrar Region for your sightseeing at "Otyrar" ancient settlement, Arystan-Bab Mausoleum (teacher and spiritual mentor of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi). Otyrar is the city where medieval philosopher and scientist Al-Farabi was born and lived. Otyrar settlement was founded in IV century B.C. This center of trade and craftsmanship was the main point of the caravan routes between Eastern Europe and China. In the late XIII century Mongolian troops razed the city to the ground. But, despite the catastrophic devastation, Otyrar rose from the ashes and in a relatively short time economically developed. The remains of the citadel and other large buildings, as well as the main gate and rabad, have survived to the present days.

Transfer to Turkestan for your sightseeing at "Hazret-Sultan" historical and architectural complex, Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, Turkestan ancient settlement, the Necropolis, a fragment of the fortress wall, citadel with gates, Hammam, and the Hilvet underground mosque. Turkestan was founded around 500 A.D. at the crossroads of caravan routes from Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva in northern Kazakhstan. The city was known as the spiritual and political center of the Turkic-speaking people in the XVI-XVIII centuries and was the capital of the Kazakh Khanate. Turkestan has gained a wide international reputation due to the preaching activity of the famous Sufi sheikh and philosopher Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, who was buried in a small mausoleum here in 1166. Transfer to Shymkent hotel for the night. (Total distance & time: 450km/6-7 hrs.)
...read less

Today, you will be transferred to Sairam Settlement and visit the Ibrahim-Ata Mausoleum, Karashash-Ana Mausoleum, and medieval minaret. Sairam Settlement is located near Shymkent, at the place of Ispidzhab - one of the largest centers of the Great Silk Road in the Middle Ages. It was first mentioned in Chinese manuscripts of the year 629. In the XIII century, it gets a new name - Sairam. The settlement keeps the remains of buildings of XIII-IX X centuries. But this is not the only reason for Sairam's fame, it is also known as the birthplace of the great enlightener of XII century - Khoja Ahmed Yasawi. Mausoleums of his father and mother, Ibrahim-Ata and Karashash-Ana, are also located here. Transfer to the foot of Kazygurt mountains. Sightseeing at Kamekalgan sacred place, Kazygurt mountain, "Noah's Ark", sanctifying rocks "Adam and Eve", stone statues of animals, the magic stone "Dastarkhan". Continue your drive to Asku Jabagly Natural Reserve. Once at your accommodation enjoy some free time walking around the natural park. Dinner and overnight at the hotel. (Total distance & time: 110km/2.5 hrs.) ...read less

Today, we will explore Aksu-Zhabagly. Founded in 1926, the reserve is situated in the Western Tien Shan Mountains at elevations from 1100 to 4236 meters. There is spectacular scenery like the Aksu Gorge where you can walk down to the river. The Park contains a rich flora, of which 57 species are recorded in the Red Data Book for Kazakhstan. (The tulips of Holland originated from this region!) There are 52 species of mammals including "stars" like the snow leopard and the bear as well as ibex, argali (mountain sheep), and marmot. Rare and endangered birds include the golden eagle, Eurasian eagle owl, and the Himalayan griffon vulture. This afternoon, transfer back to Shymkent city. This evening you will be transferred to the airport for flight to Nur-Sultan. (Total distance & time: 110km/2.5 hrs.)

Domestic Flight to Nur-Sultan

Upon arrival at Nur-Sultan, you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel.
...read less

You will have your full-day sightseeing tour in Nur-Sultan. To understand this wonderful city, you must take a look at it through the prism of time. The tour starts with visiting the historical center of the city. You will see the Constitution Square, where the president of Kazakhstan N.A. Nazarbayev announced the decision of transferring the capital of the country from Almaty to Nur-Sultan. You will take a step back in time while visiting one of the most beautiful buildings in the city's architecture - Presidential Centre of Culture of the Republic of Kazakhstan. At the museum, you will see the Golden man, well known not only in the Kazakh steppe but also in all Central Asia. In order to better understand today's life in the city, you will enter the largest and unique shopping center, Khan Shatyr.

Then you take the elevator to the top of the "Astana-Baiterek" monument, where you can admire the magnificent panorama of the Kazakhstan capital from the special observation deck. After lunch in one of the capital's restaurants and crossing the Ishym river, you will get to the Kazakh Eli Square. Then, you will visit another unique project - the Palace of Peace and Accord, and see the extraordinary beauty of the Khazret Sultan mosque. The final point of the excursion will be the Palace of Independence, where you can look at the far-reaching plans of the development of Nur-Sultan in the hall "Layout Astana until 2030". Thus, having made the way from the past to the future through the present, you will understand the fate of this unique city and the pride of modern Kazakhstan. After the excursion, you will return back to the hotel. ...read less

Today, you will enjoy the excursion to the ALZHYR camp. In this POW camp there were the wives with the mark "MCTF" - members of the country traitors' family. Not committing any crime, they had to serve in such special camps just for their role as the wife, mother, sister, or daughter of those who was accused as the country traitors. Women served the term and worked for the Motherland even though they or their husbands had not committed a crime. In the criminal law there was clause 58 which included 14 items, according to this clause people held responsible for their relatives and friends, that is why 8000 women were in the 17th division of Karaganda camp. After your excursion, transfer back to Nur-Sultan. You will have your free time at leisure to explore the city. Then, overnight in the hotel. (Total distance & time: 80km/1.5 hrs.) ...read less

At the appropriate time, you will be met at your hotel and privately transferred to the airport for your flight.

International Flight Home