Tour Ili River - Altyn-Emel Park - Chilik River

Arrival in Almaty, meeting at the airport, transfer to the hotel, accommodation. Beginning of the excursion around Almaty. A visit to the main bazaar of the city - “Green Bazaar” (1875), here you can feel the exoticism of the oriental market. After the bazaar, visit the brand store of the Rakhat confectionery factory (1942), in the store you are surrounded by the kingdom of chocolate and candies.
Walking walks to the Park of the 28 Panfilov Guards (1868): visit to the Ascension Cathedral by architect Andrei Zenkov (1904), visit to the Memorial of Glory and Eternal Flame (1975), visit to the Museum of Musical Instruments (1980).
Moving to the National Historical Museum (1985), visiting galleries and exhibition halls, the “golden” room of the Sakas. This museum contains Saka gold, which was found during excavations of the burial of the Golden Man on the Issyk mounds in the vicinity of the village of Issyk.
Lunch at a national restaurant. After lunch, walk to Mount Kok-Tobe. Transfer to the Kok-Tobe cable car station near the Palace of the Republic. Ascent by cable car to Mount Kok-Tyube (1070 meters above sea level, 1.7 km, 5 minutes). Walk in the vicinity of Mount Kok-Tyube. From the observation deck you can see the city and the mountains of the Trans-Ili Alatau.
Visit to the zoo, a monument to the Beatles, a souvenir shop, an art gallery. Transfer to the bus station. Transfer to Republic Square. Walk around the square, visiting the monument to the Independence of Kazakhstan (1996).
Transfer to the Central Department Store building at the intersection of Zhibek-Zholy and Ablai Khan streets, a walking tour along Almaty’s “Arbat”, where there are galleries of paintings by Almaty artists. Visit to the Silk Way shopping center, shopping around the store. End of the excursion. Dinner at a local national restaurant, overnight.

Breakfast. Early departure from Almaty - the city of Konaev - the canyon of the Ili River (95 km). The path from Almaty lies to the northeast, on the northern side of the highway between Almaty and the city of Konaev the sands of Moyunkuma stretch. We drive through the city of Konaev, famous for its gambling zone, numerous casinos that line the road and then across the bridge built across the dam of the Kapshagai hydroelectric station.
When crossing the bridge, the water surface of the Kapshagai reservoir is clearly visible on the right, bordered by rocky steep banks. Moving along a dirt road to the right bank of the Ili River. Visit to three panoramic places with views of the Ili River Canyon.
Transfer: Ili River canyon – Kerbulak tract – Tamgaly-Tas tract (20 km). After ascending from the Ili Valley, our road turns towards the regional center of Bakanas, passes the steppes and soon begins the descent into the wide valley of the Ili River, from the descent the blue ribbon of the river is clearly visible.
Arrival at the Tamgaly-Tas tract. Walk in the surrounding area, visiting the rock carvings of Buddha, there are 6 images here. Ascent to a panoramic platform that dominates the surrounding area, from here you can enjoy beautiful views of the southern and northern parts of the Ili River.
Transfer: Ili River - Shengeldy village - 1st cordon of Altyn-Emelsky Park (92 km). We pass the first railway station after Almaty, Kapshagai, and from here our path turns southeast, into the valley of the Ili River. We pass the village of Shengeldy and soon arrive at the first cordon of Altyn-Emel Park. Going through the formalities of entering the park.
Transfer: 1st post of the Altyn-Emel park - Besshatyr mounds (31 km). The ancient mounds of Besshatyr date back to the early Iron Age (VII - VI centuries BC). There are ancient burial grounds here. The Besshatyr mounds consist of thirty-one mounds, in the largest - “Tsarskoe”, the leader of the Sakas is buried. Walk in the surrounding area.
[b]Transfer: Besshatyr mounds - 1st post of Altyn-Emel park (31 km).
Transfer: 1st post - Shengeldy village - Saryozek village - pass - Altyn-Emel - Basshi village (179 km). The next interesting place on our route will be the Altyn-Emelsky pass, a stop at the pass, a short walk in the surrounding area. Arrival in the village of Basshi, accommodation in the guest house “Aygeikum”, dinner, overnight.

Breakfast. Transfer: Basshi village - Shagan cordon - Mynbulak cordon - Singing Dune (48 km). A walk in the vicinity of a sand mountain, if desired, climbing along loose sand to the top of a sand dune.
Transfer: Singing dune - Valikhanov spring (2 km), descent to the spring. Here, according to legend, the Kazakh traveler Shokan Valikhanov stopped at the spring, a walk in the surrounding area.
Transfer: Valikhanov spring - Oshaktas stone stele (8 km). Walk in the vicinity of the stone steles of Oshaktas.
Transfer: Oshaktas - Mynbulak cordon (1 km). At the Mynbulak cordon you can visit a small pond inhabited by a small family of carp and other fish; ancient willows, 100 years old, will also attract your attention. In their shade you can relax after visiting the Singing Dune and drink cold water from the spring. Dinner.
Transfer: Mynbulak - Shagan cordon - Nurum village - Aktobe village - Aktau mountains (118 km). We hope that we will be lucky and during our movements around the park we will meet a herd of Turkmen kulans and rare goitered gazelles.
After the Shagan cordon we pass two small villages and after them our path lies to the east between the Aktau mountains and the Ili River in the east. Gradually, the country road leads us to the mountains and the further path runs along the southern slopes of the Katu-Tau and Aktau mountains. Arrival at the colorful mountains of Aktau, walk up the gorge.
Transfer: Aktau - Katu-Tau gorge (14 km). Arrival at the Katu-Tau rock massif, walks in the surrounding area.
Transfer: Katu-Tau - cordon-tract Kosbastau (32 km). On the cordon there is a small artificial pond and several hundred-year-old willows. Walk in the vicinity of the tract.
Transfer: Kosbastau - Basshi village (29 km). Arrival in Basshi, dinner, overnight

Breakfast. Transfer: Basshi - Eastern Aktau mountains (76 km). Eastern Aktau is the spurs of the Aktau ridge, through which a highway is built. We can easily take short walks close to the car, admiring the excellent landscapes with outcrops of multi-colored clays.
Transfer: Eastern Aktau - Tiger Mountains (18 km). The Tiger Mountains have a geographical name - the Dolantau Mountains. One of the most interesting natural attractions, it is composed of chalk deposits with a different range of colors.
The mountains are interesting and picturesque with landscapes of rare beauty. The age of rock deposits is 60 - 70 million years. Here you can find fossil flora, representatives of subtropical forms of ancient plants. Lunch on the way.
Transfer: Tiger Mountains - Koktal village - Zharkent city (48 km). Our further path lies in the administrative center of the Panfilov district - the village of Zharkent, which is located 35 kilometers from the Chinese border and the Khorgos checkpoint. Visit to the architectural and art museum “Zharkent Mosque” (1892), Zharkent Orthodox Church (1892). Hotel accommodation, overnight, dinner.

Breakfast. Transfer: Zharkent - Koktal village - Ili river - Wooden Lake (50 km). Walk around the lake. The lake is surrounded from the west and north by the advancing sands of the Karabaskum desert, which are located to the west of the lake. From the east and south the lake is surrounded by tugai and turanga thickets. The Karaeren River flows out of the lake and continues on its way to the Ili River.
Transfer: lake Derevyannoye - Chundzha village - Charyn river - Charyn canyon (79 km). Walk in the surrounding area, descent into the canyon.
Transfer: Charyn canyon - Kurtogay tract (24 km). Walk in the vicinity of the tract.
Transfer: Kurtogay tract - Aktogay tract on the Charyn River (10 km). Walk in the surrounding area.
Transfer: Aktogay tract - Zhalanash village - Kaindy lake (72 km). We pass the village of Karabulak and our path lies along the Kaindy River to the lake of the same name. We leave the car in the parking lot and continue on foot (700 meters) to the lake. Walk around the lake.
Transfer: Kaindy lake - Saty village - guest house in the Kolsai gorge (21 km). Arrival at the guest house, accommodation, dinner, overnight.

Breakfast. Transfer: guest house - Lake Kolsai - I (8 km). Today we will take a walk to Lake Kolsai - II, located at an altitude of 1819 meters above sea level (8 + 8 = 16 km). The trail runs along the left bank of the lake. The trail offers magnificent views of Kolsai Lakes and the surrounding mountains.
Lake Kolsai - I is inhabited by fish - king trout. The Kolsai River flows from the south, the lake is more than two kilometers long, the depth of the lake is up to 80 meters. The beautiful lake Kolsai - II is surrounded by high mountains, from the south side the Kolsai River flows into the lake. Lunch on Lake Kolsai – II. Return to Lake Kolsai - I. Transfer: Lake Kolsai I - guest house (8 km). Dinner, overnight.

Breakfast. Transfer: Kolsai gorge - Zhalanash village - Zhanatalap village - Zhenishke village (83 km). Arrival in the village of Zhenishke, accommodation in a guest house.
Transfer: Zhenishke - Biesuimes River (5 km). Today our path lies in the upper reaches of the Chilik rivers. We cross the bridge to the right bank of the Zhenishke River and begin climbing the slope of a small ridge, which is located between the Biesuimes and Kurkoba rivers. Soon we reach a local landmark - an outcrop of reddish clays that frame the slopes of the river Biesuimes.
Transfer: Biesuimes river - Aksholak ridge - Ashykdala tract - Shybyn tract - Atzharganzhota tract (38 km). We climb into the area between the Chilika and Zhenishka rivers; this area is similar to a high-mountain plateau located on the southern slopes of the Trans-Ili Alatau and Sarytau ridges.
A picturesque, open space with magnificent, unique views to the south, where the majestic Kungei Alatau ridge stretches from west to east. All along our route we will observe glaciers and peaks of Kungei Alatau, which translated means Motley Mountains. Ahead is the Akkia Pass, 2933 meters above sea level, a path through which leads to the Chilik River valley. Panoramic views of the Chilik River valley begin in the Atzharganzhota tract. The Chilik River valley stretches for 137 kilometers between the northern slopes of the Kungei Alatau ridge and the southern slopes of the Trans-Ili Alatau ridge. This is an important river, which in the summer months serves as irrigation for agricultural crops in the Almaty region, flows into the Kapshagai reservoir. At the main panoramic point, the height difference between the Chilik River is 1046 meters.
Over millions of years, the river carved out the deepest canyon, forming a grandiose valley that starts from the glaciers of the Chiliko-Kemin bridge. Lunch overlooking the Chilik River valley. Walks in the surrounding area.
Transfer: Atzharganzhota tract - Zhenishke village (43 km). Arrival in the village, dinner, overnight.

Breakfast. Transfer: Zhenishke - Kyzylauz pass (27 km). From the village of Zhenishke, a gradual ascent begins along the southern slope of the Sarytau ridge to the Kyzylauz pass, located at an altitude of 3200 meters above sea level. Stop at the pass, walk in the surrounding area.
To the north and north-west, magnificent panoramas open from the pass, in the south rises the snow-capped ridge of the Trans-Ili Alatau and a majestic panorama of the Kungey Alatau mountain range, in the east the Toruaygyr Mountains are visible.
Transfer: Kyzylauz pass - Asy river - Asy pass (32 km). Along the way we will see Kazakh nomads who settled with their yurts in small gorges and on the banks of small rivers. Here you can also see the Kazakh “jailyau” (translated from Kazakh - high in the mountains, an open place where horses, sheep, and cows are grazed).
On our way we will often encounter yurts of shepherds and their tents, grazing horses and sheep. We ford the Asy River, with the low Koktobe Mountains remaining behind us. Stop at Asy Pass. From the pass there are beautiful views of the surrounding mountains and the valley of the Asa and Dzhailau rivers, which stretch from west to east. In the south and west rise the snow-capped mountains of the Trans-Ili Alatau.
Transfer: Asy pass - Asy-Turgen observatory (3 km). From the pass along the road, we move to the southwest and soon in front of us is a wide plateau in the center, of which the Asy-Turgen Observatory is located. Walks.
Transfer: Asy-Turgen Observatory - Asy Pass - Batan tract - Turgen village - Issyk village - Almaty (110 km). After the Asy Pass, our path continues along the plateau and soon the road turns into the Turgen gorge along which we arrive in Almaty through the villages. Hotel accommodation, farewell dinner, overnight.

Breakfast. Transfer to the airport, departure from Almaty.