Tour to the Altai Region and the Land of Wild Lakes of the Kazakh Altai
We invite you to visit Kazakhstan's Altai or the Altai Mountains in eastern Kazakhstan. A land of wild mountain lakes, we can arrange a special horseback riding tour for you through the mountains and lakes of Kazakhstan's Altai.
This tour is special and requires time for planning and preparation, so your request must be received at least a week in advance.
Altai Mountains and the Altai Mountains
Altai, or the Altai Mountain System, is a beautiful mountain region in the center of Asia. It stretches 2,000 km from west to east. The Altai Mountains are located in the border areas of four countries: Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, and China. Altai has many rivers and lakes, including the Zaysan and Markakol lakes, as well as the Irtysh and Bukhtarma rivers.
There are 328 glaciers in the Kazakh Altai Mountains. Muztau is the highest peak in the Altai Mountains of Russia and Kazakhstan (4,506 m). It is located on the eastern side of the Katyn Range, near the administrative border of Kazakhstan and the Altai Krai (Russia).
The Altai Krai is rich in wildlife, home to bears, wild boars, deer, tauteke (mountain goats), and snow leopards. The Markakol Nature Reserve, opened in 1976 to protect the region's natural environment, is located here. The Rakhmanovsky hot springs, with their healing waters, are also located here.
- Distance of the route:
1000 km
- Season time:
July – September
- Best time:
June - August
- Group size:
not more 12 person
- Days & nights:
13 days - 12 nights
Tour itinerary:
The city of Almaty is the city of Ust-Kamenogorsk (1389 km).
Arrival in Almaty, we meet at the airport, transfer to the hotel. We settle in, relax, have breakfast, then go on a four-hour city tour, which will include a visit to the 28 Panfilovtsev Park, the Cathedral, the Museum of musical instruments, the National Museum of Kazakhstan, Republic Square (popularly New Square).
After the tour, transfer to the airport and fly to Ust-Kamenogorsk, which will last two hours. Upon arrival in the city, we will be transferred to the hotel. We settle in, have dinner and relax.
Ust-Kamenogorsk city – Lake Zaisan - Shekelmes tract (302 km).
After breakfast, we will go to the Bukhtarma reservoir, passing the villages of Leninka, Samarskoye, Kaznakovka along the way. After reaching the lake, we will take a ferry across the Bukhtarma reservoir. We have lunch on the ferry. After 4 kilometers, after swimming across the reservoir and reaching the Kaznakovskaya ferry, we drive to the Shekelmes tract on the shore of Lake Zaisan.
The road will be 122 kilometers, along the way we will pass a couple of villages, Kuigan and Kurchum. The tract is a beautiful variety of clays of various colors, which form amazingly shaped landscapes. When we reach the tract, we take a walk. We set up a tent camp on the shore of Lake Zaisan, have dinner and relax.
The second option. Transfer by train to the beginning of the journey through the Kazakh Altai.
The city of Almaty is the city of Ust-Kamenogorsk (1389 km).
Arrival in Almaty, we meet at the airport, transfer to the hotel. We settle in, relax, have breakfast, then go on a four-hour city tour, which will include a visit to the 28 Panfilovtsev Park, the Cathedral, the Museum of musical instruments, the National Museum of Kazakhstan, Republic Square (popularly New Square).
Then we have lunch at a restaurant and drive to the railway station, from where we take a train to the city of Ust-Kamenogorsk to Zhangiztobe station. We have dinner and spend the night on the train.
Zhangiztobe railway station – Lake Zaisan – Shekelmes tract (340 km).
Upon arrival at the station, we will be transferred to the Bukhtarma reservoir. Along the way, we pass the villages of Georgievka, Kokpekty, Bolshaya Bukon. After 218 kilometers, we reach the reservoir and take a ferry. We have lunch on the ferry. After 4 kilometers, after swimming across the reservoir and reaching the Kaznakovskaya ferry, we drive to the Shekelmes tract on the shore of Lake Zaisan.
The road will be 122 kilometers, along the way we will pass a couple of villages, Kuigan and Kurchum. The tract is a beautiful variety of clays of various colors, which form amazingly shaped landscapes. When we reach the tract, we take a walk. We set up a tent camp on the shore of Lake Zaisan, have dinner and relax.
Shekelmes tract – Kein-Kerish tract (41 km).
After we have breakfast, a 41-kilometer road awaits us to the Kein Keriish tract. The canyon's landscape is simply stunning in its diversity: plains, salt patches, strips of meadow vegetation adjacent to dried-up streams that disappear in summer. Kiin Kerish is located 15 km away in the middle of these desolate lowlands.
The hot climate that dominates here, combined with the complete absence of water, creates a fantastically picturesque and mystical atmosphere. When we reach the tract, we take a walk. We set up a tent camp, have dinner and relax.
Kein-Keriish tract – Marble Pass – Lake Markakol (155km).
After finishing breakfast, we will go to the border of China and Kazakhstan, going through the customs formalities. Then we will embark on a further journey that will take us across the Black Irtysh River, the villages of Buran and Terekty, from here we will discover the unique landscapes of the two states, from China we will see the sands of the two deserts Blandykum and Kyzylkum, which are large, high (about 1000 m) dunes approaching the Kazakh land, densely overgrown with shrubs and forests..
After the village of Terekty, we will cross the Marble passes with a height of 1,317 meters above sea level, and Tikkabak, from where we will have a view of the green landscape of Kazakhstan, which borders the deserts of China. We have lunch on the road. Then we arrive at the village of Urunhaika, which is located on Lake Markakol. We will stay in a tent city or in a guest house, right on the shore of the lake. We have dinner and relax.
We have a hearty breakfast, because we are waiting for a walking tour of the surroundings of Lake Markakol. As well as climbing the mountain south of the village, from where we will see a beautiful panorama of the lake and the nearby mountains, then we will walk along the ridge and descend to the lake from the south side. Let's go back to the camp and have lunch. Next, we will head to the east coast, where the fishermen's house is located. In the evening, we will have a wonderful Russian sauna with a broom and dinner. We spend the night in a camp or in a guest house.
After breakfast, we walk to the Cold Valley, which is located five kilometers away. We have lunch on the road. After visiting the valley, we return to the camp. In the evening, we will have a Russian sauna with a broom and dinner.
Lake Markakol – Alataysky pass – Burkhat Pass – Lake Yazevoe (140 km).
After finishing breakfast, we leave the village of Urunhaika on the Austrian road, crossing two log bridges, we will find ourselves on the Alataysky pass, which is located at an altitude of 1,792 meters above sea level. It offers a breathtaking panorama of the Alatai range. Then we will descend to the Verkhnyaya Zimovka tract, where the Karakoba River flows with icy and clear water.
After lunch, we will start our journey by climbing the next pass called Burkhat, located at an altitude of 2,141 meters above sea level, and belongs to the Tarabagatai range. From the pass we will have a view of the valley of the Bukhtarma river, Descending from the pass, we will find ourselves on the highway leading to the village of Uryl. This is followed by the village of Berel, the houses in it are built from log cabins.
After passing the bridge over the Belaya Berel River, we will find ourselves in the village of Yazevka. Then our road will go into the valley along the picturesque Yazevaya River. We get to Lake Yazevoe and stay in the guest houses of the Katon-Karagai National Park. We have dinner and relax.
After a hearty breakfast, we will go for a walk around the picturesque corners of Lake Yazevoe, as well as we will visit the waterfall on the river of the same name. The name of the lake and the village is derived from the name of the fish ide, which lives in the lake. After finishing our walk, we return to the camp. We steam in the sauna, have dinner and relax.
Lake Yazevoe – Lake Rakhmanovskie Klyuchi (45 km).
After breakfast, we will have a trip to the lake called Rakhmanovskie Klyuchi, which is located at an altitude of 1,760 meters above sea level. After descending from the lake, we will first visit a farm where deer antlers are cut, and then we will move to Rakhmanovsky Lake (45 km). Arriving at the place, we are accommodated in the cabins of the sanatorium. After that, we will have a walk along the lake and lunch. After lunch, we have free time, have dinner and relax.
Lake Rakhmanovskoye – Berelsky mounds – the city of Zyryanovsk (286 km).
After finishing breakfast, the first thing we will do is go to the Berel kuragans. After driving forty kilometers, we stop to inspect the mounds. Next, we are going to the village of Katon-Karagai, 76 kilometers from the burial mounds, where we will have lunch. After lunch, we leave for the city of Zyryanovsk, passing the village of Ulken Naryn on the way. After 170 kilometers, having reached the city, we check into a hotel, have dinner and relax.
The city of Zyryanovsk is the city of Ust-Kamenogorsk (175 km).
We have breakfast and drive from Zyryanovsk to the city of Ust-Kamenogorsk, passing many villages along the way, one of which is the village of Turgusun, as well as the Bukhtarma reservoir. We have lunch on the road. After reaching Ust-Kamenogorsk, we check into a hotel. Free time for walks. We have dinner and relax.
After breakfast, we will be transferred to the airport, from where we will fly to Almaty. The flight will take two hours. Upon arrival, meet at the airport and transfer to the hotel. Free time to explore the city. We have dinner and rest at the hotel.
Transfer to the airport. Departure from Almaty.
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