Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan in 10 days: Astana, Almaty and Issyk-Kul

Highlights

• Astana, Bayterek tower and Khan Shatyr, the world’s largest tent
• Almaty, Kok-Tobe hill and the Shymbulak cable car
• Kazakh horse games at the Huns ethnographic village
• Charyn Canyon, the “Grand Canyon of Central Asia”
• Karakol, Jeti-Oguz and the Skazka canyon
• Eagle hunting and a lesson in building a yurt
• Burana tower, Ala Archa national park and Bishkek

By airBy road

1. 1 AstanaDays 1–3 By air → Almaty
2. 2 AlmatyDays 3–5 By road → Charyn Canyon
3. 3 Charyn CanyonDay 5 By road → Karakol
4. 4 KarakolDays 5–6 By road → Issyk-Kul
5. 5 Issyk-Kul
6. 6 Ala Archa National Park By road → Bishkek
7. 7 BishkekDays 8–10

Positions are exact; lines show the order of the route, not the road.

1. 1
2. 2
3. 3
4. 4
5. 5
6. 6
7. 7
8. 8
9. 9
10. 10

1. Day 1Flight to Astana

   Departure on your international flight.

2. Day 2Astana

   Arrival in Astana, the new capital of Kazakhstan. Meet our team and transfer to the hotel for breakfast.

   City tour: Independence Square, the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation, the Khan Shatyr centre (in the Guinness World Records as the largest tent in the world), the Central Mosque, the Opera House, Nurzhol boulevard, the Bayterek tower and the Orthodox church. Lunch and dinner in restaurants.

3. Day 3Astana – AlmatyDomestic flight

   Morning flight from Astana to Almaty and lunch in town. Visit Panfilov Park, the wooden Zenkov Cathedral, the Green Bazaar and Kok-Tobe hill by cable car. Dinner in a restaurant.

4. Day 4Almaty, Shymbulak and the Huns village

   Drive up to the Shymbulak mountain resort and ride the cable car to its highest point. Then on to the Huns ethnographic village to discover Kazakh traditions, with lunch and a show of Kazakh horse games. Back to Almaty for dinner.

5. Day 5Almaty – Charyn Canyon – Karakol (Kyrgyzstan)

   Drive to Charyn Canyon, the “Grand Canyon of Central Asia”, and walk through it. Continue to the Kyrgyz border, cross it and carry on to Karakol. Dinner in a restaurant.

6. Day 6Karakol – Jeti-Oguz – Skazka canyon

   Visit Karakol’s Dungan mosque and Orthodox cathedral, then drive towards Kaji-Say by way of Jeti-Oguz, the “Seven Bulls” hills. Lunch in a yurt camp and a walk in the Skazka fairy-tale canyon. Dinner and night in the yurt camp.

7. Day 7Skazka – Kyzyl-Tuu – Chong-Kemin

   After breakfast, a demonstration of eagle hunting, one of the traditional sports of Central Asia’s nomads. Drive to the village of Kyzyl-Tuu to meet the yurt makers and learn to put up a Kyrgyz yurt. Continue to Chong-Kemin for dinner and the night.

8. Day 8Chong-Kemin – Burana – Ala Archa – Bishkek

   On the way to Bishkek, the Burana tower and the park of balbal stones. Then Ala Archa national park and a ride on its cable car. Dinner in a local restaurant in Bishkek.

9. Day 9Bishkek

   City tour of Bishkek: Ala-Too Square, the Independence Monument, the National Museum of Kyrgyzstan, the Osh bazaar, the Philharmonic and the statue of Manas. Lunch and dinner in restaurants.

10. Day 10Departure from Bishkek

    Transfer to the airport for your international flight. End of our services.

Hotels, transport & meals

Gallery

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