Madagascar

A journey through the heart of Kazakhstan’s nature: colorful desert hills, singing sand dunes,
deep canyons, high mountain lakes, and quiet valleys. This trip also includes time to discover the
city of Almaty. It's a balanced blend of adventure, rest, culture, and connection with nature

Nature beauty of Kazakhstan

Day 1 19SEP KLIA-Almaty : Meet at KLIA for flight to Almaty. Flight AA D7600 KUL ALA 1300:1740 (7h40m) (Note : If depart from SIN, you have to be airport on 19SEP early morning depart and transit at BKK 0640:0805, and connect flight to ALA 1015:1455). Free & Easy. O/N Almaty.

Day 2 20SEP Medeo Ice Skating Stadium-Talgar Pass : We drive to the famous high-altitude skating rink, Medeo. From there, we take a peaceful walk up the "Stairs of Health" to a viewpoint overlooking the gorge and ice stadium. Then we ride a cable car to Talgar Pass, 3,200 meters above sea level, to enjoy the stunning mountain views.

Day 3 21SEP Zailiysky Alatau Mt : Today we take a gentle hike through a natural wild apple forest in the foothills of the Zailiysky Alatau mountains. Scientists say that around 25% of the world’s wild apple forests grow near Almaty. Even the name "Almaty" comes from the word for “apple” in Kazakh. During our walk, you can taste fresh wild apples straight from the tree, enjoy warm herbal tea made on the fire, and share a simple picnic with homemade apple pie.

Day 4 22SEP Eshkiolmes Petroglyphs - Taldykorgan : Today our destination is one of the largest concentrations of petroglyphs in Kazakhstan, surrounded by beautiful mountain valleys. For thousands of years nomads spent their seasons here, and traces of their lives are preserved on the dark rocks. The petroglyphs date from the Bronze Age (13th century BC) up to the 19th century AD.

By the end of the day we arrive in a small and cozy provincial town, Taldykorgan at the foot of the mountain range that separates Kazakhstan and China.

Day 5 23SEP Altyn-Emel NP: After driving through the picturesque foothills we travel to Altyn-Emel National Park — one of the natural treasures of our region. We drive to the dry semi-desert similar to savannah. There, we hike along a volcanic ridge called Big Kalkan. Along the way, we’ll see strange stone formations: some look like a witch with a long nose, others like a dog, a troll, or even an Easter Island statue. The landscape invites imagination — every rock seems to tell its own story. Then we meet a sunset at the famous Singing Dune, which can hum under your feet like a living instrument.

Day 6 24SEP Aktau Desert Mt-Katutau Mt-Oasis: At the beginning of the day we will visit a small and charming spot in the Katutau Gorge, where lava that flowed millions of years ago formed a strange natural sculpture, resembling either an octopus or a piece of Swiss cheese.

After a short drive and a rest comes one of the highlights of our tour — a hike in the colorful Aktau desert mountains. We will walk through a landscape from the Cenozoic era, among labyrinths and hills of incredible textures and colors. Before our eyes lies a geological layer cake that nature has been forming for the last 60 million years. Each layer of sediment represents thousands of years of events. Long ago, a six-meter ancestor of the hippopotamus walked here. An ancient sea appeared and dried up here many times with all its inhabitants. Layer by layer, era by era.

We will also visit a green desert oasis with a 700-year-old willow tree.

Day 7 25SEP Bel Dzhailau-Zharkent :From the semi-desert landscapes of Altyn-Emel National Park we will drive to a mountain plateau. This place is called Bel-Dzhailau. According to legend, decisive battles between the Dzungars and the Kazakhs for these lands once took place here. Along the way we may see old mazars — traditional burial sites — and even older dolmens, stone grave markers set upright in the ground.

About 200 years ago this area was part of China. The famous Kazakh traveler and geographer of the 19th century, Chokan Valikhanov, passed through these lands during the time of the Great Game. Following his route, we arrive at the Borokhudzir River. Valikhanov and his expedition once stopped here near a Chinese frontier post. Here we will have a picnic and try archery while enjoying the wide open space of the mountain valley.

By evening we will arrive in the town of Zharkent, close to the China border, where we will spend the night.

Day 8 26SEP Zharkent-Chundzha Hot Spring: We will start the day with the sights of the town of Zharkent. We will see a wooden mosque built by a Chinese architect in the style of a pagoda, an Orthodox church from the time of the Russian Empire, and visit the local bazaar with its variety of bread, fruits, and vegetables.

After leaving Zharkent, we will reach the town of Chundzha by lunchtime, where we will try traditional Uyghur cuisine.

Later we arrive at a guest house with hot springs, where we can relax in warm mineral water heated by the inner warmth of the Earth.

A calm and scenic horse ride takes us through a quiet mountain valley. In the evening, we return to the spa hotel and enjoy the warm pools.

Day 9 27SEP Ketmen Mt range : A calm and scenic horse ride takes us through a quiet mountain valley. Alternatively, we may take a hike in the mountains, as there are not always enough horses available for the whole group. If horseback riding is not possible here, we will instead go horse riding near the Kolsai Lakes. In the evening, we return to a guest house and enjoy the warm pools.

Day 10 28SEP Temirlik Canyon-Charyn NP-Village of Saty: We visit Temirlik canyon with red cliffs and a rare forest of ash trees. Have a coffee break. The air is fresh, and the sound of birds and river water fills the valley. We will walk through the canyon and its grottos, and then continue exploring different locations and panoramic viewpoints across the vast canyon area. By the fast-flowing river in the canyon we will have a barbecue (sausages, vegetable shashlik, greens, fruits, lavash) gathering before leaving the desert landscapes behind and heading toward the mountains.

The day will end with a scenic drive along the winding roads of the Terskey Alatau range, a stop at a mountain reservoir in a green valley, and continue higher to reach the quiet mountain village of Saty.

Day 11 29SEP Kaindy Lake - Kolsai Lake : After breakfast we will head to Kaindy Lake. It formed more than a hundred years ago after a part of the mountain collapsed. Since then, visitors from all over the world have come here to see the lake with the remains of submerged spruce trees. The dry trunks rising above the water were once the tops of giant spruces. But that is only part of Kaindy’s charm — beneath the surface their branches are perfectly preserved in the cold, clear water, creating a fascinating place for divers and underwater photographers. We will not be diving, though — our journey continues.

Next we drive to the first Kolsai Lake and take a walk along its forested shores lined with conifer trees. In the evening we return to our guest house.

Kolsai Lakes and Kaindy Lake are among the most visited places in our region, so be prepared that there may be dozens or even hundreds of other travelers who, just like you, have come to see these remarkable landscapes.

Day 12 30SEP Castle Valley : After an immersion into the world of canyons, it may be hard to surprise our travelers — but on the way we will still visit the most famous location in Charyn National Park: the Castle Valley. Here we will walk a couple of kilometers along the canyon floor, admiring the many natural rock formations — and, of course, other travelers as well.

We will drive to the green area of a rafting base on the banks of the Chilik River, where we can take part in a refreshing rafting trip, only if there is sufficient water level this season. We'll stroll through the Baiseit village market, where you can buy edible souvenirs, and dine on the village's signature shashlik.

Horses seen at grassland/ Traditional Nomadic drink – ferment milk - kumys

Day 13 1OCT Turgen Gorge - Assy Plateau : We leave the recreation area and drive into a conifer-covered gorge that is similar to the Swiss Alps. After a short coffee break by a mountain river, we continue climbing up to Assy Pass (2650 m) and the high plateau with its wide, rolling hills. The observatory is also located here. From the observatory we will take a walk along the ridge, and by lunchtime we arrive at a trout farm. Those who wish can catch their own rainbow trout and then enjoy it for lunch. For those who do not eat fish, other options are available. By evening we return to Almaty.

Day 14 2OCT Almaty/Fly Home: We will spend the whole day getting to know Almaty and the everyday life of its residents. We begin with the National Museum, which offers a diverse and engaging exhibition about both the distant and recent past of the region. A visit usually takes about 30–60 minutes.

After that we will walk through a pedestrian area of the city, where we may see street musicians, art installations, and locals enjoying coffee on open terraces. The historic buildings of the opera and drama theaters remind us of the city’s past. We will also visit central Panfilov Park, where we will see the Zenkov Cathedral, a wooden church that famously survived a powerful earthquake. Next we move to the Green Bazaar, the oldest market of the city, where you can buy local souvenirs — including chocolate from the legendary Rahat factory.

To relax, we will visit the traditional Arasan baths, a lovely way to celebrate the end of our journey. In the evening we will enjoy a farewell dinner in an Uzbek restaurant with national cuisine.

Transfer to the airport.

Day 15 3OCT Home : Air Astana KC931 ALA-BKK 0015:0855,connect SQ707 BKK-SIN 1215:1550 (Note : Connect SIN-KUL for those fly back Malaysia or extend one day by OWN fly back directly to Malaysia).

Local people of Kazakhstan/Kyrgyzstan seen in village/bazaar