Kazahstan and Kyrgyzstan 10 days tour

1 Arrival at Almaty airport.

Transfer to the hotel. Today we will have a sightseeing tour of the city of Almaty. Visit Panfilov Park, named after 28 heroes who died for the freedom and independence of the country. Zenkovsky Cathedral is the oldest building in the city, completely wooden, built without any metal nails, as well as a Memorial complex dedicated to the Second World War, with an eternal flame. Continue sightseeing at the Green Bazaar, a place where you can buy souvenirs, the central Muslim mosque, Republic Square with three main symbols of Kazakhstan and an obelisk dedicated to independence.
After the city tour, head to the Medeo Gorge. Stop at the huge Medeo Dam, which protects the city from the devastating mudslides that form on the peaks of the western Tien Shan. From the top of the dam, at an altitude of 1733 meters above sea level, there is a view of the largest alpine skating rink in the world – Medeo, surrounded by the wonderful mountains of the Trans-Ili Alatau. After that, visit the top of Kok-Tube hill, where you can enjoy an unforgettable panorama of Almaty from the observation deck. At the foot of Kazakhstan’s tallest TV tower, you can stroll along the winding paths of Kok-Tube Park, where you will come across the Beatles monument dedicated to the popular Liverpool band. At the end of the tour, take a short trip from the hill to the city center by cable car. Dinner and transfer to the hotel.

Almaty – Charyn Canyon.

On this day we will go to the Charyn Canyon. Charyn Canyon is a unique natural monument stretching for 154 km along the banks of the Charyn River to the east of Almaty. It consists of sedimentary rocks that are about 12 million years old. The height of the canyon walls can reach 300 meters. The most interesting tourist place is the Valley of Castles, a winding 2-kilometer trail along the bottom of the canyon will lead you along picturesque mountains, red cliffs and cliffs. A walk through the canyons and overnight at a guest house in the village of Saty.

Charyn canyon – lakes Kolsai and Kaindy.

Kolsai Lakes is a system of 3 picturesque lakes, which are located 330 km south of Almaty at altitudes of 1800, 2250 and 2700 meters, respectively. The area is interesting for its geological landscape, the presence of rare plants and calm unspoilt nature. Kolsai lakes are often called the pearls of the Northern Tien Shan. The sunken forest on the shore of Lake Kaindy is a stunning view and a great place to relax and picnic if you drive east from Almaty. In 1911, an earthquake caused a large landslide, which formed a natural dam on the slopes of the Kungei Alatau ridge outside Almaty. The majestic shrunken fir trees that used to form a forest here have now suddenly plunged into a lake formed as a result of a landslide. Walk around the area and spend the night in a guest house in the village of Saty.

The village of Saty is the city of Karakol.

On this day, you will reach the Kegen border checkpoint and cross the border with Kyrgyzstan. Continue through the Karkyra Gorge, which offers stunning views. On the way, we can visit a racehorse farm and have lunch. Arrival in Karakol and a city tour with a visit to the wooden Russian Orthodox Church and Dungan mosque (XIX century) and the local bazaar. Also, if you wish, you can visit the museum of the traveler Przewalski. Accommodation at the guest house.

The city of Karakol is the Jeti-Oguz gorge.

After breakfast, we will go to Jeti-Oguz along the eastern shore of Lake Issyk-Kul. The gorge is located 60 km west of Karakol on the northern slopes of Terskey-Ala-Too. This is one of the most beautiful places in Kyrgyzstan. For 25 km, spruce trees grow on both sides of the gorge, which first unite into small groups, and then turn into huge forests. Eventually, the gorge turns into the wide Kok-Jayik valley, which is completely covered with spruce forests up to the very top of the ridge. Amazing subalpine and alpine meadows called Jailoo are spread over the forest area (about 3000 m) in a wide valley with a length of about 15 km.
In spring and summer, the Jeti-Oguz gorge turns into a kind of flower festival, among which you can see silver stars of edelweiss, Alpine daisies and asters, as well as backgammon (golden root). In autumn, the gorge turns into a colorful canvas, as it is covered not only with coniferous forests, but also with deciduous trees. In the gorge we will take a horse ride to the waterfall and see the huge stone structures “7 bulls” and “Broken Heart”. We will have lunch in the yurt and go hiking to the beautiful waterfall. Dinner and overnight in a yurt.

The gorge of Jety-Oguz is the village of Bokonbaevo.

In the morning we will enjoy the view of the Terskey-Ala-Too ridge and after breakfast we will continue our journey. The southern coast is more picturesque than its northern counterpart. Although the main hotels, nightclubs and restaurants are located on the north shore, the south side has retained its pristine beauty. We will see an amazing change of landscapes, as in a kaleidoscope. The first place we will visit today is the Barskun Gorge, famous for its waterfalls, and the Arabel Pass, from where you can reach glaciers and beautiful mountain plateaus. After that, we will go to the Fairy Tale gorge. The whole originality of this place lies in the colorful rocks frozen in bizarre shapes, as after a volcanic eruption. Massive accumulations of limestone and sandstone protrude from the multicolored soil, and this place looks like the ruins of ancient castles.
The most amazing thing is that the architect and sculptor of this place is nature, which used only water, sun and wind as tools. In addition to bizarre castles and fabulous figures, multi-domed churches and battlements with loopholes can also be considered local structures; for example, a sand fence, which very much resembles the “Chinese wall”, stretches for several kilometers along the southern shore of Lake Issyk-Kul. Finally, we will be transferred to the village of Bokonbaevo. In the village, we will visit the house of the eagle hunter and see the eagles, get information about hunting eagles and be able to hold them in our hands. Show hunting with Eagle. Dinner and overnight at the guest house.

Bokonbayevo – Kochkor city – Son Kul (300 km / 4.5 hours).

After breakfast, we will go to the village of Kochkor, where we will have lunch and see an exhibition of folk crafts. You will see how Kyrgyzstanis make their carpets, and you will have the opportunity to visit the museum of folk crafts, where you can even buy souvenirs for your relatives and friends. After that, we will go to the amazing Son Kul mountain lake, which is open only in summer, since all roads and the lake itself are covered with snow the rest of the year. Dinner and overnight in local yurts.

Son-Kul – Bishkek (360 km / 5 hours).

The return trip to Bishkek will be a long one. Arrival in the capital in the evening. Dinner and accommodation at the hotel.

Bishkek.

After breakfast, you will have a city tour with a visit to the main Ala-Too square with a changing of the guard, Victory Square with the central market, the old square with the statue of Lenin, the Manas complex and the local colorful bazaar. After lunch, free time for walking around the city and shopping. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Departure. A bus take you back to Almaty this morning. The end of the program.