Kazakhstan - the traces of the nomads (Kazakhstan)

KAZAKHSTAN – THE TRACES OF THE NOMADS

Day 1 Astana

Arrival in Astana, transfer to the hotel Kazzhol 4 *or similar

At 10 o’clock you start with a city tour (4hours). Astana, the new capital of Kazakhstan since 1998, is quite a modern city in the steppe with own beauties and some places of interest. You see the symbol of the city, the Baiterek tower of the British architect Norman Foster, the entertainment centre Khan Shatyr (the biggest tent of the world, 150 m high, of solar-permeable plastic with stores, white-water road, spa centre, restaurants, cinema and V.m.), the opera, the complex Atameken and other. Return in the hotel.

Day 2 Astana- ALZHIR

Breakfast. Free morning. Check out at 12 o’clock.

Excursion to memorial complex ALZHIR (35 km from Nur-Sultan,).The historical museum of the camp «ALZHIR» is near Astana, where in the 30-s thousands of members of the family from state betrayer lived and died.

The first group came there on the 28th of February, 1938: the women came in severe windy cold month. Died women were not buried in winter, because the ground had frozen over. The corpses were stored in the scales. The terror of the Alzhir did not limit itself with moral and physical pains. Only hope for the meeting with the relatives and children helped the women to live on in Alzhir.

In spring, 2007 in the anniversary of the victims of the political deportations and repressions — specific museum was opened — the memorial complex of the history of the political deportations, repressions and the totalitarianism «ALZHIR».

Return to Astana. Transfer to the railway station.Train journey to Almaty (Talgo). Overnight in the train, 4-seat compartment.

Day 3 Almaty

Arrival in Almaty. Transfer to the hotel of Kazzhol 4 *, breakfast. Today you discover (11:00–15:00) Almaty, former Alma Ata, capital of Kazakhstan in past. You experience the city tour with German / English-speaking guide. Go into the busy streets and squares of the city and walk by the popular Panfilovs’ park where Young and Old meets. In the middle of the park there is theSaint-Voznesenskiycathedral, which was built by the famous architect Zenkov. Free afternoon.

Day 4 Almaty-Altyn-Emel national park.

Departure to the national park Altyn-Emel. In the heart of Central Asia, 250 kilometresfrom Almaty and to the south of Jungar ridge, lies the biggest national park Kazakhstan, Altyn-Emel. The territory of the national park covers the western spursof JungarAlatau, the bald mountains Katutau, Aktau and Kishi-Kalkany. One of the unique places is the Singing dune, a sandy dune which rises in steppe scenery from nowhere and without changing it place for many years, and singing when grains of sand are moving.

After it, lunch in the village Basshi, you have trip to Singing dune.

Dinner and overnight stay at a small hotel in Basshi, (WC and shower in the Floor).

Day5 Aktau and Katutau mountain ranges.

You spend the day in the national park and walking to the wonderful natural scenery of the Aktau and Katutau mountain ranges. The reason for the astonishing mountain landscape lies in the fact that these mountains have risen once from the seabed. They are more than 400 million years old, 30 kilometres long and form an impressive spectacle of nature. Lunches, dinner at the hotel in Basshi (B,L,D)

Day 6 Altyn-Emel national park – Zharkent — Chundja

After the breakfast you depart in the direction to Zharkent (118 km). Russian land conquests by Chinese were ended here, in 1882. At that time the town laid on the direct border between Russia and China so that is recognized still today by numerous constructions. One of it, the mosque which combines the impressive Wise elements of Chinese and Central-Asian architecture and was established by Chinese master builders without one single nail. Lunch in Zharkent, and continue trip to Chundja

Dinner and overnight stay in the guest house Kara Dala, www.karadala.kz or similar.

Here you can bathe in hot springs. (B,L,D)

Day7 Chundja – Saty – Kaindy lake

Early morning departure to mountain village of Saty and excursion to the Kaindy lake is a mountain lake which lies 129 kilometres southeast of Almaty. The lake is 2000 metres about the sea level and has in length of 400 metres. At some places he is up to 30 metres deep.

It appeared from a big landslide of limestone. The elevation in limestone blocked off the gulch ofKaindy like an artificial dam and thus rainwater gathers in the washbasin. In the middle of the lake there are dead spruce trunks. Lunch in the guest house.

In the afternoon you can walk to the Kolsai lake (8 km. from the village). Wandering, return, dinner and overnight in the guest house in Saty.

Day 8 Saty – Charyn canyon Almaty

Departure to the Charyn canyon, one of the exotic places to walk. Kazakh says that it is the small brother of the Grand canyon in America. The Charyn canyon goes along the river of the same name and lies around to the east of the city, close to the border to China. Huge rock formations greet the visitors every day.The age of the gulch is more than 12 million years. The gulch reaches about 150m height. The most interesting part is the valley of the "castles ", which length and width here is 20m, has traces of the ice age. A great variety of flora and fauna is presented in Charyn. More than 1500 botanical species, 17of them are critically endangered,can be found there. More than 60 mammals, more than 100 brood birds and 25 kinds of reptiles make Charyn as a home.

Lunch on the way in a café.Approx. two hours to walk and depart to Almaty. In the evening return to the hotel Kazzhol. (B,L)

Day 9 Almaty

Free day

Day 10 Flight home

Transfer to the airport and home flight.

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