The wind of the steppe

Day 1: Almaty
Welcome to Kazakhstan! You will start your wonderful tour from Almaty city, which was capital city of the country until 1998. The sightseeing tour will start from the Almaty Museum where we will learn more about the history and the culture of Kazakh people. Then we will go to visit 28 Panfilov Guardmen Park, which one of the oldest park in this city. In the Park we will enjoy the beauty of Zenkov Cathedral, it's a wooden cathedral, was built in the last century and has a wonderful story. From the park we can walk like 5 minutes a will arrive to Green Bazaar. The bazaar is wonderful, and you can do some shopping. In the afternoon we will drive to Medeu Gorge ( 1690m), which is 20minutes away from the city. Medeu Gorge is a unique place with the highest skating rink in the world. We will take a cable car to arrive to Shymbulak ski resort from where we can admire the view to the gorge. Then we will return to Almaty and take another cable car to reach the Kok Tobe hill. It's a nice area with the open air cafes and there the tallest TV Tower in the world is located. The night will be in train Almaty-Taraz.

Day 2: Almaty - Taraz - Sairam - Shymkent
The train will arrive to the station of Taraz city. You will be transferred to Taraz for a city tour. We will visit the places like a Hystory Museum, Karakhan and Dautbek Mausoleums, Tekturmas Historical Complex, Akyrtas ancient palace complex. Taraz is a wonderful city and also it's one of the oldest cities of Kazakhstan. The modern city was built on the remains of the old city. In the afternoon we will drive to the district of Shymkent (160km). In Sairam we will visit Ibrahim-Ata Mausoleum, Karashash Mausoleum and medieval minaret. Sairam is located I bit outside of Shymkent, it was Ispidzhab before-one of the biggest cities on the Great Silk Road. The main reason why Sairam is famous is because it a birthplace of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi from XII century. The mausoleums of his parents are located here. Ibrahim-Ata and Karashash-Ana are also were buried here. We will drive to Shymkent for the overnight.

Day 3: Shymkent - Otrar Settlement - Turkestan - Shymkent
Today we will go to see Otrar Settlement which is 220km away from Shymkent. The sight we will visit is Arystan-Bab Mausoleum (he was a teacher of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi). Then we will drive to Turkestan, 70km. In Turekestan we will have a guided tour visiting "Azret-Sultan" historical and architectural complex, Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi. Also there are the site like Necropolis, Hammam, Hilvet underground mosque. This city was founded in 500 AD. It was city on the crossroad to Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva. The city was a spiritual and political center of the Turkic speaking people in the XVII-XVIII centuries. And it was a capital of the Kazakh Khanate. The night is in hotel in Shymkent.

Day 4: Shymkent - Aksu-Zhabagly Reserve - Shymkent
In the morning we will drive to Aksy-Zhabagly reserve, we will drive 125km. It's an oldest natural reserve in Kazakhstan. Located at the altitude from 1000 to 4280meters, in the Tian Shan mountains. The reserve is a treasure of endangered and endemic species of animals and plants. It is home for argali and ibex, deer and roe deer, lynx and snow leopards, wolves, foxes, bears, porcupines and ermines. Also this area rich by the species of the birds like vultures, griffons and golden eagles. The basic area has a semy-desert soil and is full of junipers and colorful alpine flowers and surrounded by the mountains with snowy peaks. The night is in the hotel of Shymkent.

Day 5: Shymkent
Shymkent is the third biggest city of Kazakhstan. This city was one of the cities on the Great Silk Road. We will do a city tour visiting Walk of Fame )Park named after Sh. Kaldayakov), Monument "Jer Ana", Ordabasy square, Park "20^th Anniversary of Independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan", Obelisk of Glory, Eternal Flame to the fallen of the World War II, Dendropark (optional) and Historical Museum. Then we will visit the remains of citadel of ancient Shymkent. We can have a walk along the local walking street "Arbat". The night is in the hotel.

Day 6: Chernyaevka
Breakfast is at the hotel. Transfer from Shymkent to Zhibek Zholy (Chernyaevka) border.

Transport:
02 pax - Sedan
04 pax - Minivan
06-10 pax - Sprinter in Almaty / Toyota Hiace in Shymkent

Price per person:
02 pax - 1 070 $
04 pax - 770 $
06 pax - 590 $
08 pax - 600 $
10 pax - 525 $
Single - 60 $

Half board - 125 $ per person
Full board - 225 $ per person

English speaking guide - 665 $ per group

Train Almaty - Taraz (4 berths per compartment) - from 40 $ per person

Accommodation in Almaty ( if required):
Standard Double/Twin room - 30 $ per person
Standard Single room - 50 $

Service includes:
- Transport
- Accommodation:
Shymkent - "Shymkent" Hotel 3*
- Entrances to all museums
- Mineral water during the tour

Service does not include:
- Full board
- Single rooms
- Early check-in
- Travel insurance
- Visa and visa support
- English speaking guide
- Accommodation in Almaty
- Domestic train ticket: Almaty - Taraz