3 day adventure tour by Turgen: waterfalls, Assy plateau and nomads
Hereunder we are glad to present our new exciting program for those who want to explore a core Kazak nomadic culture and history, traditions, lifestyle…and, of course, the Mountains with incredibly wild nature!
Season
June - September
Duration of a tour
3 days, 2 nights
Activities
hiking, wildlife and bird watching, culture & history exploring, photographing, camping
Hiking shoes/trainers, high socks, long trekking pants, t-shirt with long and short sleeves, thermo-underwear (top and bottom), wind/waterproof jacket, warm jacket, peaked cap, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen lotion, backpack for day hikes, personal hygienic set
Day 1
09.00 Start driving from Almaty in the direction of Turgen mountain gorge, by famous Kuldja Road (part of the Silk Way from China) 10.00 Arrival Issyk town. Visit of a nice new museum of Saki (Scythe) culture. The museum is located in the centre of the King's valley famous for its giant burials of ancient rulers and warriors of Saki tribes (IX – III BC). One of the burials is excavated and is open for the visitors so that everyone could see how people like a famous Golden Man (symbol of Kazakhstan) were living. Excursion by the museum and a King’s valley takes 45 minutes 11.00 – 13.00 Drive to Issyk Lake, excursion around. 13.00 – 13.45 Drive from Issyk Lake to Turgen gorge, stop for a short hiking to the Bear waterfall. 13.45 – 14.45 Hiking to the waterfall and back. 14.45 – 15.15 Drive from the Bear waterfall to Batan place, where comfortable Trekking Club campsite is located. 15.30 – 16.30 Lunch at a campsite 16.30 – 18.00 Accommodation at a camp, free time: hot shower, mountain bikes, rope-activities, campfire. 18.00 – 19.00 Dinner
Overnight at a campsite.
Day 2
09.00 – 10.00 Breakfast 10.00 – 15.00 Jeep-tour to Asy highland plateau. A comfortable 4-wheel car will take you to the fantastic trip into the nature: the road starts in the forest zone of Turgen gorge, and climbs up through the thicket that ends suddenly at a height of 2600 meters ASL, and a boundless green highland valley appears. The Kazak nomads use Asy plateau for the thousand of years as a summer pasture, and they are still there with their goats, sheep, horses and white yurta. In such places, deep in the mountains you can still find the semi-nomads living in a traditional and natural way. A history and a real life are inseparable at this point and you see the sheep grazing on the slopes of ancient burials and round Kazak yurta on the top of the Painted rocky hill. Asy valley is a part of a National reserve, and is also famous for its wildlife: eagles, falcons, foxes and marmots live here protected and safe. On a way back we can also stop at Asy pass, were one of the biggest Astronomical Observatory of the region is located - huge dome is seen from any point of the valley. A short lunch with hot tea is planned on a plateau. 15.00 – arrival (back) to the campsite
15.00 – 16.00 Supper at a campsite 16.00 – 19.00 Free time a campsite 19.00 – 20.00 Dinner
Overnight a lodge.
Day 3
09.00 – 10.00 Breakfast 10.00 – 16.00 Hiking to the Big Kairak waterfall. A way starts at a confluence of rivers Kishi-Turgen and Turgen (Batan place). A good, wide path follows up the Turgen stream: it was initially designed to be used as a National Park’s road but the main bridge in Batan has been washed away by the mudflow, so now everyone can enjoy this nice walk to the Big Kairak waterfall! There are 8 kilometers in total from Batan (start point) to the waterfall, and there is no significant difference in height thus no any any ascents, steep slopes and dangerous points. All you need is to enjoy the amazing wild nature around – deep pine groves (local Schrenk pine) paved with endemic mossy grasses, ash-tree shrubs, colorful meadows full of flowers, dragonflies and butterflies…Having crossed 11 old bridges, you finally come at a confluence of Turgen and Kairak rivers where you should turn left and hike up for another 20 minutes through the spruce grove, following the Kairak river. Even there, inside a forest you can hear the voice of the falling water: Kairak waterfall appears suddenly, just around the last corner. The Kairak waterfall is one of the biggest in the region: it’s height is more than 55 meters (70 in total) and it never dries. Thanks to the location, it still remains clear and untouched by civilization – in Kazak language its name is associated with bear (sometimes people meet brown bears here in early Spring). Besides bears, that are really rare of course, the Turgen area is rich in deer, wild pigs, lynx and different kinds of birds. A way to the waterfall takes 2,5-3 hours of walking. Normally we spend another 30-40 minutes near the fall to take pictures and lunch. Way back takes another 2 hours, so you should consider 5-6 hours of walking in total.After a hike we get back to Batan and move to the private territory of Trekking Club campsite.
16.00 – 17.00 Dinner at a camp 17.00 – 19.00 Drive back to Almaty
Prices:
1 person (individual service)
$850,00
2 persons in group
$520,00 per person
3 persons in group
$445,00 per person
4-6 people in group
$410,00 per person
The price includes:
- transport according to the program: Almaty - Issyk - Turgen - Assy plateau - Almaty
- tickets to the museum, guided tour by Saki museum
- National park entry fees and permissions
- Accommodation at Trekking Club safari-lodge, 2 nights
- Foodstuff (full board) – 3 meals a day, 3 days. Lunch-boxes on a way, Buffet at a campsite
- Guided jeep-tour to Asy plateau
- Guided 1-day trekking to Kairak waterfall
Price does not include:
- soft and alcohol drinks, snacks
- rent of personal clothes, shoes
- telephone calls
