9 day trip by Almaty region SUMMER OPTION

Day 1

Drive from Almaty to Issyk village: a short excursion around Scythe open-air museum. Drive to Issyk Lake, lunch at a lakeshore. Drive to Turgen gorge and a 1 hour-hike to the Bear waterfall. Late afternoon arrival at a Trekking Club campsite in Turgen, accommodation, dinner and overnight at a camp.

Day 2

Breakfast. Drive up by the gorge (SUV jeeps) to Asy plateau. 5-hour exciting tour by the Nomad's land wanders: immense highland pastures full of beautiful animals (herds of horses, sheep, goats), great views of Tien Shan snow peaks and glaciers, white yurta all around the huge valley, Kazak nomads with their famous Tazy dogs, ancient Saki (Scythe) ruins and burial pyramids, Bronze age rock carvings, wildlife: marmots and vultures, foxes and ibexes. After a picnic on the grass, we take a short visit to Asy space observatory and drive back to the Trekking Club lodge. Dinner and overnight.

Day 3

Breakfast at a camp. Hiking to the Kairak waterfall, which is the biggest one in this area (70m tall) and never dries. There are 8km from the confluence of Turgen and Kishi-Turgen rivers (campsite) to Kairak, so the hike takes up to 5 hours in total. The path is so smooth and comfortable that nothing will prevent you from enjoying the views of flowering meadows and dense spruce forests all the way to the fall. Back to the campsite in the late afternoon. Hot shower, dinner and overnight.

Day 4

Breakfast at a lodge. Drive from Turgen to Charyn Canyon. Hiking by the famous canyon's part called Valley of Castles known for its fantastic colorful rock formations. Lunch in Charyn, with a stunning view of deep cliffs. Drive to another canyon (next of the Charyn network), which is called Temirlik. It is less visited, but no less interesting. Set a tent camp in a relic Sogdian ash-tree grove, take dinner an stay overnight in tents (camping).

Day 5

Breakfast in Temirlik canyon. Drive from Temirlik to Bestamak - the last and the most magical one of a series of Charyn River canyon. Bestamak, also know as Red Canyon, is famous for its extraordinary clay and volcanic forms. Due to its remoteness, it is rarely visited by tourists and rich in wildlife. The hike by the cliff takes 3 hours. Then we take lunch and drive to Kolsay National Park. Arrive Saty village in the evening, take dinner and stay overnight at a guest house.

Day 6

Breakfast at a guest house. Hiking from the First Kolsay Lake called "Saty" to the Second one - "Mynzhylgy". There are 8km between the lakes, and the whole hike takes 6 hours. The nature of Kungey Alatau mountains with its mysterious spruce forests and deep turquoise lakes will leave indelible trace in your memory.. Back to the guest house in the late afternoon. Dinner and overnight in Saty.

Day 7

Breakfast at a guest house, drive to Kaindy Lake. Hiking around the famous Underwater Forest. Lunch at a lakeshore, enjoying the view of an ancient pine grove "growing out" of green waters at a height of 1800m ASL. After a lunch, we move to the land of high mountains and glacier. Evening arrival in Touyuk-Su gorge, accommodation at a Trekking Club alpine lodge (2600m ASL). Dinner and overnight.

Day 8

Breakfast at a lodge. Hiking to the Touyuk-Su glacier (3500m), which remains one the best points around Almaty to observe North Tien Shan glaciers and ice covered peaks over 4.000m. Lunch at a glacier and back to the alpine hut. The hike takes 5 hours in total. Dinner and another night in Touyuk-Su.

Day 9

Breakfast at alpine lodge. Drive from Touyuk-Su gorge to the Big Almaty Lake. Hiking around the lake (2 hours), lunch. Taking pictures of the Lake and drive down by the gorge to the famous Falcon nursery. Watch the show with hunting eagles and falcons. Drive back to Almaty.