Unknown Jungaria Tour (8 Days)

Intensive jeep tour, the route of which passes through the mountain dirt roads, in some places there is a medium difficulty off-road. The route is laid out on the most remote and little-visited attractions. The tour includes walks and overnight stays in tent camps.

Route: Almaty Region (Kazakhstan)
Season: May - October
Best Period: June, September

DAY BY DAY ITINERARY

Day 1. Almaty - Taldykorgan - Taubulak Eco - Camping

Departure from Almaty at 07:00. Arrival to Taldykorgan at 10:00. Visit to local history museum of Almaty region, lunch. Transfer to Taubulak eco-camping (132 km, of which 61 km is in mountainous terrain). During the 6-hour trip, there are expected 2-3 stops (10-15 minutes) near the unique places of Jungar Alatau.

The mountains of Jungar Alatau serve as a natural border with China and have a length of 400 km. One of the most picturesque gorges of Zhetisu – Kora Gorge lies in these mountains and stretches for 90 km. At the bottom of the gorge, the Kora River is flowing, which is born high in the mountains, in a kingdom of age-old glaciers.

In winter and early spring waters of the river are calm and transparent, but when the snow covering the mountain slopes begins to melt away, the river becomes turbulent and rigorous and easily rolls over the huge boulders and breaks like a match the age-old trees.

The road, winding along the river, is accessible for good cross-country vehicles only and delivers a lot of emotions to all those who dare to go through it. Around, as far as the eye can see, the forests are. Spruce and fir alternate with the lacy greenery of birch trees, and meadows are covered with colorful flower carpets.

Arrival at Taubulak eco-camping at 17:00. Accommodation and rest. Dinner, free time, and preparation for trekking.

Car mileage per day is about 350 km

Overnight in Taubulak eco-camping at 2140 m. above s.l.

Day 2. Taubulak Eco-camping - Burhan Bulak Gorge - Bayan Zhurek Ridge

After breakfast at the campsite, You'll have to climb from Taubulak base to Burhan-Bulak Gorge and visit the waterfall of the same name.

Burkhan Bulak waterfall, the highest in Kazakhstan, is situated at an altitude of 2000 meters above sea level. The height of its three tiers is 112 meters. Tons of ice-cold waterfalls as a noisy stream, irrigating all around with millions of sprays.

In clear streams on the background of reddish rocks covered with emerald moss, the sun is playing with its rays. Dozens of colorful rainbows complement the fascinating picture painted by the great artist - Nature. And when winter comes the waterfall fades in its icy garment. But to see the true nature of the Burkhan-Bulak Waterfall you need to come in July, when there is a maximum volume of water. Water rushes down as a huge stream, hiding ledges.

Lunch (picnic) will be in Burhan-Bulak Gorge. In the afternoon You will leave Kora Gorge and on the way You will make a stop at the observation point of Kapalski Pass. Then You will go down to a small mountain massif Bayan-Zhurek, on arrival in which You will first camp, and then go to look at the rock drawings. When You return to the camp, You will have dinner and rest.

Bayan Zhurek ridge stretches from west to east for about 20 km and reaches a height of about 2000 m above sea level. From Jungar Alatau ridge, Bayan-Zurek is separated by Kaskarau mountain valley. Hundreds of images are embossed on the rocks and large stones in the southwestern part, the themes and style of which are different from other similar monuments of Zhetisu.

The main part of the images was embossed in the Bronze Age. There are images of bulls and other animals, scenes with chariots, solar symbols, and religious scenes. Some researchers isolate the oldest group of images relating to the Chalcolithic period (end of the 3rd millennium BC). Petroglyphs of the Early Iron Age are somewhat smaller.

This is the traditional image of deer, made in the "animal" style, with figures of wild boars and other animals. In the Middle Ages on Bayan Zhurek, rocks were portrayed as riders, horse fights, foot archers, and hunting scenes.

Car mileage per day is about 150 km.

Overnight in a tent camp at an altitude of 1550 m. above s.l.

Day 3. Bayan Zhurek - Kalakai -Terekti Gorge

Wake up at 08:00, have breakfast, disassemble the camp, and transfer to Kalakai ancient sanctuary.

Kalakai Ancient Sanctuary is a great ring of stones with a diameter of 97 meters. There is a huge boulder of glacial origin in the center, which remained after the disappearance of glaciers, and, separately, a cross of large stones is laid. This cross is oriented strictly to the cardinal points: north-south, east-west.

Overall, this sanctuary reminds the sun's circle. But this is not just a symbol of the sun, it is a sundial of huge size and a calendar. As the mountains are to the north and the south, and the plain is to the east and west, this circle makes it possible to capture very accurately the sunrise and sunset, solstice, and equinox. Another large stone is included in this complex, on which the drawings and Saki sacrificial wells are found.

Next to the sanctuary, there is a large number of Saki mounds, not related to the complex. Monuments of other periods have not yet been discovered. People also actively nomadize on this land, as it was three thousand years ago.

After visiting the sanctuary You will go further on the route. Your journey will take You along old, almost forgotten roads, and the first object You will visit will be ancient, unexplored till present days remains of settlements. Very well-preserved outlines of the buildings allow us to assume that people lived there much later Saka period.

There are also a huge number of graves of various types and periods in the vicinity, some of which You will visit. For this, You will need to be ready to search, as there are no tourists in these areas and almost all interesting places are covered with high grass.

Then You will go to the Aksu River, on the bank of which You can have lunch. In the afternoon You will cross the intermountain valley of Terekty. By evening You will reach one of the old farms, where tourists are very rare and locals are always happy to communicate. A camp will be set up nearby.

Car mileage per day is about 120 km
Overnight in a tent camp at an altitude of 1600 m. above s.l.

Day 4. Terekty Gorge - Topolevka Village - Apiary

Early wake-up, breakfast, and camp gathering. Today You have to make quite a long drive on the mountain roads. Its difficulty is fully compensated by the madly beautiful scenery. On the way You will make some stops at the most interesting places. There will also be one stop for lunch.

Terekty Valley is located between Zheldykaragai Mountains, which means "windy pine", and Ayrakkol. The road across the valley was laid back in Soviet times to move between the farms of the nearby villages located in the mountains.

Now some parts of the road are actively used by locals to prepare hay for winter, shepherds for cattle distilling, and apiaries for honey collection. Some of the roads are practically not used, but it is possible to drive along them without much difficulty, sometimes bumping into ancient, unexplored burials and settlements. Tourists in this region are very rare, so locals are always happy to meet them and ready to treat them to local delicacies.

By evening You will come to the highest apiary in Dzungarian Alatau with which honey was being sent to the table of the last king of Russia. This is where you'll be staying for dinner and overnight.

Car mileage per day is about 150 km
Overnight in a tent camp at an altitude of 1275 m. above s.l.

Day 5. Apiary - Lower Zhasylkol Lake

After breakfast at the apiary, You will go to the lower lake Jasylkol, which is rightly considered the pearl of Jungar Alatau. The trail to the lake is not difficult, you will need to walk only 4 kilometers.

When You reach the lake, You will first have a rest and snack, and then You can take a fascinating walk along the lake shore to get even closer to nature and get real pleasure from contemplating the pristine species. The day ends with camp set-up, dinner, and rest.

Zhasylkol Lake is located on the northern slope of the Jungar Alatau ridge, in the valley of Agynykatty River, at an altitude of 1640 meters above sea level. The maximum length of the lake is 2,070 meters, maximum width in the northern part is 751 meters.

Until the 80s of the last century, this place was practically untouched by humans which is not surprising as this is an area of the state border. Jasylkol is quite a young lake; it is less than 70 years old and was formed as a result of a powerful collapse, by a natural dam blocked the riverbed.

Due to the Agynykatty River which flows into the lake, and numerous streams in summer that originate from the glaciers of Jungar Alatau, the water of Zhasylkol Lake is almost always muddy, with saturated blue and green shades. The lake has long been visited by proud handsome deer. Travel here is a great opportunity to visit the unspoiled nature and enjoy the magical views.

Walking mileage per day is about 5 km
Overnight in a tent camp at an altitude of 1640 m. above s.l.

Day 6. Lower Zhasylkol Lake - Lepsinsk

Wake-ap and breakfast. After breakfast and packing the staff You will go down to the apiary where you will have lunch and then go together to Lepsinsk - a small village with quite an interesting story that the local old-timers will tell You.

According to artifacts, it can be said that the Lepsinsk area was already populated in the XII century. This is evidenced by the finding of burial stone - Bal-Bal, dating from the XII-X century. According to the stories of old-timers, there were three mounds in Lepsinsk with the Turkic stone sculptures of granite.

The first was lying at the steps of the village council, the second stood at the house of a resident, and the third, according to the stories, is buried in an area of Amur spring. In 1390, during a campaign deep into Moghulistan, Amir Timur piled mounds on Uygenta's pass near Lepsinsk. By such mounds, he designated the boundaries of his empire.

On personal things, he set his mark in the form of three rings. This sign was found in 1994 at the foot of Kok-Tobe mountain, near Lepsinsk. The modern history of Lepsinsk began in 1822 after the abolishment of Khan's power in the region.

Upon arrival You will be accommodated in the guest house, go to the bath, have dinner, and rest.

Walking mileage per day is about 5 km
Car mileage per day is about 50 km
Overnight in a guest house

Day 7. Lepsinsk - Cherkassky Defense - Koilyk Settlement - Sarkand

After breakfast at the guest house, You will move to the village of Cherkassk and visit the memorial to the Cherkassk Defense of 1918-1919, which is dedicated to the fighting of peasants in 12 Russian villages of Lepsinsky County, Semirechenskii region in the rear of the White Guard troops during the Civil War in Russia.

Cherkassky Defense (1918-1919) Cherkasy defense was a combat action, that took place in an atmosphere of fierce struggle between peasant new settlers on the one hand, and Semirechenskie Cossacks, peasants old-timers, and rich Kazakhs on the other. Peasants of Lepsinskiy uyezd created self-defense detachments to protect their villages from local White Cossacks and Alash-Horde, as well as from White Guards who were advancing from the north.

After the tour around the museum and the memorial, You will have a picnic in the countryside and then move to the Koilyk settlement. Unfortunately, today this fortified settlement is abandoned, but You should come closer and take a walk - You can find a lot of interesting things.

Koilyk settlement was the largest trade, industrial, and cultural center in the northeast of Semirechye in the XIII-XIV centuries, the headquarters of Karluk Jhabgu. The area is surrounded by a fortified wall of height up to 4 meters.

The North-east wall has a length of 1200 meters, and southwest - 750 meters, is adjacent to the foot of the mountains. The city was famous for its bazaars, and, except for the Muslims, the Christians also lived there and had their church.

Next, You will go to the town of Sarkand. Here You will stay overnight, have dinner and rest.

Sarkand was mentioned for the first time in Shokan Valikhanov’s articles about the Semirechye study. These references date back to 1857 of the last century. Initially, Sarkand was a village, based on Siberian Cossacks. The first solid settlements appeared on the banks of the Samarkand River in 1858, when 22 families relocated from Kopal and Lepsinsk counties. In 1872, there was opened the first school. In 1928 Sarkand District was formed. It was composed of Cherkassk and Lepsinsk counties.

Since 1964, Sarkand was an urban-type settlement, and in 1968 it was transformed into a city. Today it is a small but very pretty town. The main activities of the locals are agriculture, and the production of excellent wines. There is even a small brewery and a cheese production plant.

Car mileage per day is about 200 km
Overnight in a hotel in Sarkand.

Day 8. Sarkand - Taldykorgan - Almaty

Breakfast. Departure from Sarkand at 09:00. Lunch on the way in Taldykorgan. Arrival to Almaty approx. at 20:00.

Tour Price: Please contact us for the price per person, provided 2 persons traveling together.

Group discounts are available. A child participates in the tour at the price of an adult.

GENERAL INFORMATION AND BOOKING TERMS:

Tour Rates Include:

-Hotel pick-up/ drop-off;

-Transportation in comfortable air-conditioned off-road vehicles;

-English-speaking guide services; accommodation at Taubulak eco-camping, Sarkand hotel, guest house in Lepsinsk;

-Environmental and entry fees, pass to the border zone;

-Meals (lunch and dinner on Day 1, full board on Days 2-7, breakfast and lunch on Day 8). Please advise any specific dietary requirements at the time of booking (traditional local cuisine includes mostly lamb or beef, dough, and milk products).

-Drinking water;

-All the necessary equipment to set up a tent camp and cook in camping conditions.

Tour Rates Exclude:

-Additional and other personal expenses not indicated in the program.

Booking Terms: full payment is required for tour reservation. Accepted methods of payment: cash in local currency, wire transfer, bank card.

Cancellation Terms: 50% of the tour price is not refundable in case of tour cancellation less than 3 days before the tour departure time, 100% of the tour price is not refundable in case of tour cancellation less than 1 day before the tour departure time, as well as in case of no-show.

Group Size: minimum 1 person, maximum 16 people.

Children Policy: age restriction 4+

Required clothing and equipment:

Waterproof membrane Gore-Tex jacket and pants, Warm fleece jacket or Polartec jacket, Windproof jacket, Several sets of underwear, several pairs of socks and a pair of warm socks, Several T-shirts with short sleeves, shorts, Appropriate hiking boots, shoes for camp (lightweight sneakers), Sunglasses and sunscreen, Head torch with adjustable brightness and beam distance, several sets of batteries, Thermos for 1-1.5 liters, or another water container, Personal hygiene items, personal first aid kit (for chronic diseases is obligatory), Anti acarid remedy.

NOTE: A current valid passport is required on the day of travel.