9 Day Horseback Ride Adventure Tour

Explore Undiscovered Zhetysu – from desert to snow peaks of Tien Shan. During this tour, you will visit moraine lakes (Akkol and Karakol). You will be able to observe amazing landscapes "Martian hills" and relic willows

Day 1. Almaty – Narynkol /5 hours driving/3 hours Horse Ride

Breakfast and meeting with your driver. Transfer to Narynkol town.

After reaching the frontier post and checking the documents we will stop at the small place during the Soviet time that used to be a camp for climbers located at the bottom of Khan Tengri (2300 m above the sea level).

Here you can have lunch and meet with your guide then you will get instructions on horseback riding. The starting point of your horse-riding (3 hours) is a fantastic site along the Akkol river, along the forest scenic zone to the moraine lake Akkol, where the height is 3080 m above sea level. Return. Dinner & night at the camp.

Day 2. Bayankol (25km) /4-5hrs Horse Ride

This entire day is dedicated to another moraine lake - Karakol. After breakfast, we move along the gorge to Karakol lake. Here you can see all the diversity and beauty of The Tien Shan. You can see the famous Khan Tengri peak – the highest mountain in Kazakhstan located on the Kazakhstan – Kyrgyzstan – China border and belongs to the Tien Shan Mountain range, it is 7010 m (23000 ft) high. A lot of brave men attempt to ascend Khan Tengri, despite the dangerous rock and almost vertical slopes.

During this tour, you will see how the landscape changes at different altitudes, and how conifer forests and alpine meadows pass to tundra and to a zone of permanent snow. Return, dinner & night at the camp.

Day 3. Bayankol gorge - Tekes waterfall (20km)/ /4-5hrs Horse Ride

Horse riding over the Bayankol gorge -Tekes waterfall (40 km distance in total). Picnic/Lunch. Bayankol gorge is located on the northern macro slope of the Central Tien Shan. The origins of the river begin with glaciers flowing from the Saryjaz Ridge. These are the most accessible six-thousand: the Marble Wall and the Plateau peak, and the five-thousand: Border Guard, Karlytau, Kazakhstan, Bayankol, and Semenova. Bayankol attracts dozens of tourists, mountaineers, and just nature lovers who want to see Khan-Tengri.

Bayankol is replete with many picturesque canyons, and an impressive density of coniferous forests. The fauna of this gorge is represented by a large variety of wild animals - the red deer or the maral, the Tien Shan arhars, the Siberian Mountain ibex or the Teke, the roe deer, the wild boar, the Tien Shan bear, the wolves. To visit the Bayankol gorge it is necessary to make a pass to the border zone. Overnight in tents on the river bank. Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Day 4 Bayankol gorge - Tekes waterfall (20km)/ /4-5hrs Horse Ride

Horse riding over the Bayankol gorge-Tekes waterfall. Picnic/Lunch.

The Tekes Waterfall has eroded the surrounding rocky slopes, forming a deep pool. Although it’s small in size, it is still a spectacular sight to behold. At first, you will see the waterfall from a height, and then you will need to carefully descend to it. Below, you will enjoy the chilled ambiance, the shade, and the icy-cold mountain water, which after a long journey would feel heavenly. Overnight in tents. Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Day 5 Tekes waterfall - Tuzkol (15km) /4-5hrs Horse Ride

Horse riding over the Tekes waterfall – Tuzkol lake (30 km distance in total). Picnic/Lunch. Lake Tuzkol is located in the intermontane depression between the Yelchin-Buiuryuk and Karatau mountains, which are spurs of the Ketmen ridge of the mountain system of the Northern Tien Shan. The lake is large - 5 km long, and the width in some places reaches 1 km.

The area of the lake is 3.2 square km, and the depth reaches 3 m. The water is very salty, similar in composition to the Dead Sea, but the degree of salinity varies in seasons. Around the lake is a bare steppe. On the shore, sedge and hodgepodge grow. There are no large bushes and trees.

But in general, the whole valley is surrounded by high mountains. There are wolves, lynx, and sometimes bears. It is also the main place for the nesting of waterfowl and water birds in the Kazakh part of the Central Tien Shan. A total of 35 species of birds live here. The greatest value is ogar, gray crane, and crane-belladonna.

In addition to them, there are different kinds of ducks and wild geese, there are several breeding swan-nesting nests. In the mountains, a nest is included in the Red Book of Kazakhstan steppe eagle and a golden eagle. Overnight in tents. Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Day 6 Tekes waterfall - Tuzkol (15km)/ /4-5hrs Horse Ride

Horse riding over the Tekes waterfall – Tuzkol lake. Picnic/Lunch. Overnight in tents. Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Day 7 Tuzkol - Shalkodesu Valley (22 km) /4hrs Horse Ride

Horse riding over the Tuzkol lake – Shalkode valley.

Shalkodesu Valley - is the center of transhumance, or as the Kazakhs say, it is zhailau. There is so beautiful in zhailau in summer, with high grass and fresh air. From their ancestors - nomadic tribes and peoples inhabiting the expanses of Eurasia - Kazakhs inherited the yurt.

This portable home according to its structure most suits the nomadic way of life, and according to the design, it has no equal. After long, harsh winter days, in the summer on the zhailau you can see the yurts of the shepherds. Here and there goats and sheep are grazing. A variety of relief forms make this place the best for rest. Picnic/Lunch. Overnight in tents. Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Day 8 Shalkodesu Valley - Ketmen Pass (50 km) /5hrs Horse Ride

Horse riding over the Shalkode to Ketmen pass. Picnic/Lunch.

Despite its relatively close location to Almaty, the Ketmen mountains are rarely visited by tourists, adventurers, and just fans of outdoor activities. Perhaps, that is why this corner of nature has preserved its pristine purity, all around grows alpine vegetation.

A lot of rivulets with icy crystal water in hard-to-reach gorges are thrown down by small, but spectacular waterfalls, giving the tired travelers coolness. It is said that here at an altitude of 3300m located a deposit of coal that functioned in the pre-war years.

The untouched wild nature of indescribable beauty, and fresh air will make you love this place once and forever. Overnight in tents. Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Day 9 Charyn canyon – Almaty (310 km) / 5hr driving

Trip to Charyn canyon

The canyon has been described as the Grand canyon’s little brother and is considered to be the floor of the ancient ocean Tethys. The erosion made by the river Charyn below and the elements created a dramatic and impressive landscape. The Charyn canyon itself is approximately 150 km and in some places up to 300 m deep. Free time. departure to Almaty. Drive-by car to Almaty. Arrive in Almaty and transfer to the hotel. Meals: Breakfast/Lunch

PRIVATE TOUR PRICE:

Please Contact.

TOUR PRICE INCLUSIONS:

1. Accommodation camping (8 nights) including camping tent for 2 pax each, sleeping bag, camping mat, sleeping setup, pillow

2. Transportation according to the program

3. Sightseeing according to the program with English speaking guide

4. All environmental and admission fees during the tour, pass to the border zone

5. Meals: FB

6. Potable water 1L per person per day

7. Horse rentals, horseman, cook's services

TOUR PRICE EXCLUSIONS:

1. Accommodation in Almaty, if required

2. Meals not indicated in the program and/or not included in the tour price

3. Photo and video charges

4. Visa support and registration on the territory of Kazakhstan, if required

5. Personal expenses and other expenses not indicated in the program

Please Note:

• Price of the tour may vary depending on the number of tourists;

• The time of departure from Almaty and arrival in Almaty is indicative and cannot be considered a mandatory item of the program;

• The time and procedure for providing tourist services declared in the program may vary with the preservation of their volume and quality;

• The company reserves the right to change the itinerary, as well as the time of tourists' stay on the route under unfavorable weather conditions in order to ensure the safety of tourists

• Entering this region requires a pass since this place is a border area. The registration process takes 14 days. Please consider this when submitting an application

What to Bring:

Shoes- tough sole trainers, mountain boots, a cap or Panama, hat, sun cream, sunglasses.