Duration: | 7 Day(s) - 6 Night(s) |
Tour Category: | Classic Tours |
The most convenient program for the first acquaintance with Kazakhstan, its colorful traditions, amazing nature, and also the main sights of Nur-Sultan and Almaty!
Route: Nur-Sultan-Almaty (Kazakhstan)
DAY BY DAY ITINERARY
Day 1. Nur-Sultan, Arrival
Arrival at Nur-Sultan, the capital of Kazakhstan. Meeting and greeting at Nur-Sultan International airport. Transfer to the hotel. Accommodation and rest.
Days 2. Nur-Sultan
Breakfast at the hotel. Astana City Tour (3-4 hours) at 10:00.
After meeting your guide at the hotel lobby and boarding comfortable excursion transport you will begin your acquaintance with the capital of Kazakhstan. During the tour, you will go up with a guide to the observation platform of the "tree of life" - the Astana-Baiterek monument, and have a walk through the Millennium Axis, where you will see the buildings and skyscrapers, overwhelming with their non-standard shapes and forms.
After acquaintance with the buildings on the Water Green Boulevard, you will visit the world's largest building the tent structure "Khan Shatyr" and continue the tour with a walk along the embankment of the Yesil River, where the history of the city was started in the 19th century.
The circle route will be completed by the observation of the architectural ensemble of Tauelsizdik Square, where your guide will reveal the symbolism of the grandiose structure - the mosque of Khazret Sultan, and you will be told about the peculiarities of the unique creation of the British architect Norman Foster - the Palace of Peace and Accord.
Lunch in the city and transfer to the hotel. Free time in Nur-Sultan. Overnight in the hotel.
On this day you can also book additional sightseeing tours (for a surcharge).
Day 3. Nur-Sultan - Borovoe - Nur-Sultan, Departure to Almaty
Breakfast at the hotel and check-out. Burabai National Park Day Tour at 09:00.
Having met with the guide you will begin your journey to the mirror-like lakes of the Borovoe resort area. Before the tour, you will be provided with 1,5L of bottled water and a packed lunch consisting of a main dish, salad, bread, drink, seasonal fruit, biscuit, or pastry to enjoy along the tour.
You are welcome to bring your personal snack, tea, or coffee in a container with a lid on it.
On the way to the resort, which is 270 km away from Nur-Sultan, the professional guide will give you an introduction to the history of this region. Burabai National park (Borovoe) occupies 85000 hectares of the northeastern part of Kokshetau elevation.
There are 14 lakes in the park, each having a surface area of more than 1 sq. km, and a large number of small lakes. There are no monuments of material heritage in Borovoe. But nature itself has created the unique natural landscapes of extraordinary beauty with a combination of majestic mountain scenery, blue mirror lakes, and coniferous and deciduous groves.
On arrival, you will visit the Khan’s pass and see "Burabay" mountain. On Abylai Khan Glade you will feast your eyes upon “Ush-Kyz”, “Ok-Zhetpes”, “Zhumbaktas” rocks, and “Kokshetau” mountain, each having the surprising legends reflecting the history and identity of the Kazakh people. During the tour, you will have about an hour of free time to walk in the wood or lake shore and enjoy your lunch.
Further, you will have easy hiking on “Bolektau” mountain, on the top of which the tremendous view of Borovoe lake and its surroundings opens.
Excursion to Borovoe allows to remove not only physical, but also psychological fatigue, and also to enjoy marvelous views of an unusual oasis in the middle of the Kazakhstan steppe, where the century pine woods hide a set of secrets and riddles, attracting by its beauty and greatness.
The approximate time of arrival to Nur-Sultan is around 19:00. Transfer to Nur-Sultan railway station to the evening train to Almaty. Overnight on the train.
Day 4. Almaty
Morning arrival to Almaty, the Southern capital of Kazakhstan. Meeting and greeting at Almaty railway station and transfer to the hotel. Accommodation. Free time in Almaty. On this day you can book additional sightseeing tours (for a surcharge).
Day 5. Almaty
Breakfast at the hotel. The best of the Almaty Day Tour (7 hours) at 10:00.
After meeting the guide at your hotel, you will start the tour with a visit to the Almaty Museum, one of the modern and interesting museums, equipped with multimedia tools, which will captivate you with rich museum collections, a variety of ancient exhibits, allowing to study in a short time the history of the region since the Great Silk Road.
After the museum, you will continue the tour and will have a short stop for a detailed acquaintance with the architecture and history of Abai Opera and Ballet Theatre.
Then you will visit one of the oldest Almaty parks - Park of 28 Panfilov Guardsmen, where one of the most beautiful wooden buildings in the world - Zenkov Cathedral is located. In the park, you will also see the Memorial of Glory and Eternal Flame, listen to the stories of the guide and admire the beauty of the Museum of Musical Instruments.
The next point of interest is a popular place for townspeople - the Green Bazaar, where it is impossible to refrain from shopping. It is a great chance to experience the atmosphere of the real eastern market, its colors, smells, and crowds. There you can obtain famous oriental sweets, and dried fruits, buy local products and souvenirs, but don't forget to bargain.
In the market, they accept cash in tenge (local currency), so it would be good to have some with you or there is an exchange point just nearby to the market area.
Time for lunch in a local restaurant or a cafe.
After lunch you will start the second part of the tour with a ride to the Medeo Gorge (1690 meters above sea level) well known due to the highest mountain skating rink in the world and the dam, protecting the city from dangerous mudflow. A brief walk around with a chance to take your mountain-view pictures and breath the fresh pine-tree air, then you will take a cable car to the Shymbulak Ski Resort area.
Having ridden about 20-25 minutes above magnificent fur trees up to the altitude of 2260 meters above sea level, you will get to the 1st level of the ski resort, occupied by fancy restaurants, a ski & snowboarding school, and a mountain hotel.
The resort is very popular for its mild climate, a large number of sunny days and snow through the winter, and remarkable scenery of mountain ranges. You will have a quick chance to walk there and take pictures of breathtaking mountain peaks around. Then you will go down the same way by cable car and drive to the city. Meanwhile, you will be told an interesting story about why Almaty is actually called «the Apple city».
Further, your mountain adventure continues at the top of Kok-Tobe Hill, where the tallest TV tower in the world is located (if to count from the sea level) and where you will get by the picturesque winding mountain road on the park eco-cars.
In Kok-Tobe Park you can stroll along the winding paths of the park, admire the magnificent panorama of the city from the special observation deck, throw a coin in the "apple" fountain and visit the shop of national souvenirs. The tour ends with a short ride from the top of the hill to the center of the city by the famous Almaty cableway* and then dropping you off at your hotel.
Overnight in the hotel.
* On Tuesdays, in the tour departing at 10:00, the cableway is not available. Park eco-cars are used instead.
Day 6. Almaty
Breakfast at the hotel. Free time in Almaty. On this day you can book additional sightseeing tours (for a surcharge).
Day 7. Almaty, Departure
Breakfast at the hotel. Hotel check-out before 12:00. Transfer to the airport. Departure.
TOUR PRICE: On request
TOUR PRICE INCLUSIONS:
1. Standard Double/Twin accommodation in Nur-Sultan in 3*hotel of tourist class (2 nights)
2. Standard Double/Twin accommodation in Almaty in 3*hotel of tourist class (3 nights)
3. Transfers to/from airport/railway station in ur-Sultan and Almaty
4. Transfers to/from the hotels in Astanaur-Sultan and Almaty according to the program
5. Professional English-speaking guide services
6. Meals: standard hotel breakfasts, lunch on Days 2 and 5, packed lunch on Day 3
7. Sightseeing tours according to the program on Days 2, 3, 5
8. Train tickets Astana-Almaty (shared sleeping cabin for 4 passengers)
TOUR PRICE EXCLUSIONS:
1. Single accommodation supplement
2. Surcharge for early hotel check-in in Nur-Sultan
3. Surcharge for late hotel check-out in Almaty
4. Meals not included in the tour price
5. Additional sightseeing tours and services not indicated in the program
6. International flight ticket
7. Visa support and registration on the territory of Kazakhstan, if required
8. Insurance policy
9. Personal and other expenses not indicated in the program