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Brisbane, Australia
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Dubai, United Arab Emirates
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Almaty, Kazakhstan
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Altynemel, Kazakhstan
07:00 - Pick up guests from their addresses in Almaty
08:00 - Departure by SUVs to Basshi village, the headquarters of Altyn-Emel National Park (255 km)
11:30 - Check-in at the reception office of the national park, visit the Altyn-Emel National Park Visitor Center
12:30 - Lunch at the guest house
13:30 - Departure to Aktau Mountains (70 km)
15:00 - Trek 7 km inside Aktau Mountains, exploring the main canyon, visiting a small canyon, and reaching the top of one of the mountains
18:00 - Visit a 700-year-old willow tree for a photo opportunity (40 km)
19:00 - Accommodation at the guesthouse
20:00 - Dinner. Overnight stay
08:00 - Breakfast at the guesthouse. Departure to Singing Dune (Aygaykum, 55 km)
12:00 - Return to the guest house (55 km)
13:00 - Lunch
14:00 - Departure to Sculpture Valley (90 km)
15:30 - Trekking inside the Valley (2 km), taking photos
17:00 - Departure to Zharkent town (30 km)
17:30 - Visit The Jarkent Oriental Mosque (1 of 3 Oriental Mosques in the World)
18:00 - Dinner at a cafe
19:00 - Overnight at the hotel
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Saty, Kazakhstan
08:00 - Breakfast at the hotel
09:00 - Departure to Charyn National Park (180 km)
11:30 - Arrival and descent to the “Valley of the Castles” canyon (Qyzylsay)
12:00 - Lunch (packed lunches)
14:00 - Visit a panoramic site with a view from the top of the Valley of Castles
15:00 - Departure to Lunar Canyon panoramic site (25 km)
16:00 - Transfer to Stone Shelf (15 km)
16:45 - Departure to Napoleon viewpoint (5 km), then to the Austrian spot
(2 km)
17:00 - Take photos and depart to Saty village (Kolsay Lakes, 110 km)
19:00 - Arrival at Saty village (Kolsay Lakes area). Accommodation at the guesthouse
20:00 - Dinner. Overnight stay
Day 4: Kolsay Lakes
08:00 - Breakfast at the guesthouse
09:00 - Departure to Saty Lake (1st Kolsay, 15 km)
10:00 - Trekking to Mynzhylky Lake (8 km, 3 hours of trekking)
13:00 - Arrival at Mynzhylky Lake (2nd Kolsay)
13:30 - Lunch (packed lunches)
14:00 - Return to Saty Lake (8 km, 3 hours of trekking)
17:00 - Departure to Saty village (15 km)
18:00 - Dinner. Overnight stay
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Almaty, Kazakhstan
08:00 - Breakfast at the guesthouse
09:00 - Departure to Kaindy Lake (15 km)
10:00 - Visit three locations at the lake: the shore, the panoramic viewpoint, and the inflow of the Kaindy River into the lake
13:00 - Depart for the guest house
13:30 - Lunch at the guest house
14:00 - Departure to Almaty (295 km)
18:00 - Arrival in Almaty
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Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
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Ala Archa National Park, Kyrgyzstan
The first stop is your hotel, at the entrance of Ala Archa National Park, where you can check in early and get a couple of hours rest after your flight and the unsociably early start. Refreshed, meet up with your guide over a tasty Kyrgyz lunch and learn everything you need to know about the adventure ahead. It's then time to head out into the surrounding foothills of the Ala Too range – a perfect leg stretch and an introduction to the Kyrgyzstan mountains and winter environment. After enjoying the crisp mountain air and awesome views of the surrounding high peaks, return to your hotel where you can get to know your group and guides over a welcome dinner with a mix of the best local dishes, plus some drinks.
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Chon-Kemin, Kyrgyzstan
Hit the road early and head east to your second national park. On the way, make a stop at Burana Tower, an 11th-century minaret located in the ruins of a Silk Road city from the Middle Ages. Golden fields, filled with hundreds of 'balbals' and stone petroglyphs, surround the tower. These balbals have carved stone faces that once acted as grave markers for the Turks who roamed the steppe hundreds of years ago. After lunch, it's time to saddle up at Chon Kemin National Park, where you'll meet the local horsemen who will be looking after you for the rest of the day. After learning the basics, you'll head out on an initiation ride through the village and on to the surrounding pastureland, flanked by pine forests and high mountains. For those that would prefer not to ride today, there is also the option to go snowshoeing (conditions allowing). In the evening, you'll be greeted with typical Kyrgyz hospitality at the local guesthouse, where you'll be treated to a hearty dinner.
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Jyrgalan, Kyrgyzstan
Your road trip continues across the mountainous landscape of Kyrgyzstan, heading further east and up into the Tian Shan mountains. Along the way, stop off for a hike into the stunning Konorcheck Canyon, with its huge clay rock formations – some up to 300m tall – before driving along the shore of Issyk Kul, the second-largest mountain lake in the world. Leaving the lake shoreline behind, you then climb up into the hills to the winter resort of Jyrgalan. Here is where you'll spend the night, experiencing a cosy winter yurt camp. Set in a beautiful snow-covered landscape, there'll be plenty of opportunity to warm up over a delicious traditional meal, wooden banya sauna and the stove-heated yurts.
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Engilchek, Kyrgyzstan
Today you'll drive across the dramatic winter landscapes of the Tian Shan mountains into a remote, rarely-visited corner of Kyrgyzstan. Cross the Chon Ashuu Pass at 3800m and eventually reach the abandoned ghost town of Enilchek. The drive is long but offers countless spots for improvised exploration, short hikes and snowshoeing. Enilchek is an industrial town that was abandoned after the collapse of the Soviet Union, but being so remote and hidden in the high mountains it has been preserved as an eerie ghost town. Today, only a few families of shepherds survive in this desolate landscape, surrounded by a hostile but beautiful wilderness. With your guide, discover its abandoned houses, factories and mining relics. Nearby, natural hot springs infuse the flowing river, allowing you to enjoy the warm waters from the riverbed surrounded by snowy mountain peaks. After a day of exploration, spend the night in the town's only guesthouse.
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Karakol, Kyrgyzstan
Leave Enilchek after a last look around the abandoned mining city. It's a long drive back down to the Kyrgyz plains and civilisation, but again there are plenty of opportunities to stop and explore the remote wilderness – you'll take a few short hikes to explore the surrounding scenery. You'll also stop off at some more hot springs, a local mini-resort naturally warm pools, with an adjacent bar and restaurant. By late afternoon, arrive at Karakol, the regional capital, and get accommodated at your cosy guesthouse before heading out for a meal at a traditional Kyrgyz restaurant.
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Kyzyl Suu, Kyrgyzstan
After breakfast, head out of town and meet the local horsemen of the Jety Oguz Valley. Today's horse ride takes you through beautiful pasturelands covered by snow, surrounded by red sandstone cliffs and pine forests. After a couple of hours riding through this serene landscape, you arrive at the valley of Chon Kyzyl Suu and tonight's winter yurt camp. You'll spend the night cosied up in one of the yurts, enjoy a traditional meal prepared by your host family, and also have the opportunity to enjoy the village's banya sauna.
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Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Today is the last day of your epic road trip through Kyrgyzstan. Although a long day of driving, there are some real highlights of Kyrgyz culture to see along the way. As you drive along the southern shore of Issyk Kul Lake, stop to meet a 'Berkutchi', a traditional Kyrgyz eagle hunter who hunts small game during the winter season together with his faithful golden eagle. He will demonstrate how he trains his eagle for hunting using a fur dragged behind a horse, and explain the history behind this unique tradition. After this impressive display, you'll meet Kurmanbek and Nazira, a couple of nomadic craftspeople, to discover the secrets of yurt making. Continue to Bishkek, where you can check into your hotel and enjoy a celebratory meal with your fellow adventurers to mark the end of your journey.
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Almaty, Kazakhstan
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Brisbane, Australia