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Country of wild lakes. Altai auto-trekking in Kazakhstan. AT-2
Tours to Kazakhstan

Travel itinerary: Almaty - Medeo - Shakelmes mountain - Kein-Kerish mountain - Buran village - Terekty village - Mramorny pass - Tikkabak pass - Markakol lake - Guba bay - Yazevoye lake - Bukhtarma reservoir - Ust-Kamenogorsk - Almaty

Variant one. Arrival in Ust-Kamenogorsk by air. Request for tour price & booking >>>

Day 1. Arrival in Almaty. Transfer to hotel Kazhol***, accommodation. City sightseeing: visit to the 28 Panfilov guardsmen memorial, Cathedral, Museum of national musical instruments, National museum, Medeo gorge, Republic square (4 hrs.) Lunch. Flight to Ust-Kamenogorsk (2 hours). Arrival in Ust-Kamenogorsk. Accommodation in hotel Irtysh ***. Dinner. Overnight.

Day 2. Breakfast. Transfer Ust-Kamenogorsk - Leninka village - Samarskoe village - Kaznakovsky ferry crossing (Bukhtarma reservoir) - Kuygan village - Kurchum village - Karatogai village - and Shakelmes mountain (516m) by Zaisan lake (325 km) We leave the city and for some time can see yellow fields of sunflowers, but soon the asphalt road leads through low hilly mountains, overgrown with forests here and there. We cross 3 low passes - the Chechek, Targyn, and Umysh, and reach the northern extremity of the Kyzylkum desert, creating a unique landscape contrast. Pass large Samarsloye village and after 8 km, highway leads us to a ferry crossing over the Bukhtarma reservoir. Lunch on the way. Width of the reservoir at the Ferry crossing is 5 km. The territory of Eastern Kazakhstan, and in particular the Zaisan hollow, has been populated from great antiquity. Tracks of ancient mountain mining operations, irrigation canals and the ruins of fortresses and settlements exist in the Altai, Zaisan hollow and on the slopes of Saura and Tarbagatai.

Here lived hordes of nomads, riding from the Mongolian steppes and Southern Siberia toward the west, to the Volga river and further to the Black, Caspian and Mediterranean Seas. After Kurchum village our route lies along a plain, and from Karatogai village we turn to the southwest to Tuzshynkyr tract, situated on the shore of Zaisan lake. It is only spot on of Zaisan lake with abrupt shores.

Here, magnificent outcrops of ancient variegated clays create landscapes of extraordinary beauty. Accommodation in tents on the shore of the lake. Dinner. Overnight in tents.

Second variant. Arrival in Ust-Kamenogorsk by train. Request for tour price & booking >>>

Day 1. Arrival in Almaty. Transfer to the hotel Kazhol***, accommodation. City sightseeing: visit to the 28 Panfilov's guardsmen park, Cathedral, Museum of national musical instruments, National museum Republic square. Transfer to train station Almaty-II, by train to Ust-Kamenogorsk (Zhangiz-Tobe railway station), departure at 12.30. Night on the train.

Day 2. Breakfast. Arrival in Zhangiztobe at 8.00. Transfer: Zhangiztobe - Georgievka village - Kokpekty village - Bolshaya Bukon village - Kazanakovskaya ferry crossing (Bukhtarma reservoir) - Kuygan village - Kurchum village - Karatogai village - Shakelmes mountain (H-516) by Zaisan lake (325 km). After Georgievka village we pass Charsky reservoir and see low hilly mountains at ridge of Saryzhal and Karazhalsky mountains. Pass small Kokpekty village and mountains are replaced plain. After Kaznakovka village we pass northern extremity of Kyzylkum desert, creating unique contract of region near ferry crossing over Bukhtarma reservoir. Width of reservoir in a place of Ferry crossing is 5 km. Territory of Eastern Kazakhstan, in particular, of Zaisan hollow was peopled from great antiquity. Tracks of ancient mountain mine workings, irrigation canals and ruins of fortresses and settlements are kept up to now at Altai, Zaisan hollow and on slopes of Saura and Tarbagatai, and are evidence of it. After Kurchum village our way lies along the plain, from Karatogai village we turn to south-west to Tuzshynkyr tract is situate on a shore of Zaisan lake. It is only one place of Zaisan lake with abrupt shores. Here magnificent outcrops of ancient variegated clays, creating landscapes with extraordinary beauty. Accommodation in tents on shore of the lake. Overnight.

Day 3. Breakfast. Transfer: Shakelmes mountain - Kein-Kerish mountain (H-501) - Buran village - Terekty (Alekseevka) village - Mramorny pass (H-1371) - Tikkabak pass - Urunkhaika village by Markakol lake ( 245 km).

After breakfast short excursion around Shakelmes neighborhood, then transfer on desert along northern shore of Zaisan to Kein-Kerish tract. Here also short excursion around tract of Zaisan hollow. Water and wind have created unique sculptures from variegated clay. There is frontier post at small Ashaly village near Terecty village. From here we see unique Kazakhstan and China landscapes. Sands (as huge dunes with height up to 1000 m) of Blandykum and Kyzylkum deserts border with Kazakh terrotory, overgrown with forest and green brushes. From Terekty village to Markakol lake - 60 km on mountain road without asphalt. From Mramorny pass we can see panorama taking breath away to green landscape of Kazakhstan. After pass road goes to the mountains of Sonaly and Azutau ridge. Along the road we see high larches, cedars and broad-leaved trees of Altai taiga. Accommodation in tents on the shore of Markakol lake. Overnight.

Day 4. Breakfast. Hiking around Markakol lake neighborhood. Ascent to the mountain to the south of Urunkhaika village, from here we can see magnificent panorama of lake and neighboring mountains. Short traverse along ridge and descent to eastern extremity of lake. After lunch walking along northern sore of lake to tourist center, which is at a distance of 3 km from our tent camp. Markakol lake (H-447) (in Kazakh "yearling lamb") situated at intermountain hollow, between Azutau south ridge and north Kurchum ridge and is alpine lake. There are 2 rare species of fish: grayling and lenok. Lenok is very rare endemic fish and is only in the lakes of Canada. Local fishermen cooks delicacy of lenok caviar. Sometimes weight of lenok trophy is about 8 kg. In the evening Russian bath in local bath-house with steam and broom. Overnight at base camp.

Day 5. Breakfast. Walk in the Cold valley. Our way lies from base camp along main street of Urunkhaika village (almost all houses are log and remind of traditional Russian life of local people). We can see west extremity of lake through woods. Through trunks of trees we observe the western extremity of lake in which low clouds and coastal vegetation are reflected. Local exotic captivates also we hope, that we see still something new and interesting. Returning in base camp. A farewell supper in Urunkhaika. A traditional evening bath about the ferry and a broom. A lodging for the night in tents.

Day 6. Breakfast. Transfer: Urunkhaika village - Alataisky pass - Karakoba river - Burhat pass (H-2141) - Uryl village - Berel village - Yazevka village - Yazevoe Lake (H-1656) (140 km). It is one of the most fascinating part of our way along Kazakhstan Altai. We pass 15 km of earth roads, only our landrover is capable to pass these roads. Further we start ascent to Alataisky pass. There is a legend that this road was built by the Austrian captive builders (they were taken prisoner in imperial Russia in 1915). We see beautiful alternate panoramas of wide rivers valleys, extensive mountain plateaus, mountain tops, overgrown with cedars and larches. We cross 2 log bridges and we are on the pass, majestic panorama of Altai ridge opens from here. We descend to Verkhniaya Zimovka tract to the river with pure water and the poetical name "Karakoba". Once here lived shepherds, they brought cattle from the hot Zaisan deserts. Deserted buildings of shepherds and wood-cutters are here now. Here - stop for lunch. Further the road is better and we soon ascend to the next pass, Burkhat pass situated at Tarbagatai ridge. From pass we see the panorama of Bukhtarma river valley. River meanders by blue ribbon. It is possible to see massive of Belukha mountain , when weather is fine. Quick descending from pass and we are on the highway again. This highway leads us to big Uryl village and further to Berel village with the loghouses. We cross the bridge over Belaya Berel river and after that - Yazevoye village (this village is exotic, like previous Berel village. Here we stop for acquaintance with a life of the local people. Our further way lies along picturesque river to Yazovaya river valley. The name of lake, village and river has happened from the name a fish - Yaz. This fish lives in the lake. Beauty and magnificence of taiga lake amazes. Camping in tents on the shore of the lake. Walking to waterfall on Yazevoya river. Back to camp. Overnight in tents.

Day 7. Breakfast. Full day rest on the Lake Jazevoe. The lake Jazevoe is located in a mountain valley. During parking it is possible to fish with success on a fishing tackle. During good weather from lake the White whale is looked through snow-white peaks of mountain. Walk in vicinities of lake and to a falls on the river Jazevaja. A lodging for the night in tents.

Day 8. Breakfast. Transfer: Yazevoe Lake - Yazovka village - Rakhmanovskoye lake (H-1760) (45 km). After descend from Yazevoe lake, we visit place for maral horns cutting off. And, if we are in luck, we see process of horns cutting off, drying and further processing of horns. On the way see panorama of Belukha peak. Arrival on the Rakhmanovskoe Lake. Walking around lake. Back to Yazevoe lake. In the evening traditional Russian bath. Overnight in tents.

It is possible to see the peak of Belukha mountain, when the weather is fine. A quick descent from the pass and we are on the highway again. This highway leads us to big Uryl village and further on to Berel village. We cross the bridge over the Belaya Berel river and then Yazevoye village (this village is exotic, like the previous Berel village). Here we stop for an acquaintance with the life of the local people. Our further route lies along the picturesque Yazovaya river valley. The name of the lake, village and river was borrowed from the name a fish - the Yaz, which lives in the lake. Camping in tents on the shore of the lake. Lunch. Walk to the waterfall on the Yazevoya river. Back to camp. Dinner. Overnight in tents.

Day 9. Breakfast. Transfer: Yazevoye lake - Yazevka village - Dzhambul village - Chernovaya village - Katon-Karagai village (160 km). On the way visit Berel archaeological digs. These digs are interesting thanks to the fact that partly extant mummy of sak's tsar at complete uniform was found here in 1996. Burial place of IV BC. Also on the way visit exotic bazaar at Katon-Karagai village. On a lodging for the night we shall stop in a beautiful birchwood on coast of the transparent river, near to settlement Katon-Karagai. Overnight.

Day 10. Breakfast. Transfer: Katon-Karagay village - Bolshenarynskoye village - Bukhtarma reservoir - Ust-Kamenogorsk (350 km.). We pass many Altai villages. Kazakhstan Altai is first-rate in Kazakhstan producer of sunflower oil. We can make sure of it - on the way we see fields of sunflowers. After lunch our way lies to Ust-Kamenogorsk. Pass small town of miners - Serebriansk town. Arrival in Ust-Kamenogorsk. Accommodation in the hotel Irtysh***. Rest. Overnight.

Day 11. Breakfast. Transfer to airport. Flight to Almaty (2 hours). Arrival in Almaty. Transfer to the hotel Kazhol***. Accommodation. Rest. Overnight.

Day 12. Transfer to airport. Departure from Almaty.

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