General information on the expedition programs

Hotels. All the hotels provided on our tours have International standard of services and are rated from 2 to 5 stars. Necessary facilities like hot water, toilet, shower or bathrooms are in the room. Most rooms are equipped with air condition, telephone with international line, TV set, minibar and refrigerator. Breakfast is always included. Breakfast hours are from 07.30 to 10.30 am. As a rule most hotels are situated in the center on nearby. Hotel - airport transfer normally takes about 20 minutes, hotel - railway station transfer takes 5 - 10 minutes.

Meals. We provide qualitative and ecologically clean food for cooking. All vegetable and meat food are always within expiry dates and cooked in a proper way.

We provide full board at the base camp

Breakfast includes: tea, coffee, jam, butter, one main dish (cereal or omelette or scrambled eggs), sugar, yogurt, bread, cheese, dried milk. Lunch in the base camp. One main dish is cooked for lunch. Salads of fresh vegetables, pies, coffee, tea, sugar, dried milk, bread, cheese, fruits are also provided.

Dinner. Two main dishes are cooked for dinner. Soups, garnishes, salads, sauces, deserts, tea/coffee.

Food for climbing (high-altitude food). You may buy the following food before climbing: coffee/tea, bread, canned meat and fish, cheese, instant soups, chocolate, dried fruits, dried juices, sugar, dried milk, sweets, cookies, etc.

Meals in the cities. Breakfast is provided by the hotels of your stay. As a rule it is a "help yourself" breakfast. Lunch and Dinner we provide at the clean city cafes with good food and services, not far from the hotels.

Lunch-boxes "on the road". For road transfers we prepare lunch-boxes. Normally on the way we find a picturesque place for a picnic. We provide chairs and tables. Lunch-boxes include: bread, rolls, cookies, cheese, meat or sausage, vegetables, instant soup, fruits, yogurt, jam, chocolate, sweets, dried fruits, sugar, tea/coffee, bottled water 1,5l/person.

Camping outfit

Tents for guests. 2-person tents with mosquito nets and ventilation windows, double layer, waterproof. Two mattresses and two sheets are provided for every tent.

Kitchen and dining tents. They are big waterproof tents with ventilation windows and two entries. Its size is 3x5x2 m. Tables and chairs are provided.

Field shower. It consists of water reservoir, wooden floor, shower room. Hot water is supplied as it gets heated.

Power generator. Base camp is equipped with power generator. It produces energy of 220 V, 50 Hz. Electric light is provided in the guest tents and in the kitchen tent. Also electric sockets are provided.

Toilet. Field toilets in the camp. They are made of durable fabric.

Motorolla radio. Walkie-talkie radio is provided for those leaving the base camp for a long time and long distance. It covers 25 - 30 km.

Helping staff

Interpreters. Our interpreters have good knowledge of the certain language. The students of the last year of the Foreign Language University may be hired as interpreters. Mainly they specialize in one language. Please, do not be angry if any of the interpreters takes a look in the dictionary to check an unfamiliar word.

Cooks. We hire experienced cooks that are able to cook in fields conditions. Some of them speak English. Observation of the hygiene is always a must. They are able to cook vegetarian meal.

Guides. We have only experienced and responsive guides in our staff. They do not have a special education, but have enough experience to solve emergent problems. As a rule they speak English. They know local conditions, local habits, weather conditions. They are always ready to help. One of their duties is to consult guests on different questions.

Drivers. They perfectly know local conditions, roads, technical things of the vehicles. Some of them speak a little English.

Transport. It is difficult to use comfortable vehicles both: on asphalt and no asphalt roads. We will try to use comfortable vehicles for long distance transfers, but if impossible, we will use 4WD vehicles.

The horses. We use the horses of native "Dzhabe" breed for transportation of luggage and equipment to rafting start. It is local breed of horses , the most adapted to local conditions. These horses are undemanding, enduring and strong with sturdy hoofs, inborn boldness to pass dangerous places - stone taluses, heaps of stones, to swim across violent rivers and to wade them on stony bottom.

Helicopters. Using of helicopter is not included into the tour cost. If you wish you may request a helicopter flight for additional cost. You should let us know two days prior intended date of the trip. We provide MI-8 MTV helicopter type, Russian construction. Its capacity is 15 passengers with 40 kg of load per person.

Insurance
You should have your own health insurance to cover all the expenses in case of an accident:
- works of the rescue party;
- emergency use of helicopter for the rescue works;
- hospitalization.

Recommended personal equipment and clothing for the expeditions:Crampons, high-altitude tent, gas stove and cartridges, high-altitude food, ropes, head lamp, sunglasses, cream with SPF, ice-axe, ice screws and other climbing gear, individual medicines, high-altitude sleeping bag, mattress, lining.

Additional information
1. We provide 1 guide for a group up to 12 persons.
2. We provide individual guides and porters for additional cost only.
3. Kazakh visa is obtained at any embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan on our invitation.
4. In "Day by Day" programs we indicate:
- (H-1760) altitude above the sea level
- (7 km., 6 hrs) distance from the starting to terminal points. Distance may vary up to 500 m more or less. Time shown is indicated without time spent for rest and lunch.
5. Category of difficulty is indicated in the beginning of "Day by Day" program.
AAA - You should be fit and trained enough to go for 5 - 7 hours on the rugged terrain - stones, snow, ice. You should know how to cross the ice cracks and other obstacles. Special skills are not requires, but at the same time you should be trained enough to get over the possible difficulties.
AAAA - Special climbing skills are required.
6. How to come to Almaty: Almaty is easily reached by plane from any point of the world. "Lufthansa", "KLM", "Turkish Airlines", "British Mediterranean", "Transaero", "Air Kazakhstan", "Air Uzbekistan" , "Aseana aircompanies", "Pulkovskie Airlines" have flights to Almaty.