Author's tour - Golden Ring

The nature of the Almaty region is special and astonishingly diverse. These include the colorful mountains of Aktau, Katytau and the Singing Dune of Almtyn Emel, the harsh alien beauty of canyons, ringing mountain rivers and waterfalls, the azure mountain lakes of Kolsay and Kayındı surrounded by towering mountains, plateaus and steppes.

If you want to see all the locations in a vacation, we invite you on an adventure of 4 days.

We will drive more than 1000 km during the tour, changing several climatic zones and locations. You will not get bored of the same picture behind the window, because it is constantly changing. An incredible sea of emotions and impressions for one tour is guaranteed! And how many different pictures you will get...

The main locations of the tour are located approximately on the same side, but the distance between them is considerable.
Altyn Emel is a national nature park 250 km from Almaty. It is famous for a sand dune - Singing Barkhan, colorful Aktau and Katutau mountains and Besshatyr burial mounds. Passages between these locations are several kilometers, the road is unpaved.

Lakes Kolsay and Kayindy are 350 km from the city, in the gorges of Kungei Alatau. The border with the neighboring republic, Kyrgyzstan, is very close.

Charyn Canyon, 250 km from the city of Almaty, is formed by thousands of years old rocks, it is also called the younger brother of the Grand Canyon.

It is a multiday tour, with three overnight stays. It is possible to spend the night depending on your desire - with comfort in hotels and guest houses, or in warm seasons and in good weather closer to nature - in tents.
The trip will start with a visit to the natural park of Altyn Emel, we will spend 2 nights in the village of Baschi. We will visit Singing Barkhan, Aktau and Katytau Mountains, 700 year old Iva.
Then we will start moving to Kungei Alatau gorges to visit Kolsay 1 and Kayindy lakes.
On the way we will stop at the Charyn Canyon, walk in the Valley of Castles or on the top of the canyon.
Overnight stay in the village of Saty in a guest house or hotel on the bank of Kolsay.
Lakes Kolsay and Kayındı are located in neighboring gorges, so the fourth day we will devote to the observation of the azure lakes framed by mountains.

Your choice of a multiday tour will allow you not to waste time on travel from Almaty and to each location, and to use it rationally to get new impressions.

Any tour can be changed according to your wish, you can add to your visit your favorite locations - Tekes waterfall or visit four more canyons located in the same direction.