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Kazakhstan

Discover Kazakhstan, the 9th largest country in the world, with our comprehensive guide. Explore top hiking trails and travel tips for an unforgettable adventure. Let us show you the best options for hiking and traveling in this vast and beautiful land.

Anatoli Boukreev peak: how to get there, route, hike in Almaty mountains
Hard

Anatoli Boukreev peak: how to get there, route, hike in Almaty mountains

From $70/person
Day Hiking Tour to Butakovka Waterfalls from Almaty
Medium

Day Hiking Tour to Butakovka Waterfalls from Almaty

From $72/person
Manshuk Mametova lake: how to get there, route, Mynzhylki
Hard

Manshuk Mametova lake: how to get there, route, Mynzhylki

From $94/person
Day Hiking Tour to Kok-Zhailau from Almaty
Medium

Day Hiking Tour to Kok-Zhailau from Almaty

From $72/person
Day Hiking Tour to Furmanov Peak & Panorama from Almaty
Hard

Day Hiking Tour to Furmanov Peak & Panorama from Almaty

From $65/person

Kazakhstan is the ninth largest country in the world, and its landscapes change completely as you cross it - glaciated peaks on the Chinese border, red sandstone canyons, singing dunes, chalk deserts on the Caspian, and pine-covered granite in the Altai. These are the routes we guide, region by region.

Most visitors start in the Ile (Zailiysky) Alatau above Almaty, where the trailheads are 30-60 minutes from the city and the peaks pass 5,000 m. It is the most accessible serious mountain range in Central Asia, and where the majority of our tours run.

East of the city, Charyn cuts a 150 m deep canyon of red sandstone through the steppe, and the Kolsai Lakes hold three turquoise lakes in Tien Shan spruce forest, an easy pairing with the sunken forest at Kaindy. North-east, Altyn-Emel has the Singing Dune, the striped Aktau chalk mountains and Przewalski horses. Turgen Gorge adds waterfalls and hot springs in a single valley.

Further out, Mangystau on the Caspian is the strangest landscape in the country - chalk cliffs, stone spheres and salt flats reached by 4×4 - and the Kazakh Altai in the east offers granite-framed lakes and deep-powder skiing.

Every tour is private, guided in English, and includes transport from the nearest city, lunch and park fees. Browse the routes below, or see all national parks of Kazakhstan.

Planning a trip across Kazakhstan

Distances are large and the seasons differ sharply between regions. The mountains around Almaty are at their best from mid-June to mid-September for high routes, with May and October ideal for lower trails and autumn colour. The desert regions - Charyn, Altyn-Emel, Mangystau - are far more comfortable in spring and autumn than in the summer heat.

If you have a week, our 7-day Almaty itinerary combines mountains, canyon and lakes without backtracking. For shorter visits, the best day trips from Almaty reach most of the headline sights and return the same evening.

All tours are 100% private, with an English-speaking guide, round-trip transport, lunch and national park fees included. You pay nothing until we confirm your date - see booking and FAQ.