Kazakhstan horseback riding tour

Breakfast and meeting with your driver. Transfer to Narynkol town. 

After reaching frontier post and checking the documents we will stop at the small place during the Soviet time used to be camp for climbers located at the bottom of Khan Tengri (2300 m above the sea level). Here you can have a lunch (included into the cost) and meet with your guide then you will get instructions on horseback riding. 

The starting point of your horse riding is fantastic site along the Akkol river, along the forest scenic zone to the moraine lake Akkol, where the height is 3080 m above the sea level. Return. Night at the camp.

This entire day dedicated to another moraine lake – Karakol. After breakfast we move along the gorge to Karakol lake. Here you can see all the diversity and beauty of The Tien Shan.

You can see famous Khan Tengri peak – the highest mountain in Kazakhstan located on the Kazakhstan – Kyrgyzstan – China border and belongs to Tien Shan Mountain range, it is 7010 m (23000 ft) high. A lot of brave men attempt to ascend Khan Tengri, despite the dangerous rock and almost vertical slopes.  Return and night at the camp.

Horse riding over the Bayankol gorge -Tekes waterfall (40 km distance in total). 

Bayankol gorge located on the northern macroslope of the Central Tien Shan. The origins of the river begin with glaciers flowing from the Saryjaz Ridge. These are the most accessible six-thousanders: the Marble Wall and the Plateau peak, and the five-thousanders: Border Guard, Karlytau, Kazakhstan, Bayankol and Semenova. Bayankol attracts dozens of tourists, mountaineers and just nature lovers who want to see Khan-Tengri. Bayankol is replete with many picturesque canyons, impressive density of coniferous forests. The fauna of this gorge is represented by a large variety of wild animals – the red deer or the maral, the Tien Shan arhars, the Siberian Mountain ibex or the Teke, the roe deer, the wild boar, the Tien Shan bear, the wolves. To visit the Bayankol gorge it is necessary to make a pass to the border zone. 

Overnight in tents on the river bank. 

Horse riding over the Bayankol gorge-Tekes waterfall. 

The Tekes Waterfall has eroded the surrounding rocky slopes, forming a deep pool. Although it’s small in size, it is still a spectacular sight to behold. At first, you will see the waterfall from a height, and then you will need to carefully descend to it. Below, you will enjoy the chilled ambience, the shade, and the icy-cold mountain water, which after a long journey would feel heavenly. Overnight in tents. 

Horse riding over the Tekes waterfall – Tuzkol lake (30 km distance in total). 

Lake Tuzkol is located in the intermontane depression between the Yelchin-Buiuryuk and Karatau mountains, which are spurs of the Ketmen ridge of the mountain system of the Northern Tien Shan. The lake is large – 5 km long, and the width in some places reaches 1 km. The area of the lake is 3.2 square km, and the depth reaches 3 m. The water is very salty, similar in composition to the Dead Sea, but the degree of salinity varies in seasons. Around the lake is a bare steppe. On the shore, sedge and hodgepodge grows. There are no large bushes and trees. But in general, the whole valley is surrounded by high mountains.

There are wolves, lynx, sometimes bears. It is also the main place of nesting of waterfowl and water birds in the Kazakh part of the Central Tien Shan. A total of 35 species of birds lives here. The greatest value is ogar, gray crane and crane-belladonna. In addition to them, there are different kinds of ducks and wild geese, there are several breeding swan-nesting nests. In the mountains nest included in the Red Book of Kazakhstan steppe eagle and golden eagle. Overnight in tents. 

Horse riding over the Tekes waterfall – Tuzkol lake. Overnight in tents. 

Horse riding over the Tuzkol lake – Shalkode valley. 

Shalkodesu Valley – is the center of transhumance, or as the Kazakhs say, it is zhailau. There is so beautiful in zhailau in summer, high grass and fresh air. From their ancestors – nomadic tribes and peoples inhabiting the expanses of Eurasia – Kazakhs inherited the yurt. This portable home according to its structure most suits to the nomadic way of life, and according to the design it has no equal. After long, harsh winter days, in the summer on the zhailau you can see the yurts of the shepherds. Here and there goats and sheep are grazing. A variety of relief forms make this place the best for rest. Overnight in tents.

Horse riding over the Shalkode to Ketmen pass. 

Despite its relatively close location to Almaty, the Ketmen mountains are rarely visited by tourists, adventurers and just fans of outdoor activities. Perhaps, that is why this corner of nature has preserved its pristine purity, all around grows alpine vegetation. A lot of rivulets with icy crystal water in hard-to-reach gorges are thrown down by small, but spectacular waterfalls, giving the tired travelers coolness. It is said that here at an altitude of 3300m located a deposit of coal that functioned in the pre-war years.

The untouched wild nature of indescribable beauty, fresh air will make you love this place once and forever.

Overnight in tents. 

Transfer to Kaindy lake (11 km off road). Kayndy lake was formed in 1911 after a huge earthquake that resulted in a big landslide from the eastern slope. The rockslide “place of origin” can still be seen today, because it has not been overgrown yet. The uniqueness of the lake is that after the rise of natural dam that blocked the gorge, water that filled a basin has formed a lake but has not destroyed the spruce that had been growing in this place along the river. Lunch at local café (included into the cost). Trip to Charyn canyon

The canyon has been described as the Grand canyon’s little brother and is considered to be the floor of the ancient ocean Tethys. The erosion made by the river Charyn below and the elements created a dramatic and impressive landscape. The Charyn canyon itself is approximately 150 km and in some places up to 300 m deep. Free time. departure to Almaty. 

Arrival to Almaty and transfer to the hotel. End of services