7-day Kazakhstan skiing adventure from Almaty

You will meet the guide in your hotel in Almaty at 08:30. Then, you will transfer to Medeo sports complex (1690 m.a.s.l) on a comfortable tourist vehicle. You will get to the Shymbulak ski resort area by cable car. After riding about 25 minutes above magnificent fir-trees up to an altitude of 2260 m.a.s.l, you will get to the 1st level of the ski resort, occupied by fancy restaurants, ski & snowboarding school, and mountain hotel. After, you will enjoy skiing from the lifts and trying local freeride and backcountry spots – “Shkol’nik”, “Dry Log”, “Cone”. A light lunch will be arranged in a stylish cafe-bar at the highest point of a ski resort on Talgar pass (3163 m.). There, you can relax on the soft sofa, sunbathe and listen to music. If you are tired from the sun, you can sit inside and enjoy a thematic movie, communicate with local skiers and drink special herb tea or sweet punch. After a fantastic day spent at Shymbulak, you will return to the Medeo sports complex by cable car. Transfer to Almaty. Approximate arrival time – 7 pm. Meals included: B, L

We will depart from Almaty at 08:00. Then we will transfer to Ak-Bulak ski resort, which is located near Talgar town (45 km). We will arrive at the ski resort at approx. 09:30 and prepare the equipment as well as receive instructions from the guide.

At 10:00, we will take a  gondola cable car (length is 2351 m) to the slope at an altitude of 2006 m.a.s.l. Then we will take a chairlift to the highest point of the resort with “black slopes” at an altitude of 2664 m. The inclination of freeride slopes in this zone is from 22 to 55 degrees. Parts of the descent go through open spaces and through the forest, among the Tien-Shan firs with lots of drops. A huge mass of white fluffy snow and amazing views of surrounding high mountains will leave the brightest impression.

We will enjoy skiing on the “black slopes” of the resort with a guide until 1.30 pm. The guide knows the resort “like the palm of their hand” and will show you the most interesting places, hidden from the majority of riders. Riding will be fun, intense – you will not even notice how fast time is flying. A picnic lunch will be arranged on the benches at the observation ground until 14:30. You will rest, sunbathe and admire views of the big mountains located very near, and perhaps, even see a huge and beautiful prey bird – bearded vulture. After lunch, you will continue riding off-piste until 4 pm and then will ski down to the parking zone. Packing stuff and departure to Almaty. Arrival to Almaty at about 7 pm. Meals included: B, L

This day you will enjoy an adventurous backcountry trip in the mountains near Almaty city. You will leave your hotel at 7.30 a.m. Then you will transfer to one of the gorges of Trans-Ili Alatau. You will explore different locations and depending on snow and weather conditions, guides will make a decision about where to go. Some options include: Kimasar gorge and Panorama ridge. Maximum altitude 3260 meters. Elevation gain: 1300 meters, descend length ~ 6 km, duration: 6-7 hours. Kok Zhailyau valley and Three Brothers peak. Maximum altitude 2850 meters. Elevation gain: 1250 meters, descend length ~ 6 km, duration: 5-6 hours. Slope gradient: 15 – 35 degrees. Kotyrbulak gorge and Bukreev peak. Maximum altitude 3010 meters. Slope gradient: 15 – 40 degrees. Elevation gain: 1200 meters, descend length ~ 5 km, duration: 5-6 hours. Tersbutak ridge and Young Geologist peak. Maximum altitude 3200 meters. Elevation gain: 1200 meters, distance of descent ~ 10 km, duration: 6-7 hours. Slope gradient: 15 – 40 degrees. Mynzhylky ridge and Memory peak. Maximum altitude 3700 meters. Elevation gain: 1150 meters, descend length ~ 5 km, duration: 5-6 hours. Slope gradient: 15 – 40 degrees. To reach all the spots described above, you will need to combine hiking and ski-touring, because of the steep ascent line. Picnic-lunch during the day. Coming back to the car and transfer to the 4* hotel in Almaty. *On day 5 after backcountry before arrival to Almaty city you will visit open-air SPA complex. Staying on the territory of the spa center for 3 hours and enjoying different types of steam rooms and sauna, swimming pools with icy and hot water, relaxing on sun loungers and admiring the view of Trans-Ili Alatau mountains. Meals included: B, L, D.

Enjoy an unforgettable journey to one of the unique natural monuments of Kazakhstan – Charyn Canyon, located 190 km far away from Almaty. It will leave a lasting impression with its grand splendor and beauty. Then, you will meet the guide in the lobby of your hotel at 9 a.m. You will drive to Charyn Canyon in a comfortable car. It will take about 3 hours to reach the canyon. Meanwhile, you will know interesting facts about the history and nature of the region, about Kazakh people, their life and traditions. Upon arrival to Charyn Canyon, you will admire the views and descend to the bottom of the canyon, then walk around 2 km through the maze of the Castle Valley with its walls of bizarre shapes overhanging you. The bottom of the Canyon has a slight descent to the end of the path, where you will get to the bank of icy cold Charyn river. After some rest, you will walk back the same path and transfer by car to one of the observation points for another breathtaking panoramic view. After 3 hours spent in the canyon, you will ride back to Almaty. You will also have lunch at the local cafe on the way to Almaty. The average time of arrival to Almaty is 7:00 pm. Then you will enjoy a delicious dinner in a traditional restaurant with local music performance. You will return to the hotel at around 9.30 p.m. Meals included: B, L, D

You will meet your guide in the hotel lobby at 09:00 a.m. for Almaty sites city-tour (5 hours). After meeting the guide at your hotel, you will start the tour with a ride to the oldest of Almaty parks – Park of 28 Panfilov Guardsmen, where one of the most beautiful wooden building in the world – Zenkov Cathedral is located. In the park, you will also visit the Memorial of Glory and Eternal Flame, listen to the stories of the guide and admire the beauty of the Museum of Musical Instruments. A leisurely walk under the crowns of old trees will take about 40 minutes. Next point of interest is a popular place for townspeople – the Green Bazaar, where it is impossible to refrain from shopping. It is a great chance to experience a local eastern market, its colors, aromas, and crowds. There you can obtain famous oriental sweets, dried fruits, buy local products and souvenirs, but don’t forget to barter. In the market, they accept cash in tenge (local currency), so it would be good to have some with you or there is an exchange point just near to the market area. A light lunch will be arranged on the second floor of bazar in the small coffee shop where you can enjoy meals and watch how the trading is going. After the bazaar, the tour will continue at the Kok-Tobe hill where the tallest TV tower in the world is located and where you will explore the picturesque winding mountain road on the park’s eco-cars. In Kok-Tobe Park, you can stroll along the winding paths of the park, admire the magnificent views of the city from the special observation deck, throw a coin in the “apple” fountain and visit a souvenir shop. The tour ends with a short ride from the top of the hill to the center of the city by the famous Almaty cableway*. Overnight in the hotel. * On Tuesdays, in the tour departing at 10:00, the cableway is not available. Park eco-buses are used instead. Meals included: B, L