Private 9 Days South Kazakhstan Tour with Private Car

Welcome to Kazakhstan! After landing, our driver guide will welcome you at the arrival hall and escort in a private car to the downtown hotel. You can spend the rest of the day in the hotel and adapt to the temperature in Almaty.

Our journey will begin at the Almaty Museum, located within a historic wooden structure built for Russian royalty.

28 fallen warriors in the war safeguarding Moscow.

Following the avenue, you’ll drop by their majestic statues and finally stop in front of the Ascension Cathedral (Zenkov Cathedral), a landmark in Almaty.

zar), one of the oldest markets in Almaty.

Take a cable car to the Shymbulak Ski Resort at an altitude of about 3,000 meters (9,840 feet).

After going downhill by cable car, the driver guide will transfer you back to the hotel.

Today, we will drive a 4.5-hour bumpy trail deep into the Heavenly Mountains, arriving at Kaindy Lake. The 1911 great earthquake caused a large-scale landslide of the mountaintop glacier, whose melted water could not flow out but formed this lake. The original spruce forest was thus submerged, with only higher trunks exposed above the water. However, since the lake is icy all year round, the tree trunks have not rotted and still maintain their original appearance, forming a magical natural wonder.

After visiting Kaindy Lake, head west for about 11km to another charming alpine lake, Lower Kolsai Lake. Surrounded by dense fir trees and mountain meadows in the valley, the lake looks extraordinarily blue and clear in the sun, enchanting beyond words. Finally, the driver guide will transfer you to Saty Village, where you will stay overnight at the local guest house.

Today, we will begin at Saty Village and drive for 1.5-2 hours to Charyn Canyon National Park, exploring specific astounding landforms of several branch canyons. We will have a deep exploration of its most marvelous part, the Valley of Castles, whose rock walls have been formed into colorful rock layers by the magic of nature for 12 million years. After admiring the breathtaking sunset scenery of the canyon, we will drive for about 3 hours back to Almaty. Upon arrival, you’ll be escorted to the hotel for a brief respite before being transferred to the railway station for your overnight sleeper train to Taraz.

Meet our local guide at the train station and directly head to the Karakhan Mausoleum, the tomb of a potentate of the Karakhanids (840-1212), and an architectural symbol of Taraz in the 11th century.

Then, move on to visit the Aisha Bibi Mausoleum, the tomb of a noble female from the 11th to 12th century AD.

ed the first and only confrontation between the two most powerful empires in history, the Chinese Tang Dynasty (618-907) and the Arab Empire (632-1258), in 751 AD, namely the Battle of Taraz.

Finally, a 3-hour drive will transfer you to Shymkent, where we will take a stroll around the downtown. After that, the driver guide will take you to the hotel.

made of limestone formed during the Neolithic period (8000-1500 BC), with growing mulberry and caragana trees.

Still, Otrar is home to the Mausoleum of Arystanbab, a legendary mentor of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, whose mausoleum we’ve visited yesterday.

Today’s Turkestan sightseeing will start at the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi. As a famous Turkic poet and Sufi 800 years ago, he played a crucial role in promoting Islam in the Turkic-speaking world by translating obscure Islamic scriptures and doctrines into Turkic poems to help Turkic people understand, absorb, and gradually believe in Islam. We will also explore several other buildings in the mausoleum complex. Go down to the Hilvet Underground Mosque, built to protect worshippers from the scorching summer heat. Next, watch the Ancient Baths built for pilgrims in the 15th and 16th centuries. Then, learn about specific items used by mosques in the Juma Mosque Museum. Opposite the museum is our last spot today, the Mausoleum of Rabia Sultan Begum. Finally, you’ll be transferred back to Shymkent.

n Shymkent, especially the best one, Qyrgy Bazar, where everything is cheaper than stores or supermarkets. Friendly sellers offer a tempting variety of fresh fruits, nuts, local cheeses, and snacks. Your driver guide will help you avoid tourist rip-offs if you want to buy some as food supply or to take home. Afterward, our driver guide will escort you to the airport for a 1-hour flight to Almaty. Upon arrival, the driver in Almaty will greet you and provide a private transfer to the hotel for check-in.

On the last day of our Kazakhstan tour package, the driver guide will pick you up and escort you to the airport. We wish you a smooth journey home! If Kazakhstan leaves you panting for more to explore its young capital, Astana, or expand your trip to other Central Asian countries like Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, etc., you can contact our travel consultants to customize the itinerary!