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Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan: Almaty, Charyn Canyon and Issyk-Kul

10 days from Almaty to Bishkek: Charyn Canyon, the Kolsai and Kaindy lakes, two nights in Karakol, two on the south shore of Issyk-Kul with a yurt night, and Burana Tower.

10 days · Almaty to Bishkek · up to 12 guests

The facts

At a glance

Length
10 days, 9 nights
Start and end
Almaty to Bishkek
Group size
7 to 12 guests
Longest drive
4.5 h on day 3
Activity level

Moderate

Walks of 2 to 3 hours on most days: about 6 km down to the Charyn River and back on a gravel path, 2 to 3 km on the shore of Lower Kolsai Lake, a short steep path down to Kaindy Lake, and 5 to 7 km on grassy tracks in the Jeti-Oguz valley. Nights are at up to about 1,800 m and walks reach about 2,000 m, so take the first climbs slowly. Three days have about four and a half hours on the road, plus the Kaindy 4x4 on day 3 and the border on day 4. Every walk has a shorter version or a seat in the van.

Meals included
9 breakfasts, 8 lunches, 5 dinners
Room of your own
+ CAD 970 (estimated price)
Season
June to September

Highlights

Why this trip

  • Walk down through the Valley of Castles in Charyn Canyon to the river, with a sit-down lunch by the water
  • Kaindy Lake's drowned spruce forest in the late afternoon, reached by local 4x4
  • Lower Kolsai Lake at 8:30 in the morning, before the day visitors from Almaty
  • Two nights in Karakol: the Seven Bulls of Jeti-Oguz, the wooden Dungan Mosque and dinner with a Dungan family
  • Skazka Canyon in the low sun, then a night in a yurt on the shore of Issyk-Kul
  • An eagle hunter and the yurt makers of Kyzyl-Tuu, included rather than sold as extras
  • Burana Tower and its field of carved balbals on the way to Bishkek

What makes this trip different

  • Short drives, all published

    Every drive is listed day by day. The longest is 4.5 h, on day 3.

  • Free time is part of the plan

    Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.

  • Solo without the penalty

    A room of your own is + CAD 970 (estimated price).

Day by day

Itinerary

The longest drive is 4.5 h, on day 3.

KAZAKHSTANKYRGYZSTANTIAN SHANIssyk-Kul12345AlmatyDays 1 to 3Charyn CanyonDay 3SatyDays 3 to 4Kaindy LakeDay 3Kolsai LakesDay 4Karkara borderDay 4KarakolDays 4 to 6Jeti-OguzDay 5Skazka CanyonDay 6BokonbaevaDays 6 to 8Kyzyl-TuuDay 7Song-KolExtensionBurana TowerDay 8BishkekDays 8 to 10

Tap any stop on the map to open that day

Arrive in Almaty

Almaty International Airport to your hotel in central Almaty

  • Welcome dinner
  • Stay in Almaty
  • Drive about 30 min

Fly into Almaty International Airport (ALA), about 20 km north-east of the centre, and a driver meets you in the arrivals hall.

Evening

Plan to land by about 4 pm to reach the evening briefing; the latest arrival time is confirmed with your final itinerary. Almaty was Kazakhstan's capital until 1997 and is still its largest city: a grid of tree-lined streets running uphill towards the snow peaks of the Trans-Ili Alatau, which on a clear evening look close enough to touch. If you arrive early, walk the shady pedestrian stretch of Panfilov Street or sit in one of the cafes around it. In the early evening your See Sight Tours guide meets the group for a short briefing on the trip: the border crossing, what to pack for the mountain nights and the yurt, and how the days are paced. Then we sit down together to a welcome dinner of Kazakh and Central Asian dishes at a local restaurant.

Included

  • Pick-up at Almaty International Airport (ALA)
  • Welcome briefing with your guide
  • Welcome dinner

Free time: Free until the evening briefing

  1. Almaty2 nights
  2. Saty1 night
  3. Karakol2 nights
  4. Bokonbaeva2 nights
  5. Bishkek2 nights
  • Overnight stop
  • Day trip
  • By boat or train
Print itinerary

Wildlife and weather: June to September is the season: warm, mostly dry days, with Almaty and Charyn often above 30 C in July and August and cool nights at Saty, Karakol and the lake. Mountain weather changes fast, so carry a rain layer. The lakeside yurt camps and the mountain walks work only in the summer months, so the trip does not run from October to May.

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Get the day-by-day itinerary by email, or ask us anything about this trip. A trip planner replies the same or next business day.

Before you book

Right for you?

Good for you if you want

  • Travellers who want mountains, canyons and lakes with short walks rather than hard treks
  • A first taste of Central Asia across two countries, with the border handled
  • Trying a yurt night without a whole stay of shared bathrooms
  • Solo travellers who want a small group and a fair single price

Not for you if you want

  • Step-free access: canyon paths, steep lake trails and uneven village lanes
  • Travellers who want luxury hotels; Saty is a village guesthouse and the camp is simple
  • Multi-day trekking or high-altitude hiking
  • Travellers who do not want any day with four or more hours in a vehicle

Book flights after we confirm your seat.

9 nights

Where you'll stay

Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.

  • Almaty2 nights
  • Saty1 night
  • Karakol2 nights
  • Bokonbaeva2 nights
  • Bishkek2 nights

One price

What's in the price

Included

Accommodation

  • 9 nights: 2 in a central Almaty hotel, 1 in a village guesthouse in Saty, 2 in a central Karakol hotel, 2 at a camp on the south shore of Issyk-Kul (1 in a yurt, 1 in a room with its own bathroom), 2 in a central Bishkek hotel
  • Hotels of a 3-star-plus standard where the town has them
  • Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
  • Hotels named when we confirm your dates

Transport

  • Pick-up at Almaty International Airport (ALA) and drop-off at Manas International Airport, Bishkek (FRU)
  • Our own air-conditioned vehicle and driver in Kazakhstan, and another in Kyrgyzstan from the border
  • Local 4x4 to Kaindy Lake
  • Border crossing at Karkara with your guide, who handles the paperwork and carries the group list
  • The Kok-Tobe cable car in Almaty

Your guide

  • A See Sight Tours guide with the group from day 1 to day 10, in both countries
  • Local guides and hosts where sites require them, including at Burana Tower

Activities

  • Almaty: Panfilov Park, the Ascension Cathedral, the Museum of Kazakh Folk Musical Instruments, the Green Bazaar and Kok-Tobe
  • Charyn Canyon: the Valley of Castles walk to the river
  • Kolsay Lakes National Park: Kaindy Lake and Lower Kolsai Lake
  • Karakol: the Jeti-Oguz valley walk, the Holy Trinity Cathedral and the Dungan Mosque
  • Issyk-Kul south shore: Skazka Canyon, an eagle hunting demonstration and the Kyzyl-Tuu yurt-making workshop
  • Chuy valley: Burana Tower, the balbals and the site museum
  • Bishkek: Ala-Too Square, the Manas monument, the State History Museum, Oak Park and Osh Bazaar
  • All national park fees and entrance fees for included sights
  • The border-zone permit for Kolsay Lakes and Kaindy

Meals

  • 9 breakfasts
  • 8 lunches, all sit-down, including lunch with a family in Kyzyl-Tuu
  • 6 dinners: a welcome dinner in Almaty, dinner at the Saty guesthouse, dinner with a Dungan family in Karakol, two dinners at the south shore camp and a farewell dinner in Bishkek

Not included

  • International flights to Almaty and from Bishkek
  • Visa fees, if your passport needs a visa
  • Travel insurance
  • Meals not listed above
  • Drinks
  • Tips for your guide, drivers and hosts
  • Optional activities: Medeu and the Shymbulak cable car, horse riding at the camp, the Przhevalsky museum and the Song-Kol extension
  • Photo fees where a site charges them
  • Personal expenses

Extras

Room of your own
CAD 970 (estimated price)

When you can go

Dates and prices

Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.

Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.

Before you book

Booking terms

Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.

Business addresses

See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584

Guest reviews

What guests say

Reviews from guests on our day tours.

Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
google

5/5

Parminder did a great job guiding us around, giving us tips & teaching us the history of the falls. A great experience!

Jane
October 06, 2026
gyg

5/5

Good views of the surrounding area of Halifax in a comfortable minivan

Susan
October 06, 2026
gyg

5/5

June was brilliant- made good contact beforehand and really attentive and knowledgeable. Made me feel like I was special- something only experience can do. Thank you June.

Tom L
October 05, 2026
tripadvisor

5/5

Our host was very knowledgeable, friendly and even provided some humor.

MandL83
October 05, 2026
tripadvisor

5/5

Peter was a very good guide, giving us insight into the various parts of the Park, including parking lot congestion details, trail and viewing location suggestions.

Darren O
October 05, 2026
tripadvisor

5/5

Excellent morning spent with my guide Nancy. Very knowledgeable and friendly. Thoroughly enjoyed my trip

4.7/5 from 38,601 guest reviews

Good to know

Questions

What does the Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan trip price include?

Nine nights in hotels, a Saty guesthouse and a south shore camp, 9 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 6 dinners, airport transfers at both ends, our own vehicle and driver in each country, the Kaindy 4x4, your See Sight Tours guide throughout, every park fee and entry on the day plan, the Kolsay border-zone permit, including the eagle hunter and the yurt-making workshop.

How big is the group?

The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests, fewer than the 16 or 18 that some Central Asia group tours take, so everyone hears the guide in the canyon and fits around one table at a family dinner.

Who leads the trip?

A See Sight Tours guide travels with the group from Almaty to Bishkek and crosses the border with you. Local guides and hosts join where sites require them, such as Burana Tower. We name your guide when we confirm your dates.

How fit do I need to be?

Moderately. Most days have two or three hours of walking: about 6 km at Charyn, a steep short path at Kaindy and 5 to 7 km in the Jeti-Oguz valley at about 2,000 m. Every walk has a shorter version, and you can sit any of them out.

I am travelling solo. What does a single room cost?

A room of your own costs CAD 970 more on the small-group trip, shown up front before you book. On the yurt night you have a yurt to yourself. You join the same meals and activities as everyone else; the supplement only covers the room.

When is the best time to visit Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan?

June to September. Days are warm and mostly dry, the mountain lakes are at their best, and Issyk-Kul is swimmable in July and August. The lakeside yurt camps and the mountain walks only work in summer, so the trip does not run from October to May.

Do I need a visa for Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan?

Canadian citizens can currently visit Kazakhstan for up to 30 days and Kyrgyzstan for up to 60 days without a visa. Rules differ by passport and change from time to time, so we check yours when you book and tell you what to carry at the border.

How does the border crossing work?

We cross at Karkara, a mountain post between Kegen and Karakol. The plan is that our Kazakh driver takes us to the post, we walk across with our bags and your guide, and our Kyrgyz driver meets us beyond it. Your guide handles the paperwork. Formalities usually take one to two hours.

How long are the drives?

Three days have about four and a half hours on the road: Almaty to Saty via Charyn (plus about 40 minutes each way by 4x4 to Kaindy), Saty to Karakol (plus one to two hours at the border) and Issyk-Kul to Bishkek. Each has a walk and a sit-down lunch. The other days have three hours or less.

What is the yurt night like?

One night in a felt yurt at a camp on the south shore of Issyk-Kul, shared only with your travel companion. The standard we require of the camp: proper beds and bedding, heating, and hot showers and toilets on site. The next night is a room with its own bathroom at the same camp. For a higher, wilder yurt night, Song-Kol can be added after the trip.

How does booking work?

Choose a start date and request to book. We confirm your place within 24 hours, and no payment is taken when you send the request. Prices are per person sharing a room, taxes included: from CAD 4,850 on the small-group trip.

Can we travel privately or on our own dates?

Yes. The trip also runs as a private trip for your party only, on a date you choose, from CAD 8,730 per person. If you would rather travel independently on your own dates, ask us from the dates section and we will quote the same hotels, drivers and local guides.

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