Name of tour: Historical attractions of Kazakhstan 

Length: 5 days 

Places of interest: Almaty, Issyk Lake, Shymkent, Otrar, Turkestan, Aksu Jabagly 

Day 1: Almaty – Issyk Lake – Almaty  
The transfer will pick you up at the airport and take you to Almaty city. The guided tour in Almaty will start from the Green Bazaar, where you will indulge in the local atmosphere. Then you will visit the Panfilov Park – one of the oldest parks in the city. Here you will see the Memorial of Glory and Eternal Flame and one of the most beautiful wooden building – Zenkov Cathedra. After lunch you will visit the Park of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the south-western part of the city. Then we will head to the Big Almaty gorge and the Issyk gorge. We will drive along the Kuldja tract, located on the Great Silk Road. Then you will see the historical and cultural heritage of Saka period in the State Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve “ISSYK”. The last tourist destination for today will be the wonderful lake Issyk. It is situated at an altitude of 1756 meters above sea level in the Issyk valley. It is a perfect place to spend time alone with nature and enjoy the charming view. After arrival you will have a lunch and our guide will tell you the details of the natural disaster of 1963. At the end of the day you will check into the hotel. 

Day 2: Almaty – Shymkent
After breakfast in hotel the transfer will take you to the Almaty International Airport for a morning flight to Shymkent. The way takes about 1 hour 40 minutes. After arrival you will have a sightseeing tour, which will last about 3 hours. You will visit the most interesting sites such as Walk of Fame, “Zher Ana” monument, Ordabasy square, Park “20 years of Independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan”, Museum of Victims of Political Repression, Obelisk of Glory, Eternal Flame to the fallen in The great Patriotic War, Arboretum and Regional Museum. After an interesting excursion you will be transferred to the hotel in Shymkent. 

Day 3: Shymkent – Turkestan – Shymkent
Today the tour will continue to Otrar region, Shaulder Settlement. Here you will visit the Local History Museum "Otyrar", Arystan-Bab Mausoleum, archaeological monument of the ancient Otrar dated by 4^th century BC. The second half of the day will be dedicated to exploration of Turkestan. It is an ancient city that appeared around 500 AD. The caravans from Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva stopped in the city on the way to the northern part of Kazakhstan. During the 15-18^th centuries it was the capital city of Kazakh Khanate and the cultural center of the Turkic-speaking people. You will see the most significant sites such as "Azret-Sultan" historical and architectural complex, Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, Turkestan ancient settlement, Necropolis, a fragment of the fortress wall, Citadel with gates, Hammam and Hilvet underground mosque. The overnight stay will be organized in the hotel. 

Day 4: Shymkent – Aksu Jabagly – Shymkent  
After breakfast in hotel we will head to Aksu-Jabagly natural reserve. The distance from the city to the reserve is about 125 kilometers. On the way you will see the Aksu canyon. Aksu-Znabagly is situated on the Western Tien-Shan Mountains at the altitude from 1000 to 4280 meters above sea level. It is known as the oldest natural reserve in the country. The territory includes several landscapes: semi-deserts, wide steppes, green meadows and the thickets of creeping juniper. Here it is possible to see rare, endangered species of animals and plants. For example, argali, ibex, deer, roe deer, lynx, snow leopards, wolves, foxes, bears, porcupines and ermines. In the sky you can see the bearded vultures, griffons and golden eagles. After an excursion we will return to the hotel. 

Day 5: Chernyaevka
In the morning you will be transferred to Chernyaevka to cross the border.

Transport:
02 pax – Sedan
04 pax – Minivan
06-10 pax – Mercedes Sprinter in Almaty / Toyota Hiace in Shymkent

Price per person:
02 pax – 980 $
04 pax – 710 $
06 pax – 540 $
08 pax – 550 $
10 pax – 480 $
Single – 70 $

Early check-in – 30 $
Single early check-in – 50 $

Half board – 100 $
Full board – 180 $  

English speaking guide – 680 $ per group

Service includes:
- Transport
- Accommodation:
      Almaty – “Kazakhstan” Hotel 3*
      Shymkent – “Shymkent” Hotel 3*
- Entrances to all museums
- Mineral water during the tour           

Service does not include:
- Full board
- Single rooms
- Early check-in
- Travel insurance
- Visa and visa support
- Domestic flight Almaty-Shymkent – from 80 $