The Caspian coast at Aktau, camping in Mangystau, Astana and Almaty make up this twelve-day route across Kazakhstan.

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Full Central Asia itinerary

Itinerary

Day 1 Aktau

Welcome to Aktau, on the Caspian Sea. White cliffs, desalination plants, oil wells, large Soviet avenues and dust everywhere. Along the seafront, people were running, cycling and fishing.

Walk the Skalnaya Tropa Promenade, the path below the cliffs, then look for the Melovoy Lighthouse. It’s built on top of a residential building. The Ship Statue and Taras Shevchenko monument are also on the coastal walk.

If you have more time in the city, do visit the mosque, the memorial and spot the countless Soviet murals on the walls.

Aktau was the starting point for my three-day Mangystau tour. I personally used RedMaya Travel.

They are my first recommendation. If they are unavailable, this three-day Mangystau jeep and camping tour is a GetYourGuide alternative (affiliate link). I did not take that specific tour.

Day 2 Torysh & Sherkala

We left Aktau early in a 4x4, passing the apartment blocks and oil wells on the edge of town. The steppe was surprisingly green after the rain, with camels, dromedaries, horses and goats roaming around.

Our first stop was Torysh, the Valley of the Balls. The spherical rocks are scattered over the ground; there are marine fossils to look for as well. After lunch at a roadside restaurant, we continued to Kolkala, the Blue Mountain, for a climb among the coloured rock layers and quartz.

Next came Sherkala, the large isolated mountain, with remains of a medieval settlement nearby. We finished at Airakty Shomanai, camping among the rock formations that look like castles.

Day 3 Bozjyra Plateau

We packed the tents and drove across the Ustyurt Plateau, passing desert villages and an oil town on the way to Bozjyra.

The ground is white, with huge cliffs, narrow towers and pointed rocks standing above the plain. We saw few animals beyond marmots and traces of goats.

This one was my favourite day of the trip, Bozjyra is truly grand.

Later, rain and wind forced us to move the camp to a more sheltered spot beside the road.

Day 4 Tiramisu Canyon & Boktu

At Tiramisu Canyon, the white and brown layers run across the cliffs. There were plenty of fossils here too. We then made a detour to Boktu Mountain, with mirages appearing over the hot desert.

After the visits, the tour returned to Aktau late in the day.

Day 5 Arrival in Astana

I took an early morning flight to Astana. The train would have been far too long!

This city is modern, green, and beautifully planned, a stark contrast to Aktau.

I spent two days walking around its parks, squares and monuments. From Baiterek, walk along Nurzhol Boulevard towards Khan Shatyr, the huge tent-shaped shopping centre. The boulevard has gardens, fountains and government buildings on either side.

Day 6 Astana

Across the Ishim River, visit the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation, the glass pyramid, and Hazrat Sultan Mosque.

The other mosque I visited was the Grand Mosque, farther out on the southern edge of the city. It is the biggest mosque in Central Asia, but it was strangely devoid of believers when I visited.

There was plenty of construction during my visit, including the elevated railway.

For the Grand Mosque, bus 12 is among the routes listed by Visit Astana; it also serves the Baiterek area.

Day 7 Aqmola & Alzhir

I used Yandex to find the needed bus and made my way to Aqmola, it took around one hour.

ALZHIR was a camp for the wives of men accused of betraying the Soviet state. The museum and memorial describe their imprisonment and the separation of families.

The exhibits were sparse compared with what I expected. Outside, the memorial grounds are large and mostly empty.

Return to Astana for the night train to Almaty. Those trains are comfortable and the trip ends in no time, even though it lasts 17 hours.

Tickets are sold by Kazakhstan Railways.

Day 8 Almaty City

Arrival in Almaty, a historical city that did not preserve its history.

Visit the Green Bazaar for local foods and snacks, then walk to Panfilov Park and Zenkov Cathedral, the colourful wooden church. Nearby is the older wooden building housing the Museum of Folk Musical Instruments.

If you have time, take the cable car to Kok Tobe for city views.

Museums like the Central State Museum offer historical context, but I haven’t been there, someone told me it was more or less the same than the one in Astana.

The city feels like Grenoble (The French chicago) without delinquency.

It’s a really nice city to spend some time in and to base yourself for hikes.

Day 9 Big Almaty Lake

I went to hike to Big Almaty Lake with a friend, starting a bit late due to delays.

Our route followed a paved road, then the water pipes, with ropes needed on part of the climb. Access was restricted by the military, and the lake was nearly empty when we reached it. So it was utterly disappointing.

I included it here because in the end it’s my itinerary, but, it’s much better to skip it and add one more day from the trip to Charyn and Kolsai.

At sunset, the scenery was spectacular, at least and at last, a good thing.

Day 10 Canyons and Lakes

Book one of the numerous tours from Almaty for Kolsai, Kaindy and Charyn Canyon.

Two days is better than one, I did it in one, it wasn’t great. Everything was rushed and my group was super slow.

The first stop was Lake Kolsai, surrounded by pine forest. At Lake Kaindy, dead tree trunks stand upright in the water: the lake flooded the forest after a landslide.

The tour also went to Charyn Canyon, where the red cliffs of the Valley of Castles form towers along the canyon floor. These three sites involve a lot of driving from Almaty, which is why I’d give the tour a second day.

This two-day Charyn Canyon, Kolsai and Kaindy Lakes tour (affiliate link) gives the route the time I wish my one-day trip had. I did not use this operator.

Day 11 Shymbulak Ski resort

A ski resort?? Yup, it’s also a place to hike.

Take bus 12 from Dostyk–Kurmangazy to Medeu, then the gondola to Shymbulak.

The hike climbed about 1 000 m, going above 3 000 m in the Tian Shan. It passed meadows, then rock, snow and glaciers. The path was rocky and slippery, and the descent was even worse. People along the route offered us water and help.

I’d recommend the cable car on the way down, but be careful, it gets crowded. And it’s stupidly expensive too.

Day 12 Toward Bishkek

From Almaty, the bus to Bishkek leaves from Sayran bus station, at 294 Tole Bi Street.

The ride took about five hours, including the border crossing. There were departures throughout the day; the station’s ticket page sells seats on this route.

More days? Planned vs Done

Two days for the canyons and lakes

I did Charyn Canyon and the Kolsai Lakes in one day. Everything was rushed and my group was super slow. If I were planning it again, I would use two days around Almaty: one for Charyn, then one for Kolsai and Kaindy.

Burabay from Astana

Burabay is a possible extra day trip from Astana for lakes, forest and rock formations; Visit Astana lists a one-day excursion with return transport. I did not go. You could also stay overnight for more time by the lakes.

Turkestan—mostly if you skip Uzbekistan

Turkestan is the other addition I considered. I skipped it because I was continuing into Uzbekistan. From what I found while planning, it looked too similar to the Silk Road architecture waiting later in my trip, and the detour was not worth it for me. If Kazakhstan is your only Central Asian country, or you are not going to Uzbekistan, Turkestan makes much more sense.