Kazakhstan · Private tour
Charyn Canyon
The canyon, Issyk lake and the ethno village
About this trip
Charyn Canyon is a private, 5-day journey through Almaty · Charyn · Issyk · Turgen, run by our own driver-guides (larger groups also get a separate guide) rather than subcontracted to a local agency. Canyons, alpine lakes and the Tian Shan rising straight out of Almaty.
You travel as your own group, no strangers, no fixed coach departure. The itinerary below is our recommended shape; a consultant can move a day, add a night or change a hotel before you commit to anything.
Pace: A few longer drives between cities, most days out sightseeing.
Day by day
The outline of this trip. Your consultant sends the full day-by-day programme, with timings, once your booking is confirmed.
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Day1
Arrive Almaty, then the Almaty City Tour + Kok Tobe.
Almaty at its best, from street level to the hilltop. The pastel wooden Zenkov Cathedral, the grand squares of independent Kazakhstan, the Green Bazaar's dried fruit and cheeses, and the city's famous Rahat chocolate fill the day. Then up to Kok Tobe hill for the city below and the mountains behind.
Overnight in Almaty -
Day2
Charyn Canyon & Black Canyon.
Charyn is often compared with the Grand Canyon, only younger and far quieter. The Valley of Castles is a two-kilometre walk between red rock towers carved by wind and water, down to the Charyn River at the bottom. Then the Black Canyon, darker and steeper, seen from above. A long drive for a landscape you won't forget.
Overnight in Almaty -
Day3
Issyk Lake & Turgen Gorge.
East of Almaty, Issyk Lake lies in a mountain bowl with a dramatic history: a mudflow in 1963 nearly emptied it. Further on, the Turgen Gorge hides the Bear Waterfall at the end of a forest trail, and trout farms line the river. Ask us about fishing for your own lunch.
Overnight in Almaty -
Day4
Huns Ethno Village + City Tour.
Step into nomad life at the Huns Ethno Village: yurts, felt and horsemanship in the land where horses were first tamed. Then back to modern Almaty for its main square and the Arbat walking street. Ask us about the falcon show.
Overnight in Almaty -
Day5
Free morning, transfer to the airport for departure.
Departure
Where you stay
Our standard choice for this route. Prefer something different, or a family room? A consultant can reprice it.
- Mildom City · 4-star · Almaty, 4 nights
What's included
Included in the price
- Loading from our booking system…
Not included
- International flights to and from the region
- Visa fees where your passport requires one
- Lunches and dinners unless stated in the itinerary
- Personal expenses, drinks and souvenirs
- Tips for your guide and driver
- Anything not listed under what’s included
How group size changes the price
A private tour splits the vehicle, the guide and the driver across your group, so the per-person price falls as the group grows. These are live figures for this exact itinerary.
Calculating…
Weather, month by month
Average daytime high, night-time low and rain days for the places this trip actually goes, from five years of recorded observations. Not a forecast, and not the capital's weather standing in for the mountains.
Best months for this trip: Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct.
Good to know
- Visas
- It depends on your passport: see visa rules for Kazakhstan, each linked to its government source. We will tell you what we know, but the requirement is yours to check against your own passport.
- Best time to go
- May–June and September. We run this trip outside those months too, prices and conditions change, so ask.
- Getting there
- International flights are not included. Most travellers fly into Almaty; we meet you at the airport.
- Confirming
- The price you see is real, but it is a quotation until a consultant checks hotel and guide availability for your dates, normally within 24 hours.
Questions we get asked
Is this a group tour with other people?
No. Every trip on this site is private: your group, your vehicle, your guide, your dates. Nobody else joins you.
Can the itinerary be changed?
Yes. This is our recommended shape for 5 days, not a fixed product. Add a night, drop a day trip, change a hotel tier, a consultant reprices it before you commit.
Is the price per person or total?
Prices show per person based on two people sharing a double room, with the total alongside. Solo travellers and larger groups price differently, the table above shows how.
When do I pay?
Nothing is taken through this website. A consultant confirms availability, sends a written quote with the payment schedule, and only then do you decide.
What if the weather closes a mountain road?
It happens, mostly outside the months above. We offer the nearest equivalent we can arrange and explain any difference in cost, either way.
What travellers say
4.9 from 227 reviews on Google
Those reviews are from travellers on our Georgia trips, where we have run longest. We have not written reviews for Kazakhstan and will not invent them, so you are seeing our overall rating rather than feedback on this itinerary.
Book or ask about this trip
Choose your date and group to see your exact price, then request to book it. Nothing to pay now: a consultant confirms hotels and guides within 24 hours and sends a secure payment link. Or just send us a question.
