Historical and cultural heritage of Kazakhstan

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Historical and cultural heritage of Kazakhstan
Places to visit: Almaty - Altyn Emel - Charyn Canyon - Tamgaly

Day 1: Almaty
Today you will start your tour from transfer from the airport to see the sights. This day you are going to go to a well-known place for citizens - the Green Market, where you will have a chance to make a small shopping. After the tour will go on in one of the oldest and memorial Almaty parks - Panfilov Park, where you can observe one of the most attractive wooden edifices in the world - Zenkov Cathedral is situated. Also you will go to the Eternal Flame and Memorial of Glory, which is devoted to memory of the strugglers who fought for independence and freedom of the country.  Medeo Gorge is the popular place which you will explore after visiting cultural, sport, and business areas  of the city. Medeo Gorge is favorite location for tourist and well-known as the highest mountain skating rink in the world and the dam. Your next point of your journey is the Kok-Tobe hill where is situated the tallest TV tower in the world (if to count from the sea level) and where you will pass by the charming winding mountain road. In Kok-Tobe Park you will have a chance to walk along the winding pathways of the park and you will inspire of panoramic view of the city from the special supervision deck. You will finish your tour riding from the top of hill to the center of Almaty by the popular city's cable railroad. You will have overnight in a cozy local hotel.

Day 2: Almaty - Tamgaly - Altyn Emel
We will stop off in Tamgaly Tas when we will go to Altyn Emel national park in the morning. We will visit the biggest in Almaty region artificial water basin Kapshagai, on which coast of a casino "Kazakh Las-Vegas". The first sights destination on the Coast of Ili River is Tamgaly Tas where we will come. This place is a fine monument on which we can observe images of the Buddha, and also texts in Kalmyk and Tibetan languages.  Then you will spend some remarkable hours to village Basshi, this village is in territory Altyn-Emel National Park and visit an excursion in the Singing Dune.  It is situated on one of the corners of the Altyn-Emel National Park and the height reaches 150 meters and length about 3 km. This sandy hill reminds a sound of music of organ when starts to "sing" in windy weather and consistis of  fine clean sand. After walking up to the 150-meter dune, you will come back  to Basshi village. And night you will spend in a lovely hotel.

Day 3: Altyn Emel
In the morning your tour starts from driving on unpaved park way over 80 km (approx. 2 hours) to the Aktau Mountains. Paleontologic area known for the whole world for researches are Aktau Mountains (White Mountains).  The remained rests of the ancient animals, which age it is estimated in 25-30 million years were  found in the layers Paleogene. Among the archeological finds there are the remains the crocodiles, giant rhinos, turtles. Enormous conic mountains look like the Egyptian pyramids and are a magical and interesting scene of the variety of forms and colors. On walk of the Martian landscape listening to stories of the guide about inhabitants of ancient ocean does not demand anything especial from you, except to be more attentive to a soft sandy surface and to have good  imagination. In the end of your tour day at Aktau Mountains, you will come back to Basshi village for night in hotel.

Day 4: Altyn Emel - Charyn - Almaty 
You will start your tour from transfer to Ash-tree Grove on the Temerlik River. There is a unique and only place in the lower layers of the Charyn River and its tributary Temirlik, where are growing relict species of Sogdian Ash-tree . There is a legend where says,in so-called  "the Valley of Yurtas"  5 million years ago the wind has carried away a winged seed of Ash-tree Sogdian. The Ash-tree Grove has been given the symbol of the monument of nature in 1964. In a grove 4 trees of approximate same age are fenced.  It looks like open-air museum. Driving to Charyn Canyon. On arrival, you will inspire by the grand panorama and walk down the stairs to the down of the canyon, then hiking around 2 km through the maze of the Castles Valley with its walls of bizarre hanging over you. Charyn Canyon is worldwide famous not only in Kazakhstan and is a natural complex, unique in its kind. It was originated  during Paleogene and reminds the Grand Canyon of Colorado River in North America, although subordinate to it in size. You will have a possibility to spend hours walking among the strange columns, and towers being surprised by the wild imagination of the nature. Transfer back to Almaty and night in a  hotel.

Day 5: Flight
Transfer to Almaty International airport.