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Tour from Aral Sea to Bishkek.

Kyrgyzstan Tours.

“To travel is to live” 

Hans Christian Andersen.

Travel from Almaty to Aral sea with visiting Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.

Almaty. South capital of Republic of Kazakhstan, the largest city in Kazakstan and the former capital of the Republic. Almaty has a history going back all the way into the ancient ages. As a great trade center, located in the Semirechie area at the crossing of caravan roads, Almaty was known to many peoples in ancient times.
The most recent sensation is discovery of the oldest settlement from the Bronze Age along the outskirts of the capital. More than 130 years have passed since Vernyi Fortress was founded in the middle of a rich valley, and later on renamed to Almaty. Now Almaty is the center of scientific work and modern culture of Kazakhstan, the city of monumental ensembles.

Brief description of a route from Almaty to Ulytau mountains and Aral Sea:

Almaty – Balkhash lake – Karaganda town – Dzhezkazgan town – Kyzylorda twon – North Aral Sea – Turkestan town – Tashkent town – Shymkent town – Taraz town – Bishkek town - Almaty.

Distance: 3 884 km.
Season: from May, 25th till September, 15th.
 Best time for travel: July - September.
Size of group: at most 12 person.
Duration of tour: 17 days, 16 night.

Detailed program day by day from Kazakhstan to Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan: 

Whistle-stop trip in Kazakhstan. 

Day 1. Almaty.
Arrival in Almaty, meeting in airport, transfer to hotel, accommodation, rest. Breakfast. After breakfast city tour: visit to Kazak State Museum ( Natural history, ancient history, modern history, contemporary history and ethnography are all here, mostly sanitized, nonetheless impressive) Museum of Gold (Golden suit of armour belonging to a “golden Warrior”  is a copy of the V century BC Scythian original found near  Lake Yssyk), Museum of Folk Music Instruments (a unique collection of traditional musical instruments, each with a recording of its sound), Ortodox Cathedral (was put up in 1904 without a single nail), Medeo speed skating rink  is the world’s largest, and the pride of Almaty, filling a beautiful valley in the Zailiisky Ala-Too 16 km from Almaty centre. Lunch in local restaurant. Dinner in the hotel. Overnight.
Day 2. Big Almaty Gorge to Big Almaty lake 2527 meters above sea level (28 km).
Breakfast. Excursion to Big Almaty Gorge to Big Almaty lake. This lake located in Zailiysky Alatau foothills and is  a turquoise lake. Walking around lake. Lunch. Rest.  Return to Almaty. Dinner in the hotel. Overnight.
Day 3. Almaty – lake Sorbulak – Kanshengil village – Aksuek – Saryshagan – Gulshat - Balkhash lake (520 km).
Breakfast. Transfer to Balkhash lake. A lake in the Central of Kazakhstan. Situated in Blkhash-Alakol hollow at height of 342 m above sea level. Its square changes from 17 to 22 thousand of square meters. Depth is up to 26 meters. Saryesik peninsula divides the lake into two parts. Ili river falls into  its western part, Karatal, Aksu, Lepsy rivers fall into the eastern part. Water of the western part is fresh, water of the eastern part is salty). On the way: stops, photopause, birdwatching (at request), lunch. Accommodation in the hotel “Doszhan”.  Dinner. Overnight.
Day 4. Lake Balkhash – town Balkash - Aksu-Auly – Nurtaldy - Spasskiy memorial - town Karaganda (365 km).
Breakfast. Transfer  to town Karaganda (365 km). Karaganda – It is the second city by its size in Kazakhstan. It is situated within the limits of Kazakh small hill area. The city appeared in XIX c., when in Karaganda valley a large deposit of coal was explored. In 1857 the first mine was laid. That mine gave the beginning of the first village of miners growing. There are theaters, Museum of Regional Studies, a Botanic Garden, Zoo exhibition in the town. In the South-East of Karaganda region there are Karkaralinskie mountains that are called “Kazakh  Switzerland”. On the way: stops, photopauses, lunch. Accommodation in the hotel. Dinner in the hotel. Overnight.
Day 5. Karaganda – Abay village – Karabas – Akoy – Atasu – town Dzhezkazgan (525 km).
Breakfast. Transfer to town Dzhezkazgan. On the way: lunch, stops, photopauses. Djezkazgan – a town on the bank of Kengirski reservoir. In 1938 a large deposits of copper, iron and manganese ores were explored. That exploration was followed by the new city growing. There are Historical Museum, a Museum of Cosmos, a Museum of Regional Studies in the city. There is a museum – reserve of history and nature called  “Ulytau” in Djezkazgan region as well as the Space-vehicle launching site “Baikonur”. Accommodation in the hotel. Dinner and overnight.
Day 6. Dzhezkazgan - Kyzylorda (420 km).
Breakfast. Transfer to Kzylorda. On the way: stops and photopauses, lunch. Kzyl-Orda – a city built on the bank of Syrdaria river. It was founded in 1820 as a fortress of  Kokand Khanate under the name “Ak-mechet” (White Mosque).
In 1853 the city was conquered by Russian troops ane renamed into “Perovsky Fort”. In 1925 Kyzylorda (what means “Red capital”) was a capital of Soviet Kazakh Republic. Since 1938 it is a capital of Kzyl-Orda district. There are Historical Museum, a church of Christ Our Saviour, an Aitbai mosque in the city and its environs. Accommodation in  the hotel. Dinner and overnight.
Day 7. Kyzylorda - Terenozek village - Zhalagash - Zhosaly - complex Korkyt-Ata - town Baikonur - Kazalinsk – Kymystabas – Bogen – Karateren (471 km.)
Breakfast. Transfer to Karateren village. On the way visit to village Bogen. Visiting of village of fishermen Bogen, visiting of beautiful local mosque, visiting of vicinities of local school constructed in 1954 which is in an environment of sandy barchans.
Further transfer: village Bogen - Aklak hydrounit - village Karateren (30 km). On way stop at Aklak hydrounit on the river Syr-Darya which has been constructed for filling lakes which are above, before dam of hydrounit and filling flood-lands the rivers water, visit of hydrounit. Arrival in village Karateren, accommodation in the house at countryman, dinner, overnight.  
Day 8. Karateren - Kook-Aral dam – Akbasty - Karateren (101 km).
Breakfast. Transfer: settlement Karateren - Kok-Aral dam - mountain Daut (Kok-Aral) - settlement Akbasty (100 km). On way we stop for visit the Kok-Aral of dam which has divided Small and Big Арал. Length of a dam of 13 kilometers, owing to a dam, the water level in Small Aral sea has risen up to a level of 42 meters. We shall see sluices of a dam through which blue water from Small Aral flows in Big Арал and it is lost in sand.
Transfer to mountain the Kok-Aral an ascention on mountain, photographing of a panorama Small and Big Aral. Big Aral it is visible from mountain Daut. The further transfer to settlement Akbasty which is among sand Priaralye, in this settlement inhabitants are engaged in fishing and cultivation of camels.
The most interesting place in Akbasty, this local cemetery which is in sand and barchans. Lunch. Returning in Karateren. On a way visit ancient mazars at which construction were used cane-mate. Arrival in Karatern, dinner and overnight in the rural guest house.
Day 9. Karateren - Bogen - lake Kombash - Aiteke Bi (Kazalinsk) – Baikonur town – Kyzylorda (471 km).
Breakfast. Transfer to Kyzylorda. Arrival in town Kyzylorda. Lunch on the way. Transfer to hotel, accommodation, dinner and overnight at the  hotel. Dinner and overnight.
Day 10. Kyzylorda – Turkestan (300 km).
Breakfast. Transfer to Turkestan town. Lunch on the way. Arrival in Turkestan. In Turkestan visit to Historical complex of the Khodzha Akhmed Yassawi Mausoleum – XIVc.  Khodzha Alhmed was one of the most respected enlightners of the Kazak people. At the age of 63 he went to an underground cell in commemoration of Mokhamed's’death.
The Mausoleum was built by the order of the great Timur. It is recognized as the second Mekka, three pilgrimages to Khodzha Akhmed are equal to one to Mekka). Transfer to hotel, accommodation at the  hotel. Dinner and overnight.
Day 11. Turkestan – Shymkent – Check Points “Zhibek Zholy”\"Gysht-Kuprik" – Tashkent (285 km).
Breakfast. Transfer: Turkestan – Shymkent Check-point “Zhibek-Zholy” (Chernyaevka) (Kazak-Uzbek border) (285 km). After Kazakh border and customs formalities meeting for Uzbek guide on the Uzbekistan border. Border and customs formalities on the Uzbekistan side. Transfer to Tashkent (8 km). Arrival in Tashkent, transfer to hotel, accommodation, overnight.
Day 12. Tashkent.
Breakfast. Tashkent city tour. Tashkent  is as well the cultural as economical center of Uzbekistan and the traffic turntable of Central Asia. This over 2000-year-old city opens the door to Uzbekistan, the land of silk and satins, with its picturesque bazaars and  unadulterated Oriental  way of life.
Visit to Museum of Timurid Dynasty, Navoi Opera and Ballet Theatre, Fine Arts Museum TV Tower, One Metro Station, Yunusabad Tennis Club, Agua Park, Kukeldash Madrassah, Barak Khan Madrassah, Kaffal Shoshi Mausoleum, Mamazgokh Assumtion  Cathedral (Ortodox). Lunch in local restaurant, dinner in the hotel. Overnight.
Day 13. Tashkent - Shymkent town (155 km).
Breakfast. After breakfast transfer to  Shymkent, visit to Sairam village (15 km), ancient mausoleums and mosques (X c), the Museum of local history. Lunch. Accommodation in Dzhambul hotel .Dinner. Overnight. 
Day 14. Shymkent– Taraz town – Bishkek (455 km).
Breakfast. Transfer to Taraz (175 km). 2000 years ago city of Taraz stood here, on the Silk Road from Middle Asia to China. Most significant monuments of the ancient Taraz the site of the ancient Taraz itself, Mausoleum of Karakhan and Shamankur, Mausoleums of Aisha-Bibi and Babadzhy-Khatun (XI - XII c.c.).
Lunch in the local café. After lunch  transfer to Bishkek (280 km). (Bishkek is capital of Kyrgyz Republic is situated  in the Chu Valley, at the place of more ancient settlements of VI - VII and XIII c.c. First fortress of Pishkek was built in 1825 which protected lands of Kokand kingdom.
In 1863 Russian trips won it and Russian workers, peasants and merchants settled down there. Now Bishkek is the center of scientific work and modern culture of Kyrgyzstan, the town of architectural ensemble). Arrival in Bishkek. Transfer to hotel, accommodation. Dinner and overnight.
Day 15. Excursion across Bishkek. Walk in national park Ala-Archa (38 km).
Breakfast. Excursion on town Bishkek, visiting of the main area of the country - Ala-Too. It is Ala-Too in translation from the Kirghiz language means «Snow mountains», symbolizes the nature of the country which two thirds make mountains.
The area "Ala-Too" - the most popular place in city where are spent national open air celebrations, holidays, meetings and other actions. In the center of the area the 10-meter bronze sculptural monument to the hero of national epos Manas, monument to the Kirghiz writer Chingizu Aitmatov and black-and-white monument in memory of events 2002 and 2010 towers. On the area flutters 45 meter flag of Kyrgyzstan. Visiting State museum of History of Kyrgyzstan, Nikolskii churches, mosaic monument «Friendship of people» established in 1964, visiting of monument of Great Domestic war on the area the "Victory", established in 1985, by 40-th anniversary of victory over the Second world war. Visiting of the Osh market, visiting of museum of Michael Frunze. After lunch the trip to gorge Is Ala-Archa (38 km). Walk in vicinities of natural park is Ala-Archa. Returning to Bishkek. Transfer to hotel, dinner and overnight.
Day 16. Bishkek – Almaty (250 km).
Breakfast. Transfer to Almaty. Arrival in Almaty, transfer to hotel, accommodation. A free time. A farewell supper and overnight.
Day 17. Almaty. 
Transfer to the airport, departure from Almaty.

Microdistrict Samal in Almaty.Lake Balkhash. The central Kazakhstan. The Karaganda province.The Orthodox temple of Karaganda.Andrey Pervozvannogo Orthodox temple in Dzhezkazgan.The Kok-Aral a dam in length of 13 kilometers.The Coastal line Big Aral Sea.Tashkent. An arch on area Mustakilik.The Presidential palace in Tashkent.The Dawn above the town of Bishkek.

Note:
Author program of Alexander Petrov. Copying and introduction -  from the sanction of the author.

Photos by
 Alexander Petrov.