Trip from Astana to Semipalatinsk.

“Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving” 

Terry Pratchett. “A Hat Full of Sky”.

Short description of route of tour across Kazakhstan:

Town Kurgan - check point «Petukhovo»\«Zhana Zhol» - town Petropavlovsk - town Kokshetau - town Shuchinsk - town Astana - town Ekibastuz - town Pavlodar - village Akkulsk (an old mosque) – Semipalatinsk - town Ust-Kamenogorsk - Bukhtarma reservoir - settlement Vasileyvka - settlement Turgusun - settlement Zyryanovsk - settlement Bolshenarym - settlement Katon-Karagai - settlement Uryl - settlement Berel - lake Jazevoe - lake Rahmanovskoe - settlement Berel - Berel burial hill - pass Burkhat of 2141 meters above sea level - settlement Urunkhaika (lake Markakol) - settlement Terekty - settlement Zaisan - settlement Aksuat - settlement Tarbagatai - settlement Ayaguz - settlement Urdzhar - settlement Makanchi - lake Zhalanashkol - lake Akkol - settlement Koktuma - settlement Usharal - settlement Aktogai - settlement Sayak - town of Balkhash - settlement Saryshagan - town Almaty - settlement Samsy - settlement Kordai - town Bishkek.

Jeep-tour from Russia across Kazakhstan Altai and lake Balkhash.

Distance of route: 4 665 km.
Season: April - October.
Best time for travel: May, June, July, August, September.
Duration of tour: 21 days, 20 nights.

Detailed program day by day from Pavlodar to Ust-Kamenogorsk:

Trip from Astana to Zaisan.

1 Day. Town Ekaterinburg - check point «Petukhovo\Zhana Zhol» - settlement Mamlyutka - town Petropavlovsk (69 km).
Arrival from Ekaterinburg. Passage of formalities of the Russian and Kazakhstan customs and boundary service. Meeting on "Zhana- Zhol" check point. Registration of insurance policies on vehicles.
Transfer: "Zhana Zhol" check point - settlement Mamlyutka - settlement Peterfeld - town of Petropavlovsk (69 km). Arrival in Petropavlovsk, transfer to hotel, accommodation, overnight.
Breakfast. After breakfast excursion across Petropavlovsk, visiting of regional history-study museum, museum of the fine arts, visiting of an orthodox cathedral of apostles Peter and Pavel, town mosque Kyzyl-Zhar and mosques of Din-Mukhammad, visiting of Catholic church Saint of Heart of Jesus, visiting of park of the Victory, visiting of the area before building mayor's office, visiting of sculptural composition «Abay and Pushkin», height of granite monument of 7 meters of 40 centimeters, walk along the street with ancient one-storeyed building. Sightseeing tour on city. Lunch and dinner in the local restaurant. Overnight in the hotel.
3 Day. Petropavlovsk - town Kokshetau - town Shuchinsk - town Astana (503 km).
Breakfast. On this site of way in all settlements there are gasoline stations. From the small city of Shuchinsk up to Astana our way will pass on Kazakhstan autobahn. Arrival in Astana, transfer to hotel, accommodation, overnight.
4 Day. Astana.
Excursion on town Astana visiting: new national museum of history, visiting of the main symbol of Astana - complex «Baiterek» (105 meters in height), located on the area of Independence from height of tower «Baiterek» open panorama of an administrative centre of town, presidential palace up to shopping center-entertaining "Khan Shatyr", quay of Irtysh, visiting of park-map of the reduced spears of historical and natural monuments of Kazakhstan open-air “Atameken”, visiting of the main mosque of town «Nur-Astana», visiting of cathedral in honour of Uspeniy all-holy the mother of God , monument to victims of reprisals, visiting of an oceanarium in the entertaining center "Duman". Sightseeing tour on city. . Lunch and dinner in the local restaurant. Overnight in the hotel.
5 Day. Astana - town Ekibastuz - town Pavlodar (450 km).
Breakfast in hotel. On this site of a way in all settlements there are gasoline stations. Arrival in Pavlodar, transfer to hotel, accommodation, overnight in hotel.
6 Day. Pavlodar.
Breakfast. After breakfast excursion across Pavlodar: visiting of history-study of local lore museum of Pavlodar, visiting of museum of the literature and art, visiting of the Blagoveshchensk Cathedral constructed in 1999, the cathedral is constructed on the sample of the Moscow Kremlin, visiting of the house of merchant of Sorokin constructed in 1890, visiting of the National house opened in 1902, visiting of the house-museum songs creativity Maira Shamsutdinova, museum Maira is located in the house of Tatar merchant Abdul Fatakh Ramazanov, visiting of the Vladimir school, A.Derova constructed with support of merchant constructed in 1888, visiting of the Trading house of merchant of A.Derova, visiting of the House of merchant of S.J.Ohapkina, visiting of the memorial house-museum of D.P.Bagaeva, visiting of the House of merchant Zaisev, visiting of the main mosque of city of Mashhura Zhusup. Sightseeing tour on city. Lunch and dinner in the local restaurant. Overnight in the hotel.
7 Day. Pavlodar - village Akkulsk (an old mosque) - Semipalatinsk (336 km)
Breakfast in the hotel. Transfer: Pavlodar - small settlement Akkulsk (288 km). Arrival in settlement Akkulsk, visiting of an ancient wooden mosque in the center of settlement. On this site of way not in all settlements there are gasoline stations. Further transfer: settlement Akkulsk - town of Semipalatinsk (48 km). Arrival in Semipalatinsk, transfer to hotel, accommodation, overnight in the hotel.
8 Day. Semipalatinsk.
Breakfast. After breakfast excursion on Semei. Visiting of regional history-study of local lore museum of governor being the was house, square of monuments of history of the Soviet period on at hotel "Semei", visiting orthodox Host Resurrection Cathedral, visiting Yamyshev of gate which are monument of the basis of town visiting of the area of name Abay, visiting of memorial of the Victory erected in honour of the 40 anniversary of victory over Great Domestic war, visiting of an one-minaret stone mosque of architect Gabdully Effendi monument of XIX century, visiting of two-minaret cathedral mosque constructed at financial support of merchants Suleimenov, Abdeshev, Rafikhov, visiting of museum of Dostoevsky. Sightseeing tour on city. Lunch and dinner in the local restaurant. Overnight in the hotel.
9 Day. Semipalatinsk - town Ust-Kamenogorsk (220 km).
Breakfast in hotel. On this site of way not in all settlements there are gasoline stations. Arrival in Ust Kamenogorsk, transfer to hotel, accommodation, overnight in the hotel.
10 Day. Ust-Kamenogorsk.
Breakfast. After breakfast excursion across Ust-Kamenogorsk: visiting of regional study of local lore museum, visiting of regional museum of arts, visiting of regional ethnographic museum, visiting Ust-Kamenogorsk Andrew of cathedral, visiting of monument to soldiers-liberators of Great Domestic war, visiting of the main mosque of city by the third on size of mosque of Kazakhstan, visiting of city park, foot walk on quay Ulba, sightseeing tour on city. Lunch and dinner in the local restaurant. Overnight in the hotel.
11 Day. Ust Kamenogorsk - Bukhtarma water basin - settlement Vasileyvka - settlement Zyrayanovsk - settlement Bolshenarym - settlement Katon-Karagay (344 km).
Breakfast in hotel. Transfer: Ust Kamenogorsk - pass Osinovsky (65 km). After Ust Kamenogorsk the road will pass in mountain-taiga district and will gradually rise on pass Osinovsky. Sstop on the pass, photographing of vicinities, short rest.
Further transfer: pass Osinovsky - Bukhtarma water basin (40 km). Stop at Bukhtarma water basin, walk on coast, photographing of vicinities of water basin. Transfer: Bukhtarma water basin - settlement Bolshenarymskoe (155 km). Stop in settlement Bolshenarymskoe, lunch in local cafe.
Transfer: settlement Bolshenarymskoe - settlement Katon-Karagay (87 km). On this site of way not in all settlements there are gasoline stations. Arrival in Катон-Карагай, accommodation in tents in a birchwood in vicinities of settlement Katon-Karagaj. A lodging for the night in tents.
12 Day. Katon-Karagay - settlement Uryl - settlement Berel - lake Jazevoe (91 km).
Breakfast. Transfer: Katon-Karagai - settlement Uryl (61 km). Ahead of us the beauty spot expects, the road is twisted on the left party of the river Buhtarma, from road fine kinds on valley of the river Buhtarmy and southern slopes of ridge Azutau open. At entrance to settlement there is boundary post, passage of formalities of boundary service of Kazakhstan. In settlement Uryl we fill up our stocks of potable water and products.
Further transfer: settlement Uryl - lake Jazevoe (30 km). Through 10 kilometers after settlement Berel we turn off from the basic road on road the captain on lake Jazevoe, we pass the wooden bridge through the river Buhtarma, small settlement Jazovka.
After settlement Jazovka the road is similar on extreme more. On this site of way only in settlements Katon-Karagai and Uryl there are gasoline stations. Arrival on lake Jazevoe, accommodation in tents. Walks in vicinities of lake, visiting of falls on the river Yazevaya. Overnight in the tents.
13 Day. Lake Jazevoe - lake Rahmanov Klychi (45 km). 
Breakfast. After breakfast transfer: lake Jazevoe - settlement Jazovka - lake Rahmanovskie Klychi (40 km). The lake Rahmanovskoe is at height of 1760 meters above sea level (45 km). After descent from lake Jazevoe, we visit ое a farm where are engaged in cultivation of marals. Arrival on lake Rahmanovskoe, accommodation in cottages of sanatorium "Rahmanovskie keys". On this site of way there are no gasoline stations. Walks in vicinities of lake. Lunch in cafe of sanatorium. Dinner and overnight.
14 Day. Lake Rahmanov - settlement Berel - Berel burial hill - pass Burkhat of 2141 meters above sea level - settlement Urunkhaika (lake Markakol) (157 km).
Breakfast. Transfer: lake Rahmanovskoe - bridge through the river Bukhtarma at settlement Berel - Berel burial hill (40 km). Visiting Berel burial hill, archeological excavations. Transfer: Berel excavation - settlement Berel - settlement Uryl - pass Burkhat of 2141 meters above sea level (70 km). The stop on pass, from opens one of tremendous panoramas of the Kazakhstan Altai, on the north the kind on valley of the river Bukhtarma opens, from pass it is visible, as thin the river is twisted and leaves on the West.
Transfer: pass Burkhat - river Karakoba - pass Alataiskiy of 1792 meters above sea level (27 km). Stop on pass Alataiskiy, review and photographing of an impressing panorama of neighboring mountains and the Altay taiga.
Transfer: Pass Alataiskiy - bridge through river Sorvenok - settlement Urunhaika (lake Markakol) (20 km). On this site of way there are no gasoline stations. Arrival in settlement Urunhaika on coast of lake Markakol, accommodation in houses of local residents. Overnight.
15 Day. Markakol - settlement Terekty - settlement Zaisan (204 km).
Breakfast.  In way stop on pass of Marble 1317 meters above sea level. The stop on pass from here opens majestic panorama of vicinities, in the south in China barchans and sand of desert which borders by northern edge on territory of Kazakhstan are well looked through. In vicinities of settlement Moildy there is a boundary post, here check of documents and boundary misses. On this site of a way only in settlements Terekty and Zaisan is gasoline stations. Arrival in settlement Zaisan, accommodation in hotel, overnight.
16 Day. Zaisan - settlement Aksuat - settlement Tarbagatai - settlement Ayaguz (406 km).
Breakfast. Our way to large railway station Ayaguz lays through low mountains Tarbagatai, overgrow rare wood with short valleys in the north we see lake Zaisan stretched with southeast on northwest. On this site of way only in settlements Tarbagatai and Ayaguz there are gasoline stations. Arrival in settlement Ayaguz, accommodation in local hotel. Overnight.
17 Day. Ayaguz - settlement Urdzhar - settlement Makanchi - lake Zhalanashkol - lake Akkol - settlement Koktuma (427 km).
Breakfast. From Ayaguz our way lays on the south, to the ancient Kazakhstan lake Alakol located in 600 kilometers from Almaty. On this site of a way on line there are gasoline stations. Through 90 kilometers we turn on the east to settlement Urdzhar.
Further our way will result us in frontier settlement Makanchi from which we shall move to lake Zhalanashkol which during ancient times incorporated to lake Akkol, now it is separated from it by small isthmus. The further transfer on the western coast of lake Akkol on which tourist centers of rest have settled down, in one of which we stop. Arrival in vicinities of settlement Koktuma, accommodation in hotel. Overnight.
18 Day. Koktuma - settlement Usharal - settlement Aktogay - settlement Sayak - town Balkhash (558 km).
Breakfast. Our way from settlement Koktuma up to railway station Aktogai lays on asphalt road. After settlement Aktogai the soil road which will conduct us on northern coast up to mine Sayak on which begins extract copper ore for Balkhash metal works and by cargo trains deliver to factory.
From Aktogay up to the town of Balkhash we not meet anybody on our way, here seldom there are people and for the help to wait there is no place. In settlement Sayak there will be no automobile fuel. Arrival in the town of Balkhash, transfer to hotel, accommodation, overnight.
19 Day. Balkhash - settlement Saryshagan - settlement Shyganak - town Almaty (620 km).
Breakfast. Our way to Almaty lays in the beginning along northwest extremity of lake Balkhash and then is gradually dear turns on southeast to town Almaty. On all extent from the town of Balkhash up to Almaty there are gasoline stations. We pass the bridge through the river Kurty, lake Sorbulak which will be from us to the left of road. Arrival in Almaty, transfer to hotel, accommodation, overnight.
20 Day. Almaty.
Breakfast. Excursion across Almaty. Visiting of national historical museum, visiting of "Gold" room Saka, in this museum is gold Sakas which have been found at excavation of burial place of he Gold person on Issyk burial mound. After visiting museum of history visiting of the area of Republic on which is stela Independence of Republic Kazakhstan with stone sculpture of the Gold person. Visiting of park 28 guardsmen-panfilovsev, visiting Cathedral of the Ascension of architect Andrey Zenkova, visiting of memorial of Glory and eternal fire, visiting of museum of musical instruments.
Excursion on mountain the Kok-Tobe. Transfer to Cable way town station «Kok-Tobe» at palace of Republic. Rise on Cable way on mountain the Kok-Tobe of 1130 meters above sea level 1,7 km, 5 minutes. Walk in vicinities of mountain the Kok-Tobe.
From viewing platform which is, on northwest part of mountain the kind on town Almaty from height of the bird's flight opens. Visiting on mountain the Kok-Tobe: zoo (birds of prey, pheasants, peacocks, deers, llamas both other animals and birds), monument to group "The Beatles", shop of souvenirs, art gallery. Descent from mountain the Kok-Tobe on bus station. Transfer to natural boundary Medeo, walk to vicinities of skating rink Medeo. Returning in city. Sightseeing tour on town. Lunch and dinner in the local restaurant. Overnight in the hotel.
21 Day. Almaty - settlement Samsy - town Bishkek (235 km).
Breakfast. Transfer: Almaty - Check Point "Korday" (209 km). On way to Bishkek we overcome pass Kordai of 1233 meters above sea level. On site from Almaty up to the town of Bishkek in all settlements there are gasoline stations. In settlement Korday passage of formalities of the Kazakhstan and Kirghiz customs and boundary service on check point «Korday». Registration of insurance policies on vehicles.
Transfer: check point «Korday» - town of Bishkek (26 km).

Note:
Author program is Alexander Petrov. Copying and introduction -  from the sanction of the author  petrovsra@mail.ru

Alexander Petrov
photos by.