Oases of the Kazakh Steppes

The Karkaraly and the Kent Mountains, located within the bounds of the Karkaraly National Nature Park, are one of the most popular pleasure resorts among the inhabitants of Central Kazakhstan. This is especially true about the Karkaraly mountains, which have not only mountain peaks and pine forests, but also various lakes at tourists’ disposal.

The flora and fauna of the national park are quite remarkable. Under the protection of the State such rare or endangered species as the Argali, Black stork, Golden eagle, Eagle-own, Booted eagle and Orsini’s viper can be found here. Marals, wild boars, roe deer and elks are also widely spread. As for the flora, the most interesting species are the Karkaraly barberry, peat moss, Kyrgyz birch, poppy and Spring Adonis.

The primitive man appeared in this territory quite a long time ago. Numerous archaeological finds, such as Kent settlement of the Bronze age, numerous Scythian burial mounds and monuments of the Zhungar-Kazakh wars period serve as a proof of this. One of the most famous monuments is the so-called Kent palace. The town of Karkaralinsk is also of particular interest. Founded in 1824 as a Cossack village, it comprises a lot of sights, dating back to the pre-revolutionary period, as well as the Civil war period, which followed the October revolution.

Program of the tour

Day 1.
Journey from Karaganda city to Karkaralinsk (230 km, 4 hours). Accommodation in the hotel, lunch. Excursion to the local museum of nature and wild animals enclosure, where one can see deer, yaks, wild boars, fallow-deer, bisons etc. Journey to the 3 caves district, a short walking tour to the caves, where the early man site was found. Coming back to the hotel, dinner.

Day 2.
Breakfast. Journey to the foot of the Karkaraly mountains (19 km, 30 min.). Half-day walking tour around the mountains, visiting Lake Shaitankol, as well as ascent to the top of the Obzornaya pick (also known as the Medved, 1343 metres above sea level), from where you can have a wonderful view of the whole of the mountain and forest oasis, including its highest point – the Karkaraly peak (also known as the Komsomolsky peak). The total ascent is about 250 metres. Coming back to town, lunch. Excursion around the town and to the Museum of Local lore. Dinner.

Day 3.
Breakfast. Journey from Karkaralinsk town to Kassym Amanzholov village (52 km, 1 hour). Visiting the 40 lakes district and abandoned gem mine (14 km, 30-min-long drive), followed by a 2-hour-long walking tour). Lunch. Half-day excursion to the Kyzylkenysh river valley (15 km, 40 min), where the so-called Kent palace (Buddhist temple of the Kazakh-Zhungar wars period) is situated, as well as the site of the ancient settlement Kent, dating back to the Bronze age. Way to the camp of archaeologists, who do the archaeological dig of the ancient settlement (6 km, 15 min). Dinner.

Day 4.
Breakfast. Journey to the Kimasar place (62 km, 2 hours).Walking around, exploring the House of forester. Bathing in the lake, lunch by the lakeside. Coming back to Karaganda (235 km, 4 hours). Dinner.

Cost per person

The above-mentioned prices include: all the journeys by all-wheel drive minibus according to the program of the tour, services of a driver and an English-speaking guide-interpreter, accommodation in a hotel, in guesthouses (double and triple rooms available), three meals a day (in guesthouses or in the field), visiting the museums mentioned in the program.

The above-mentioned prices do not include: visa expenses and consular fees, insurance, the price of getting to the starting point of the route (Karaganda city) and back. 

If required the tour can be adapted according to the schedule of arrival and departure flights of the participants. In this case the cost of the tour may slightly change.

DISCLAIMER
The program of the tour might be changed due to the force majeure circumstances, including (but not limited to):
– official prohibitions on visiting specially protected areas (national parks, reserves, sanctuaries, etc.) due to epizootics or epidemics, fire-setting and other reasons;
– official prohibitions on visiting sites, located in the territory of the former Semipalatinsk nuclear test site and Kurchatov town, Saryshagan test site, Baikonur city and Cosmodrome site, and other areas with limited access;
– cancellation/postponement of plane, train and other transfers;
– extreme weather conditions (steppe fire, snowstorms, lasting rainstorms, etc.) and its consequences (washed out roads, snow drifts, damaged bridges, etc.);
– traffic restrictions (closures);
– other natural and administrative circumstances beyond the control of the company “Nomadic Travel Kazakhstan”.