4 nights / 5 days · Kazakhstan
Alma Serene Walk
Four nights in Almaty spent almost entirely above the city — gorges, a gondola to 3,200 metres, a glacial lake and a canyon.
- Duration
- 4 nights / 5 days
- Where you stay
- Almaty
- Style
- Nature & hiking
- From
- AED 2,810per person
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About this trip
The shortest of the Kazakhstan packages and the one that stays out of doors. Every full day leaves the city: Butakovka's pine gorge and the Shymbulak gondola on the first, Hobbit Waterfall and Big Almaty Lake on the second, and a long run east to Kolsai and Charyn on the third.
It suits walkers and photographers more than shoppers. There is no city tour and no bazaar morning — if you want those, the five-night Charyn Canyon package covers the same mountains with two city days built around them.
What you go for
- Gondola to Shymbulak Level 3, at 3,200 metres
- Big Almaty Lake and the Hobbit Waterfall in one day
- Kolsai Lakes and Charyn Canyon, entry included
- Butakovka Gorge and the walking trails above Café Butakty
The route
Day by day
Times are the operator's planned schedule. They shift with the season, the light and the traffic on the day.
- Day 1
Arrival in Almaty
1600Arrive at Almaty
Your English-speaking guide meets you in the arrivals hall once immigration and baggage are cleared.
1700Transfer to your vehicle. Chocolates, refreshing napkins and Wi-Fi on board — ask your guide for the login.
1800Check in at your hotel.
2000Dinner at a restaurant of your choosing.
2200Hotel drop-off.
- Day 2
Butakovka Gorge and Shymbulak
0700Breakfast at the hotel.
1000Butakovka Gorge
A mountain valley under pine forest with walking trails and clean alpine air, half an hour above the city. Café Butakty sits at the top of the approach and is the natural stop for a coffee and the view.
Shymbulak, Level 3
The three-stage gondola climbs to 3,200 metres. At the top there is an observation deck with rotating binoculars, cafés and restaurants, and — in season — zip-lining, paragliding and horse riding. No skiing required.
1400Lunch at Shymbulak, or back in the city at a restaurant of your choosing.
2000Dinner at a restaurant of your choosing.
2200Hotel drop-off.
- Day 3
Hobbit Waterfall and Big Almaty Lake
0700Breakfast at the hotel.
1000Into the Ile-Alatau
The Hobbit Waterfall first, then Big Almaty Lake — a turquoise reservoir at 2,511 metres ringed by peaks, forty minutes from the city. The colour of the water shifts through the day, so the hour you arrive matters.
1400Lunch at an Indian restaurant.
2000Dinner at a restaurant of your choosing.
2200Hotel drop-off.
- Day 4
Kolsai Lakes and Charyn Canyon
0700Breakfast at the hotel.
0800East to the Tian Shan
A long day covering both of the region's set pieces — Charyn's Valley of Castles, cut by the river over roughly twelve million years, and the first of the Kolsai lakes in the Kungei-Alatau. Cafés and small restaurants near both.
1500Lunch at a local café before continuing to Kolsai (on your own account).
1630The drive back
Back to Almaty through mountain villages, alpine meadows and open valleys — the return leg is worth staying awake for.
2000Dinner at a restaurant of your choosing.
2200Hotel drop-off.
- Day 5
Departure
0400Packed breakfast and check-out.
0430Transfer to the airport for your flight home or onward.
Where you stay
Hotel options
Pick a line and the whole trip is costed against it, so you can see what the difference actually buys.
- 4★
- Astana International
AED 2,810per person
- 3★
- Astra Hotel
AED 2,865per person
- 4★
- Regardel Hotel
AED 2,975per person
- 4★
- Park Dedeman
AED 3,251per person
Per person, twin share. Land only — international flights are not included. Rates move with the season, the number of you travelling and the hotel line you choose, so we confirm the final figure against your dates before anything is booked.
The detail
What is included
Included
- Airport meet and greet.
- Chocolates and refreshing napkins served on board your vehicle.
- Complimentary Wi-Fi on board every vehicle.
- Daily breakfast.
- Private vehicle with driver throughout the trip.
- Vehicle and guide at your disposal for nine hours daily (1000–1900).
- Sightseeing as set out in the day-by-day above.
- Two bottles of water per person, per day.
- Hotel taxes.
- Four nights in Almaty at your choice of the hotels above.
- Gondola tickets to Shymbulak, Level 3.
- Butakovka Gorge, including pedestrian entry.
- Day trip to the Hobbit Waterfall and Big Almaty Lake.
- Day trip to Kolsai Lakes and Charyn Canyon, entry included.
- English-speaking driver-cum-guide for two to four travelling; a dedicated guide for six to ten.
Not included
- Flights.
- Meals other than those listed above.
- Expenses of a personal nature.
Meal upgrades
- Indian meals
- USD 13 per person per meal, for groups of eight and above.
- International set menu
- USD 35 per person per meal, lunch only, Monday to Friday.
Entry rules, tourism taxes and health requirements change without notice and depend on your passport. Everything above is confirmed by our operations desk before your booking is finalised.
Also consider
Other trips in Almaty
Nature & hikingAlmaty with Alma-ArasanThe widest sweep of landscape on offer — singing dunes at Altyn Emel, Charyn, Kolsai, the Alma-Arasan gorge and a falconry show.FromAED 3,497pp5 nights / 6 daysDay by day
Classic cityAlmaty with a ViewFour nights in the city: the gondola to 3,200 metres, Zenkov Cathedral, an evening on Kok Tobe and a morning in the Green Bazaar.FromAED 2,270pp4 nights / 5 daysDay by day
HoneymoonAlmaty in LoveA couples' build on the standard week — a two-hour photoshoot in the mountains, a limousine evening, and a day left empty.FromAED 4,389pp5 nights / 6 daysDay by dayEnquire
Price Alma Serene Walk
Tell us your dates and who's travelling. We'll price every hotel line above against them and rebuild the days if you want them rebuilt.