Connect with Kazakhstan's vibrant culture, breathtaking landscapes and ancient traditions on this unforgettable 5-day Nauryz tour. Celebrate the joy of spring at the Nauryz festivities in Almaty, where lively music, traditional games and tantalising cuisine bring the city to life. Step into the world of ancient nomads at the Nomad Ethnic Center, marvel at the dramatic beauty of the Charyn Canyon and explore the majestic Ili Alatau Mountains. From panoramic city views and bustling bazaars to the impressive falconry displays, every moment is filled with adventure and discovery.
Tour itinerary:
Arrival at Almaty International airport. After passing border control and collecting luggage, you will be met by a local guide holding your nameplate. Transfer to the hotel, early check in.
At 11 am meet your guide to start sightseeing tour in Almaty on a National Nauryz Holiday. Nauryz (or Nawruz) is an old celebration of coming of spring (dated from 550 BC), meaning “new day”. It is still being celebrated around the world, but mostly by Turkic ethnicities and in Central Asia region. In 2009 Nauryz was included in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Nauryz symbolizes a new period, full of bright colors, sunshine and warm weather. Kazakhstan citizens await this holiday with love and follow its traditions, and you have a chance to witness it yourselves. During a public a holiday of Nauryz, people go out to gather together in local square to take part in different activities, such as singing and dancing, watching competition between folk poets, taking part in different active games like traditional wrestling or powerlifting, playing logic games, watching traditional equestrian games (in the villages) and, of course, no celebration takes place without a feast. Make sure you try “Nauryz kozhe” – a very traditional soup of this holiday, consisting of 7 ingredients.
In Almaty huge public areas are organized by the Goverment, where you can see artists, dancers, traditional yurts, souvenir kiosks and food courts to enjoy oriental cuisine.
Visit the city’s old center with one of the main sites that best highlight Almaty’s history. The first stop is Park of 28 Panfilov soldiers – named after the division during WWII, formed of men from the Almaty region under command of General Ivan Panfilov. The Park itself is popular among locals and guests of the city. Inside the park visitors will find the eternal flame, memorials of different heroic characters, the Ascension Cathedral – Russian Orthodox wooden church that magically withstood a strong earthquake in XX century, and Museum of musical instruments, where you can admire the collection over 1000 exhibits including rare exhibits dating back to XVII century.
Just in a walking distance, you can enjoy another touristic attraction of Almaty – “Green Bazaar” or green market. This is a perfect way to experience the true Eastern market, where you can find main delicacies of different nations living in Kazakhstan.
Today’s last stop is Kok Tobe, a park located at an altitude of 1,100 meters on the green hill. Take a ride in a comfortable cable car and within 10 minutes you are admiring the magnificent panoramic view of the city.
Once we come down from the hill, we are going back to the hotel by 8 pm. Overnight at the hotel.
Meals: breakfast
At 11 am meet your guide to start sightseeing tour in Almaty on a National Nauryz Holiday. Nauryz (or Nawruz) is an old celebration of coming of spring (dated from 550 BC), meaning “new day”. It is still being celebrated around the world, but mostly by Turkic ethnicities and in Central Asia region. In 2009 Nauryz was included in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Nauryz symbolizes a new period, full of bright colors, sunshine and warm weather. Kazakhstan citizens await this holiday with love and follow its traditions, and you have a chance to witness it yourselves. During a public a holiday of Nauryz, people go out to gather together in local square to take part in different activities, such as singing and dancing, watching competition between folk poets, taking part in different active games like traditional wrestling or powerlifting, playing logic games, watching traditional equestrian games (in the villages) and, of course, no celebration takes place without a feast. Make sure you try “Nauryz kozhe” – a very traditional soup of this holiday, consisting of 7 ingredients.
In Almaty huge public areas are organized by the Goverment, where you can see artists, dancers, traditional yurts, souvenir kiosks and food courts to enjoy oriental cuisine.
Visit the city’s old center with one of the main sites that best highlight Almaty’s history. The first stop is Park of 28 Panfilov soldiers – named after the division during WWII, formed of men from the Almaty region under command of General Ivan Panfilov. The Park itself is popular among locals and guests of the city. Inside the park visitors will find the eternal flame, memorials of different heroic characters, the Ascension Cathedral – Russian Orthodox wooden church that magically withstood a strong earthquake in XX century, and Museum of musical instruments, where you can admire the collection over 1000 exhibits including rare exhibits dating back to XVII century.
Just in a walking distance, you can enjoy another touristic attraction of Almaty – “Green Bazaar” or green market. This is a perfect way to experience the true Eastern market, where you can find main delicacies of different nations living in Kazakhstan.
Today’s last stop is Kok Tobe, a park located at an altitude of 1,100 meters on the green hill. Take a ride in a comfortable cable car and within 10 minutes you are admiring the magnificent panoramic view of the city.
Once we come down from the hill, we are going back to the hotel by 8 pm. Overnight at the hotel.
Meals: breakfast
Breakfast at the hotel.
Departure to Kazakh Ethnic Center “Nomad” (1 hour).
Ready to travel through time? Step into the world of ancient nomads and experience life as it was centuries ago! At the Nomad Ethnic Center, you’ll find yourself transported to a world where warriors ruled the steppes, eagles soared overhead, and every moment was filled with the spirit of adventure. This isn’t just a glimpse into history—it’s a chance to live it. Saddle up, embrace the thrill, and dive into the heart of Kazakhstan’s legendary nomadic culture.
Activities during the day:
NOMAD: STEP BACK INTO ANCIENT TIMES
11:00 – Horseback Experience: "Nomadic Warfare”
Transfer to the hotel. Free time. Overnight.
Meals: breakfast, lunch
Departure to Kazakh Ethnic Center “Nomad” (1 hour).
Ready to travel through time? Step into the world of ancient nomads and experience life as it was centuries ago! At the Nomad Ethnic Center, you’ll find yourself transported to a world where warriors ruled the steppes, eagles soared overhead, and every moment was filled with the spirit of adventure. This isn’t just a glimpse into history—it’s a chance to live it. Saddle up, embrace the thrill, and dive into the heart of Kazakhstan’s legendary nomadic culture.
Activities during the day:
NOMAD: STEP BACK INTO ANCIENT TIMES
11:00 – Horseback Experience: "Nomadic Warfare”
- Discover the ancient armor and weapons of the nomads.
- Watch live demonstrations of attacks using bows, spears, and swords.
- See how archery on horseback was mastered by nomads.
- Enjoy traditional horse games like kokpar, jigitovka, and audaryspaq.
- Eagle Hunter Show: Watch in awe as a golden eagle takes to the sky, skillfully directed by its Berkutchi. You’ll even get a chance to engage with these magnificent birds up close, feeling the excitement of this ancient tradition!
12:15 – Get Involved - Hop on a horse, try shooting a bow, and even put on some real nomadic armor!
13:15 – Traditional Lunch
14:15 – Explore the Nomadic Yurt - Step inside a real yurt and find out how nomads lived in these incredible homes.
Transfer to the hotel. Free time. Overnight.
Meals: breakfast, lunch
Early breakfast at the hotel.
07:30 Departure from Almaty to Charyn Canyon. (200 km)
Why is it so early? It allows maximum coverage of both canyons and the viewing platforms. Regular bus tour includes visit to Valley of Castles only, whereas our Jeep tour covers, at least, four more breathtaking places that capture your imagination in the canyons.
Panoramic site - Valley of Castles at Charyn Canyon.
We leave the cars in the parking lot at the descent into the canyon of Valley of Castles. Take a bottle of drinking water and let’s walk down into the gorge. It is a leisurely trek with some stops (50 minutes) at the Charyn river (2 km one way). The tour guide tells you about the differences of Charyn. A short stop (15 minutes) at the river in the shade of trees, you can photograph there and then we return back to the cars (1 hour since it is uphill). 10 min. break beside the cars and then leaving to discover other fascinating landscapes.
Lunch boxes are included.
Departure to Lunar Canyon.
Lunar canyon abounds with streams and small waterfalls. The road to the river is full of small rocky obstacles. After visiting the canyon, we visit a view point - Lunar Canyon panorama, top view. Passages are carried out on dirt roads, sometimes there are obstacles, surmountable by car with large clearance only.
Descent inside the Canyon and 20 min. stop to walk around.
Visiting the location - Stone shelf (12 km), location - Napoleon (4 km), location - Austrian view (2 km)
After exploring the area, we head back to the parking and drive back to Almaty city.
Meals: breakfast, lunch
07:30 Departure from Almaty to Charyn Canyon. (200 km)
Why is it so early? It allows maximum coverage of both canyons and the viewing platforms. Regular bus tour includes visit to Valley of Castles only, whereas our Jeep tour covers, at least, four more breathtaking places that capture your imagination in the canyons.
Panoramic site - Valley of Castles at Charyn Canyon.
We leave the cars in the parking lot at the descent into the canyon of Valley of Castles. Take a bottle of drinking water and let’s walk down into the gorge. It is a leisurely trek with some stops (50 minutes) at the Charyn river (2 km one way). The tour guide tells you about the differences of Charyn. A short stop (15 minutes) at the river in the shade of trees, you can photograph there and then we return back to the cars (1 hour since it is uphill). 10 min. break beside the cars and then leaving to discover other fascinating landscapes.
Lunch boxes are included.
Departure to Lunar Canyon.
Lunar canyon abounds with streams and small waterfalls. The road to the river is full of small rocky obstacles. After visiting the canyon, we visit a view point - Lunar Canyon panorama, top view. Passages are carried out on dirt roads, sometimes there are obstacles, surmountable by car with large clearance only.
Descent inside the Canyon and 20 min. stop to walk around.
Visiting the location - Stone shelf (12 km), location - Napoleon (4 km), location - Austrian view (2 km)
After exploring the area, we head back to the parking and drive back to Almaty city.
Meals: breakfast, lunch
Breakfast at the hotel. Today we are going to explore the city’s main landmarks – the Ili Alatau mountains.
The National Park of Ili Alatau was founded in 1996, the park extends for 120km and the total area is 202,292 hectares. The altitude varies from 600 to 5,000 meters.
Medeo is an essential part of the Ili Alatau Park and it is a historical object of Almaty’s development as a city. Located at the height of 1,690 meters, the Medeo skating rink is the highest rink location in the world. However, our main purpose of visit is Shymbulak – a mountain resort located at the elevation of 2,260 meters above sea level. In 1950s, ski lovers used to climb the mountain for 3 hours for a 15 minutes’ descent. Nowadays, it is a developed resort with high-level equipment and infrastructure.
After lunch, we are going to visit the only falcon farm in Kazakhstan – “Sunkar”, where you will enjoy a spectacular show with specially trained hawks - hunting with them is one of the unique features of the Kazakh way of life. Five species of predators including golden and bold eagles, owl, vulture, and falcon take part in the show and interact with the spectators.
Transfer to the hotel. Free time. Overnight.
Meals: breakfast
The National Park of Ili Alatau was founded in 1996, the park extends for 120km and the total area is 202,292 hectares. The altitude varies from 600 to 5,000 meters.
Medeo is an essential part of the Ili Alatau Park and it is a historical object of Almaty’s development as a city. Located at the height of 1,690 meters, the Medeo skating rink is the highest rink location in the world. However, our main purpose of visit is Shymbulak – a mountain resort located at the elevation of 2,260 meters above sea level. In 1950s, ski lovers used to climb the mountain for 3 hours for a 15 minutes’ descent. Nowadays, it is a developed resort with high-level equipment and infrastructure.
After lunch, we are going to visit the only falcon farm in Kazakhstan – “Sunkar”, where you will enjoy a spectacular show with specially trained hawks - hunting with them is one of the unique features of the Kazakh way of life. Five species of predators including golden and bold eagles, owl, vulture, and falcon take part in the show and interact with the spectators.
Transfer to the hotel. Free time. Overnight.
Meals: breakfast
Price includes:
- 5 nights’ Hotel accommodation on BB (DBL/TWN shared) in Almaty;
- Meals: 5 breakfasts at the hotels, 1 lunch at ethno-village, 1 lunch box to the canyon;
- All airport transfers;
- Private A/C transport with driver as per program:
8-14 pax – minibus up to 18 seats;
15 pax and more coach up to 48 seats. - JEEP TOUR to Charyn Canyon 3/5 pax in a car ;
- Locals English - speaking guides services;
- Entrance fees to sites listed;
- Ecological fees;
- Cable car to Medeo and Talgar Pass;
- Mineral water 1L p/p daily.
Price doesn't include:
- International air tickets;
- Meal: full board: + 2 lunches and 4 dinners: 180 USD per person;
- Tips and gratuities;
- Any services not included in the above itinerary.
Recommendations when planning your trip:
Museums in Almaty and Falcon show are closed on Mondays;
Temperature is different in and outside the city; therefore, warm clothes are needed when travel outside.
Important:
- Some changes are allowed in the program, except reduction of number of booked excursions.
- In case place of visit is closed to visitors it will be replaced with an alternative. During big events proposed accommodation may be changed and replaced with a similar category.
- Sequence of itinerary and hotels given is subject to change without prior notice.
- Hotel booking is subject to availability. No reservations are made before confirmation and 100% prepayment received from client.
- Domestic flights are subject to change in timing and availability. If mentioned flight is not available, it will be changed to convenient one, depending on tour program.
- Proposed hotels are not available; it will be substituted with another hotel of same category.
Prices, per person
Prices are for 2025 in US$ per person, with discounted prices for larger groups available on request.
Accommodation
Tour Request
Nauryz Tour in Kazakhstan Reviews
No tour reviews have been posted yet.
