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This rugged area is an important habitat of the elusive snow leopard, among other rare species. It contains Mt Talgar, the highest peak in the Zailiysky Alatau at 4979m (16330ft), which takes experienced climbers four days to climb. You're supposed to have special permits to enter the reserve but, in practice, no-one seems to be checking.
(E of Talgar, 45km E of Almaty)
bus from Sayakhat bus station in Almaty to Talgar
water taxi from Talgar
| full | Tenge 200.00 |
These three pretty green lakes lie amid the steep forested foothills of the Küngey Alatau. The lakes are strung along the Köl-Say river at an altitude of around 2000m (6560ft). The camping and trout fishing are great. June and August are the best months to visit, but keep a close eye on the weather.
Travellers can arrange helicopter excursions to the lakes from Almaty or reach them overland from Saty; the lower lake is accessible by vehicle but you're better off hiring horses in Saty. It's possible to trek from the pastures of the middle lake over the 3200m (10500ft) Sary-Bulak pass to the Kyrgyzstan village of Balbay on the shore of Lake Issyk-Kul but you will need to arrange a border pass. By horse this can be done in a day; on foot it takes two days. From the pass there are fantastic views north towards the Kazakh steppe and south into the Issyk-Kul basin.
(110km SE of Almaty)
The revered Sufi teacher and Turkic mystical poet was born east of Shymkent in 1103, but lived most of his life in Turkistan until his death in about 1166. His tomb was already a place of pilgrimage when Timur constructed a grand mausoleum in the 1390s. Restoration work has been funded mainly by the Turkish government.
(165km NW of Shymkent)
bus several daily from Shymkent, also from Kyzylorda
| full | Tenge 200.00 |
Kazakhstan's capital was a tiny mining town until the 1950s, when Krushchev announced his Virgin Lands scheme to turn vast areas of Kazakhstan steppe into wheat and cotton fields. Astana became the project's capital and became the centre of an important grain-growing region.
Known as Aqmola until 1998, the capital was shifted from Almaty to Astana in December 1997 amid almost universal reluctance. President Nazarbaev cited Astana's more central and less earthquake-prone location and better rail links with Russia among its advantages.
It's a friendly and fairly low-rise town, with some attractive tree-lined streets, but it's prone to strong steppe winds. The population is around 70% Russian, Ukrainian and German, and 30% Kazakh. There are no plans to move embassies and consulates from Almaty, so the only reason you're likely to end up in Astana is if your train passes through. If you're deadset on getting there, daily flights go to/from Almaty. Buses run to/from Qaraghandy and other regional centres.
The greatest attraction for rough-n-tough travellers to Kazakstan are the 4000m(13,120ft)-plus peaks of the Zailiysky Alatau and the Küngey Alatau, two spurs of the Tian Shan which run east-west between Almaty and Lake Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyzstan.
This beautiful region of glaciers, wild rivers and steep valleys used by nomadic herders as summer pasture is great trekking territory. There are dozens of trails of varying length and difficulty, including hikes right over the range to Lake Issyk-Kul; Almaty travel agents can arrange a guide.
Be prepared for variable weather, a summer snowline hovering around 4000m (13,120ft) and bandits. There may also be complications if you intend to trek over the border and don't have a border stamp. The trekking season lasts from June to September. Most trekkers go by 4WD to the Ozyorny pass and head off from there.
