5-Day Lake Balkhash & Bektau-Ata Desert Tour from Almaty
Almaty5 jours
- Annulation gratuite
À propos de cette expérience
Lake Balkhash is one of the oddest bodies of water anywhere: 600 kilometres long, split by a narrow strait, and fresh at the western end while the eastern half is salt. It sits in the middle of nowhere, six hours north of Almaty, with sand beaches, warm shallow water and some of the best fishing in Kazakhstan. An hour further on, the Bektau-Ata massif rises straight out of flat desert — a pink granite intrusion full of caves, a hidden crater lake, and rock shapes that have made it a place of pilgrimage. This five-day private tour combines the two, with a night camping under the granite.
Why you will remember this trip
Swim in Lake Balkhash, warm and shallow, on beaches that are usually empty
Cross to the strait where the lake changes from fresh water to salt
Climb into the caves of the Bektau-Ata granite massif, including the Aulie-Tas cave
Find the hidden lake inside the Bektau-Ata crater, reached on foot through the rocks
Camp a night among the granite, with a sky that justifies the whole drive
Eat Balkhash pike-perch, the lake fish that ends up on Almaty menus
Your 5 days
Day 1 — Arrive in Almaty and an easy first evening in the city
Day 2 — North across the steppe to Lake Balkhash and the southern beaches
Day 3 — A full day on the lake — boat trip, fishing and the fresh-to-salt strait
Day 4 — The Bektau-Ata granite massif, its caves and crater lake, and a night camping
Day 5 — The drive back to Almaty and departure
Private from start to finish
Balkhash and Bektau-Ata have no organised tourism at all. There is no guided access, no visitor centre and very little accommodation. This tour is possible because the vehicle, the camp and the local contacts are arranged in advance, and because your driver knows which tracks off the Almaty–Karaganda highway actually go anywhere.
Prochaines dates disponibles
Ce qui est inclus
- Private air-conditioned vehicle with a professional driver for the whole itinerary
- Private English-speaking guide throughout the touring days
- 4 nights' accommodation with daily breakfast, as described in the itinerary
- Arrival and departure transfers at Almaty International Airport (ALA)
- All fuel, road tolls, parking and driver expenses
- Bottled drinking water in the vehicle every day
- Private 4x4 for the desert and lake-shore tracks
- One night of full-service camping at Bektau-Ata, with tents, bedding and a camp cook
- All meals on Days 2, 3 and 4
- A half-day boat and fishing trip on Lake Balkhash
- Swimming and beach equipment for the lake days
Non inclus
- International flights to and from Almaty
- Kazakhstan visa, where your nationality requires one
- Lunches and dinners, unless individually listed as included
- Travel and medical insurance, which we strongly recommend
- Personal expenses, laundry, minibar and telephone charges
- Gratuities for your guide and driver, which are at your discretion
Itinéraire
- 1
Arrival in Almaty
Your driver meets you at Almaty airport. The first afternoon is deliberately gentle before a long drive tomorrow. Panfilov Park and Zenkov Cathedral — the wooden cathedral and the shaded park at the centre of the old city. Green Bazaar — provisions for the road, and a first look at what Kazakhstan eats. Briefing — the route north, the camp night and what to pack for the lake. Overnight in Almaty.
- 2
The drive north to Balkhash
A long, genuinely empty drive north on the Almaty–Karaganda road, with the steppe changing character as you go. The Kapchagay reservoir — the first big water, on the Ili river north of Almaty. Saryesik-Atyrau desert — hours of sand and saxaul, with camels beside the road. Arrival at Balkhash — the first sight of the lake, which from the shore looks like a sea. Evening swim — the southern beaches are sand, shallow and warm well into September. Overnight at Lake Balkhash.
- 3
Lake Balkhash
The whole day on and beside the water. Boat trip — out onto the lake, including the Uzynaral strait area where the western fresh water meets the eastern salt. Fishing — pike-perch and carp, with tackle provided. The catch can be cooked for you on the shore. Empty beaches — long stretches of sand with nobody on them, which is the real luxury here. Sunset over the water — the lake runs east to west, so the sun sets along it. Overnight at Lake Balkhash.
- 4
Bektau-Ata
West of the lake, a mountain of pink granite pushes straight out of flat desert. The approach — the massif is visible for an hour before you reach it, which gives a fair sense of how flat everything else is. Aulie-Tas cave — the largest of the caves in the massif, long used as a shelter and a place of pilgrimage. The crater lake — a small lake hidden inside the rock bowl, reached on foot through a granite defile. The rock forms — weathered granite shaped into towers, mushrooms and arches across the whole massif. Camp — pitched among the rocks, with dinner cooked on site and an exceptional night sky. Overnight camping at Bektau-Ata.
- 5
Return to Almaty and departure
South again, timed to your flight. Sunrise at Bektau-Ata — the granite goes properly pink for about twenty minutes. The drive south — back across the desert and the Kapchagay reservoir. Almaty — a shower and a late lunch at a day-use room if your flight is in the evening. Airport transfer — to Almaty airport for your onward flight. End of the tour.
Bon à savoir
- Difficulté
- Facile
- Guidage
- Visite guidée en anglais
- Heures de départ
- 12:00
À savoir avant de partir
- A clear copy of the passport of every traveller, at least 7 days before arrival
- Your inbound and outbound flight numbers and times, so we can meet you correctly
- Comfortable closed walking shoes; the itinerary includes uneven ground
- Sun protection: hat, sunglasses and a high-factor sunscreen
- A reasonable level of general fitness for the walking described in the itinerary
- Warm layers — Kazakhstan's temperature swings sharply between day and night
- Swimwear and a quick-dry towel
- Shoes with grip for the granite
Conditions d'annulation
Annulation gratuite jusqu'à 14 jours avant le début de l'expérience.
- 14 jours ou plus avant : remboursement intégral
- De 7 à 13 jours avant : remboursement de 50 %
- Moins de 7 jours avant : aucun remboursement
Point de rendez-vous
Voir sur la carte
Almaty Airport (ALA) arrivals hall
- Adresse
- Almaty International Airport (ALA), arrivals hall, Almaty, 050039, KZ
- Modalités de rendez-vous
- Rendez-vous sur place
- Coordonnées
- 43.35210, 77.04050
Carte illustrative. Ouvrez-la dans Maps pour le point exact et l’itinéraire en direct.
Avis de voyageurs
Soyez parmi les premiers à donner votre avis sur cette expérience.
Questions fréquentes
Combien de temps dure cette expérience ?
Elle dure 5 jours.
Puis-je annuler cette réservation ?
Annulation gratuite jusqu'à 14 jours avant le début de l'expérience. 14 jours ou plus avant : remboursement intégral · De 7 à 13 jours avant : remboursement de 50 % · Moins de 7 jours avant : aucun remboursement
Cette expérience est-elle guidée, et dans quelle langue ?
Visite guidée en anglais
La prise en charge à l’hôtel est-elle incluse ?
Non — vous vous rendez par vos propres moyens au point de rendez-vous.
Où commence cette expérience ?
Elle commence à Almaty Airport (ALA) arrivals hall, Almaty International Airport (ALA), arrivals hall, Almaty, 050039, KZ.
À partir de 10 622 AED par personne
