Destination: Kazakhstan
Route: Almaty - Shymkent - Turkestan - Kyzyl-Orda - Baikonur -Kzyl Orda– Astana
Duration: 9 days/8 nights

Land Cost: $4799-$5499

2012 Scheduled Small Group Tours:

February 14-22, 2012

April 09-17, 2012

August 20-28, 2012

Day 01 Almaty - Shymkent
Arrival in Almaty. Breakfast. Sightseeing tour: Panfilov Park, the Cathedral, the museum of national musical instruments. Explore Medeo gorge. Transfer by car to railway-station of Almaty and take overnight  train to Shymkent city.
Day 02 Shymkent - Turkestan
Arrival in Shymkent. Breakfast. Sightseeing drive to Shaulder village – Otrar ruins. Discover the Otrar ruins and visit Arstanbab mausoleum (XII c.). Drive to Turkestan city (64 km). Accommodation at the hotel. Dinner at the national home with folklore show.

Day 03 Turkestan - Kzyl-Orda
Breakfast. Visit Akhmed Yassavi complex which includes mausoleums, mosques and Turkish hammams. Drive to Kzyl-Orda city (296 km) through ancient fortress of Turkestan. Photo opportunities in Sairan which was once the capital of White Orda. Accommodation. Dinner at local restaurant.

Day 04 Kzyl-Orda - Baikonur
Breakfast. Visit railway-station tour and explore Kzyl-Orda ancient city located in the heart of Silk Road. From 1925 to 1929 years Kzyl-Orda was the capital of Kazakhstan. Sightseeing drive to Baikonur (267 km). through the ancient settlement Korkyt-Ata, the museum city. This architectural complex is dedicated to philosopher and thinker of Kazakh people, founder of Kazakh stringed and bow music, Korkyt-Ata. Arrival in Baikonur. Accommodation. Dinner at the national house.

Day 05 Baikonur
Discover Baikonur cosmodrome including the complex “Proton”, “Energia” (Energy) rocket and space ship “Buran”. Transfer by car to the test complex of carrier-rocket “Soyuz”. Drive to Gagarin's start, named after the famous cosmonaut. Sightseeing tour: the museum, the memorial house of Gagarin and memorial house of general constructor Sergey Korolev . Dinner.

Day 06 Baikonur
Walking along the alley of cosmonauts, visit to the sports center of cosmonauts. Contunue the sightseeing tour around Baikonur city. Visit the museum of cosmodrome history, monuments to pioneers, Yuriy Gagarin, General Shubnikov (head of Baikonur city construction), General Nedelin. Visit the international space school, City Square and Gagarin's summerhouse near Syr-Darya river

Day 07 Baikonur - Kzyl Orda

Drive to Kzyl Orda. Opportunity to photograph the beautiful valleys of Kazakhstan. Arrival. Take a flight to Astana.

Day 08 Astana

Visit administrative center of Astana on the left bank of Esil River, the Presidents Residence "Oq Orda", the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation, symbol of Astana "Bayterek". Farewell dinner.

Day 9 Departure

This tour program includes: