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Silk Road Tour

EXCLUSIVE 5 DAYS TRIP

Experience the essence of Kazakhstan with Aveneer

 

INTRODUCTION

Many do not know that Kazakhstan played an important role in the Silk Road. The main route of the Great Silk Road ran through the south of the country, from the Chinese border, trade caravans moved through the cities of Sayram, Yassy, Otyrar, Taraz further to Central Asia, Persia, the Caucasus and from there to Europe. Cities as old as several thousand years in the South of Kazakhstan that once were major points of the Silk Road are still existing today.

During this tour, you will explore the main cities that The Silk Road run through. Taraz is first in the list, situated 520 kilometers West of Almaty, the city as old as 2000 years. The breath of antiquity is felt everywhere here, mausoleums, bazaars, and caravanserai are popular tourist places.

Next stop is Aksu Zhabagly nature reserve - the oldest reserve in Central Asia. There will be a car-walking tour to the reserve, which lies in an amazingly picturesque place on the foothills of north-west Tien Shan. You will have a picnic in Aksu Canyon and stay overnight in the guest house by the reserve.

On the next day, we will take you to Otyrar, a ghost town. Once blooming and important city, Otyrar was among the largest trade and cultural centers on the Great Silk Road, besieged by Genghis Khan for 5 months and finally destroyed today is a major archaeological and tourist site. 1500 years old Turkestan is the final city of the tour. The city of Turkestan played a significant role in the history of the Kazakh state. It served as the residence of Kazakh khans, was a major religious center. Khodja Ahmed Yasawi mausoleum  - the main attraction of the city. A monument of medieval architecture, built by the Emir Timur. The magnificent majestic mausoleum and necropolis with the Yasawi Khanqah are the objects of pilgrimage, visited annually by thousands of people.

 

 

Best time to travel

March - November

 

Silk Road Tour:

WHAT’S INCLUDED

  • ENGLISH SPEAKING GUIDE
  • MEALS UNLESS OTHERWISE
    SPECIFIED
  • TRANSPORT 
  • HISTORICAL AND NATURE SIGHTS
  • ENTRANCE TICKETS FOR SIGHTSEEING OBJECTS
  • ACCOMMODATION

SUGGESTED ITINERARY

5 DAYS  4 NIGHTS

HIGHLIGHTS: 

  • Almaty
  • Green Bazaar
  • Taraz and sights
  • Aksu-Zhabagly nature reserve
  • Otyrar
  • Arystan Bab mausoleum
  • Turkestan
  • Khodja Ahmed Yasawi mausoleum

INCLUDED: 

  • Accommodation in 3* hotel and in guest house;
  • English speaking tour guide throughout the journey
  • All Meals
  • Transport services along the whole route
  • Entrance tickets for sightseeing objects according to the program
  • 24/7 concierge Company services

NOT INCLUDED: 

  • Railway tickets
  • Alcohol beverages
  • Insurance
  • Personal expenses and expenses not indicated above
Day 1

Your English speaking tour guide will meet and greet you at Arrivals and escort you to your private vehicle waiting outside. Accommodation in 3* hotel.

 

Day 2

Your guide will greet you at the lobby of your hotel and escort you to your vehicle waiting outside. You will then set off for Green Bazaar - Almaty's largest farmers market, is situated in the heart of the city. Guests will have the opportunity to taste and purchase local produce such as honey, fruits, and spices. Almaty is known as the city there apples had first originated! Its former name "Alma-Ata" literally means "the grandfather of apples", so be sure to taste the variety of apples available on display. Guests will have approximately 1 hour to explore the market. After the Green Bazaar, we will catch a train to Taraz and upon arrival to accommodate to a local hotel, have dinner in one of the finest restaurants in the city and rest.

 

Day 3

Breakfast and Taraz bus tour. Visiting unique architectural monuments of the Middle Ages. Have lunch and visit Akyrtas palace complex, located 45 km away from Taraz. Return to Taraz, have dinner and rest in the hotel.

 

 

Day 4

Breakfast and hit in the direction of the Aksu-Zhabagly nature reserve. Check-in to a guest house and have reserve tour with a picnic. Dine in reserve cafe and rest.

 

Day 5

Breakfast and Otyrar transfer. Exploring the ancient city and visiting Arystan Bab mausoleum, then drive to Turkestan. Lunch in Turkestan and visit Khodja Ahmed Yasawi mausoleum. Dinner and drive to Shymkent to get a train to Almaty

 

 

 

 

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BEFOREYOUGO

Getting in

The most convenient way to get to Kazakhstan is to take a flight to one of the two largest cities, Almaty or Astana.  Kazakhstan's national airline "AirAstana" offers direct flights from the following cities: Urumqi, Beijing, Seoul, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Delhi, Dubai, Tehran, Baku, Tbilisi, Antalya, Istanbul, Kiev, and Moscow.

For guests traveling from South East Asia, we suggest the quickest route via Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur. 

Please contact us and one of our travel consultants will be glad to assist you with planning your journey.

Visa to Kazakhstan

Citizens of the following countries can travel to Kazakhstan visa-free:

  • Up to 14 days: Hong Kong
  • Up to 30 days: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Philippines, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, UAE, Uzbekistan, USA
  • Up to 90 days: Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia, Russia, Ukraine

If your country is not stated above, you will need to obtain a visa to the Republic of Kazakhstan. Please contact us for visa support and assistance with your visa application.

 

Currency and Credit Cards

The local currency is the Kazakhstan Tenge (KZT). Currency exchange in Kazakhstan is very well developed - it is easy to exchange most popular currencies like USD, EUR, GBP in bank branches, airports and exchange points as the latter is opened 7 days a week.

VISA and MasterCard are widely accepted throughout the country in most shopping malls and restaurants. For withdrawing cash, one can turn to nearest ATMs located all around the city.

Weather

The climate in Kazakhstan is continental. You will experience a vast difference in temperatures and climate while traveling through the country.

Summers in Kazakhstan are warm with an average temperature at around 30 *C (86 *F). During winters the average temperature drops down to -20 *C (-4.0 *F).

The best time to travel is from April to October when temperatures are moderately warm, as well as the period from December to March for winter enthusiasts.

Kazakhstan is a sunny country, some regions enjoy the sun up to 330 days a year.

Local Cuisine

Kazakh traditional cuisine is based on a few main ingredients such as meat, bread/dough, and some dairy products.  Due to the challenging weather conditions and nomadic lifestyle food had to be easy to prepare, very nutritious and contain a lot of fat to provide energy.

Kazakhstan boasts its organic fruits and vegetables that are grown locally, delicious natural honey with numerous health benefits, finest caviar as well as the signature chocolate products. 

The tea culture is very prominent, Kazakhstan is believed to be among the top countries in the world for tea consumption; almost every meal is followed by tea in Kazakh families.

Apart from a regional cuisine, a wide range of restaurants is also available for tourists with a cosmopolitan appetite for Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Italian, French, Korean, South East Asian and Indian cuisine with some vegetarian options.

 

Language

The national language is Kazakh, however, the Russian language has the same status. More than 70% of Kazakh citizens speak Russian fluently thanks to the Soviet Union times. 

Kazakh language however is very different from Russian in its nature, and is not as widely practiced by the city dwellers as compared to the rural and country dwellers. Although the Russian language is more common, local people will react extremely well if you speak even a little Kazakh.

Religion in Kazakhstan

The Republic of Kazakhstan is often called the crossroads of civilizations. Since ancient times various religions were formed and developed on the territory of modern Kazakhstan. Archeologists have found here traces of Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Nestorianism, and Tengrism. 

Today, Kazakhstan is a modern, secular state promoting ethnic and religious diversity and tolerance. A multinational country with a long history of ethnic groups living together, Kazakhstan is a peaceful country where Kazakhstani citizens of different religious backgrounds live in harmony.

The majority of the population in Kazakhstan practices Islam. The Muslim population is largely made up of the ethnic Kazakhs, Uzbeks, and Tatars. The second most practiced religion is Russian Orthodox Christianity, with the majority of adherents being ethnic Russians, Ukrainians, and Belarusians.

WHY TRAVEL WITH AVENEER

  • WE DESIGN
    bespoke experiences tailored to your exact tastes
  • WE TAKE CARE
    of every detail so you don't have to worry
  • WE GIVE ADVICE
    and recommendations that are right for you
  • WE BELIEVE
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    with responsible travel