Mountains, lakes and the steppe – wow
Vikram and Anjali
Big Almaty Lake, Charyn Canyon and the Kolsai Lakes were breathtaking, and our guide and 4x4 driver were superb. Everything was organised to perfection.
6 May 2026
Almaty, Baku and the Shahdag Mountains
12 days4 cities
This holiday takes you to
AlmatyBakuShahdag
Celebrate Diwali, Discover the World · 10% off
₹1,15,000SAVE 10%From₹1,15,000per person
Design Your EscapeWhat’s included
- 3 hotels
- 10 experiences
- 18 transfers
- 11 meals
- 24/7 support
- CustomisationExpert customisation
Rated 4.7 on Google
Rated 4.9 on TripAdvisor
Rated 4.9 on TripAdvisor
Trip created by Aisha, Kazakhstan expert at Hi Tours
“Eleven nights and three very different landscapes: the Kazakh steppe, the Caspian oil coast and two nights up in the Caucasus.”
Your suggested itinerary
Fully customisable with our holiday experts
Arrival in Almaty
AlmatyCharyn Canyon and Kolsai
- Arrival at Almaty International and transfer to your hotel
- Check in and the rest of the day free
- Optional: the stalls of the Zelyony bazaar
- Optional: an evening in Panfilov Park
Overnight in Almaty
Your accommodation
Hotel Kazzhol Almaty, Almaty
6 nights · Breakfast · Standard room · 4★ · Well run hotel in the centre with a garden courtyard
Almaty city tour
- Breakfast, then a private tour of the city
- The Monument of Independence on Republic Square
- Panfilov Park and the wooden Ascension Cathedral
- Afternoon free along Zhibek Zholy
Overnight in Almaty
Your activities
(1)Almaty city sightseeing tour
A private tour of the old capital, taking in the Monument of Independence, Panfilov Park and the wooden Ascension Cathedral.
Shymbulak ski resort
- Breakfast, then up the Malaya Almatinka valley
- The Medeu dam and its Olympic skating rink
- On by gondola to the Shymbulak ski resort
- Snow peaks of the Zailiysky Alatau above you
Overnight in Almaty
Your activities
(1)Medeu rink and Shymbulak ski resort
A day up the Malaya Almatinka valley to the Olympic skating rink at Medeu, then by gondola to the Shymbulak slopes.
Green Bazaar, chocolate and Kok Tobe
- Breakfast, then into the Green Bazaar halls
- Horse meat counters, dried fruit and spice stalls
- The Rakhat chocolate factory and its shop
- Up the Kok Tobe cable car for the city at dusk
Overnight in Almaty
Your activities
(2)Green Bazaar and the Rakhat chocolate factory
The spice and dried fruit halls of the Green Bazaar, then the Rakhat factory whose chocolate every Kazakh family grew up on.
Kok Tobe hill and the gondola
The cable car up Kok Tobe for the whole city laid out below the mountains, with the Alley of Lovers at the top.
Lake Issyk day trip
- Breakfast, then east towards the Issyk gorge
- The turquoise water of Lake Issyk
- The Saka burial mounds and the site museum
- Evening transfer back into Almaty
Overnight in Almaty
Your activities
(1)Lake Issyk day tour
A private day east to the turquoise water of Lake Issyk, with the Saka burial mounds and the small site museum nearby.
Charyn Canyon and Kolsai Lake
- Early breakfast and a long day out east
- The red walls of the Valley of Castles
- The canyon floor path beside the Charyn river
- On to the forested shore of Kolsai lake
Overnight in Almaty
Your activities
(1)Charyn Canyon and Kolsai Lake
A long day out to the red sandstone Valley of Castles in Charyn Canyon, then up to the forested shore of Kolsai lake.
Almaty to Baku
BakuGobustan
- Breakfast and check out of your Almaty hotel
- Optional: flight Almaty to Baku, booked with us
- Arrival transfer from Heydar Aliyev to your hotel
- Optional: the Baku Eye and the Teze Pir mosque
Overnight in Baku
Your accommodation
Atlas Hotel Baku, Baku
2 nights · Breakfast · Standard room · 3★ · Friendly hotel close to the walled Old City
Old City, Gobustan and mud volcanoes
- Breakfast, then into the walled Old City
- The Maiden Tower and the Shirvanshahs' palace
- South to the Gobustan rock carvings after lunch
- The grey mud volcanoes bubbling out on the flats
Overnight in Baku
Your activities
(2)Baku Old City tour
The walled Icherisheher with the Maiden Tower, the Shirvanshahs' palace, Fountain Square and the boating canals on the boulevard.
Gobustan rock art and the mud volcanoes
Petroglyphs carved into the Gobustan boulders thousands of years ago, then the cold grey mud volcanoes bubbling on the flats.
Up to the Shahdag mountains
- Breakfast and check out of your Baku hotel
- North into the Greater Caucasus towards Shahdag
- The mountain resort and its gondola lines
- Check in high up with the ridges all around
Overnight in Shahdag
Your accommodation
Zirve Hotel, Shahdag
2 nights · Breakfast · Standard room · 4★ · Mountain hotel in the resort village at 1,700 metres
Your activities
(1)Shahdag mountain ski resort
The largest resort in the Caucasus, with gondola lines running up bare ridges and an alpine coaster for the summer months.
A free day at Shahdag
- Breakfast with the mountains at the window
- The whole day free at the resort
- Optional: skiing, the gondola or the zipline
- Optional: the alpine coaster and the walking trails
Overnight in Shahdag
Your activities
(1)
OptionalA free day in the mountains
Skiing in winter or the gondola, zipline and walking trails in summer, all bookable on the spot at the resort.
Back to Baku and the Absheron peninsula
BakuAbsheron
- Breakfast and check out of the mountain hotel
- Back down to the coast and out to Absheron
- The Ateshgah fire temple and the flames of Yanar Dagh
- Mardakan castle before checking in at Baku
Overnight in Baku
Your accommodation
Atlas Hotel Baku, Baku
1 night · Breakfast · Standard room · 3★ · Friendly hotel close to the walled Old City
Your activities
(1)Absheron peninsula tour
The Ateshgah fire temple, the Mardakan castle and Yanar Dagh, a hillside where escaping gas has burned for centuries.
Departure from Baku
- Breakfast at the hotel and check out
- Private transfer to Heydar Aliyev for your flight home
Why plan with our experts?
Plan with our travel experts
Crafted by holiday experts
Technology-enabled but human-led — real experts curate your trip so you save hours of planning.
Customised to the T
Every day is tailored to you, then fine-tuned with your expert until it feels just right.
Best prices, all bundled
Hotels, flights, activities, transfers, entry tickets and meals in one package — with the savings passed to you.
Tour summary
Twelve days from the Kazakh steppe to the Greater Caucasus: six nights of private day tours out of Almaty, the Gobustan rock carvings and mud volcanoes from Baku, two nights high at Shahdag and the Absheron fire temples to finish.
Customize your Kazakhstan trip
Why book with Hi Tours
Real travel experts
Benefit from our local expertise and award-winning service.
Fully organised
We take care of every detail – from inspiration to your return home.
Travel made easy
Whether multi-stop or multi-country, we make your travel wishes come true.
What customers say about booking Kazakhstan with Hi Tours
Excellent4.8 out of 5based on 420 Kazakhstan reviews
Almaty and Astana both amazed us
Rohit and Neha
The contrast between relaxed Almaty and futuristic Astana was fascinating. Flights, hotels and transfers all ran like clockwork thanks to Hi Tours.
18 April 2026
A Central Asian adventure to remember
Priya
Staying near the Kolsai Lakes and meeting a local family was the highlight. Perfectly planned, safe and unforgettable from start to finish.
1 April 2026
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