Kazakhstan Grand Tour: Steppes, Canyons & Sufi Heritage

About this journey

What makes this trip.

• Charyn Canyon and its "Valley of Castles" — an open-air museum of wind-sculpted red sandstone cliffs
• Lake Kaindy's eerie sunken spruce forest and the turquoise waters of Lake Kolsai
• A genuine 4x4 convoy expedition across the Mangystau: Bozjyra's white chalk "Fangs", the Tuzbair salt flat and its White Arch, the Valley of Balls at Torysh, and the striped "Tiramisu" mountain of Kyzylkup
• Nights of exception: a comfort bivouac beneath the desert stars and a stay in a traditional yurt camp
• Pilgrimage to the living Sufi underground mosques of Shopan-Ata and Beket-Ata, carved deep into the rock
• The UNESCO-listed mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi in Turkestan, timurid jewel and "second Mecca of the East"
• Futuristic Astana: the Hazret Sultan mosque (the largest in Central Asia), the Bayterek tower and the Khan Shatyr tent
• Almaty at the foot of the snow-capped Tian Shan, with the Medeu and Shymbulak cable cars into the mountains

Who this trip is for

Who this trip is for.

This grand tour suits travellers seeking a rare blend of natural spectacle, genuine off-road adventure and spiritual depth in a destination still off the mass-tourism map. It is ideal for groups drawn to dramatic landscapes — canyons, mountain lakes and chalk deserts — combined with a meaningful pilgrimage to the Sufi underground mosques and the great Turkic shrines. Because part of the Mangystau expedition runs on demanding tracks, involves camping in isolated desert with limited water, cool nights and no phone signal inland, it is not recommended for young children, pregnant travellers or those with reduced mobility. A moderate level of comfort with adventure travel is expected.

Itinerary

Day by day.

1. Day 1

   Departure — the dream toward Kazakhstan begins

   The journey begins with the international flight bound for Almaty. Please plan to arrive at the airport well ahead of departure for check-in and formalities.

2. Day 2

   First steps in Almaty, the city at the foot of the mountains

   Almaty, the former capital nestled beneath the snow-capped Tian Shan mountains, blends broad tree-lined avenues, peaceful gardens and the energy of a great Central Asian city. Arrival and airport formalities (no visa is required for Moroccan nationals), transfer to the hotel and time to rest after the journey. In the afternoon, a city tour takes in Panfilov Square and Park, the wooden Zenkov Cathedral, the Green Bazaar and the Kok-Tobe cable car for a panoramic view over the city. Dinner and overnight in Almaty.

3. Day 3

   Charyn Canyon — the "Valley of Castles"

   Charyn Canyon, the "little Grand Canyon" of Central Asia, unfurls red sandstone cliffs carved by time into natural fortresses and towers. After breakfast, drive roughly two and a half to three hours across the steppe with photo stops along the way, then walk the flat, easy trail through the spectacular formations of the Valley of Castles. Lunch is taken during the excursion. Continue to the village of Saty, gateway to the mountain lakes, and settle into a guesthouse. Dinner and overnight in Saty.

4. Day 4

   The mountain lakes — Kaindy and Kolsai

   Deep in the mountains, Lake Kaindy hides a sunken spruce forest whose trunks still rise from the turquoise water — one of the most spellbinding landscapes in Kazakhstan. After breakfast, a 4x4 excursion reaches Lake Kaindy and its famous drowned forest for a photo stop, followed by a visit to Lower Kolsai Lake for a gentle walk along the water among the firs. A country lunch is served before returning to the guesthouse for a peaceful evening and overnight in Saty.

5. Day 5

   Return to Almaty and the Medeu mountains

   After breakfast at the guesthouse, drive back to Almaty. In the afternoon, visit the Medeu ice rink and ride the cable car up to the Shymbulak resort in the heart of the mountains for magnificent views. Free time and dinner, with overnight in Almaty.

6. Day 6

   Flight to the Mangystau, land of wonders

   On the country's far western edge, bathed by the Caspian Sea, the Mangystau region offers otherworldly scenery — chalk deserts, canyons and centuries-old sanctuaries. After breakfast and an airport transfer, fly from Almaty to Aktau (about three hours) and meet the local team. Discover the Karagiye Depression, one of the lowest points on the planet, and the Caspian seafront at Aktau. Settle into the hotel for dinner and overnight in Aktau — a last comfortable night before the adventure begins.

7. Day 7

   The 4x4 expedition begins — Valley of Balls and Sherkala

   The grand departure by 4x4 convoy: the track pushes into lunar landscapes that only off-road vehicles can reach. After breakfast, set out in convoy to Torysh, the astonishing "Valley of Balls" with its stone spheres, then Mount Sherkala, shaped like a giant yurt, and the Valley of Castles at Airakty. A picnic lunch is prepared by the team. Set up the comfort bivouac and dine beneath the stars, overnighting in equipped expedition tents with camp beds; early-autumn nights are cool, so warm bedding is provided.

8. Day 8

   The Tuzbair salt flat and a night in yurts

   After breakfast at the camp, cross the Tuzbair salt flat, a vast white expanse framed by cliffs and crowned by its famous White Arch. Lunch is taken en route. Continue to the Kogez ethnic yurt camp and settle into comfortable yurts with real beds, hot showers and a halal restaurant. Enjoy a traditional Kazakh dinner and overnight in the yurts.

9. Day 9

   Pilgrimage to the underground mosques — Shopan-Ata & Beket-Ata

   At the heart of the desert, spirituality rises to the surface: entire mosques carved beneath the rock, where pilgrims have prayed for centuries in the lineage of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi. After breakfast at the camp, visit the underground mosque of Shopan-Ata — by tradition the master is honoured before his disciple. Continue to the sanctuary of Beket-Ata, a mosque hewn into the cliff and one of the most revered pilgrimage sites in Central Asia. A communal dastarkhan lunch is shared with the pilgrims. Modest dress is required and photography is not permitted inside the mosques. Overnight is spent at the Beket-Ata pilgrims' house, with separate sleeping halls for men and women.

10. Day 10

    Bozjyra, jewel of the desert

    Bozjyra, with its white chalk peaks bursting from the valley — "the Fangs" — is the emblematic image of the Mangystau, a setting worthy of another planet. After breakfast, drive to Bozjyra and its viewpoints: the Fangs, the "Mars Panorama" and the "Dragon's Crest." Continue to the striped mountain of Kyzylkup, nicknamed the "Tiramisu." After a picnic lunch, return to Aktau on a long route partly on unpaved track. Settle into the hotel for dinner and overnight in Aktau.

11. Day 11

    Astana — where the steppe meets the future

    Astana, the capital born in the middle of the steppe, unfolds a futuristic skyline of glass towers, golden domes and monumental avenues. After breakfast and an airport transfer, fly from Aktau to Astana (about two and a half hours). A guided tour of the capital takes in the great Hazret Sultan mosque (the largest in Central Asia), the Bayterek tower, the Khan Shatyr tent-shaped mall and the Palace of Peace. Settle into the hotel for dinner and overnight in Astana.

12. Day 12

    Turkestan — the spiritual climax of the journey

    Turkestan is home to the mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, a timurid masterpiece raised by Tamerlane and the greatest sanctuary of Turkic Islam — the "second Mecca of the East." After breakfast and an airport transfer, fly from Astana to Turkestan (about one hour forty). Visit the UNESCO-listed mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi and the neighbouring mausoleum of Arystan Bab, with lunch in Turkestan. In the evening, fly from Turkestan to Almaty and transfer to a hotel near the airport, allowing a calm connection to the international flight. Overnight in Almaty.

13. Day 13

    Return home

    Transfer to Almaty international airport and fly home on the international flight, arriving with the stars of the desert still in your eyes.

What you get

Included & not included.

The list below is the program baseline; everything is confirmed in your partner quote, and several “not included” items can be added on request.

Built around your group

What can be tailored.

This program is a starting point, not a fixed package. The elements below are adjusted for your travellers and confirmed in your partner quote.

• ✦Hotel categoryAdjusted to your group’s preferences
• ✦Travel datesSet around your group’s calendar
• ✦Group sizeBuilt to fit your numbers
• ✦Guide languageArranged on request
• ✦MealsMeal plan tailored per group
• ✦Pace of the itineraryRelaxed or full — your call
• ✦Optional visitsAdded on request
• ✦Start & end pointsAdaptable per group

Hotels are confirmed to your group’s preferences after the order — category and properties chosen with you — and the full land service is tailored and confirmed in writing in your quote.

Good to know

Operational notes.

• •The final service list is confirmed in your partner quote.
• •Hotel and supplier availability depends on your travel dates.
• •Pricing depends on group size, season, and hotel category.
• •Jarjinia confirms every detail in writing before anything is committed.

Partner terms

How commercial terms work.

Commercial terms for this program are confirmed in your partner quote — not as fixed online-checkout rules. Payment schedule, cancellation conditions, and supplier deadlines are agreed per program and destination, and shared with your agency in writing before confirmation.

Before you travel

Important notes.

Season: this programme is designed for early autumn, the best window to combine still-accessible mountain lakes with a temperate desert climate; exact dates are confirmed at booking. The Mangystau expedition runs by 4x4 convoy with driver-guides; two nights are spent in camp (an equipped expedition tent, then a yurt camp) and one night at the Beket-Ata pilgrims' house. The desert is an isolated zone: water is limited, showers are available at the comfort stops, nights are cool (bring warm clothing) and there is no phone signal inland; part of the tracks is demanding. At the Sufi underground mosques, modest dress is required, shoes are removed at the entrance and photography is not permitted inside; separate prayer areas are provided for women. The programme is paced comfortably with rest time and may be lightly adjusted according to weather conditions and internal flight schedules.