Itinerary

Day 1. The northern entry to the Altyn Emel National Park is located in Bas’shi village, 300 kilometres to the north from Almaty. The northern gate is used to reach the famous attractions of the Park: Singing Dune and Aktau mountains. So, we start early from Almaty:
07.00 – 12.00 Drive Almaty – Bas’shi village.
12.00 – 13.00 National Park arrangements, lunch in Bas’shi
13.00 – 14.30 Drive from Bas’shi to the Singing Dune, with a short stop near Oshaktas place.
Singing Dune is located in the valley of Ili River, about 2 kilometers from the river in its right bank, between small mountain ranges – the Greater and Lesser Kalkans. It looks like huge sand dune with overall height of 150m and length about 3 kilometers. The ridge of the unique sand dune is sharp as a blade. The sand crumbles underneath your feet, but the ridge does not get blunt. Two smaller sand dunes continue this one. The whole complex has an area of about 10 square kilometers. Other similar sand dunes in Kazakhstan can be found only in Mangistau region (eg.Sam sands), but the main difference of Semirechye dune (other name of Singing Dune) that in windy weather it is capable of making sound resembling low hum of jet aircraft.
14.30 – 16.00 Excursion around the Dune
16.00 – 18.00 Drive from Singing Dune to Aktau mountains. Accommodation in tents at a foot of the hills.
18.00 – 19.00 Dinner
Overnight in tents (tent camping) in Aktau mountains.

Day 2. Early morning wake up to catch the fantastic sunrise in Aktau.
07.00 – 08.00 Breakfast
08.00 – 11.00 Hiking by the cliffs of Aktau hills
11.00 – 11.30 Drive from Aktau to Katutau volcanic mountains.
11.30 – 12.30 Excursions by Katitau formations.
The Katutau Mountains are just as attractive and unique as shrine. Time, water and the sun have created intricate rock rarities here. As you pass wild and uninhabited gorges, you can see a mother bear bending over a bear-cub, or a huge upturned boat of Robinson Crusoe, with the dead Aktau Mountains nearby. The word Katutau translates as “harsh mountains” from Kazak. This is a very old badly eroded mountain exits of volcanic rocks. Volcanic rock is very brittle and easily shatters by physical impact. Water, time and wind carved in the rock bizarre shape.
12.30 – 13.00 Lunch in Katutau.
13.00 – 19.00 Drive back to Almaty via Bas’shi and Kapchagai.