Kazakhstan Tour Package from Abu Dhabi and Dubai

Ski season, Eid, National Day and the December break are the expensive weeks. April, May, September and October are usually quieter and cheaper. If you only need the flight, we also book flight tickets from Abu Dhabi on their own.

Some flights to Almaty leave the UAE late in the evening and land in the early hours. If yours does, we book an early check-in with the hotel so you can sleep and have breakfast on arrival instead of waiting in the lobby. It adds a little to the price but saves the first day.

• Group tours share a minibus and guide on a set route; a private car costs more but you choose the pace
• The Charyn Canyon and Kolsai Lakes day is long, so a private car is worth it for families with small children

1. 01

   Day 1: Arrive and Kok Tobe

   We collect you at the airport and drive you to the hotel. Once you have rested, take the cable car to the top of Kok Tobe. From the hill you look out over Almaty to the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains, and there are cafes and a small park up there.

2. 02

   Day 2: Medeu and Shymbulak

   Drive up the valley to Medeu, the high-altitude ice rink at 1,691 metres. Take the cable car from Medeu up to Shymbulak, the ski resort, for snow most of the year and wide mountain views. Back in Almaty for the evening.

3. 03

   Day 3: Charyn Canyon and the Kolsai Lakes

   An early start for the long drive east to Charyn Canyon and its Valley of Castles, where the Charyn River has cut tall walls of red rock. Continue to the Kolsai Lakes in the Tian Shan mountains for a walk by the first lake. Return to Almaty late in the evening.

4. 04

   Day 4: Almaty city and shopping

   Panfilov Park and Zenkov Cathedral, a wooden cathedral built without nails, then the Green Bazaar for dried fruit, nuts and honey. The afternoon is free for Arbat street, the Republic Square area or a mall.

5. 05

   Day 5: Fly home

   After breakfast, check out and head for the airport.

Six nights lets you add the lakes without rushing:

1. 01

   Day 1: Arrive

   Transfer to your hotel and an easy evening in the city centre.

2. 02

   Day 2: Almaty city and Kok Tobe

   Panfilov Park, Zenkov Cathedral, the Green Bazaar, then the cable car up Kok Tobe for sunset.

3. 03

   Day 3: Medeu and Shymbulak

   The ice rink and the cable car to Shymbulak, with time for skiing or snow play in winter and walks in summer.

4. 04

   Day 4: Big Almaty Lake

   Afternoon free.

5. 05

   Days 5 and 6: Charyn Canyon, Kolsai and Kaindy

   Drive to Charyn Canyon, then on to a guesthouse near Saty for the night.

6. 06

   Day 7: Fly home

   Transfer to the airport.

Want a longer trip?

For a snow trip, January and February are the most reliable months at Shymbulak. December usually has snow but less of it early in the month. The winter is cold, often well below freezing, so pack a warm waterproof jacket, gloves, a hat and boots with grip, or hire ski clothing at the resort.

For lakes and canyon, go between late May and September. The water at Big Almaty Lake and Kolsai is at its brightest, and the long drive east is easier in daylight. Bring layers: Almaty can be hot at midday and cool at night, and the mountains are always colder than the city.

UAE holidays shape demand. The National Day long weekend is a popular time for a short Almaty trip, with fixed group departures and early snow at Shymbulak. See our National Day holiday packages for all the trips around those dates.

Almaty sits close to two neighbours, so a longer trip can take in a second country without a long flight home in between.

• Uzbekistan: fly from Almaty to Tashkent, then take the fast train to Samarkand and Bukhara for the Silk Road cities. 4 nights in Almaty and 4 in Uzbekistan makes a good 8 to 9 night trip.

Each extra country has its own entry rules, so we check them for every passport in your group before we plan the route. If you prefer a short single-country trip, the Caucasus is close too: compare our Georgia tour package, Azerbaijan tour package and Armenia tour package, or our weekend trips from Dubai.