1. Almaty.
Upon arrival in Almaty, you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel.
If you arrive during the first half of the day, an optional walking tour of Almaty’s main attractions can be arranged. Most of the city’s highlights are located within a short distance of the hotel and can easily be explored on foot.
In the afternoon, we will meet at the hotel to get acquainted, inspect the motorcycles, complete the necessary paperwork, and review the details of the upcoming adventure.
In the evening, we will gather for a welcome dinner at a traditional Kazakh restaurant, where you will have the opportunity to sample local cuisine and get to know your fellow riders.
Tomorrow, the open road awaits!
2. Almaty – Aral-Tube village. 320 km
Let the adventure begin!
A little patience is needed at the start of the day. Leaving Almaty and reaching the wilderness involves around 100 km of paved roads and traffic, but soon the asphalt gives way to the vast open spaces of the Karaoy Plateau. Here, endless steppe landscapes and countless tracks offer the perfect playground for adventure riding.
After lunch at a roadside café, we face one of the highlights of the day—the Taukum Desert, with around 100 km of sandy tracks and rolling dunes. For a true nomad, it's all part of the adventure.
By evening, we arrive at a comfortable riverside country lodge, a true oasis after a day in the steppe and desert. Relax, enjoy the surroundings, take a swim, visit the sauna, and recharge for the days ahead.
Overnight: Iva Country Lodge.
3. Aral-Tube village - Kapchagai Lake. 210 km
Today we continue our ride along the Ili River, one of Kazakhstan’s most important waterways and part of a region once crossed by the ancient Silk Road. The day offers plenty of off-road riding, with a mix of sandy tracks, salt flats, and, depending on conditions, sections of mud. With sand, salt flats, and occasional muddy sections, no two kilometers are quite the same.
We will enjoy a picnic lunch in the wilderness before continuing our journey toward Kapchagai.
By evening, we arrive in the city of Kapchagai (Konaev), where we will check into a comfortable hotel and check into a comfortable hotel for the night.
Overnight: Victoria Hotel.
4. Kapchagai Lake - Altyn Emel National Park. 160 km
Today we continue our off-road adventure into the remote countryside. Along the way, we will pass through traditional rural settlements and experience a side of Kazakhstan that has changed little over the years.
Our route crosses the Kokhan Plateau, a vast area of rolling steppe stretching along the Kaprek Mountain Range. During the day, we will also cross the Altyn-Emel Pass, one of the historic gateways into this remarkable region.
Around midday, we will stop for a picnic lunch before continuing toward Altyn-Emel National Park.
By evening, we arrive at our guesthouse in the village near Altyn-Emel National Park. Here, you will experience the warm hospitality of a local Kazakh family and enjoy a peaceful and quiet place to rest before the next stage of the journey.
Overnight: Agai-Kum Guesthouse.
5. Altyn Emel National Park - Chundzha Hot Springs. 280 km
Today we continue our journey through Altyn-Emel National Park, one of Kazakhstan’s most remarkable protected areas.
Our first destination is the famous Singing Dune, a unique natural phenomenon. If weather and sand conditions are favorable, you may have the opportunity to hear the dune's mysterious humming sound that gave it its name.
After visiting the dune, we return to the village for lunch before continuing our ride to the colorful Aktau Mountains, whose striking formations and unusual geology create one of the most unusual landscapes in Central Asia.
Later in the day, we leave Altyn-Emel behind and ride east toward the Ketmen Mountain Range. To position ourselves for the mountain stages ahead, part of the route follows paved roads. While less demanding than the off-road sections, this transfer allows us to reach one of the most remote regions of the tour.
By evening, we arrive at our accommodation near the Ketmen Range. A pool fed by natural hot springs provides the perfect opportunity to relax tired muscles after a day on the road.
Overnight: Derevushka Resort
6. Chundzha Hot Springs -Qarasay Jailau. 120 km
After breakfast, we leave the hot springs behind and head into the forested mountains of the Ketmen Range, one of the most remote corners of the Northern Tien Shan.
If weather conditions permit us to enter the mountains, we will climb a mountain pass and discover a completely different landscape. The open steppe gives way to forests, mountain meadows, and winding tracks deep in the mountains, with a mix of remote trails, river crossings, and mountain terrain along the way.
Around midday, we will stop for a picnic lunch in the mountains before continuing our ride.
By evening, we arrive at a lodge hidden deep within the Tien Shan Mountains, surrounded by nature and far from the distractions of modern life.
Overnight: Qarasay Jailau Mountain Lodge
7. Qarasay Jailau - Saty village. 160 km
After breakfast, we continue our journey through the mountains and ride along remote off-road tracks toward the village of Kegen. By midday, we reach the village, where we will stop for lunch.
In the afternoon, the route follows a paved road toward Kolsai Lake. While less demanding than the off-road sections, this is widely considered one of the most scenic roads in the Almaty Region, opening magnificent views of the valleys on one side and, on the other, forest-covered mountain slopes and distant snow-capped peaks.
Our destination is Kolsai Lake, a beautiful alpine lake surrounded by forests and the peaks of the Northern Tien Shan..
After visiting the lake, we descend to the village of Saty, where we will spend the night in a comfortable hotel.
8. Saty village – Almaty. 340 km
After breakfast, we leave Saty and continue our journey westward. Our route follows the edge of the famous Charyn Canyon, offering occasional views into one of Kazakhstan’s most remarkable natural landmarks.
We then ride along the Toraygyr Range before descending through the wide Sagety Valleys toward the village of Kokpek, where we will stop for lunch.
In the afternoon, we continue through the Red Mountains, another unique natural attraction known for their colorful rock formations and striking landscapes.
Later, we join the highway for the final ride back to Almaty. By evening, we arrive in the city, bringing this unique journey through the mountains, deserts, canyons, and steppes of Kazakhstan to an end.
9. Departure from Almaty