Guided journeys

Every experience, designed with intention

From overnight canyon camps to alpine lake hikes, each journey I offer is thoughtfully crafted around the natural rhythm of the land. These aren't packaged tours — they're personal experiences, built around you.

Temirlik Canyon at dawn with river below
✦ Signature Journey

Temirlik Canyon Overnight

Temirlik is the canyon I return to again and again. It's quieter than Charyn, richer in wildlife, and offers a level of peace you can't find in the more visited parts of the region. This is where I take travelers who want to feel the land, not just see it.

We begin with an optional walk through Charyn's Valley of Castles, then continue into the deeper, more remote Temirlik gorge. Our private campsite sits right beside the river — accessible, calm, and perfect for watching the canyon shift through the day.

As evening settles, we cook a hot meal together over the fire and share stories under the open sky. At night, Temirlik becomes a different world: silent, star-filled, and completely free of crowds or light pollution. It's one of the most meaningful experiences I offer.

Duration Overnight · 1–2 days
Difficulty Easy – Moderate
Book This Journey
Kaindy Lake with submerged spruce trees

Temirlik Canyon → Kaindy Lake

The perfect continuation of the Temirlik overnight. After a slow morning by the river, we head to Kaindy Lake — one of Kazakhstan's most unique alpine lakes, famous for its submerged forest rising from turquoise water. We arrive before the crowds, when the light is soft and the trails are still empty. The evening continues in the village of Saty, with dinner at a local home — beshbarmak, baursak, and Kazakh tea served beneath the valley's incredible night sky.

Duration Full day + night in Saty
Difficulty Easy – Moderate
Learn More →
Kolsai Lakes with pine forest and mountain reflections

Kolsai Lakes

The three Kolsai Lakes — the Pearls of the Tyan Shan — each tucked deeper into the mountains, each with its own character. We focus on the quieter trail toward Kolsai 2: approximately 15 km round-trip, 600m elevation gain, through dramatic terrain reshaped by powerful earthquakes. If you're strong and start early, we can push on toward Kolsai 3 — near the high mountain border with Kyrgyzstan. A full day of true mountain hiking.

Duration Full day
Difficulty Moderate – Challenging
Learn More →
The Singing Dune of Altyn-Emel with steppe vista

Altyn-Emel: Besshatyr & Singing Dune

Two of Altyn-Emel's most iconic places in one unforgettable day. We begin at Besshatyr — ancient Saka burial mounds more than 2,500 years old, set in a wide valley framed by mountains. Then we climb the Singing Dune: a pale ridge of sand that hums in the wind, offering views across the Ili River, distant ranges, and endless steppe. I also offer a low-impact sandboarding option — and you can still make it back to Almaty for an evening at Shymbulak.

Duration Full day
Difficulty Medium
Learn More →
Almaty cityscape with Zailiyskiy Alatau mountains

Custom Journeys & Local Explorations

This experience is built entirely around you. Before the trip, we talk through what you enjoy — hiking, culture, photography, history, food, architecture, or simply slow, meaningful travel — and I design a route that fits your interests, fitness level, and preferred pace.

For travelers staying close to Almaty, we can explore tailored mountain hikes, the petroglyph sites of Tamgaly (UNESCO World Heritage), Borladai Kurgan Park, or a curated "museum crawl" through the city's creative and architectural highlights. Whether you want mountains, history, quiet nature, or a deep dive into Almaty's cultural scene, we build the day together.

Duration Flexible · half-day to multi-day
Difficulty Flexible
Plan Your Custom Journey →

Not sure which journey is right for you?

Tell me about yourself and what you're looking for. I'll suggest the right fit.

Get in Touch