Items | Altyn Emel Desert Escape: 2-Day SUV Tour to Singing Dune & Aktau
Altyn Emel Desert Escape: 2-Day SUV Tour to Singing Dune & Aktau
Important Information
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Specialized infant seats are available
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Not recommended for pregnant travelers
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Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
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Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation policy
If you cancel at least 3 full day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.<br>If you cancel within 3 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.
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This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
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Spring and autumn are the best seasons to explore the desert and steppe landscapes around Almaty, when mountain routes are still inaccessible but lowland national parks reveal their full diversity. This tour focuses on the key natural highlights of Altyn Emel National Park, combining several contrasting landscapes within one carefully planned itinerary.
During the trip, travelers visit the Singing Dune, the colorful Aktau mountains, the volcanic formations of Katutau, ancient willow oases, and historical dolmens — places that are difficult to reach independently due to distances, permits, and logistics.
The tour is fully organized and available in two formats: accommodation in a local gues...
Highlights
2 days
Offered in Russian (Русский) & English
Non-refundable
Mobile Ticket
2 days
Offered in Russian (Русский) & English
Non-refundable
Mobile Ticket
What's Included
Drinking water
Private transportation
OR guest house accommodation in Bas’shi village, 1 night sharing basis
Lunch
Dinner
Breakfast
EITHER camping inside a Park: tents, sleeping bags/mats, kitchen gear, utensils are provided
Private guiding
National Park's entry fees and special permissions
Menu does not include soft/alcohol drinks, snacks
Rent of personal clothes/shoes, personal hygienic set etc.
Personal expenses like telephone calls, souvenirs etc.
Altyn Emel Desert Escape: 2-Day SUV Tour to Singing Dune & Aktau
About
Spring and autumn are the best seasons to explore the desert and steppe landscapes around Almaty, when mountain routes are still inaccessible but lowland national parks reveal their full diversity. This tour focuses on the key natural highlights of Altyn Emel National Park, combining several contrasting landscapes within one carefully planned itinerary.
During the trip, travelers visit the Singing Dune, the colorful Aktau mountains, the volcanic formations of Katutau, ancient willow oases, and historical dolmens — places that are difficult to reach independently due to distances, permits, and logistics.
The tour is fully organized and available in two formats: accommodation in a local gues...
Highlights
2 days
Offered in Russian (Русский) & English
Non-refundable
Mobile Ticket
2 days
Offered in Russian (Русский) & English
Non-refundable
Mobile Ticket
What's Included
Drinking water
Private transportation
OR guest house accommodation in Bas’shi village, 1 night sharing basis
Lunch
Dinner
Breakfast
EITHER camping inside a Park: tents, sleeping bags/mats, kitchen gear, utensils are provided
Private guiding
National Park's entry fees and special permissions
Menu does not include soft/alcohol drinks, snacks
Rent of personal clothes/shoes, personal hygienic set etc.
Personal expenses like telephone calls, souvenirs etc.
The northern entry to the Altyn Emel National Park is located in Bas’shi village, 300 kilometres from Almaty. The northern gate is used to reach the famous attractions of the Park: Singing Dune, Aktau mountains and Katutau. Thus, we start early and via Konaev and Saryozek towns to Bas'shi, where (at the Park's main office) take the permissions.
4 hours
2
Singing Barkhan
We enter the Park and head to the Singing Dune, with a stop at Oshaktas dolmens.
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 is sharp as a blade, the sand crumbles underneath your feet, but the ridge does not get blunt. Two smaller sand dunes continue the big 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 hot windy weather it is capable of making sound resembling low hum of jet aircraft.
If the weather is good, we can take a hike along the Dune's ridge and serve lunch with Dune's views.
3 hours
3
Aktau Mountains
After visiting the Dune, we either drive back to Bas'shi, accommodate at a guest house, take dinner and stay overnight (if you prefer a guest house accommodation option and it is available on your dates).
Or drive deeper inside a Park and by the end of the day arrive in Aktau colorful mountains. Here we set a tent camp: living tents with sleeping bags/mats, modern outdoor kitchen, table/chairs, lighting and other camping facilities. A guide cooks and serves your dinner and you enjoy the sunset with Aktau views along with freshly prepared meals in the open air. Stay overnight in tents (tent camping) at a glade in Aktau mountains.
