Altyn-Emel National Park Tour
- 2 days · 1 night2 days
- Hotel pick-up in AlmatyHotel pick-up
- from $260 per person
Itinerary
This 2-day private tour from Almaty explores Altyn-Emel National Park: the Singing Dune, the Aktau Mountains and a 700-year-old willow, with a night at a guest house. Part of the park is on the UNESCO World Heritage list, as part of the Cold Winter Deserts of Turan.
Pick-up from your address; leave Almaty
Check in at the guest house; lunch
Drive to the Singing Dune (Aygaykum)
The Singing Dune: a walk and a climb to the top
The Oshaktas stele
Back to the guest house
Dinner at the guest house
Breakfast and a morning workout
Drive to the foot of the Aktau Mountains
The 700-year-old willow, for photos
A walk through the Aktau valley and its Cretaceous hills
An early dinner at the guest house, then back to Almaty
Arrive in Almaty
On request, in the warm months, we can set up a tent camp at the foot of the Aktau Mountains. Please tell us when you book.
All year
We run this tour all year. April to June and September to October are the best months. On summer tours we start very early and rest in the middle of the day, when the desert is at its hottest.
Moderate
The climb up the Singing Dune is short but steep on loose sand, about 30 to 40 minutes. In Aktau you walk about 3 km between the colored hills.
Where the road takes you
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By roadRoutes are shown approximately.
Moments from this route
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What our travelers say
Brilliant two day tour from Almaty
Brilliant two day tour from Almaty to the Singing Dunes and Aktau mountains with an overnight stay in Basshi village. Roman, our guide and driver, was brilliant and made everything enjoyable. We had a good amount of time at both sights and Roman enhanced our photos with some great video and photos that he willingly shared. Special thanks to Nomad for moving our trip with no notice by 24 hours after a flight cancellation. A brilliant experience and excellent value too. Highly recommended.
Altyn Emel and Charyn Canyon excursion
We toured Altyn Emel and Charyn Canyon with guide John. Awesome experience. Greatly enjoyed.
Altyn Emel tour with Nomad Outfitters
The Altyn Emel park is impressive and a must see if you come to Kazakhstan. Beye and Ali were really nice and shared interesting insights on the park and Kazakhstan in general, it was a good opportunity to learn more about the country. I would recommend doing a tour if you have the chance :)
Great tour to Altyn-Emel with wonderful guides
We went on a 2-day trip to Altyn-Emel National Park and had a great time. The place is amazing and the tour organized by Outfitter KZ was perfect. Everything was well organized according to our requests. Our guides Artur and Roman were both great. They did their best to give us a good experience and we really appreciated their competence, friendliness and attention to details. Highly recommended!
Questions about this tour
When is the best time to visit Altyn-Emel?
We run this tour all year. April to June and September to October are the mildest months. On summer tours we start very early and rest in the middle of the day, when the desert is at its hottest.
How hard is the walking?
Moderate. The climb up the Singing Dune is short but steep on loose sand, about 30 to 40 minutes. In Aktau you walk about 3 km between the colored hills.
Is it suitable for children or older travelers?
Yes. Children love the dune. The climb is hard work, but everyone can go at their own pace or wait at the bottom.
What should I wear and bring?
We recommend you bring:
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Sunglasses, a hat and sunscreen
- A warm layer, as mountain and steppe weather changes fast
- A change of clothes and toiletries
- Cash for personal expenses
We provide drinking water on every tour.
Can we add Katutau?
Yes. Katutau is very close to the Aktau Mountains and easy to add, but it means less time in Aktau, because the Aktau walk takes a while.
Is this a private or shared tour?
Private: only your group travels in the car, with your own guide. The price per person drops as your group grows, from $260 per person. Group tours with set dates start in March 2027.
What if the weather is bad, or I need to cancel?
Cancellation is free for our standard tours. For special tours or large groups, where we book rooms or activities in advance or pay a deposit to a hotel or partner, there is a 20% deposit: we refund it if you cancel 5 or more days before the tour, and not if you cancel later. If snow, heavy rain or a road closure makes the route unsafe, we move you to another day or cancel at no cost.
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