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MEET US IN WILD KAZAKHSTAN

TUE, MAY 21 – FRI, MAY 31, 2024

 

DISCOVER KAZAKHSTAN’s wild terrains ON AN UNFORGETTABLE 11-DAY ADVENTURE WITH A SMALL GROUP OF CURIOUS TRAVELERS

 

ⵙ WHAT’S THE JOURNEY?

Welcome to Kazakhstan, our founder and trip-leader’s birthplace and a beautiful country in Central Asia. Most travelers know little about this country beyond Borat, but this vast place – the ninth-largest in the world! – has so much to offer. In 11 days and 10 nights, we will travel to Kazakhstan’s most mysterious, remote, and isolated Mangistau province on the Caspian Sea. This is an adventure expedition for those of us who seek to truly disconnect from the hectic everyday pace and be one-on-one with nature while exploring some of Kazakhstan’s most majestic landscapes.

 
 

ⵆ WHO IS THIS TRIP FOR?

Our travelers come from diverse backgrounds and walks of life, but what unites them is humility, curiosity, an open mind, love for travel, and a sense of adventure.

 

  • Step Outside Your Comfort Zone

    Sleep under the stars in the Zhygylgan Hollow, a mysterious depression whose origins scientists are debating to this day

  • Experience Childlike Wonder

    See the 10th-century underground mosque, Shakpak Ata, and explore the local legends

  • Explore a New, Beautiful landscape

    Get to know Kazakhstan through the eyes of your leader Yulia Denisyuk, who was born in Almaty

  • Find a Sense of Stillness

    Watch the sun set over the incredible Caspian Sea while we sit by the fire and relax

  • Unplug from Your Daily Routine

    Travel through the Mangistau region inside our adventure jeeps where our chef (and our showers and bathrooms) travel with us!

  • A solo traveler?

    Meet interesting people with stories to tell from all over the world and leave countless hours of planning to us, expert travelers and organizers who have insider knowledge of Kazakhstan and its best, untrodden paths. Our deep relationships with people who live and work here will give you a close look into this country we love.

 

THIS IS AN ADVENTURE EXPEDITION

FOR MOST OF THE TRIP, WE WILL BE IN THE WILD TERRAIN

Mangistau, where we spend most of the trip, is truly wild. We will spend about two days in Almaty, Yulia’s birthplace, visiting the bazaars, the mountains, and getting a feel for Kazakhstan’s city life. Once in Mangistau, we will spend eight days sleeping in our camping tents, eating meals Kazakhs ate centuries ago (like camel or rice pilau) prepared by our own chef on the open fire, and setting up camp for the night wherever we feel like, the way nomads did in the past. There will be very little Wi-Fi while we're in Mangistau. There will also be no other people for miles around. This is truly like traveling to another planet: we will sleep in our tents, have our own cook, shower, and transport, and go wild camping across some of Kazakhstan's most spectacular landscapes.

IMPORTANT: Prior experience sleeping in tents or wild camping is NOT required. First-time adventurers welcome! Yulia (our trip leader) is not an extreme adventurer herself, so you can be sure that we will do what makes us feel comfortable, not what makes us feel on edge.

 

Our Accommodations In Mangistau

In Mangistau, we will travel through wild and remote places while enjoying comfortable accommodations in the field. Our accommodations include:

  • Hot shower cabins and windproof, light-equipped toilets

  • Headquarters tent where we will sit at full-fledged tables while having a meal or spending leisure time

  • Tall sleeping tents with cots (more like a mini hotel room than a tent)

  • A kitchen where our chef will cook delicious meals of regional Kazakh cuisine like camel stew and fresh fish from the Caspian Sea (vegetarian dishes available upon request)


 

Our Transport In Mangistau

During our time in Mangistau, we will be traveling with expedition-ready vehicles:

  • off-road campers will carry our kitchen, showers, and other equipment

  • legendary Toyota Landcruisers will carry us (each passenger inside the Landcruiser will have a window view in a comfortable captain’s seat)

“You will have a magical, awe-inspiring, unforgettable experience with memories to savor from the trip of a lifetime.”
— Jody B., Jordan Nov 2018

ⴾ TRIP ITINERARY

IMPORTANT:

We recommend booking your flights from your home town with Turkish Airlines. We are arriving in Almaty but departing from Aktau. This international route is best served by Turkish Airlines.

The arrival airport is Almaty, code ALA on Tue, May 21 (flight TK 350, departing Istanbul on Mon, May 20). The departure airport is Aktau, code SCO on Fri, May 31 (flight TK 279).

DAY 1

We arrive to Almaty airport where a car awaits to take us straight to our hotel to rest up from the long journey (transfer included). We get to know our fellow travelers during our first lunch and dinner together and explore Almaty, the city Yulia grew up in, including the Green Bazaar, Almaty’s largest market.

Overnight: 3- or 4-star hotel in Almaty

Meals included: Lunch, Dinner

DAY 2

We have an early start today because we want to go see the mountains that Almaty is known for! We climb up to Chymbulak, Almaty’s highest point deep in the Tian Shan mountains.

In the evening, it’s time to head to the airport for our flight to Aktau, Mangistau’s biggest city (flight included) where we settle in for the night in our hotel. This will be our last opportunity for Wi-fi until we come back to Aktau.

Overnight: 3- or 4-star hotel in Aktau

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

DAY 3

Today, we start our adventure in Mangistau, Kazakhstan’s eastern province near the Caspian Sea which is mystical, remote, and isolated. We visit Shakpak Ata, a 10th-century underground mosque.

Then, we descend into Zhygylgan Hollow, a “fallen land” with ancient rock carvings and fossils of prehistoric horses and sabretooth tigers. We spend the night inside this depression.

Overnight: Tents inside our adventure camp

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

 

DAY 4

We spend the whole day exploring Zhygylgan and its whimsical landscapes. Here, we have a good chance to see the endangered mouflon sheep, as well as the endemic jackals, foxes, and wolves.

In the afternoon, we head back to our camp where a fresh dinner by our chef awaits by the fire.

Overnight: Tents inside our adventure camp

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

DAY 5

In the morning, we visit Sherkala, a sacred mountain near the paths of the Great Silk Road. We head further to stay at an ethno-aul, a collection of nomadic yurts that symbolize nomadic Kazakh culture. In the afternoon, we visit Airakty, known as “The Valley of the Castles,” and we’ll understand why once we get there.

Overnight: Yurt accommodation inside an ethno-aul

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

DAY 6

Today, we get up early to go to Torysh, a place believed to have magical energy that is also known as “The Valley of the Balls.” We make our most meaningful wishes here before heading out to the salt marsh of Tuzbair, a stunning white valley stretching for 15 kilometers on an ancient sea. This will be our backyard tonight.

Overnight: Tents inside our adventure camp

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

 

DAY 7

The Wave in Arizona? Peru’s Rainbow Mountains? Same stunning beauty, zero crowds – this is “Tiramisu Valley” in Mangistau, an incredible location that has been completely undiscovered by the world’s tourism. After, we head to the Bozzhira Canyon, a magnificent creation of nature where we’ll stay over for the night.

Overnight: Tents inside our adventure camp

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

DAY 8

Today, we’re hiking up the Bozzhira “Fangs,” a formation of two steep rocks of incredible beauty (easy to medium difficulty). Here, we reach a viewpoint that offers spectacular views of Mangistau where we take a break before coming back down. In the afternoon, we visit “Dragon’s Ridge,” another spectacular mountain range in Bozzhira where there are zero visitors besides us.

Overnight: Tents inside our adventure camp

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

DAY 9

Today, we say goodbye to Bozzhira and head to the Caspian Sea, the largest inland body of water in the world that is actually not a sea at all. We settle into our camp on the Caspian shores and have a free day here where we swim, sunbathe, nap, walk along the coast, or help our chef with cooking our delicious meals.

Overnight: Tents inside our adventure camp

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

 
 

DAY 10

After all that exploring, it’s finally time to sleep in and have a relaxing morning, our last, by the Caspian Sea. After late breakfast, we head back to Aktau, where we spend our final night (and catch up on emails etc as we’ll have Wi-fi again... Back to reality!)

Overnight: 3- or 4-star hotel in Aktau

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

DAY 11

Today we leave Kazakhstan from Aktau airport (transfer to the airport included) and prepare to miss it as soon as the plane takes off.

Meals included: Breakfast

 
“With NOMAD + JULES, you don’t just visit the beautiful sites and rush from one place to another, you truly experience the country.”
— Feriel t., jordan apr 2019

ⵆ TRIP DETAILS

 

DATES:

  • Tue, May 21 - Fri, May 31, 2024

Journey price:

  • Credit Card/PayPal: $3,993 per person

  • Bank transfer/Venmo/Zelle: $3,880 per person

  • Payment plans are available

    • Credit Card/PayPal: 3 payments of $1,331

    • ACH/Venmo/Zelle: 3 payments of $1,293

All accommodations in Almaty & Aktau hotels are in three-star hotels or higher, single-occupancy rooms. All accommodations in Mangistau are inside double-occupancy camping tents. If you'd like some privacy, single-occupancy tents are available for an additional lump sum payment of $160.

Book your single supplement here.

The last day to book is Fri, Apr 19, 2024.

What's included:

✔ 10 nights accommodations in three-star hotels or higher and our adventure camp: 1 night in an Almaty hotel (single-occupancy), 1 night in an Aktau hotel, and 8 nights inside our camp tents (double-occupancy; if you'd like some privacy, single-occupancy tents available for an additional lump sum payment of $160; book your single supplement here). Accommodations in camp include all necessary sleeping gear: mattresses, sleeping bags, and pillows – no extra equipment needed.

✔ 10 breakfasts, 10 lunches, 10 dinners (including a farewell dinner on Day 10)

✔ All in-country transportation (we will have our own jeeps and an adventure camp setup that includes our own chef and bathrooms/showers, which means we will explore the wonders of Mangistau at our own pace!)

✔ Airport transfers on days of arrival and departure

✔ Flight to Mangistau (Almaty airport to Aktau airport)

✔ A professional driver and guide to accompany us throughout the trip

✔ All entrance fees to all sites we will visit

✔ All excursions

What's not included:

  • Airfare to/from Kazakhstan. Please note, we recommend booking your flights from your home town with Turkish Airlines. The arrival airport is Almaty, code ALA on Tue, May 21, flight TK 350 (departing Istanbul on Mon, May 20). The departure airport is Aktau, code SCO, departing on Fri, May 31, flight TK 279.

  • Personal expenses + drinks

  • Tips for service personnel (driver, local guides, etc)

  • Mandatory travel insurance

 
 

Explore Kazakhstan with our founder and a published travel photographer and writer, Yulia Denisyuk, who was born in Almaty

Yulia is the founder of NOMⴷD + JULES and a freelance travel photographer and writer. She was born in Kazakhstan, grew up in Estonia, and now lives in the United States. Yulia has traveled the world extensively and turned to a travel journalism career after spending more than ten years in large organizations — first as a Navy Sailor, then as a brand manager at Fortune 500 companies. Yulia's work appears in The New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, TIME, Lonely Planet, Afar magazine, National Geographic Traveller, BBC Travel, and others. Yulia started NOMⴷD + JULES because of one question: Is it safe to travel to Jordan now?

 

Read Yulia’s story about Kazakhstan on BBC Travel

Read it here
 

 OUR GROUPS ARE INTIMATE.

OUR JOURNEYS ARE INTENTIONAL.

OUR EXPERIENCES (WE HOPE!) WILL BE TRANSFORMATIVE FOR YOU.

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READY TO JOIN US?

Book your spot below.

Spots are limited.

Be sure to review our terms and conditions here.

Please note: mandatory travel insurance is required to join our trip.

Book your single supplement here.

BOOKING POLICY

All payments are non-refundable (in the event of trip cancellation by NOMAD + JULES, payment will be refunded).

Please note: mandatory travel insurance is required to take this trip. We encourage you to purchase comprehensive travel insurance that covers cancellations. We recommend Travel Insured. See more here.

View our full booking terms and conditions here.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  1. Do I need to be a photographer (or a social media influencer) to join you on this tour? No. Our focus is on making sure we travel at our own pace and getting to know the places and people around us. We have a passion for photography and we want to share this passion with the group - but it is not mandatory by all means to be a professional photographer or have an interest in photography/social media. All we ask is that you come with an open mind and heart.

  2. Do I need to be an extreme adventurer to join you on this tour? No. This is a great first-time adventure: we will have our own comforts with us (such as bathrooms, showers, and a kitchen). Yulia, the tour leader, is not an extreme adventurer herself, so you can be sure that we will do what makes us feel comfortable, not what makes us feel on edge.

  3. How will the camp take care of the natural spaces we’re visiting? The wastewater we will be using throughout the trip (from showers and the kitchen) goes into the ground. Because of that, we will be using bio-degradable eco-materials only (provided by the camp) like shampoo, soap, and gels that are safe for the ground. Bio-degradable waste will be buried, other waste will be carried with us until we reach back to the city of Aktau.

  4. What do accommodations look like? The rate is for a double-occupancy accommodation inside a spacious tent where we’ll have two cots and mattresses, a sleeping bag, and a pillow – all provided for you.

  5. What about comforts like a shower or a hangout spot? We will have traveling with us: a portable shower with comfortably warm water, toilet facilities, a full field kitchen with our private chef, and a “living room” tent where we can hang out and relax.

  6. What is the weather like at this time of year? The weather in May will be comfortable: about 25-26C during the day and 12-14C at night.

  7. What about electricity? We will have power banks to charge our phones, laptops, and cameras, and our jeeps are also equipped with individual USB-C ports to charge your phone while we’re on the road.

  8. Who fulfills the trip on the ground? We've partnered with a wonderful, experienced expedition adventure tour company in Kazakhstan that has a passion for the same things we do to make this happen. We have used this company's services in the past and can attest that they are amazing, care about their people, and genuinely care for the well-being of their guests.

  9. What photography gear do I need to bring? Whatever gear you are comfortable with or want to learn more about: your phone, your DSLR, or no gear at all - all options are just fine (see #1). If you want to do astrophotography, we'd recommend bringing a DSLR and a tripod.

  10. What about camping gear? We recommend the following: layered clothing, thermals, sun protection such as scarves, hats, sunscreen, bathing suits, hiking shoes, and personal care items. A full packing list will be provided upon booking.

  11. How much cash do I need on the ground? You should expect to need a total of 200 USD or less for the trip. This would cover tips and any small miscellaneous expenses. You can exchange at the airport upon arrival or withdraw from an ATM later in Almaty.

  12. Do I need to arrive and depart at a specific time? Yes, because we recommend booking your flights from your home town with Turkish Airlines. The arrival airport is Almaty, code ALA on Tue, May 21, flight TK 350 (departing Istanbul on Mon, May 20). The departure airport is Aktau, code SCO departing on Fri, May 31, flight TK 279.

  13. What about visas? For US citizens: we will not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan. If you will be traveling with any other passport, please email us so we can advise on visas.

  14. What about travel insurance? Travel insurance is required to take our trip. All travelers will be asked to provide proof of current and adequate travel insurance 30 days prior to departure. We strongly recommend that travel insurance addresses trip cancellation coverage. The bookings are non-refundable; Trip cancellation insurance may be the only means of receiving reimbursement for flights and other non-refundable travel expenses should the trip be canceled for any reason by you. There are many options for travel insurance. We recommend Travel Insured; see more here. In the case of trip cancellation by us, your booking will be refunded.

  15. More questions? Reach out to us at any time at info@nomadandjules.co.