Kazakhstan
Pearl of Central Asia
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Kazakhstan, the world's ninth-largest country, is located in the heart of Eurasia and borders Russia, China, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan. Its vast and diverse landscape includes 60% plains, 30% hummocks, and 10% mountains, with prominent ranges like the Tien Shan and Altai. It features unique water bodies such as the Caspian and Aral Seas, mountain lakes like Big Almaty and Kolsay, and saline lakes including Balkhash and Alakol. The varied ecosystems support rich biodiversity, with around 500 bird species (396 of them breeding), and 178 mammal species, including rare ones like the Saiga, Snow Leopard, and Persian Gazelle.
Almaty Astana
Day 1 – Sorbulak & Kanshengel
Start from Almaty and bird around Sorbulak’s lakes and canals, targeting pelicans, waterfowl, white-headed ducks, and rosy starlings. Evening search for Caspian plover in desert light. Night in Kanshengel.
Day 2 – Kanshengel Desert-Steppes
Early search for MacQueen’s bustard, followed by stops at waterholes for sandgrouse and larks. Afternoon visit to “lark paradise” for calandra and lesser short-toed larks, desert finch, and imperial eagle. Night in Kanshengel.
Day 3 – Ili River Delta & Taukum Desert
Bird the Taukum Desert en route to the Ili Delta, targeting yellow-eyed pigeon, saxaul sparrow, white-winged woodpecker, and Pallid scops-owl. Night in Aral-Tobe.
Day 4 – Pander Desert
Long drive to search for the Pander ground-jay and other desert specialties like rufous-tailed scrub-robin and desert finch. Return to stay in Bakanas.
Day 5 – Transfer to Charyn Plateau Area
Drive out of the desert with raptor stops (imperial eagle, long-legged buzzard). Search for Eastern rock-nuthatch near the Ili River. Night in Baiseit.
Day 6 – Kokpek Canyon & Waterhole
Visit a waterhole for Pallas sandgrouse, Mongolian finch, and Brandti shore lark. Explore Kokpek Pass for buntings, blue rock-thrush, and desert warblers. Night in Baiseit.
Day 7 – Charyn Plateau
Explore the Charyn canyon highlands for Himalayan griffon, Egyptian vulture, buntings, pipits, and rock thrush. Night in Kegen.
Day 8 – To the Mountains via Big Almaty Canal
Return toward Almaty, birding the canal zone for rollers, bee-eaters, and shrikes—especially long-tailed shrike and Indian golden oriole. Night near Ile-Alatau National Park.
Days 9–10 – Big Almaty Lake & Mountains
Two days hiking in alpine habitats targeting Himalayan snowcock, Guldenstadt’s redstart, tit-warblers, rosefinches, ibisbill, and lammergeier. Down-valley species include brown dipper and blue whistling-thrush. Final night in Ile-Alatau, then flight to Astana.
Days 11–12 -13-14– Korgalzhyn Steppes
Bird Korgalzhyn's steppes and shallow lakes for sociable lapwing, black and white-winged larks, pratincoles, steppe raptors, flamingos, and cranes and Saiga Antelope. Final night in Astana.
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