General information on the auto-trekking programs
Auto-trekking is the most popular and easily available type of holiday for people of any age. Turquoise colored lakes nestling between the rocks, swift mountain streams and waterfalls, high altitude summits and plateaus containing dinosaur footprints await you along with the mysterious caves. Every moment spent here helps to raise someone over himself. Nothing is stronger than the feeling that you are beginning to understand your own strength and abilities.
Hotels. All the hotels provided on our tours have International standard of services and are rated from 2 to 5 stars. Necessary facilities like hot water, toilet, shower or bathrooms are in the room. Most rooms are equipped with air condition, telephone with international line, TV set, minibar and refrigerator. Breakfast is always included. Breakfast hours are from 07.30 to 10.30 am. As a rule most hotels are situated in the center on nearby. Hotel - airport transfer normally takes about 20 minutes, hotel - railway station transfer takes 5 - 10 minutes.
Meals. We provide qualitative and ecologically clean food for cooking. All vegetable and meat food are always within expiry dates and cooked in a proper way. At the camps during our trekking and safari programs we provide full board.
Breakfast includes: tea, coffee, jam, butter, one main dish (cereal or omelets or scrambled eggs), sugar, yogurt, bread, cheese, dried milk. In the morning a cup of hot tea or coffee may be served in your tent. You just should order it in the evening and tell the cook what time you'd like to get it in your tent in the morning.
Lunch in the base camp. One main dish is cooked for lunch. Salads of fresh vegetables, pies, coffee, tea, sugar, dried milk, bread, cheese, fruits are also provided.
Dinner. Two main dishes are cooked for dinner. Soups, garnishes, salads, sauces, deserts, tea/coffee.
Lunch during trekking. After breakfast the cook gives out packed lunch-boxes for the clients. Every lunch-box includes: sandwiches with meat, sausage, cheese; coffee/tea, sugar, jam, canned fish, meat spreading. After breakfast guide, cook and interpreter start moving with the clients. Cook and guide carry kitchen equipment: gas stove, gas cartridges, tea pot, mugs, additional food.
Meals in the cities. Breakfast is provided by the hotels of your stay. As a rule it is a "help yourself" breakfast. Lunch and Dinner we provide at the clean city cafes with good food and services, not far from the hotels.
Lunch-boxes "on the road". For road transfers we prepare lunch-boxes. Normally on the way we find a picturesque place for a picnic. We provide chairs and tables. Lunch-boxes include: bread, rolls, cookies, cheese, meat or sausage, vegetables, instant soup, fruits, yogurt, jam, chocolate, sweets, dried fruits, sugar, tea/coffee, bottled water 1,5l/person.
Camping outfit
Tents for guests. 2-person tents with mosquito nets and ventilation windows, double layer, waterproof.
Toilet. Field toilets in the camp. They are made of durable fabric.
Motorolla radio. Walkie-talkie radio is provided for those leaving the base camp for a long time and long distance. It covers 25 - 30 km.
Kitchen and dining tents. They are big waterproof tents with ventilation windows and two entries. Its size is 3 x 5 x 2 m. Tables and chairs are provided.
Helping staff
Interpreters. Our interpreters have good knowledge of the certain language. The students of the last year of the Foreign Language University may be hired as interpreters. Mainly they specialize in one language. Please, do not be angry if any of the interpreters takes a look in the dictionary to check an unfamiliar word.
Cooks. We hire experienced cooks that are able to cook in fields conditions. Some of them speak English. Observation of the hygiene is always a must. They are able to cook vegetarian meal.
Guides. We have only experienced and responsive guides in our staff. They do not have a special education, but have enough experience to solve emergent problems. As a rule they speak English. They know local conditions, local habits, weather conditions. They are always ready to help. One of their duties is to consult guests on different questions.
Drivers. They perfectly know local conditions, roads, technical things of the vehicles. Some of them speak a little English.&
Transport. It is difficult to use comfortable vehicles both: on asphalt and no asphalt roads. We will try to use comfortable vehicles for long distance transfers, but if impossible, we will use 4WD vehicles. For city sightseeing's we use comfortable buses and vans (depending on group size).
Helicopters. Using of helicopter is not included into the tour cost. If you wish you may request a helicopter trip for additional cost. You should let us know two days prior intended date of the trip. We provide MI-8 MTV helicopter type, Russian construction. Its capacity is 15 passengers with 40 kg of load per person.
Insurance
You should have your own health insurance to cover all the expenses in case of an accident:
- works of the rescue party;
- emergency use of helicopter for the rescue works;
- hospitalization.
Recommended personal equipment and clothing for the autotrekking:
Waterproof cape, sunglasses, several pair of socks, pair of warm socks, jacket/trousers made of Gore-tex type fabric, warm underwear, warm knitted cap, sunhat, trekking boots, light sport shoes, cream with SPF, head lamp, individual medicines, sleeping bag, mattress, lining.
Additional information
1. We provide 1 guide for a group up to 15 persons.
2. Horses carry the load. In this case you are allowed to give 15 kg of your personal load to be carried by horses.
3. Your personal things and gear should be packed in durable plastic bags, tied up and signed with your name.
4. Kazakh visa is obtained at any embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan on our invitation.
5. In "Day by Day" programs we indicate:
- (H-1760) altitude above the sea level
- (7 km., 6 hrs) distance from the starting to terminal points. Distance may vary up to 500 m more or less. Time shown is indicated without time spent for rest and lunch.
6. Category of difficulty is indicated in the beginning of "Day by Day" program.
A - it is a category for safari programs, when clients most of the time spend in the vehicles on the road, driving from one place of interest to another. Foot passages are only from the base camp and back, not difficult, take from 5 to 7 hours of light walking. You should be just fit enough, no age restrictions.
AA - You should be fit enough to go for 5 - 7 hours on the rugged terrain, cross the rivers and mountain passes. Special skills are not requires, but at the same time you should be trained enough to get over the possible difficulties.
7. How to come to Almaty: Almaty is easily reached by plane from any point of the world. "Lufthansa", "KLM", "Turkish Airlines", "British Mediterranean", "Transaero", "Air Kazakhstan", "Air Uzbekistan" , "Aseana aircompanies", "Pulkovvskie Airlines" have flights to Almaty.