The price of the private tour will vary based on the number of people in the group, including children aged 16 and over. Please note that the cost for a child's participation in the tour will be the same as an adult. The price per person shown below is based on a group of two individuals.
Upon your arrival in Astana, your guide will meet you at the airport. You will be transferred to the hotel to have breakfast and rest. The day's itinerary includes a half-day city tour featuring key sites from the Soviet period. You will visit the Memorial of Victims of Political Repression, Presidential Center of Culture, Congress Hall, Esil Hotel, Pioneers’ House, National Security Committee headquarters, Oktyabr cinema, Molodezhny Palace, Steam Locomotive Monument, and the new administrative center on the left bank of the Esil River.
After lunch, the tour route will take you to the Akmol village, specifically to the former ALZhIR forced labor camp. After you explore the museum, we will return to Astana, where you can enjoy dinner and relax.
Overnight stay in a hotel in Astana
After breakfast at the hotel and completing the check-out process, we will embark on a journey to Aksu (440 km, approximately 6 hours on the road). Upon reaching the town, we will start with lunch, followed by a visit to the square showcasing monuments from the Soviet era. Then, we will head to Kurchatov (195 km, about 2.5 hours), where the first leg involves your accommodation in a hotel. After settling in, you will partake in a walking tour of the town where the first Soviet atomic bomb was developed. On our first day in Kurchatov, you will see the National Nuclear Center, the residence of Lavrentiy Beria, and the abandoned part of the town.
Overnight stay in a hotel in Kurchatov
The town of Kurchatov bears the name of Soviet physicist Igor Kurchatov, who resided and worked there. Collaborating with other scientists, Kurchatov played a pivotal role in the creation of the first atomic bomb in the USSR. The town is also the former administrative center of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, where nuclear bombs underwent testing.
During the Soviet era, Kurchatov was a closed, top-secret town with strict access control measures. Encircled by barbed wire, it was marked on maps as a simple railway station. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the nuclear bomb project was closed, leading to a decline in the town's population. Consequently, houses were left abandoned, soldier's camps stood empty, and certain structures, including architecturally notable ones, were demolished.
Today after breakfast at the hotel you will go to the Atomic Lake, the result of the first Soviet industrial thermonuclear explosion in 1965 and located at the Balapan test site. You will stay here for a short time. Although the radiation background is no longer a risk, the danger comes from the other side: radioactive dust that can get on your skin or inside your body and cause irreparable damage to your health. That is why it is strictly forbidden to touch the ground when visiting the landfill, and you may not eat or drink anything (even brought with you). We will quickly explore the site before returning to Kurchatov. Another lunch awaits you, after which we'll drive to the ghost-town Shagan, once home to a long-range aviation aerodrome. In the evening, we'll return to Kurchatov.
The radiation levels at the Experimental Field remain elevated. Please follow your guide's instructions to stay safe. Your guide will provide you with protective equipment and indicate which areas are comparatively safer for your presence.
The Experimental Field at the Semipalatinsk test site played a crucial role in conducting nuclear tests from 1949 to 1962. This complex comprised various engineering and construction facilities aimed at testing and documenting the parameters of nuclear explosions. Out of the 456 trials conducted at the Semipalatinsk site, three stand out as particularly significant: RDS-1 (the first ever Soviet nuclear device), RDS-6 (the first Soviet test of a hydrogen bomb), and RDS-37 (a "true" hydrogen bomb in the megaton range).
As of now, remnants of equipment and structures bearing traces of nuclear explosions are still preserved at the Experimental Field, serving as tangible historical artifacts from this era of nuclear testing.
Following breakfast and completing the hotel check-out, we will proceed to Bayanaul National Park. A lunch break will be incorporated along the journey. Upon reaching the park, you will check in at a guest house, enjoy dinner, and then have the opportunity to rest.
Overnight stay in the national park
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Established in 1985 as Kazakhstan's first national park, Bayanaul National Park is situated in the Pavlodar region, approximately 100 km from the city of Ekibastuz. Bayanaul captivates visitors with its remarkable rock formations. These rocks and stones have evolved into peculiar shapes over centuries, shaped by the forces of wind and water. The rocks often resemble animals, people, or even a truck descending a mountain.
Among the sights is the Konyr Auliye Cave, a local attraction steeped in folklore. Legend has it that entering the cave, making a wish while touching its walls with one's palm, and exiting without turning one's head will lead to the fulfillment of that wish.
In the morning, you can explore the national park once again at your leisure. After lunch, we will bid farewell to Bayanaul and proceed to Karaganda (290 km, 5 hours on the road). Upon reaching the city, you will be checked into a hotel before embarking on a city tour. Highlights of the excursion include the Palace of Culture, the Stanislavsky Theatre, the City Akimat, the Chaika Hotel, the Monument to Nurken Abdirov, the Circus, the Monument to Miners (a symbol of Karaganda), and visits to the industrial sector and the Old Town. The day concludes with a dinner before returning to the hotel.
Overnight stay in a hotel in Karaganda
Karaganda, the fifth-largest city in Kazakhstan by population, is situated in the heart of the country. Its advantageous location has established it as a central hub in Kazakhstan. Often considered the coziest city in the country, Karaganda has retained its charm with beautiful streets and meticulous construction, reflecting the original vision outlined in the 1934 general plan.
The city's cultural development was significantly influenced by two Soviet forced labor camps, Karlag and ALZhIR. These camps served as places of confinement for talented individuals from across the USSR. Even after the easing of the regime, many exiled artists, ballet dancers, directors, actors, and other creative minds stayed in Karaganda.
After breakfast at the hotel, prepare for a journey to Dolinka village, where the Karlag forced labor camp is located. Here, you will engage in an excursion to the Karlag museum, the former Karlag administration building, the maternity hospital, the Mamochkino cemetery, and the Spassk memorial. After the sightseeing experience, we'll return to Karaganda for lunch.
Next on the itinerary is a visit to the Karaganda Ecological Museum. Spend an hour immersing yourself in the museum's exhibits, followed by some free time for souvenir shopping. As the day concludes, enjoy a farewell dinner before going to the airport.
Karlag was part of the extensive network of camps collectively known as the Gulag, organized by Joseph Stalin during a period of widespread political repression. While there were numerous camps in Kazakhstan, Karlag distinguished itself due to its immense scale and significance. The administrative hub of Karlag was situated 50 km southwest of Karaganda in the village of Dolinka. From this central point, the extensive camp system, spanning numerous branches in Central Kazakhstan, was managed.
In Dolinka, you can explore various historical sites, including the museum, the Officers' House, and the children's cemetery, known as the Mamochkino Cemetery (Mommy's Cemetery), where the remains of thousands of infants born and perished in the camp are interred. You'll also see numerous ruins of saman barracks constructed by prisoners themselves. These sites collectively offer a glimpse into the challenging history and human experiences associated with Karlag.
Day 1 – Upon your arrival in Astana, your guide will meet you at the airport. You will be transferred to the hotel to have breakfast and rest. The day's itinerary includes a half-day city tour featuring key sites from the Soviet period. You will visit the Memorial of Victims of Political Repression, Presidential Center of Culture, Congress Hall, Esil Hotel, Pioneers’ House, National Security Committee headquarters, Oktyabr cinema, Molodezhny Palace, Steam Locomotive Monument, and the new administrative center on the left bank of the Esil River.
After lunch, the tour route will take you to the Akmol village, specifically to the former ALZhIR forced labor camp. After you explore the museum, we will return to Astana, where you can enjoy dinner and relax.
Overnight stay in a hotel in Astana
Day 2 – After breakfast at the hotel and completing the check-out process, we will embark on a journey to Aksu (440 km, approximately 6 hours on the road). Upon reaching the town, we will start with lunch, followed by a visit to the square showcasing monuments from the Soviet era. Then, we will head to Kurchatov (195 km, about 2.5 hours), where the first leg involves your accommodation in a hotel. After settling in, you will partake in a walking tour of the town where the first Soviet atomic bomb was developed. On our first day in Kurchatov, you will see the National Nuclear Center, the residence of Lavrentiy Beria, and the abandoned part of the town.
Overnight stay in a hotel in Kurchatov
Day 3 – Today after breakfast at the hotel you will go to the Atomic Lake, the result of the first Soviet industrial thermonuclear explosion in 1965 and located at the Balapan test site. You will stay here for a short time. Although the radiation background is no longer a risk, the danger comes from the other side: radioactive dust that can get on your skin or inside your body and cause irreparable damage to your health. That is why it is strictly forbidden to touch the ground when visiting the landfill, and you may not eat or drink anything (even brought with you). We will quickly explore the site before returning to Kurchatov. Another lunch awaits you, after which we'll drive to the ghost-town Shagan, once home to a long-range aviation aerodrome. In the evening, we'll return to Kurchatov.
The radiation levels at the Experimental Field remain elevated. Please follow your guide's instructions to stay safe. Your guide will provide you with protective equipment and indicate which areas are comparatively safer for your presence.
Day 4 – Following breakfast and completing the hotel check-out, we will proceed to Bayanaul National Park. A lunch break will be incorporated along the journey. Upon reaching the park, you will check in at a guest house, enjoy dinner, and then have the opportunity to rest.
Overnight stay in the national park
Day 5 – In the morning, you can explore the national park once again at your leisure. After lunch, we will bid farewell to Bayanaul and proceed to Karaganda (290 km, 5 hours on the road). Upon reaching the city, you will be checked into a hotel before embarking on a city tour. Highlights of the excursion include the Palace of Culture, the Stanislavsky Theatre, the City Akimat, the Chaika Hotel, the Monument to Nurken Abdirov, the Circus, the Monument to Miners (a symbol of Karaganda), and visits to the industrial sector and the Old Town. The day concludes with a dinner before returning to the hotel.
Overnight stay in a hotel in Karaganda
Day 6 – After breakfast at the hotel, prepare for a journey to Dolinka village, where the Karlag forced labor camp is located. Here, you will engage in an excursion to the Karlag museum, the former Karlag administration building, the maternity hospital, the Mamochkino cemetery, and the Spassk memorial. After the sightseeing experience, we'll return to Karaganda for lunch.
Next on the itinerary is a visit to the Karaganda Ecological Museum. Spend an hour immersing yourself in the museum's exhibits, followed by some free time for souvenir shopping. As the day concludes, enjoy a farewell dinner before going to the airport.
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On request
This journey will take you to the gems of Central Kazakhstan, including Karkaraly National Park, the Bronze Age Kent settlement, Scythian burial mounds, and the remnants of the ancient Buddhist temple known as Kent Palace.
On request
Embark on an exploration of the Soviet legacy on Kazakh soil! This tour takes you to the infamous labor camps of the Stalin era, Karlag and Alzhir, the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, and various other landmarks from the Soviet era.
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