Where to Go from Almaty by Minibus
Our most popular routes, with a guide price for the whole Toyota Hiace. Lakes, mountains, canyons and cities — we take your group in one vehicle with a driver who knows the road.
Almaty is conveniently placed: the gorges start half an hour from your door, the canyon is three hours away, the shore of Lake Balkhash six. Below are all our routes with a guide price per trip — there are 57 of them right now. We drive our own 13-seat Toyota Hiace with a driver — the price is for the whole minibus, not per person, so for a big group it is both more convenient and noticeably cheaper for each person.
The collections are grouped not by our internal categories but by how people actually choose: how much time you have and who you are traveling with. First come half-day trips close to the city, then out-of-town retreats, full-day trips, intercity routes across Kazakhstan and trips to the neighboring countries. Guide prices by the hour and by distance are on the prices and rates page, the vehicle with its driver — under Toyota Hiace hire, and one-day trips to lakes and canyons are covered in more detail under day trips.
Half-day trips — mountains and parks right by the city
Up to 35 km from your door: leave after breakfast, be up in the mountains by lunch and back home in the evening. Good for when you haven’t set a whole day aside and need something to do with guests between other plans.
Country retreats, resorts and picnics outside the city
To the resort gate, not the nearest bus stop: we pick you up at your door, load the grill, food and overnight bags, and collect you in the evening. You book the cabins and the banya (steam bath) yourself — we only provide the transport.
Full-day trips
An early start and back before dark: canyons, mountain lakes, waterfalls and petroglyphs. The whole minibus is yours, so you choose the start time, how long each stop lasts and when to head home — not a shared tour group.
Intercity trips across Kazakhstan
From seventy kilometers to fifteen hundred, from a half-day drive to a trip with an overnight stop on the way. Door to door, with no stations, no changes and no strangers on board.
Kyrgyzstan, Russia and the border with China
To Kyrgyzstan — in the same minibus with the same driver: passengers cross the border checkpoint on foot, while the vehicle goes through separately and waits on the other side; if someone is meeting you there, we take you only as far as the Kordai border checkpoint. To Russia — a drive of a day and a half to two days with an overnight stop. At Khorgos, the driver waits in the parking lot by the checkpoint.
How to choose a destination
The first question is not “where” but “for how long.” Half a day is enough for the foothills: Medeu, Shymbulak, Kok-Tobe — ten to twenty-five kilometers, up to an hour’s drive, from 30,000 ₸ per vehicle. A full day means Big Almaty Lake from 50,000 ₸ (the vehicle waits at the barrier, and you walk to the water), Charyn for 80,000 ₸ or Kolsai for 100,000 ₸: leave at 6 a.m., back by dark. Anything farther than five hundred kilometers is best planned with an overnight stay — Alakol is 600 km and eight hours on the road, Burabay (Borovoe) 1,450 km with a night on the way. Ideas for each season are in our articles on where to go from Almaty, what to see in one day and overnight trips.
What it comes to per person
The amount is per vehicle, so divide it by everyone who goes. Charyn for four people is about 20,000 ₸ each, for eight — 10,000 ₸, with a full minibus of thirteen — about 6,150 ₸. Same math for Balkhash: 150,000 ₸ becomes about 11,540 ₸ per person if the whole group goes. That is exactly why there is no point in keeping the group “smaller to make it cheaper” — it works the other way around.
In winter and the off-season
Winter does not shorten the list, it changes it. For skiing, people go to Shymbulak and Ak-Bulak. We load gear bags in Almaty; for Shymbulak we drop you at the lower cable car station at Medeu, at Ak-Bulak — by the lifts. People go to Oi-Qaragai for the snowy spruce forest and to 8 Lakes for the skating rink and tubing. And at the Chundzha hot springs, the peak season actually falls in winter: the contrast of hot water and frosty air is what people drive 250 km for. A mountain switchback road in icy conditions is one more reason not to drive yourself.
With children and a big family
With small children, short routes with even paths and shade work best: the Botanical Garden, Ayusay with its eco-trails and workshops, Lake Issyk, where you can spread a blanket by the water, and the Turgen waterfalls with a short trail. A child seat is free, the stroller and bags ride in the luggage compartment, and the seats recline — on the way back children usually sleep. On public transport at weekends, people ride up the mountain standing, and a whole switchback road with a child in your arms is a poor start to an outing.
What we do and what we don’t
We drive — and that is all. Cabins, the banya (a steam bath), rooms and entrance tickets you book directly with the resorts: we take the group to the gate and pick you up there at the agreed time. We do not include a guide in the price either, and we do not pretend to be a tour agency; the driver knows the road and will tell you where to stop, but he will not give a lecture. On the other hand, the whole minibus is yours: you choose the departure time, how long to stop and when to head home — not a shared group on someone else’s schedule. We quote the exact amount for your date before departure, and it does not change on the way — use our contacts page to tell us where and when you are planning to go.
Quick answers
Where can we go from Almaty by minibus in one day?
In one day you can make it to Charyn Canyon (~215 km, from 80,000 ₸), the Kolsai Lakes (~300 km, from 100,000 ₸), Kaindy Lake (~290 km, from 100,000 ₸), Altyn-Emel (~250 km, from 150,000 ₸), the Turgen waterfalls (~90 km, from 70,000 ₸) and the Tamgaly-Tas rock carvings (~120 km, from 70,000 ₸). You leave early and get back in daylight; the price is for the whole minibus.
Is the price per person or for the whole minibus?
For the whole minibus. The Toyota Hiace seats 13 passengers, and the amount is the same for one person or for thirteen: you hire the whole minibus, and we do not pick up other passengers. So the bigger the group, the less it comes to per person — Charyn for eight people is about 10,000 ₸ a head.
Where should we go in winter?
In winter, people most often ask for Shymbulak and Medeu (both from 30,000 ₸ round trip), the Ak-Bulak ski resort (from 30,000 ₸), Oi-Qaragai “Lesnaya Skazka” (from 50,000 ₸) and the Chundzha hot springs (from 140,000 ₸ round trip) — there, winter rather than summer is the peak season. Gear rides in the luggage compartment, the cabin is heated all the way, and on an icy mountain descent the driver at the wheel has more than 20 years of experience.
What should we bring on a long trip?
An ID (without it you will not be let through to Big Almaty Lake or into Kyrgyzstan), water, snacks, a windbreaker for the mountains and cash for national park entrance fees. Luggage, picnic food, a barbecue grill, a stroller, sleds or ski bags ride in the separate luggage compartment, not on your lap. The air conditioning both cools and heats, the seats recline, and there is a DVD player, a TV and MP3. On routes like Balkhash (470 km) and Alakol (600 km), that is six to eight hours in one seat.
There are more than thirteen of us — what can we do?
We have one minibus, and we will not promise “two vehicles at once.” There are two honest options: take the group in two runs back to back if time allows, or, when everyone has to leave at the same time, find a partner minibus for your date. Tell us the number of people and the date — we will tell you what can realistically be done.
How many days in advance should we book?
For the city and the foothills, we often go the same day. For intercity trips and day trips, 1–3 days ahead is better. In summer, on weekends and on holidays, Charyn, Kolsai, Balkhash and Alakol get booked up early — it is worth securing such a date a week ahead.
Real photos — not a manufacturer’s catalog
All photos
- Driver with 20+ years of experience
- Air conditioning and heating
- DVD · TV · MP3
- Soft reclining seats
- Electric door
- Luggage compartment
These photos show our own 13-seat Toyota Hiace with a high roof and a wide aisle between the seats. We took them ourselves: the cabin, seats and luggage compartment of this very vehicle. We have one minibus: this is the one that will come for you, with its own driver at the wheel.
13-seat cabin
Luggage compartment
Tell us where and when
We’ll bring a Toyota Hiace minibus with a driver to any address in Almaty at the time you need. Available 24/7.