Burabay (Borovoe) from Almaty: Minibus with Driver for the Whole Trip
The Burabay resort is 1,450 km from Almaty, and it’s best reached without rushing, over two days. A private 13-seat Toyota Hiace with a driver who takes care of the whole long drive via Astana, the overnight stop on the way and the return trip.
from 400,000 ₸ for the whole Toyota Hiace minibus, multi-day trip with an overnight stop on the way
Not a scheduled bus or a taxi: the whole minibus for up to 13 people — just your group · a driver with 20+ years of experience
The same terms for every destination — price per vehicle, not per seat
Pickup at your door in Almaty
You choose the address and time: home, office, hotel or airport. No bus station and no meeting the group “at the bus stop”.
The whole minibus — just your group
The 13-seat Toyota Hiace takes no other passengers. One person or 13 — the price is the same; we don’t sell individual seats or tickets. More than 13 people — we’ll find a partner minibus for your date; on short routes two runs in a row also work.
Driver, fuel and road included
Our regular driver with 20+ years of experience, fuel, toll sections and pickup in Almaty are all in the quoted price; you don’t pay extra per passenger. National park entrance fees, ski passes and a local off-road vehicle, if your route needs them, are not included.
Round trip
The round trip is one price. Waiting time on site and the driver’s overnight stay, if you travel for several days, are agreed when booking.
Luggage: 13 traveling light, up to 9 with suitcases
Bags and gear go in a separate compartment. If everyone has a large suitcase or a stroller, we take up to 9 people; with skis and snowboards, 9–10. Tell us what you’re bringing when you book.
Payment: cash, Kaspi or invoice
Trips in the city and nearby are paid after the trip. Long intercity trips and trips of several days need a partial prepayment to hold the date, the rest before departure. Companies get an invoice, a contract and closing documents.
We plan a trip to Burabay (Borovoe) from Almaty as a multi-day journey: one 13-seat minibus with a driver for all the days, from 400,000 ₸ per vehicle, not per passenger. We pick you up at one convenient spot in Almaty and bring you right to the lakes.
Burabay, also known as Borovoe, is a resort in Akmola Region in northern Kazakhstan: pine forests, clear lakes and granite rocks such as Okzhetpes and Zhumbaktas. From Almaty to Burabay is about 1,450 km, which makes it a genuinely long-distance intercity trip: the road runs through Karaganda and Astana and takes more than a day. That’s why we plan a trip here as a multi-day journey with an overnight stop, not as a one-day run.
You leave at a time that suits you; the cabin has air conditioning, a media system and reclining seats, and the driver takes on the whole long drive. The price is per vehicle and per day on the road, so for a group, hiring a minibus for the trip is simpler and more relaxed than getting everyone onto a train or piecing together connections via Astana.
Burabay via Astana: how long it takes and what’s on the way
The route to Burabay heads north through Balkhash, Karaganda and Astana, and from the capital it follows a new expressway to Shchuchinsk and Burabay. That stretch is autobahn-grade, with three lanes in each direction, so the last 250 kilometers or so to the resort go quickly and smoothly. In total it adds up to about 1,450 km, roughly 16–17 hours of actual driving time.
It makes sense to split a distance like this into two days with an overnight stop — most often in Karaganda or around Astana, so you reach the lakes the next morning feeling fresh. We discuss the exact schedule, the stops for food and fuel, and where to stay overnight in advance, and adjust them to your group.
What to see in Burabay (Borovoe)
The resort’s two symbols are Mount Okzhetpes, about 300 meters high, and Zhumbaktas, a rocky islet standing in the bay, known as the Sphinx and the Riddle Stone. Nearby are the clear Lake Burabay (Borovoe) with its healing water, pine forests and Bolektau, a lookout hill with a panorama of the whole lake country.
Along the shores of Lake Burabay, it’s worth stopping at Kenesary Khan’s Cave and the Grove of Dancing Birches with its oddly twisted trunks, while the Nature Museum of Burabay National Park showcases the area’s plants and wildlife. The driver will take your group between sights within the resort, so you see the main things during your trip instead of looking for transport on the spot.
When to go to Burabay, park fees and what to pack
Burabay is open all year, but each season is different. People swim in July and August — that’s also when the resort is busiest and accommodation gets booked up early. May, June and September are quieter: warm, with dry trails and no lines at the viewpoints. Winter here is snowy and frosty, with wind over the open lakes, but the rocks under snow look nothing like the summer postcards. A separate note on formalities: Burabay is a national park, there is a fee for entry and visits, and you pay it on site. Rates and payment procedures change from time to time, so check the current ones before you go — we’ll remind you when we confirm your booking.
The drive falls into two very different parts. First comes a long haul across the steppe through Balkhash and Karaganda: in winter there are blizzards there, and the highway is sometimes closed to traffic, so we set a winter date with an eye on the forecast and don’t set off in a blizzard at all. After the capital the expressway begins, and the last 250 kilometers or so to Shchuchinsk and Burabay go smoothly and quickly. As for packing, people most often forget the essentials: comfortable shoes for the climb up Bolektau — the trail is short but rocky; a windbreaker even in July, because a chill comes off the water; mosquito repellent for the pine forest; and some cash for park fees, a boat ride on the lake and souvenirs.
Minibus, train or plane to Burabay
There’s no direct bus from Almaty to Burabay, and the train takes about twenty hours to Kurort-Borovoe station, from which you still have to get to the lakes themselves. Flights go only to Astana or Kokshetau, and from there you need ground transport anyway. Your own minibus takes the group from your door in Almaty right to the resort and stays with you there. And if a dog is coming to the lakes too, we also do pet transport on long routes — just let us know when you book.
For a group of eight to thirteen people, hiring the whole Hiace for the trip is simpler than working out separate tickets and connections for everyone. You travel with your own group and your usual luggage, stop where it suits you and don’t depend on timetables on a long, slow route.
Burabay: how the trip works
Two days on the road with an overnight stop
About 1,450 km via Karaganda and Astana — a multi-day trip with an overnight stop, not a day run. We plan the route in advance, with no illusions.
The driver handles the road
A driver with more than 20 years of experience drives the whole long highway, and we plan the overnight stop in advance — you rest instead of sitting behind the wheel for 16–17 hours.
One minibus for the whole group
Up to 13 people traveling light, or up to 9 with large suitcases, ride together — no changes in Astana and no scattered train tickets.
One bill for the whole trip
The price is per minibus and per day on the road, with no extra charge per passenger. We tell you the amount before departure.
Burabay: trip price
from 400,000 ₸ — for the whole Toyota Hiace minibus, multi-day trip with an overnight stop on the way
The driver, fuel, toll roads and pickup in Almaty are included. Not included: national park entrance fees, ski passes, a local off-road vehicle, paid parking and pickup outside the city. We quote the total before departure; it only goes up if you decide to extend the waiting time.
All intercity trips from Almaty →Customer reviews on 2GIS
“Efficient and fast — a clean bus with a driver arrived on time.”
“Excellent — they provided a minibus with a driver very quickly.”
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
Almaty to Burabay: a private minibus instead of a scheduled bus
Your group travels in our minibus with a driver — from your door to the destination, with no timetables and no transfers. Distance: ~1450 km; drive time: ~16–17 hours (with an overnight stop).
Your own AlaGo minibus
- from 400,000 ₸ for the whole Toyota Hiace — one price for the vehicle, however many people travel.
- Leave whenever you like — even at 5 a.m.; no waiting for a scheduled departure.
- We pick you up at your door and drive you right to the place, with no changes.
- Luggage, strollers and gear go in a separate compartment, not on your lap.
Why a scheduled bus is less convenient
- It leaves on a timetable, not when it suits you.
- You have to get to the departure point and from the arrival point on your own, with your bags.
- Luggage goes in a shared hold, and oversized bags and gear usually cost extra.
- You get off at a bus station or the last stop, not at your address.
We don’t sell individual seats — the minibus goes out for your group only. Luggage travels in a separate compartment, and you choose the departure time and the stops on the way. We’ll give you the exact price for your dates — by phone or on WhatsApp.
Where else we drive from Almaty
Burabay: frequently asked questions
How much is a minibus trip to Burabay from Almaty?
From about 400,000 ₸ for the whole Toyota Hiace minibus for a multi-day trip with an overnight stop on the way. The exact price depends on the number of days, the route and your plans at the resort — we’ll agree on the total for a trip like this by phone or on WhatsApp.
How far is Burabay from Almaty, and how long is the drive?
From Almaty to Burabay is about 1,450 km via Karaganda and Astana, roughly 16–17 hours of actual driving. In practice it’s two days on the road with an overnight stop, so the trip is planned as a multi-day journey, not a one-day run.
Can we get to Burabay in one day?
Honestly, no. The distance is too long for one day behind the wheel, so we plan an overnight stop on the way, usually around Astana, and an unhurried schedule.
How many people does the minibus take on a long trip?
There are 13 seats, and the whole group’s luggage travels with you. That’s enough for a big family or a group heading to Burabay together — no changes in Astana. All 13 can travel light; if everyone has a large suitcase or bulky gear, we take up to 9 passengers — we’ll agree on what you’re bringing when you book.
What’s included in the trip to Burabay?
A private Toyota Hiace with a driver for every day of the trip, the drive there and back, and rides between sights within the resort. Accommodation, meals and national park entrance fees are paid separately — we’ll help you plan the itinerary.
What’s the better way to get from Almaty to Burabay — train or minibus?
The train takes about twenty hours and brings you to a station from which you have to get to the lakes separately. The minibus takes your group from your door in Almaty straight to the resort and stays with you there — for a group it’s more convenient and more flexible on the route, although with the overnight stop the journey takes two days.
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.