Almaty to Zharkent by Private Minibus with Driver
To see family, to the market or to the famous wooden mosque — your whole group in one vehicle. A private 13-seat Toyota Hiace with a driver who knows the eastern highway through Shelek and Koktal and the road beyond, to Khorgos.
from 100,000 ₸ for the whole Toyota Hiace minibus, one 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.
One way
The price is for the one-way drive. A return trip, waiting time on site or a trip of several days are priced separately — tell us your plan and we’ll suggest an option.
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.
You can book a minibus with a driver from Almaty to Zharkent for the date you want, if the vehicle is free: a 13-seat Toyota Hiace, from 100,000 ₸ for the whole minibus, one way. The price is the same for four people or thirteen — you pay for the vehicle, not for seats; a return trip or a day trip with waiting time is priced separately for your plan.
Zharkent is a district center in Zhetysu Region, right by the Chinese border, about 300 km east of Almaty — some four hours on the highway through Shelek and Koktal. The town is known for its late-19th-century wooden mosque, built in the style of a Chinese pagoda without a single nail — today it is a museum and the main sight of the area. Another 35 km down the road lies Khorgos with its international trade center, so Zharkent often becomes either a stop on the way there or a base for the night.
AlaGo drives to Zharkent in a Toyota Hiace with your own driver: pickup at your door in Almaty, a direct ride with no bus stations, luggage and purchases in a separate compartment. People go to see relatives for family events, to buy goods, to visit the mosque and on to the border; if you want to stop at Charyn Canyon or the Chundzha hot springs on the way, tell us when you book — those turnoffs are on the same highway.
The Almaty to Zharkent road: route and travel time
The route follows the eastern highway through Shelek, Usharal and Koktal to Zharkent. The distance is about 300 km, and the time on the road is roughly four hours with one stop for coffee and fuel. The road is paved all the way and cleared in winter, but in a snowfall it is better to leave earlier.
The turnoff to Charyn Canyon and the road to Chundzha are on the same highway, and beyond Zharkent lie Khorgos and the border checkpoint. If you are traveling with purchases or for several days, mention it when we calculate the price: as on other long routes, there are options with waiting time, with the driver staying overnight, and with two separate trips.
Why people go to Zharkent
Most often — to see relatives and for family events: getting there as a group in a Hiace is simpler than finding separate seats for everyone on a scheduled bus. The second reason is trade: Zharkent and neighboring Khorgos have long been where people from Almaty go to buy goods, and the load on the way back fills the luggage compartment.
There is a tourist reason too: the Zharkent Mosque, built in 1887–1895, is the only building of its style in the region, and Charyn, Chundzha and Altyn-Emel lie along the way or just off it. If you want to turn this into a two- or three-day route, we will price the whole trip, overnight stays included.
Zharkent by minibus or by scheduled bus
A scheduled bus means a seat on a timetable, a bus station at both ends and four hours with strangers. Your own Toyota Hiace leaves when it suits you, stops where you ask, and carries only your group.
For a family or a group of 8–13 people, one price for the vehicle is easier to budget, and the ride is noticeably easier: air conditioning, reclining seats, luggage stowed separately and a driver who knows this highway in winter and summer.
Zharkent: how the trip works
Door to door
We pick you up at your door in Almaty and drop you at your address in Zharkent — no bus station, no timetable, no fellow passengers.
On to Khorgos
The border and the international trade center are another 35 km: we can take you there the same day or the next morning after an overnight stay.
Luggage and purchases
Bags, boxes and gifts for relatives ride in a separate luggage compartment; if everyone has large boxes, we take up to 9 people.
Price per vehicle
One price for the whole Hiace, one way; we will price a day trip with a return, or a separate return trip, for your plan.
Zharkent: trip price
from 100,000 ₸ — for the whole Toyota Hiace minibus, one 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 Zharkent: 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: ~300 km; drive time: ~4 hours.
Your own AlaGo minibus
- from 100,000 ₸ 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.
Zharkent: frequently asked questions
How much is a minibus from Almaty to Zharkent?
From about 100,000 ₸ for the whole Toyota Hiace, one way. A day trip with waiting and a return, a separate return trip or continuing to Khorgos are priced separately for your plan — we will give you the amount by phone or WhatsApp.
How long is the drive from Almaty to Zharkent?
About 300 km and roughly four hours on the highway through Shelek and Koktal, with one stop on the way.
Can you take us on to Khorgos?
Yes, Khorgos is about 35 km beyond Zharkent — we can go the same day or the next morning after an overnight stay. How a trip to the International Center for Boundary Cooperation works is described on the Khorgos page.
How many people and how much luggage fit?
Up to 13 passengers traveling light; if everyone has a large bag or boxes of purchases, we take up to 9 people so that everything fits in the luggage compartment. Tell us what you are bringing when you book.
Can we book a round trip in one day?
Yes: the driver waits for you in Zharkent and drives you back in the evening — this is priced separately from the one-way fare. A stop at Charyn or the Chundzha hot springs is also possible — we will check whether it fits into one day.
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.