ビッグアルマトイ湖ツアー（風光明媚な乗馬付き）

I was underwhelmed by this tour. The transport was timely and collected us from a convenient location, but there was little interaction from the guide to give us information on the city or the country as we travelled to the lake. Once there we had an hour to look around which, while it is stunning, was much too long (40 minutes max) and then we had to wait another 20 minutes for the transport to collect us again. Meanwhile our horse riding event had been overbooked so the guide had to arrange another venue which took some time. The riding cost was then higher than the published rate although we had an hour on the horses instead of half an hour - but again too long as the landscape they took us through was not scenic . Also we were not monitored well by the horse owners and many horses tended to do their own thing which is quite nerve-wracking for inexperienced riders. As this had all taken a while by now we all voted to skip lunch and get back to the city. I thought this was very expensive for what it was (remembering the optional horse riding is an additional expense). Also if it runs smoothly it is a half day event at best as lunch would not be needed as you could be back by midday.

Our tour was disorganized and raised serious concerns about both participant safety and animal welfare. It was a deeply disappointing experience and, unfortunately, poorly represented the hospitality, people, and country of Kazakhstan. Our first stop was Big Almaty Lake, which was beautiful, and the transportation was convenient. Our guide then informed us that the horseback riding provider was fully booked, but said she had rearranged the itinerary so that we could ride with another provider for an hour rather than the originally planned 30 minutes. The next stop was supposed to be the gorge, but instead became an unexpected coffee break. It was unclear whether this change was related to the revised horseback riding arrangements, but we were disappointed that we did not visit the gorge, particularly since it was less than a kilometer from the parking lot and could have easily been reached on foot. The change was neither clearly explained nor communicated. The most concerning part of the tour was the horseback riding. The providers were all young local men who were unable to communicate even basic riding instructions or horse-management guidance to the tourists. Most people in our group had little or no previous riding experience, and several participants expressed that they felt unsafe and out of control of their horses. More seriously, the condition of many of the horses was extremely concerning. The majority appeared severely underweight, with visibly emaciated bodies. The horse I personally rode was one of the healthier-looking animals. While he was very slim, he was energetic and capable of carrying a rider. Unfortunately, that did not appear to be the case for many of the other horses. Nearly all of the horses also had visible cuts, sores, and scars, raising serious concerns about how they are treated and whether they have been subjected to whipping or other forms of mistreatment. When we raised these concerns with our guide, she appeared indifferent and told us that this condition was normal in Kazakhstan. Having ridden horses in numerous countries and having owned horses ourselves, my companion and I are familiar with appropriate standards of equine health and welfare. The condition of these animals was, in our view, well below an acceptable standard for riding or general animal health. We both regret participating in the horseback ride. It was something I had been genuinely looking forward to, but in hindsight, we should have refused to ride once we saw the condition of the horses and the lack of adequate safety instruction. Our eagerness to participate unfortunately overrode our better judgment at the time. I hope that by sharing this feedback, Kazakhstan Guided Tours will take these concerns seriously and use this experience as an opportunity to improve. Guides should be better educated on participant safety and animal welfare, and the company should establish and enforce clear standards for the providers it works with. If horses are visibly malnourished, injured, or otherwise being neglected, the company should refuse to participate in or promote those rides. Kazakhstan has so much natural beauty, culture, and hospitality to offer visitors. It is genuinely a shame for a tour representing the country to provide an experience that leaves visitors concerned about their own safety and the welfare of the animals involved. I hope Kazakhstan Guided Tours will take meaningful steps to ensure that future visitors have an experience that better reflects the country and its people.

+1

This trip was amazing! Ax is an awesome guide and is so knowledgeable.

didn't feel this tour offered good value for money. The stop at Big Almaty Lake was quite short, and after visiting the lake we had to wait a long time for the taxi to pick us up again. The drive to the horse-riding location was also brief, but it was clear that the riding itself did not take place inside the national park, which was somewhat disappointing. The itinerary stated that those not participating in the horse ride would have a 30-minute lunch break. However, when we arrived, it turned out there wasn't a café but only a restaurant serving large meat platters. One older solo traveller simply wanted to buy a Coke, but the only option was a 1.5-litre bottle, so she decided not to order anything. The three travellers ended up just waiting around without ordering snacks or drinks. The biggest issue was the horse riding. We were taken to the horses and expected to ride up a hill, yet we received virtually no instructions on how to ride or control a horse. As someone with little experience, my horse kept stopping to eat, and I had no idea how to encourage it to keep moving. At the same time, one of the younger participants became very nervous, which made her horse nervous as well. The horse left the trail, and you could clearly see the panic on our guides' faces as they chased after her. While they were distracted, my own horse also wandered off the path. Throughout the ride, I genuinely felt unsafe and was worried that someone might get injured. Fortunately, a few other participants had previous horse-riding experience and kindly gave the less experienced riders some helpful advice. We all made it back safely, but it felt more like good luck than the result of proper preparation or supervision. Overall, I think the tour needs much better organisation, clearer communication about what is included, and, most importantly, proper safety instructions and support for inexperienced riders.

We had an absolutely fantastic tour to Big Almaty Lake with Jan! Jan was super friendly, extremely attentive, and put so much effort into making the day special. His explanations were filled with great attention to detail, making the trip truly unforgettable. You can tell he really loves what he does. Highly recommended!

Our guide, Nursultan, was very knowledgeable, effective, and kind. We enjoyed the drive, his talk, a little walk, and the views very much. Since we left the hotel early in the morning, we could not eat our breakfast there; the hotel packed our breakfast, and we were able to eat it at the lake, totally immersed in nature. Although the lake water was not transparent due to the recent rains, the scenery was spectacular, and the trip was well worth the effort!

Overall, it was a decent and smooth experience.

Short tour of iconic natural sites near Almaty. Just what you need if you want to enjoy the mountain views and not spend all day. We were amazed at the beauty of Kazakhstan! Special thanks to guide Zhuldiz!

Zhenis was an exceptional tour guide. I booked this overnight tour on viator (Kolsai Kaindy Lakes with Charyn Canyons). The bus they used was modern and comfortable, and the driver drove safely. Both lakes were very beautiful and the food provided was of high quality. As well, the yurt was comfortable and the beds were soft. As an American, the canyons were repetitive due to the grand canyons in Arizona but nonetheless for most others they will be extremely cool. Overall easily 5 stars among the best tours l've done. The only recommendation I would add is to add more pick up points in the future. Would be easier for the guests. It's not like the time was essential as we got to the overnight accommodations before 6pm. 3 is less than what I would expect for a city as big as Almaty.

Axultan is very good guide. He provided good information during the trip.