Kazakhs can rest for 3 days on Naurus Day, March 21-23. Spring break for students is March 18–26. If parents can take time off or take time off, they can have 5 to 7 days to spend time with their families during the small long vacation in March.
How to spend a good time? Here are some suggestions and routes from travel agencies to refer to.
Turkestan
Turkistan is a city full of legends and has been one of Kazakhstan's most popular tourist destinations for the past five years.
There are many buildings of cultural and historical value here. First up is the "heart" of Turkistan – the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site 20 years ago.
In addition to the famous mausoleum, tourists can also visit famous attractions such as the Ukasha Ata Memorial and the underground mosque built from nature.
The three-day bus tour also allows you to visit the Kazigut Mountains. According to legend, Noah's Ark docked at one of the peaks of this ridge in ancient times.
A new attraction in Turkestan is the water landscape, which is part of the tourist complex "Keruen Saray", which opened in 2021. The new complex was built opposite the Yasawi Mausoleum and covers an area of 20 hectares. The show on the artificial lake starts in the evening, where you can also go boating, watch an equestrian show and visit the Oriental Market.
A three-day trip from Almaty to Turkistan costs 28,000 tenge including hotel accommodation and entrance fees to attractions.
Jonza (Чунджа)
Hot springs in Zhonza County, near Almaty Oblast, have long become the first choice for Kazakhs on weekends and holidays. Judging by the number of newly built or under construction resorts in this place, it is safe to say that this resort has earned a place in the tourist market of Kazakhstan.
Jonzha is located close to the Chinese border, and the average cost of accommodation here is 8,000-12,000 tenge per person per day. There are also places with higher prices (20,000-30,000 tenge per bed). A two-way bus ride through a travel agency to Jonza and accommodation in a similar place costs 17,000-18,000 tenge per day.
You can also take a tour bus, book a car or drive to Jonza. Local hotels are also starting to offer pick-up and drop-off services for guests. In this case, travelers will need to call themselves to compare prices and accommodation.
Hot springs around Almaty
In the Almaty city area, there are several hot springs suitable for health care.
One of them is located above the famous Medio alpine skating rink. A few years ago, Almaty merchants installed oak barrels here and beautified the surrounding area. Admission to the hot springs is free. By the way, this place was a place for the training of front-line snipers during the Great Patriotic War.
Located in the village of Utegen Batyra, a multifunctional complex was built very early. Those who visit can stay here for hours or even days. In order to better serve the travelers, there is a lounge and rooms for guests staying at the hotel. The cost of coming to this hot spring is 2000 tenge per person and the duration is two to three hours.
In the Almarasan gorge ( Алмарасан) there is a free hot spring. During the Soviet era, a spa was opened here, but it was closed due to dilapidated infrastructure. It was not until 2019 that it was rebuilt at the original hot spring site. For the convenience of tourists, bridges, steps, toilets were built. There are also changing rooms, benches, gazebos and a place to fetch your own water.
The mineral baths "Кайнар 18" were built near the hot springs (Shanyrak residential area) in the lower reaches of the city of Almaty and cost 2000 tenge per hour. In addition, the sauna complex offers massage and mud bath services.
Spa
When you think of spas in Almaty, the first thing that comes to mind is the "Тау-SPA" family spa and the "Hawaiian and Miami" spa.
Opened to tourists in 2003, the spa "Тау-SPA" is located in the scenic area of Almarasan and is also accessible by city bus. There are children's and adult pools, indoor and outdoor pools, and a jacuzzi.
Sauna lovers can enjoy saunas from all over the world: Russia, Turkey, Finland, Japan and, of course, cold baths that will keep you awake.
Admission to the Тау spa is 7000 tenge on weekdays, 10000 tenge on holidays and weekends. Swimming gear can also be rented here.
The "Hawaii and Miami" spa is another water entertainment complex located in the Aport mall on the outskirts of Almaty. The 35,000-square-metre spa features two wave pools, a children's play area, water rides, a bar and a restaurant. In winter, the two outdoor pools (one deep and one shallow) filled with hot water are always crowded with visitors.
The spa area offers seven types of saunas, and you can also swim or relax in the jacuzzi, salt room or oak tub and enjoy a massage.
Tickets for the "Hawaii and Miami" spa after 6 p.m. on weekdays start at 4,000 tenge. Tickets for children at other times are 4550 tenge and adult tickets are 6150 tenge. Discounts are available for membership cards, spa packages or birthdays.
Nearby attractions
As the weather warmed up in spring, travel agencies began to actively recommend one-day and two-day packages for sightseeing around Almaty.
For a day trip to Lake Colsey and Lake Caindy, the tour bus costs 12,000 tenge, and if accommodation is required, the cost of accommodation is 23,000 tenge/day.
March to April is the best time to visit the Charyn Gorge. And along the way, you can also visit another lesser-known gorge in the Kurtogai region, which costs 8,000 tenge.
There are three observatories in and around Almaty. One of them is the oldest observatory discovered on the Kamensky plateau after the war. You can see twinkling stars through telescopes at night and hear fascinating stories from scientists about astronomy. Each visitor costs 6,000 tenge.
Тамгалы rock paintings are another monument in Kazakhstan that is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. This monument of ancient cave art for nomads was discovered in the late 50s of the last century.
In 2003, 20 years ago, an open-air museum appeared here. These include settlements, cemeteries, ancient quarries, petroglyphs, and religious buildings. An experienced guide will take you along the trail as you walk while interpreting the petroglyphs from the mid-14th-13th centuries BC to the early 19th-20th centuries. On the same day, tourists can also visit the crustal fault point near the village of Ungurtas. This place resembles a cave and is also known as the "navel of the earth". The tour costs about 8000 tenge.
Finally, during the short holiday in March, visitors can also visit the ancient city of Yalkent, which was once a fork in the Silk Road. The road distance from Yalkent to Almaty is about 320 km, so it takes a lot of time on the road. However, it is well worth the trip.
The Yalkent are particularly proud of a 700-year-old elm tree, which, according to locals, has healthy energy and shares this energy with all visitors to the area. The cost of a trip here is about 9,000 tenge.
Reference exchange rates: USD: tenge = 1:462.295, CNY: tenge = 1:67.325
Source: Informburo
Compiler: Zoya
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