Almaty: Aktau Mountains & Singing Dunes 1-2 Day Tour

The Singing Dunes of Altyn Emel: What It Feels Like to Walk Into Kazakhstan's Desert

You drive from Almaty into Altyn Emel National Park to hike the Aktau chalk mountains, explore the volcanic Katutau formations, and descend the Singing Dunes that hum beneath your feet. Lunch is included, and you can choose between returning the same day (16 hours total) or staying overnight in Basshi village with dinner and a campfire. The guide handles navigation and park logistics, so you just show up at pickup.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Aktau, Katutau, and Singing Dunes

• Pickup at 5:30 AM
• Stop for WC and market at 7:30 AM
• Enter national park at Bashi village at 9:00 AM
• Off-road to Aktau Mountains
• Explore Aktau Mountains until 12:00 PM
• Visit Katutau volcanic mountains at 12:30 PM
• Depart Katutau at 1:10 PM
• Lunch in village from 1:50 PM to 2:30 PM
• Arrive at Singing Dunes at 3:30 PM
• Enjoy Singing Dunes views until 5:30 PM
• Return to city

The experience

There's something unsettling about driving out of Almaty at 5:30 in the morning toward a landscape that doesn't look like anywhere else. The Aktau Mountains appear first: pale, fractured chalk formations that rise like something from another planet. You stop at the base around 10 AM and walk into them, and the scale hits you: these aren't hills, they're geological wounds in the earth, layered in whites and grays and rust. Your guide points out the mineral deposits, the way water carved them over millennia. It's quiet out there. You hear your own footsteps.

By midday you're at Katutau, the volcanic mountains, where the rock formations look deliberately sculpted: twisted spires and impossible angles that make you want to touch them just to confirm they're real. Lunch happens at a local guesthouse, and it's proper food, not a rushed sandwich: meat, vegetables, bread, tea. The guide eats with you, and if you're doing the two-day version, this is when the rhythm changes. You're not rushing back to the city. You're staying in Basshi village, sleeping in a guesthouse, eating dinner cooked by someone's family, sitting around a campfire. The stars out there are the kind you forget exist when you live near a city.

The Singing Dunes come on the first day (one-day tour) or the second morning (two-day). They're 150 meters high, and yes, they actually hum when you walk down them. A low, resonant sound that happens because of the sand's mineral composition and the angle of descent. It's not loud, it's not dramatic, but it's real, and it's strange enough that you'll probably try it twice. The view from the top stretches across the Ili River and the desert beyond Almaty, and on a clear day you can see how far the landscape actually goes.

The one-day tour picks you up at 5:30 AM and returns around 10 PM, which is a long day but fits all three locations. The two-day option trades speed for depth. You get the overnight in the village, the campfire, breakfast included on day two, and a slower pace through the mountains. Both tours include an English-speaking guide, transport in an air-conditioned vehicle, all national park entrance fees, and lunch. Water is provided. If weather cancels the tour, you get a different date or your money back.

What’s included

• Your tour includes hotel pickup at 5:30 AM, transport in an air-conditioned vehicle, an English-speaking guide, all national park entrance fees, a hearty lunch of local cuisine (vegetarian option available), and bottled water.
• On the two-day option, you also get dinner and breakfast in Basshi village, plus an overnight stay with a campfire.
• The guide handles all logistics and navigation so you can focus on the landscape.

Options for this experience

3 options

Altyn Emel private tourGuide in English or Russian · 05:00Private tour to Altyn Emel, pickup is included

Group day tour to the Singing Dunes and Aktau Mountains in Altyn EmelGuide in English or Russian · 05:30Pickup is included

Tour lasting 2 days including an overnight stayGuide in English or Russian · 07:00Overnight in Basshi village in private rooms with attached washroom. Duration: 2 days. Meals are included: on day one, a late breakfast and dinner; on day two, breakfast and lunch. Itinerary: Day one begins with pickup from 7:00 to 7:30, first pit stop at 9:30, a stop with lunch at a National Park at 11:30, and an SUV jeep trip through the Aktau Mountains from 13:30 to 15:30. Pickup is included.

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 05:00, 05:30 and 07:00

Book up to8h before

AgesAdult (12 to 60 years) · Under 12: can't be booked

GroupUp to 11 · max 8 per booking

Live guideEnglish and Russian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 13 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Kazakhstan Very Nice

Is this one for you?Choose this if you want to see Almaty's most unusual desert landscapes without arranging your own transport or park permits: the early pickup and long day (or overnight) mean you experience all three locations without the logistics falling on you.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Russian.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What time does the tour start and end?

The one-day tour picks up at 5:30 AM and returns around 10 PM. The two-day tour starts at the same time but returns to Almaty on day two after breakfast.

Is lunch included?

Yes. Lunch is served at a local guesthouse and includes local cuisine with a vegetarian option available. On the two-day tour, dinner and breakfast are also included.

How difficult is the hiking?

The tour involves moderate hiking and walking through the mountains. You should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness. It's not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, pregnancy, or poor cardiovascular health.

What's included in the price?

National park entrance fees, English-speaking guide, air-conditioned transport, lunch (and dinner/breakfast on the two-day option), and bottled water.

Can I do a private tour instead of a group tour?

Yes. A private tour option is available with the full itinerary for your group only, with flexible pace and personalized experience.

What happens if the weather is bad?

If weather cancels the tour, you'll be offered a different date or a full refund.

How far is Altyn Emel from Almaty?

The drive takes roughly 1.5 to 2 hours from Almaty to the park entrance at Basshi village.

Is there a bathroom stop on the way?

Yes. There's a quick stop at a market/WC around 7:30 AM on the drive out.