Multi-Day Trips from Shymkent
Planning Around Shymkent
Shymkent is a practical base for a few days in southern Kazakhstan. The city has an airport about 12 km north-west of the centre, a rail junction and good road links to Turkistan, Otrar and the mountains. The three and five day plans below use verified distances and leave room for slow summer afternoons.
Three Days: Old Town and the Silk Road
Day 1 stays in the city. Visit the Shymqala old town, then the Upper Bazaar and Ordabasy Square with the Zher-Ana stele, and cross the pedestrian bridge into Independence Park. Dinner at one of the Kazakh and Uzbek restaurants on Ayteke Bi Street suits the evening.
Day 2 is a long excursion to Turkistan, Otrar and Arystan Bab. Turkistan is about 160 km away and Otrar about 155 km, so hire a driver or join a one-day tour of around 10 hours. Foreign visitors pay 5,000 KZT for the Yasawi precinct, and an ID check applies.
Day 3 covers Sayram in the morning, where the Ibrahim Ata and Karashash Ana shrines are active pilgrimage places, and a hike in Sayram-Ugam National Park in the afternoon. The park is about 70 km away. Pay the small eco fee at the cordon and keep to marked routes.
Five Days: Adding Mountains
Day 4 goes to the Aksu-Zhabagly reserve, about 100 km from the city. The reserve requires a permit and a guide arranged in advance, and there is a visitor centre and a wildlife museum at Zhabagly village. The reserve hotel has 10 beds and private guesthouses are also available, so a night in the village is easy to arrange. The reserve was founded in 1926 and its ten tourist trails include the Aksu gorge viewpoint. Wild tulips flower in late April and May.
Day 5 can be a second night in Turkistan for the Karavansaray evening show, or a rest day back in Shymkent with Jailaukol Park and the zoo.
Shymkent and Turkistan Together
Some visitors sleep in Turkistan after seeing the precinct, then come back by minibus in the morning. The road takes about 2 hours and the train roughly 3 to 4 hours. Confirm the timetable on the KTZ site before choosing the train.
Onward Travel
Overnight trains run to Almaty and Astana, and the Almaty to Tashkent Tulpar-Talgo calls at Shymkent. Almaty is roughly 10 to 14 hours by train depending on the service. Tashkent is reachable by road or rail, and from Tashkent the Afrosiyob high-speed train runs to Samarkand inside Uzbekistan. Check the current status of the border crossing before you plan this leg.
Seasons and Safety
April, May, September and October are the easiest months. In July and August highs reach the mid 30s C and can pass 40 C. Mountain weather changes quickly, and the FCDO warns of avalanche, landslide and rockfall in remote terrain and advises against trekking alone. Carry original ID and register through your hotel within 3 working days. See the FCDO entry requirements and the Aksu-Zhabagly profile on kazakhstan.travel . Hotels can be compared on Booking.com .
Read more: Day Trips in Shymkent , the 4 day itinerary and the 5 day itinerary .