学文网DAY 1： Arrive in Almaty， the old Kazakh capital， which is about 5 hours by air from New Delhi. The city， once known as Alma Ata， was on Marco Polo’s legendary Silk Route. Check into Almaty Hyatt Regency （） and enjoy its lavish breakfast spread. Begin sightseeing with Arbat Street—Almaty’s pedestrians-only boulevard where artists sell their paintings， musicians perform， and all the fashionable people strut up and down. In summer and autumn， you will find open air cafés on Arbat in hundreds. When thirsty， pick up a bottle or two of Derbes beer from the kiosks and munch on samsa （a fluffy chicken pattice）. Work off the beer with a round of the magnificent Panfilov Park. The tulips in Panfilov are in bloom this time of the year. The park is also where every newlywed in Almaty， irrespective of religion， comes to seek blessings from the Eternal Flame （similar to Amar Jawan Jyoti in Delhi）. Light a candle at Zenkov Cathedral， inside the park， a wooden， typically Russian cathedral， with colourful onion domes. Pamper yourself with a Turkish， Russian or Finnish bath at Arasan， one of Central Asia’s finest bathhouses， opposite Panfilov. Dinner is at Alasha（+7 727 254 0700）， an ethnic Uzbek restaurant with some great music and dance.
DAY 2： Skip breakfast at the hotel for a special meal at Green Market， situated at the end of Arbat Street. Fruits from across Central Asia are on display—fat， juicy grapes from Uzbekistan， apples from around Almaty， and melons from China. Korean Kazakhs sell delicious salads and also， sushi. The adventurous must try the fermented mare’s milk. Stock up on some dry fruits and nuts before you wend your way through Almaty’s Merc， Hummer and Land Cruiser filled streets towards an eagle and falcon farm on the outskirts. The farms also house tazis， the lean and angular hunting dogs. Also on the list of inmates are owls with mind-boggling wingspan. Post-lunch， head to Kok Tobe， a mountain viewing point outside Almaty that is known for the world’s tallest TV tower. Admire the city from the observation deck as the sun calls it a day. Have a quick meal of noodles and horsemeat sausages at any of Almaty’s open-air cafes before you hit the dance floor at one of the nightclubs on Dostyk， a crowded thoroughfare in the heart of the city.
DAY 3： Your destination is Medeu and Chimbulak， both easily visited on a day trip from Almaty. This is where the Kazakhs and tourists come for winter sports but a walk in the beautiful hills and valleys is something you can do anytime of the year. The huge Medeu ice rink is where many champion skaters have trained. From there， the winding mountain road climbs a further 5 km to the swish Chimbulak ski resort， which boasts a vertical drop of 900m and ski runs for all levels. You can take walks from Chimbulak itself. A track continues 8 km up the Malaya Almatinka Valley and， in summer， it’s a 3-km hike up to the stunning Talgar Pass. Tip： Don’t forget to carry some vodka； it’s always cold at Chimbulak. Drive back to Almaty and turn in early in preparation for yet another day in the outdoors.
DAY 4： Leave at the crack of dawn for Altyn Emel National Park （220 km away）， one of Kazakhstan’s largest parks. Fortify yourself with some tea， bread and apple and apricot preserves at the guard’s cottage before you set out to explore the park on foot. Post lunch， head across the park to the Aktau Mountains， a stunning moonscape of white， blue and yellow volcanic mountains. Spend the afternoon at Basshi village， which lies in the heart of the park. Enjoy Kazakh hospitality at the village with a dinner of horsemeat， pilaf and camel milk. Shake a leg with your hosts before you say‘good night’.
DAY 5： Repeat the early-to-rise routine because this is your last day in Kazakhstan. Say goodbye to Basshi inhabitants before you head straight into the mountains to the Kolsai Lake， a couple of hours from the village. In summer， people from Almaty camp around the lake. The second Kolsai Lake is further up. But leave that for your next visit. Almaty is a good seven hours from here and you must reach by 8 p.m. so that you can buy some local vodka before the shops down the shutters.
转载请注明出处学文网 » KAZAKHSTAN