3000 years back in time
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Back to route 3000 years back in time
Day 1
Day travel distance:
250 km Journey from Karaganda to Aktogai (250 km, 4 hours), visiting the mausoleum of Shabanbai Bi – a famous judge in the Kazakh steppe and head of the clan - on the way. Lunch and visiting the Archaeological and ethnographical museum in Aktogai. Journey from Aktogai to Shabanbai Bi (40 km, 45 min). Accommodation in the guesthouse, tea-time. Free time, visiting the museum by the local school. Dinner.
Day 2
Day travel distance:
18 km 
Breakfast. Horse-back riding trip (automobile journey for those who wish) from Shabanbai Bi to Akshkol (18 km, 2.5 hours), visiting the stone statues (balbals) of the Turkic period on the way. Pedestrian excursion around the Begazy – necropolis of the late Bronze age, being the most important archaeological discovery on the territory of Central Kazakhstan, as old as more than 3000 years. Visiting the remains of the ancient settlement and mines. Lunch in Akshkol village. Walk around the neighbouring mountains. Journey from Akshkol to Karatal winter hut, whose hosts produce koumiss – a fermented dairy product made of mare’s milk. Show of milking the cows and koumiss tasting. Way back to Shabanbai Bi. Dinner.
Day 3
Day travel distance:
47 km 
Breakfast. Journey from Shabanbai Bi to Shaban winter camp (40 km, 1.5 hours). Climbing Aksoran peak (3 hours, climb – about 600 metres) – the highest point of Sary Arka, its field of view reaches 120 kilometres. Field lunch on the top of the mountain. Descending from Aksoran peak to the glade by Auliye mountain (3 hours). Time of rest at the spring, picking mushrooms and berries. Observation of the sacred cave of Auliye. Journey from Auliye to Shabanbai Bi (7 km, 20 min). Dinner.
Day 4
Day travel distance:
96 km 
Breakfast. Journey from Shabanbai Bi to Sona (the Zhaman Kyzylarai mountains, 30 km, 1.5 hours). Observation of the single stone monument of the Turkic period. Journey from Sona to Tesiktas (20 km, 1 hour). Visiting Tesiktas – nature stone formation of unusual shape. Journey from Tesiktas to Besbatyr reservoir (23 km, 1 hour). Lunch in the field, watching the birds, excursion around the ruins of the mausoleums of the period of the Kazakh-Jungar wars (XVIII century). Way back to Shabanbai Bi (23 km, 1 hour). Visiting the workshop of the felt articles producers. Dinner.
Day 5
Day travel distance:
360 km 
Breakfast. Journey from Shabanbai Bi to the Zheltau mountains (45 km, 2 hours), visiting the stone statues of Zhinishke on the way. Automobile excursion around the Zheltau mountains (about 25 km): rock paintings, the grave of Alihan Bukeykhanov - chairman of the first Kazakh republic government – Alash (1917). Way back to Shabanbai Bi. Late lunch. Way back to Karaganda (290 km, 4.5 hours). Dinner.