Korgalzhyn Nature Reserve: Wildlife and Culture Tour

Discover Korgalzhyn Nature Reserve: Explore museums, spot flamingoes, and enjoy traditional Kazakh cuisine on this unforgettable wildlife tour.

Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Korgalzhyn - Our journey to the captivating Korgalzhyn Nature Reserve is a 1.5-hour drive from Astana. Our adventure commences with a visit to the nearby village of Korgalzhyn, where the local Korgalzhyn Reserve museum awaits. Here, under the guidance of an expert, we’ll embark on a captivating museum excursion. Here, you’ll uncover the history of the reserve, learn about its fauna and flora, before we venture into the reserve itself.

After our exploration of the Reserve, we’ll return to Korgalzhyn village to indulge in a delightful lunch experience. Step into the warm embrace of Kazakh hospitality as we gather in the home of a local host who graciously welcomes us with authentic Kazakh cuisine. Savor the flavors of traditional dishes prepared with love and care, creating cherished memories of this unforgettable journey.

  • Korgalzhyn State Nature Reserve - Following the museum excursion, you’ll head to the reserve itself, just a 30-minute journey away.

Upon arrival, our first stop will be at a small freshwater lake, where you’ll have the opportunity to observe a variety of local bird species through binoculars.

Next, we’ll make our way to the main attraction: the expansive salty lake, a sanctuary for flamingoes during the warmer months as they nest and rear their young. Prepare to be mesmerized by the sight of these elegant birds in their natural habitat.

If luck is on our side, we might even encounter a herd of saiga antelopes, a distinctive species native to the Eurasian steppes. Spotting these majestic animals would add an extra layer of excitement to our trip.

After our adventure in the reserve, we’ll return to the village for a delightful lunch, where you can savor the flavors of authentic Kazakh cuisine and reflect on the day’s unforgettable experiences.

What's Included
  • Private transportation
  • On-board WiFi
  • Bottled water
  • Snacks
  • Lunch
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
Additional Information

Join us on our captivating journey to Korgalzhyn Nature Reserve, a scenic 130-km drive from Astana. We’ll start in the nearby village of Korgalzhyn, where the local reserve museum awaits our visit. Led by an expert guide, we’ll learn about the reserve’s history and its diverse fauna and flora.

Next, we’ll head to the reserve itself, where we’ll observe freshwater birds through binoculars and explore the vast salty lake, home to flamingos. With luck, we may even spot a herd of the endemic saiga antelope.

After the reserve, we’ll return to Korgalzhyn village for a delightful lunch with authentic Kazakh hospitality. Enjoy traditional cuisine served in the welcoming home of a local host, accompanied by background music from traditional Kazakh instruments, creating cherished memories of our unforgettable adventure.

Contact us via WhatsApp at (+7 778 555 7780) or email us at [email protected] to learn more about our tours in the cities of Nur-Sultan and Soviet-era Karaganda.

Location
Korgalzhyn
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.6
(7 Ratings)
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Davidfe2792fh
Jul 19, 2024
Great Day - I had a great day at the nature reserve. It was a great opportunity to get away from the city and enjoy nature. We started in the museum and learned a lot about the flora and fauna of the reserve. It was very interesting. Then we went to the reserve. We were able to see a lot of flamingos, pelicans and herons. The traditional lunch was delicious and a highlight. My guide Kadyrbek is great. His English is excellent. He is very easy to talk to and has a great personality. He is also a very careful and safe driver. It was a very nice day can highly recommend this excursion
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ruxandra_b
Jun 6, 2024
Excellent nature reserve tour - It was a very interesting tour as we have seen a lot of birds such as swans, ducks, flamingos, and many other birds. A nice lady explained us all animals and birds existing in the reservation. Then, we had a lunch in a traditional house and it was wonderful. Many thanks to the tour guide.
Review provided by Viator
546tom_sn
May 27, 2024
Amazing opportunity to see the beauty of Kazakhstan - My trip to the Korgalzhyn Nature Reserve was an amazing opportunity to see the beauty of Kazakhstan’s nature. I would have never guessed that they were flamingos in Kazakhstan. What I liked the most was the fact that we had lunch in a village toward the end, where I was greeted and welcomed by a lovely local lady and her family. Great trip, totally recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Milan-zrh
May 21, 2024
Unique Day-Trip from Astana - Visiting Korgalzhyn was an interesting experience. It was fascinating how the landscape changed on the way from Almaty, and seeing the flamingos - even from a distance - was great! Kadirbek did a great job as tour guide/driver, and at the Nature Reserve you are also accompanied by a local expert who can give interesting insights about the history and nature. Finally, after the trip, we stopped by the house of locals where we had lunch - great way to learn more about the daily life in rural Kazakhstan and their friendly people.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Angela_s
Jul 5, 2024
Great experience minus flamingos - The trip was wonderful with the best guides who were really knowledgeable about the biology and history of the area but also warm and welcoming - and with a great sense of humour. It was disappointing to miss seeing the flamingos due to an impassable muudy road. I would suggest using 4 wheel drives rather than a bus in future as this is a wildlife tour. The family lunch was an absolute highlight with the family preparing a feast and sharing their music with us.
Review provided by Viator
Agata_s
Jun 16, 2024
Pleasant trip without much effort. - The trip was rather nice compared to other things to do in proximity of Astana. The guide spoke perfect English and had knowledge about both reserve and the country itselt. It could be much better though, if planned with longer stay/walk/trekking in the reserve itself. Compared to the travel from Astana, the stay itself was not very long. We did no see any flamingos however we managed to see other birds species in their natural environment and rare breed of antilope. Unfortunatelly the distance was too big even for photolens to take reasonable shots. Still the steppe itself is amazing and a must see, if you have never been to one before. The trip however matched it description apart from the means of travel. The car was far from luxurios and definitely needs its suspension fixed as well as thorough wash of passengers seats which smelled. This was the most expensive thing I did in Kazachstan, so if you are on budget it is to be avoided. The price is rather high (but there are not many alternatives).
Review provided by Viator
227brittal
May 19, 2024
Great day in nature - I went with Kadyrbek on tour to that National Park. Unfortunately, it was only from far away that the flamingos could to be seen because they were very scared of people and flew away when coming close. The lady from the nearby museum came with us to explain everything, also in the museum where you could see and learn everything about flora and fauna in Korgalzhyn Region. The lunch break at some local people with local food and samowar tea was fantastic. Thanks for a great day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor