Kazakhstan small group tour

A good deal of time on this trip is spent exploring Kazakhstan’s national parks and reserves. Kazakhstan as a nation has been much exploited and during Soviet rule its environment suffered greatly, like that of much of Central Asia.

National parks such as Altyn Emel and Aksu-Dzhabagly are vital habitats for some of the region’s most endangered wildlife such as snow leopard and Tien Shan bear, and the entrance fees that we pay here help to fund much needed conservation efforts. In addition, bringing tourism to these areas helps to show local people that there is economic benefit in maintaining wildlife populations, as we employ the services of local guides and rangers in the parks where appropriate, and also use accommodation in or near the parks. With the skins of snow leopards fetching high prices on the black market, this helps to counterbalance the often traditionally held views that wildlife should be exploited and not preserved.

Within the national parks, we stick to the established tracks and trails (where they exist) to avoid damaging the fragile natural environments that we travel through.

In conjunction with our local partner we work with the guesthouses and hotels, to try to implement best practice with regards to environmental policies – this includes advising them on proper disposal waste and conserving energy. Many of these places are relatively new to tourism and we hope that by instilling these values from the start, we can make a small difference in the environmental impact of tourism upon Kazakhstan – a country that has so far seen very little in the way of tourism from the west and is not as accustomed to sustainable principles as some other places might be. We also operate a strict no litter policy on our tours and insist that all litter from travelers, guides and drivers is taken back to the hotels where it can be properly disposed of.