Wildlife Holidays in Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan, lying at the heart of Central Asia on the Old Silk Road, is a massive country. It covers an area the size of the whole of western Europe, spanning 2,717,300 square kilometres from the Caspian Sea to western China.

It has a population of just 17 million people, mostly living in the cities, and as such this is a land of vast open and unpeopled spaces.

Great stone and sand deserts, and wide grassy steppes occupy the majority of the country, interspersed with such great inland lakes as Lake Balkhash and the Aral Sea. In dramatic contrast, along its south-eastern borders stand the mighty Tien Shan Mountains – the 1,610-kilometre spine of Central Asia and northern extension of the Himalaya.

Waters flowing off these vast mountains give rise to flower-filled alpine meadows, lush forests of Tien Shan Spruce and lowland Turanga. They also feed the great lakes and inland deltas to the north.

Speak with our Kazakhstan specialist

Operations Manager
Paul Stanbury

Our Specialist Recommends

"I recommend our Kazakhstan tour, and action-packed birdwatching tour taking in a huge variety of this vast country’s landscapes, including the Tien Shan Mountains. Some stand out species are: the Himalayan Snowcock and Himalayan Rubythroat."

Operations Manager - Paul Stanbury

Naturetrek Tours to Kazakhstan

Naturetrek offers a selection of wildlife holidays and natural history tours to Kazakhstan including botanical and birdwatching holidays to the deserts, steppes, lakes, tulip meadows and Tien Shan Mountains.

What’s special about the wildlife?

Its flora – consisting of over 6,000 species – is superb, and its alpine and bulbous plants are particularly special.

Kazakhstan has an interesting bird fauna which includes some sought after montane species such as Ibisbill.

Some highlights of our natural history tours to Kazakhstan:

  • Rare & endemic plants of the Tien Shan
  • Wonderful spring displays of wild tulips
  • Rich selection of birds including Little Bustard, Demoiselle Crane & Collared Pratincole plus Macqueen’s Bustard
  • Pallas’s Sandgrouse, plus Blue-cheeked Bee-eater & Desert Warbler
  • Montane birdlife including Ibisbill, Himalayan Rubythroat & Himalayan Snowcock