
1-2 Days Singing dunes & Aktau mountains grouptour to Altyn Emel
Traveler rating
4.9/5
Based on 158 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is 1-2 Days Singing dunes & Aktau mountains grouptour to Altyn Emel worth booking?
1-2 Days Singing dunes & Aktau mountains grouptour to Altyn Emel is a 16-hour experience in Almaty, Kazakhstan, from $240 per person. It scores 87 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Exceptional”, based on a 4.9/5 rating across 158 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 87 / 100
- Rating
- 4.9/5 (158)
- Duration
- 16 hours
- From
- $240 per person
Explore Altyn Emel National Park — one of Kazakhstan's most surreal landscapes. Hike through the otherworldly Aktau Mountains, volcanic Katutau formations, and climb the legendary Singing Dunes that hum as you descend. 1-Day Tour: Aktau Mountains → Katutau → Singing Dunes. Pickup 5:30 AM, return ~10 PM. Lunch at a local guesthouse included. 2-Day Tour: Day 1 — Aktau Mountains, Katutau, 700-year-old Willow Tree, overnight in Basshi village with homemade dinner and campfire under the stars. Day 2 — Singing Dunes, return to Almaty. Breakfast and dinner included. Private Tour: Full itinerary for your group only. Flexible pace, personalized experience. All options include: English-speaking guide, transport, lunch, and all national park entrance fees.
What you get
About this experience
Explore Altyn Emel National Park — one of Kazakhstan's most surreal landscapes. Hike through the otherworldly Aktau Mountains, volcanic Katutau formations, and climb the legendary Singing Dunes that hum as you descend. 1-Day Tour: Aktau Mountains → Katutau → Singing Dunes. Pickup 5:30 AM, return ~10 PM. Lunch at a local guesthouse included. 2-Day Tour: Day 1 — Aktau Mountains, Katutau, 700-year-old Willow Tree, overnight in Basshi village with homemade dinner and campfire under the stars. Day 2 — Singing Dunes, return to Almaty. Breakfast and dinner included. Private Tour: Full itinerary for your group only. Flexible pace, personalized experience. All options include: English-speaking guide, transport, lunch, and all national park entrance fees.
What's included
Included
- National parks entrance fees
- Bottled water
- English speaking guide
- Lunch
- In-vehicle air conditioning
What you'll see and do
Aktau Mountains
We will drive out to the bottom of the Ocean to explore the Chalk Mountains of Aktau. Here is schedule for the tour: 5:30 am Pick up time 7:30 am Quick stop to WC/market 9:00 am Bashi village/Enrence to national park Off-road way to first location 10:00 am Arriving to Aktau mountains 12:00 am Departure
120 minutes here · Admission included
Katutau Mountain
Next we will stop in the volcanic mountains of Katutau. Unusual rock forms, created by nature. 12:30 Arriving to Katutau 13:10 Departure to the village 13:50-14:30 Lunch
40 minutes here · Admission included
Singing Barkhan
After lunch we will come to the singing Dunes of 150 meters high to enjoy the scenic views of the Ili River and Almaty desert. 15:30 Arriving to Singing dunes 17:30 Departure to city
120 minutes here · Admission included
Where it starts and ends
Hotel pickup
Pickup is included for all travelers. Pickup begins about 15 minutes before departure.
Options you can book
Private tour to Altyn Emel
Private tour to Altyn Emel Pickup included
Singing dunes & Aktau mountains 1 day group tour to Altyn Emel
Pickup included
2 days tour with overnight
1 overnight in Basshi village: We will overnight in Basshi village with private rooms with washroom attached Duration: 2 days Meals are included: First day: Late breakfast and Dinner Second day: Breakfast and Lunch Itinerary of the tour: Timing: First day 7:00-7:30 - Pick up 9:30 - First pit stop 11:30 - National park stop, luncj 13:30-15:30 - Aktau mountains SUV jeep Pickup included
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- ru, en
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Every day
- Group size
- Up to 8 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- Kazakhstan Very Nice
Know before you go
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
Photos






What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 156 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
The guide
9 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Knowledge and storytelling
3 mentionsReviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.
Value for money
3 mentionsTravelers feel they got more than they paid for.
Photo opportunities
2 mentionsThe views and photo stops come up again and again.
Organization
2 mentionsPickup, timing, and logistics are described as running smoothly.
Food and drink
2 mentionsThe tastings and food stops are a highlight for most reviewers.
Traveler reviews
156 verified traveler reviews for 1-2 Days Singing dunes & Aktau mountains grouptour to Altyn Emel. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Great value for money, excellent ride, great tour guide, amazing place
First of all, great value for money. They're the cheapest 2-day tour to Altyn-Emel I've found. They picked us up right in front of your apartment stay, which is a huge convenience for us. The car seat was very comfortable, I slept like a baby. We are a very, very small group during our tour so you'll feel taken care of. Dos (name of our guide) was a great guy. Very knowledgeable, lets us take our time, and doesn't rush us to move to the next stop. Altyn-Emel was amazing, to say the least. Good for those wanting a little more adventure than the usual tourist spots near Almaty. The Aktau Mountains were breathtaking, and sliding down the Singing Dunes were so much fun. I requested to drop us off at a mall rather than our apartment and Dos granted it. Great guy.
via Tripadvisor
Amazing day trip to Altyn Emel
A great day, great experience. Its a long way away and long journey but its worth it for the experience. The tour guide Zhandos was great and friendly who coordinated the groupso well. Plus the driver Sam, very friendly and perfect who made sure the journey was comfortable [ even off road]. It was a fantastic day.
via Tripadvisor
Don’t miss this trip
A great guide Butter, nice experience with this tour, highly recommend this off road trip, calmness desert trip
via Viator
Expensive but worth it
The tour is expensive but worth it for the experience as we visited so many beautiful places. Based on the roads we travelled, it will not be easy to self drive to these places. The itinerary was well organised, didn’t feel rushed, and the car we travelled in was also very clean. Our group went in two cars and I was in the one without the guide. Our driver can’t speak English but it is not a problem, and I also felt safe with his driving throughout and he had the perfect Kazakhstan playlist for a road trip!
via Tripadvisor
Great experiences and highly recommended
We enjoyed the trip very much! This is the second tour we booked with Kasaachstan Very Nice. The program was arranged very well with great places to visit and a simple, tasty lunch at the locals. Our driver was very experienced in driving on the bumpy road. He even tried to put on a song list based on where we come from. Our guide Sony was nice and friendly. She organized everything well. The group of 8 guests was shuttled in two 4x4-SUVs which kept us fast and flexible. Only the booking process along with the rather late pre-communication (previous day with final confirmation of address shortly before midnight) might be improved. Apart from that we are totally satisfied and thankful.
via Tripadvisor
Good to know
- Duration
- 16 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Every day
- Price range
- $240 to $420
- Hotel pickup
- Included for all travelers
- Booked in 30 days
- 55
- Verdict
- Exceptional
Who runs this experience
Operated by Kazakhstan Very Nice, who run 8 experiences we rank across 1 city, with an average Outty Ranking of 78.4 and 1 in the 90+ Club.
See everything Kazakhstan Very Nice runsWhy this scores 87
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
1-2 Days Singing dunes & Aktau mountains grouptour to Altyn Emel: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Almaty.
How much does 1-2 Days Singing dunes & Aktau mountains grouptour to Altyn Emel cost?
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Prices start at $240 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Almaty usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does 1-2 Days Singing dunes & Aktau mountains grouptour to Altyn Emel take?
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Plan for about 16 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Almaty is not rushed.
Is 1-2 Days Singing dunes & Aktau mountains grouptour to Altyn Emel worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 87 out of 100, which we label "Exceptional". That score blends traveler sentiment (4.9/5 across 158 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable most highly reviewed in Almaty, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule 1-2 Days Singing dunes & Aktau mountains grouptour to Altyn Emel?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is 1-2 Days Singing dunes & Aktau mountains grouptour to Altyn Emel suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 16-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book 1-2 Days Singing dunes & Aktau mountains grouptour to Altyn Emel?
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Around 55 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Almaty can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Almaty and add a light layer if any part of the 16-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does 1-2 Days Singing dunes & Aktau mountains grouptour to Altyn Emel start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Almaty within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Almaty?
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On Outty we rank every Almaty experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Kolsai, Kaindy Lakes and Charyn Canyon Small Group Tour, Kolsai Kaindy Lakes with Charyn Canyons 2-day tour, Kolsai, Kaindy lakes & Charyn canyon with Yurt stay and Campfire. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Almaty?
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Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Almaty?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
What is included in 1-2 Days Singing dunes & Aktau mountains grouptour to Altyn Emel?
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Included: National parks entrance fees; Bottled water; English speaking guide; Lunch; and In-vehicle air conditioning. Always check the voucher for the final list before you travel.
Does 1-2 Days Singing dunes & Aktau mountains grouptour to Altyn Emel include hotel pickup?
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Yes, pickup is offered for every traveler from 13 listed pickup locations in and around Almaty. Be ready about 15 minutes before the start time. You can also enter a custom pickup address when booking.
What languages is 1-2 Days Singing dunes & Aktau mountains grouptour to Altyn Emel offered in?
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It is offered in Russian and English. Pick your language when choosing a date and time, as not every departure runs in every language.
Will I get instant confirmation and a mobile ticket for 1-2 Days Singing dunes & Aktau mountains grouptour to Altyn Emel?
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Confirmation is sent by the operator after booking, usually within 48 hours; if it is not confirmed you are not charged. Mobile tickets are accepted, so you can show the voucher on your phone.
Is 1-2 Days Singing dunes & Aktau mountains grouptour to Altyn Emel wheelchair or stroller accessible?
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The operator notes: Not recommended for pregnant travelers. If accessibility is critical, contact the operator after booking to confirm arrangements for your date.
What happens to 1-2 Days Singing dunes & Aktau mountains grouptour to Altyn Emel if the weather is bad?
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This experience depends on good weather. If it is canceled because of poor weather, you are offered a different date or a full refund.
What do travelers say about 1-2 Days Singing dunes & Aktau mountains grouptour to Altyn Emel?
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Across 158 reviews averaging 4.9 out of 5, recurring themes include the guide, knowledge and storytelling, value for money. Travelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
What booking options are available for 1-2 Days Singing dunes & Aktau mountains grouptour to Altyn Emel?
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There are 3 options to choose from, including Private tour to Altyn Emel, Singing dunes & Aktau mountains 1 day group tour to Altyn Emel, 2 days tour with overnight. Prices and start times differ by option, so compare them on the booking screen.
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