The south-east of Kazakhstan offers endless steppes, lakes, rivers, Turanga forests and Tien-Shan Mountain peaks. These habitats offer diversity in birds. Expect to see between 180 and 230 species of birds in 11 days of birding. Because of the geographical situation you can see birds who are rare in the Western Palaearctic but are fairly common in the region, Demoiselle Crane, Macqueens Bustard, Steppe Eagle, Pallas’s Sandgrouse, Greater Sand Plover, Caspian Plover, Bimaculated Lark, Crimson-winged Finch, Desert Wheatear, Bearded Vulture and Güldenstädt’s Redstart.The region offers also some great extra’s ike Ibisbill, Himalayan Snowcock, Himalayan Griffon Vulture, Turkestan Tit, White-browed Tit-Warbler, Eversmann's Dove, White-winged Woodpecker, Blue-capped Redstart, Eversmann's Redstart and the stunning Himalayan Rubythroat....

We will return to Almaty by way of the Topar Lakes (Black-headed Penduline Tit) to the Turanga Forrest for finding Striated Scops Owl, White-winged Woodpecker, Evermann's Dove, Saxaul Sparrow and Turkestan Tit. The last part of the tour will lead us to the Tien-Shan Mountains. A 2 night stay in the Astronomical Observatory of Big Almaty Lake. The vegetation around the observatory are mostly Junipers and Conifers.Here we can find Black-throated Accentor, White-browed Tit Warbler, White-winged Grosbeak, Red-mantled Rosefinch and the very photogenic Himalayan Rubythroat. The excursions will lead us first to the Cosmos Ray Station.  

After a good night sleep in Almaty we will transport for a 3 night stay by way of Sorbulak Lake to the Taukum desert. The dam of Sorbulak is known for his large amount of breeding Rose-coloured Starlings. The shores of the lake attract many kind of birds as Terek Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Collared Pratincole, Pontic Gull and the majestic White-tailed Eagle. In the Taukum Desert we will overnight in a luxurious Yurt Camp in the middle of the steppe. We will be awaked by thousands of Calandra- and Greater Short Toed Larks. In Taukum we have a good chance to see Steppe Eagle, Macqueens Bustard, Greater Sand Plover, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Bimaculated Lark and hundreds of Black-bellied Sandgrouse’s. Caspian Plover is present but always difficult to find. In the village of Qanshengel the bushes will be overloaded with all sorts of Warblers, Sykes’, Barred, Blyth’s Reed, Olivaceus and Greenish Warbler to name a few.

where Altai- and Brown Accentor together with Güldenstädt’s Redstart will be the main attraction. In the afternoon we will visit Big Almaty Lake with the objective to spot Ibisbill. The specie is breeding on pebble banks of fast streaming broad mountain rivers above 2000 meters. We will travel back to Almaty, of course birding along the way. We will get ready for your return flight to whatever your destination is or also possible to do the extension with us to the north of the country for Black Lark, White-winged Lark, Sociable Lapwing and Pine Bunting.