Tour from Almaty

Balkhash Weekend — 2 Days on the Lake

4.9 · 23 reviews

Night departure from Almaty, a full day on the sandy southern shore of Balkhash, and return on Sunday. Transport, lodging, and meals included.

WhenSat, Sun
Duration2 days / 1 night
StartAlmaty
Pricefrom $76/person

Program

Tour itinerary: Balkhash Weekend — 2 Days on the Lake

Day 1

Night Departure and Drive to the Lake

Departure from Almaty at night on Saturday by comfortable bus. The journey takes several hours, with stops along the way. Arrival at the southern shore of Balkhash in the morning.

Day 1, morning

Accommodation and Breakfast

Upon arrival, check in at a hotel or holiday camp. Breakfast, followed by free time to relax and explore the beach.

Day 1, afternoon

Beach Relaxation and Swimming

A full day on the sandy beach. Swimming in the lake, sunbathing, walks along the shore. Lunch and dinner are included, served at a cafe or canteen.

Day 2

Return to Almaty

Breakfast, then pack up and head back. The drive takes several hours, arriving in Almaty on Sunday evening.

What's included

What is included: Balkhash Weekend — 2 Days on the Lake

Included in Price

Already included in the tour price

  • Transport along the whole route
  • An experienced guide accompanying you
  • Route and stops planning

Paid separately

Optional, on site

  • Personal expenses
  • Meals, unless stated otherwise
  • Entrance tickets to individual sites

What to Bring

To make the day comfortable

  • Comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate clothing
  • Water and a light snack
  • A charged phone or camera
  • A hat and sun protection

Team

Our team — guides and instructors from Almaty

Routes are led by working guides and instructors. The same people answer in WhatsApp and accompany groups on tour.

Aidos Serikov — Senior guide, mountain routes★4.9

Aidos Serikov

Senior guide, mountain routes

187 reviews · experience 14 years

Dinara Kassymova — Guide-lecturer in Almaty★5

Dinara Kassymova

Guide-lecturer in Almaty

142 review · experience 11 years

Marat Zhunussov — Trekking instructor★4.8

Marat Zhunussov

Trekking instructor

96 reviews · experience 9 years

Oleg Kim — Driver-guide, jeep tours★4.9

Oleg Kim

Driver-guide, jeep tours

164 review · experience 13 years

Zhanna Abenova — Tour manager★4.8

Zhanna Abenova

Tour manager

78 reviews · experience 7 years

Timur Beketov — Multi-day tour guide★4.9

Timur Beketov

Multi-day tour guide

118 reviews · experience 10 years

Aliya Nurlan — Group coordinator★5

Aliya Nurlan

Group coordinator

64 review · experience 6 years

Sergey Volkov — Instructor, ski tours★4.8

Sergey Volkov

Instructor, ski tours

103 review · experience 12 years

Reviews

Reviews of the 2-day Balkhash tour

Leave a review
4.9 ★
Our rating · 312 reviews
4.8 ★
Google · 540
4.9 ★
Yandex · 268
4.8 ★
2GIS · 197
1317
Total reviews
OB
Olzhas B.
Google ·
★★★★★

We took the tour spontaneously with my brother for the weekend. In August it's great at the lake, we swam and relaxed.

Verified review · Order #46603
VY
Vadim Ya.
Our website ·
★★★★★

Tunde kolikpen Balhashqa bardyk, avgustta suyq zhylu edi. Zhagazhaida demaldyq, kuimiz onai boldy.

Verified review · Order #46536
LG
Larisa G.
2GIS ·
★★★★★

My friend and I had long wanted to just get away from the city for at least a couple of days. Timur organized everything, the guide was great, told us a lot along the way. True, the bus was a bit late at departure. During the day we swam and sunbathed, dinner was simple but filling. Rating 5.

Verified review · Order #46004
DS
Darya Sh.
Our website ·
★★★★★

We went with friends in July, Balkhash is great, we stayed at a base. The food was okay, but the wind was strong.

Verified review · Order #45971
IS
Ivan Sh.
Yandex ·
★★★★★

My friend and I decided to go for the weekend, chose this tour. Timur told us everything about the lake on the way.

Verified review · Order #45707
NT
Nursultan Ts.
Our website ·
★★★★★

We decided to go to Balkhash for the weekend with friends, chose this tour. In June it's already warm, but the water is still cool. The bus is comfortable, but the night departure was hard. Arrived in the morning, settled in, had breakfast. Spent the day on the beach, swam, sunbathed. Lunch and dinner included, the food was okay. We headed back in the evening, tired. Overall we liked it, but would have wanted more time at the lake. Rating 4.

Verified review · Order #44762
MR
Marina R.
Google ·
★★★★★

Poehali s sestroj na vyhodnye, hotelos otkluchitsya ot goroda. Timur organizoval gruppu horosho, vse rasskazal.

Verified review · Order #44061
LK
Laura K.
Our website ·
★★★★★

Ezdili na Balhash s muzhem na vyhodnye, davno hoteli no ne mogli reshit kuda poehat. Vybrali etot tur iz-za udobnogo grafika, chtoby ne brat otpusk. Nochnoj avtobus okazalsya norm, sideli udobno, no spat osobo ne poluchilos. Utrom priehali, razmestili v gostinice, pozavtrakali i poshli na plyazh. Pogoda v avguste byla zharochaya, no veterok s ozera spasala. Kupalis, zagorali, gulyali po beregu. Obed i uzhin vklyucheny, kormili normalno, bez izyskov no syto. Na sleduyushij den posle zavtraka poehali obratno. V celom otdohnuli horosho, hotya doroga tuda i obratno nemnogo utomitelna. Za takuyu cenu otlichnyj variant.

Verified review · Order #36016
ES
Erzhan Sh.
2GIS ·
★★★★★

Davno sobiralis s suprugoj na Balhash, no vse kak-to ne poluchalos. A tut uvideli tur na dva dnya i reshili poehat. Nochnoj avtobus, doroga normalnaya, est ostanovki. Priehali utrom, srazu pozavtrakali i na plyazh. Pogoda v avguste stojala zharkaya, voda teplaja, kupalis mnogo. Kormili v kafe, obed i uzhin vhodili. Na sleduyushij den posle zavtraka sobralis i poehali domoj, k vechere byli v Almaty. Vse ponravilos, tolko posle nochnogo pereezda nemnogo razbitye byli. No dlya vyhodnyh eto otlichnyj variant.

Verified review · Order #35856
IM
Ivan M.
2GIS ·
★★★★★

Ezdili na Balhash v avguste, vse ponravilos. Voda teplaja, pogoda otlichnaja.

Verified review · Order #35410
DG
Dmitry G.
Our website ·
★★★★★

We decided to get out into nature for the weekend with colleagues, chose this tour to Balkhash. Timur was the guide, told us everything on the way, answered questions. Departure at night from Almaty, it was cool in the bus, but we took blankets. Arrived in the morning, settled in, had breakfast. Spent the day on the beach, swam, sunbathed. The weather in July is hot, the water is like warm milk. Lunch and dinner are simple but filling. We returned on Sunday evening, a bit tired but with good impressions.

Verified review · Order #35331
LV
Lyazzat V.
Our website ·
★★★★★

We went to Balkhash in July, liked everything. The beach is good, but there were too many people.

Verified review · Order #34813
NO
Natalya O.
2GIS ·
★★★★★

Zhanna picked convenient dates, arranged everything quickly. In July we had a great rest at Balkhash, thanks.

Verified review · Order #34557
VL
Vadim L.
Yandex ·
★★★★★

We went with our family in June, wanted to relax on the beach. We liked everything, but it was cool in the bus at night.

Verified review · Order #34395
AP
Alisher P.
Our website ·
★★★★★

Hoteli s druzyami na vyhodnye na ozero, vybrali etot tur. Avtobusom nochyu doehali, kupalis ves den.

Verified review · Order #33277
KV
Kanat V.
Yandex ·
★★★★★

We had long wanted to go to Balkhash with my wife, but it never worked out. In August we had free weekend, and we decided to go. Zhanna quickly booked the spots, explained everything over the phone. Departure at night, the bus was comfortable, though sleeping was not very convenient. In the morning we arrived at the southern shore, checked in, had breakfast. The weather was hot, the water warm, we swam all day. Lunch and dinner included, the food was okay. We headed back on Sunday evening, tired but happy.

Verified review · Order #26250
KK
Kseniya Kh.
Google ·
★★★★★

We wanted to celebrate our anniversary in an unusual way with my husband, chose this tour to Balkhash. In June it's already warm there, we swam and sunbathed. Organization was okay, but there weren't enough power outlets in the bus. Overall we liked it.

Verified review · Order #24298
FU
Fatima U.
Yandex ·
★★★★★

Alia sobrala gruppu vovremya, vsyo obyyasnila pro mesto vstrechi. Poezdka byla v iyune, nochi eshe prohladnye, no dnem na plyazhe teplo. Kupalis, zagorali. Otdohnuli horosho, spasibo.

Verified review · Order #24173
GK
Galina K.
2GIS ·
★★★★★

Qyz balalarmen demalysqa shyqtyq, tańda shyǵyp, tańerteń Balhashqa zhettik. Mausym zhaqsy, suyq taza.

Verified review · Order #23354
IK
Irina K.
Our website ·
★★★★★

The manager helped choose the date, everything was clear. In August the water at Balkhash is warm, we stayed overnight at a hotel, everything suited us.

Verified review · Order #16277
BZ
Bakhyt Z.
2GIS ·
★★★★★

We chose this tour spontaneously, wanted to relax at Balkhash in July with my wife. Zhanna helped with the booking, told us everything. Minus — it was stuffy in the bus, but the lake and beach made up for it. Rating 4.

Verified review · Order #15769
OE
Oksana E.
Our website ·
★★★★★

Zhanna quickly picked the date, and we went to Balkhash in July. The water is warm, but the sand is hot during the day.

Verified review · Order #15613
NK
Natalya K.
Our website ·
★★★★★

Sobralis s kollegami na korporativ, nuzhen byl bystryj vyhodnoj. Vybrali etot tur na Balhash, hotya v iyule zharko. Avtobus nochnoj, doroga dolgaya no terpimo. Na meste ponravilos, plyazh horoshij.

Verified review · Order #15134

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the weekend trip to Lake Balkhash

We've collected the questions travelers ask most often. Didn't find your answer? Write to us — a guide will reply in a couple of minutes.

Ask a question

Bring clothing and footwear suited to the weather — you spend the main day on a sandy shore, so comfortable shoes matter. Add a hat and sun protection, water and a light snack for the road, and a charged phone or camera. Nothing special beyond that is required for the route.

The programme has no serious walking stretches: on the main day you relax by the water, swim and stroll along the shore. The main strain is the overnight bus ride and the return journey. If your family handles such journeys well, the format suits both families with children and older travellers.

The start falls in the night hours of the weekend, and the group reaches the southern shore by morning. The return journey begins after breakfast and packing, and the bus arrives in the city in the evening. We will send the exact departure and arrival times for your date via WhatsApp.

This amount includes transport along the entire route, a guide, and the arrangement of the overnight stay and stops. Personal purchases, as well as meals and entrance tickets if they are not included in the programme, are paid separately by travellers. We will clarify exactly what is covered for your date via WhatsApp.

The tour is a group tour: an overnight departure on Saturday and return on Sunday, with bus seats shared with other travellers. If you want to go only with your own company, message us on WhatsApp — we'll see what can be done for your date and current bookings. We can't promise a separate departure in advance.

Write to us on WhatsApp with which Saturday you plan to travel and how many of you there are — we will reserve seats for your group without prepayment. We accept payment for the tour on the day of departure: via Kaspi, by card or in cash. If your plans change, cancellation of the booking is free.