EAST KAZAKHSTAN PHOTO TOUR
MAY 9 - 17 2026
GUIDES
Isabella Tabacchi
Rachel Jones Ross
WHEN
May 9-17 2026
PRICE
$ 5000
GROUP SIZE
10
DEPOSIT
$1500
Join Our Exclusive East Kazakhstan Photo Tour
Discover the wild heart of the Almaty Region on our exclusive East Kazakhstan Photo Tour, a 9-day photography journey through breathtaking mountains, pristine lakes, vast valleys, small deserts and endless steppe landscapes.
Designed for passionate photographers and nature lovers alike, this immersive experience will take you deep into the soul of the Tian Shan mountains, where 6-7000 meters snow-capped peaks, alpine meadows, and incredible turquoise lakes offer endless inspiration and creative opportunities.
We will explore iconic natural gems such as Aktau Mountains, Charyn Canyon, the surreal Lake Kaindy and we will immortalize the perfect pyramid of Khan Tengri (7010 m) from many points of view. Expect ever-changing landscapes, magical light, multicolor fields of flowers and authentic encounters with the spirit of Central Asia.
This experience offers comfort after every day of exploration. You’ll be staying in local guest houses, each providing private single rooms and warm hospitality, just in Bayankol Gorge, as that incredible location is very remote, at the border with China, we will stay in a refuge with two- four beds per room and shared bathroom. All accommodations and meals are included, and we will always travel in comfortable 4x4 vehicles with 10 years experienced local drivers and guides who know the land inside and out. The only easy hikes will be to the Kaindy lake and to reach the best spot in the Aktau mountains, the other locations are all near the cars.
Whether you're building your portfolio, reconnecting with nature, or simply chasing the perfect light, this adventure is your invitation to witness East Kazakhstan’s most photogenic secrets.
Are you ready to chase light through the land of mountains and legends?
✅ What’s Included in the East Kazakhstan Photo Tour
Professional landscape photography coaching by the award winning Isabella Tabacchi and Rachel Jones Ross throughout the entire tour.
Daily photography support: on-location coaching, editing sessions, and portfolio reviews
All local transportation by comfortable, air-conditioned 4x4 vehicles with experienced local drivers
All accommodations in local guest houses
Single room for each participant in all the locations except Bayankol
Stay in a remote refuge in Bayankol gorge with all the meals included.
All meals during the tour, including:
Breakfast, lunch, dinner, tea & coffee
Homemade meals prepared by locals
Photography permits and access to all planned locations
Local guides born in the Almaty region and with a huge knowledge of the Kazakh landscape and culture.
Transfers to and from the Almaty airport to the first hotel.
Drinking water throughout the trip
Pre-departure assistance: gear recommendations and packing tips
❌ What’s Not Included in the East Kazakhstan Photo Tour
International flights to/from Almaty, Kazakhstan
Travel insurance (required – must cover adventure travel and medical emergencies)
Visa fees (not usually required for stays under 30 days, but we’ll guide you if needed)
Alcoholic beverages
Personal snacks or special dietary items
Souvenirs or personal expenses
Tips for local guides and drivers (optional but appreciated)
Camera gear, lenses, batteries, memory cards, and personal equipment
Join Our Exclusive East Kazakhstan Photo Tour
A 9-Day Landscape Photography Tour with Isabella Tabacchi and Rachel Jones Ross
Embark on a once-in-a-lifetime Kazakhstan Photo Tour through the breathtaking and diverse landscapes of the Almaty region. Led by award-winning landscape photographers Isabella Tabacchi and Rachel Jones Ross, this 9-day adventure is crafted for passionate photographers, nature enthusiasts, and visual storytellers seeking dramatic mountain scenery, crystal-clear alpine lakes, and the vibrant textures of Central Asia’s untamed wilderness.
From the surreal rock formations of Charyn Canyon to the mystical sunken forest of Lake Kaindy and the majestic Khan Tengri towering the valleys, every location on this journey offers a new perspective, a moment of wonder waiting to be captured.
Photo Gallery
Why you should join this East Kazakhstan Photo Tour
🌄 Unforgettable Locations
The Almaty region offers unforgettable contrasts: towering Tian Shan peaks, turquoise alpine lakes, dramatic canyons, and the mystical sunken forest of Kaindy. Each location blends raw natural beauty with unique atmospheres perfect for photography.
👨🏫 Years of Experience
Isabella Tabacchi and Rachel Jones Ross are award-winning landscape photographers with a decade of experience in teaching and they know very well all the photographic opportunities in these areas. They will help you achieve your best possible shots while deepening your knowledge of composition, planning, and light management. Also the local guides have the same years of experience in driving and guiding in their wonderful region.
🎯 Small Group Guarantee
10 participants per 2 experienced and award-winning photo guides are a great ratio to be always assisted on the field. Plus, we always give the priority to our clients, helping everyone to setup the composition and the exposure to get the best light, explaining all the necessary and answering all your questions.
Day 1 – Arrival in Almaty
Meet at Almaty International Airport and transfer to our first hotel in the city. After some time to rest, we’ll gather for a traditional Kazakh dinner in the downtown, the perfect start to our adventure and a chance to get to know the group.
Day 2 – Aktau Mountains & Altyn Emel National Park
Begin exploring the surreal, multicolored Aktau Mountains inside Altyn Emel National Park. Multicolor painted hills, desert formations with huge mud cracks in the foreground, and the vast silence of one of Kazakhstan’s most unique landscapes. We will stay in a guest house in a town near the national park, but we will also photograph the Milky Way over this spectacular desert. For this purpose, we will build tents and comfortable sleeping places for everyone who wishes some rest.
East Kazakhstan Photo Tour Itinerary
Day 3 – Charyn Canyon
Journey into the “Grand Canyon of Central Asia,” where the Valley of Castles and winding gorges offer endless compositions. Sunrise and sunset photography sessions will reveal the canyon’s fiery colors. Overnight stay near Charyn Canyon.
Day 4 – Kaindy Lake
Photograph the otherworldly Kaindy Lake, famous for its sunken forest of spruce trees rising from turquoise waters. A rare and mystical location perfect for creating surreal landscape imagery. Editing session and overnight stay in a guest house near Kaindy lake.
Day 6, 7 & 8 – Khan Tengri, Salt lakes, Snake river & Bayankol Gorge
Travel to the remote Bayankol Gorge, a wild valley near the borderlands that offers awe-inspiring views of Khan Tengri, the “Lord of the Sun,” the perfect pyramids and one of the most iconic peaks of the Tian Shan. Explore incredible 7000 meters mountain views with abandoned gold mines, capture sunset at the incredible snake River, and take aerial shots of the nearby salt lakes. These days are the heart of the expedition, combining mountain majesty with the pure essence of Kazakhstan, the magical hills, green meadows with colorful flowers and out of this World aerial photography (in each location there will be points of view for aerial and standard landscape photography).
Day 9 – Return to Almaty
Head back to Almaty and spend the final day near the city center. Enjoy cultural exploration, street photography, and a portfolio review session to refine your best images and share the highlights of the journey.
THE EAST KAZAKHSTAN PHOTO TOUR LEADERS
Isabella Tabacchi is an award winning landscape photographer, internationally recognized for her evocative, emotional, and dreamlike photographic style.
Isabella explored all the most remote places in Mangystau in Kazakhstan and knows all the best photography spots and the secrets of these incredible remote places.
Isabella is Fujifilm GFX Ambassador and DJI SkyPixel Creator, has been part of the Grand Jury of the Hasselblad Masters 2021, received the title of Photographer of the Year in Moscow International Foto Awards (MIFA).
Third prize winner in the International Landscape Photographer of the year 2020 and 2023, 1 place winner in the Xposure Awards in UAE, Top 10 Photos Winners in the DJI SkyPixel 9th Annual Photo & Video Contest.
Rachel Jones Ross is an award-winning landscape and nightscape photographer, celebrated for her evocative, star-filled imagery that bridges the terrestrial and celestial. Hailing from the rugged Canadian Rockies, her work captures the magical interplay of night skies and vast wilderness landscapes.
Her images articulate the profound beauty of the cosmos with technical precision and emotional depth.
A recognized expert in astro-photography, Rachel is a Sony Alpha Ambassador and a PhotoPills Master, actively sharing her knowledge through workshops across Canada, Norway, Finland, and Mongolia. Her teaching and talks are infused with practical insights, from executing night compositions to managing gear in extreme cold, making her a trusted mentor in both landscape and night-sky photography.
The best photo gear for the East Kazakhstan Photo Tour
For this immersive landscape photography tour in Almaty region in East Kazakhstan, it’s important to come well-prepared with the right photo gear to fully capture a big variety of landscapes.
A full-frame DSLR or mirrorless camera with manual settings is ideal for high-resolution landscape work. Bring a wide-angle lens (14–24mm or 16–35mm) for expansive vistas (better if max aperture is f/2.8 or more open), medium lens (24-70, 24-120 mm) as well as a telephoto lens, 70–400mm (for the view of the Khan Tengri from a salt lake we will visit, the best focal length is around 400mm in full frame).
A sturdy tripod is essential for sunrise, sunset, and astrophotography, especially to face the very windy weather.
A drone to capture the incredible and colorful patterns and formations from above. Of course, it’s not essential for this photo tour but, if you have one, it’s recommended to bring one that can resist to the windy weather (better for example DJI Mavic 4 Pro and similar weight, not so much Mini). No license or permission is needed to fly in those places.
All the locations we will visit, are perfect for both camera and drone photography sessions.
We recommend polarizing filters to enhance contrast in the colorful skies and ND or GND in case you wish to make long exposures. Also pack extra batteries, dual memory cards, a remote shutter release, and lens cleaning kits, as fine dust is inevitable. This is a rare opportunity to shoot untouched terrain in changing light and weather, so the more prepared your gear, the more powerful your images will be.
