Airakty, Kazakhstan | Shutterstock

Orthodox wooden Ascension Cathedral built in 1907 in the Kazakh city of Almaty | Shutterstock

In the market | Richard I'Anson

Charyn Canyon, Kazakhstan | Shutterstock

Lady selling shawls | Richard I'Anson

Portrait in the hat shop | Richard I'Anson

Market in Kazakhstan | Shutterstock

Kazakhstanwith Richard I'Anson

Explore Central Asia’s wild frontier of surreal geology

13 Days from

$6490 USD

Trip Code: RFKP

View dates to Book Essential Information

Extra trip options & supplements

*Prices listed are per person

Single Supplement

$380 USD

Duration

13 Days

Activities

Photography
Adventure Touring

Accommodation

6 nights in 4 & 5 star hotels
1 night glamping lodge
5 nights remote camping

Meals

12 Dinners
11 Lunches
12 Breakfasts

Difficulty Grading

2 / 10

Adventure touring

Carbon Footprint

53kg of CO₂-e PP per day

(633kg of CO₂-e PP entire trip)

Trip highlights

Work alongside Richard I’Anson in the field, gaining invaluable insight into composition, timing, and working with changing light
Photograph spherical rock formations, painted hills, and sculpted cliffs in Central Asia’s wild geological frontier, the Mangystau region, in remote western Kazakhstan
Capture breathtaking aerial shots using drones - the expansive, unspoilt landscapes are ideal for dramatic drone photography
Take in the highlights of Bishkek and Almaty, from local markets to striking Soviet-era architecture and mountain backdrops
Camp under the stars in remote desert locations with exceptional conditions for night photography and stargazing

Overview

This 13-day photography journey through Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan offers access to some of Central Asia’s most striking and remote landscapes. Designed for photographers and travellers with an eye for the extraordinary, the itinerary spans canyons, salt flats, and desert formations best captured in the soft light of dawn and dusk.

We begin in the green, wide boulevards of Bishkek before travelling overland to Almaty, Kazakhstan’s cultural capital, set against the backdrop of the snow-capped Tian Shan range. From there, we head into the dramatic scenery of Charyn Canyon often likened to the Grand Canyon - where light and shadow reveal constantly shifting textures and tones. Continuing west, we enter the Mangystau region, a geological frontier known for its layered hills, sculpted rock formations, and wide desert silence. Here, we photograph the painted hills of Karatau, the imposing Mount Sherkala, the wind-carved cliffs of Airakty, and the expansive, minimalist beauty of the Tuzbair Salt Flat. This vast landscape is also ideal for drone photography.

This frontier journey is limited to a small group of photographers seeking access to places few have captured.

Itinerary

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Arrive in the leafy capital of Kyrgyzstan, where Soviet-era boulevards meet Central Asian charm beneath the snow-capped peaks of the Ala-Too Range. We'll gather for a welcome dinner to meet fellow travellers and hear from Richard about the photographic journey ahead. Overnight Bishkek hotel

Meals: D

Today we explore Bishkek through a photographer’s lens, beginning with a visit to one of the city’s vibrant local markets - an ideal setting to capture daily life, colourful produce, and candid street portraits. We’ll wander through tree-lined avenues, observe Soviet-era monuments, and frame scenes of daily rhythm in the city’s parks and plazas. Overnight Bishkek hotel

Meals: B,L,D

This morning we travel by road from Bishkek to Almaty, crossing into Kazakhstan and beginning the next chapter of our Central Asian journey. The drive offers a look at everyday life in this corner of the world - small towns, wide landscapes, and distant mountain silhouettes on the horizon. We arrive in Almaty by afternoon and settle in with time to rest or explore the local streets before dinner. Drive 4 hours Overnight Almaty hotel

Meals: B,L,D

Today we immerse ourselves in the vibrant atmosphere of Nauryz, the Central Asian New Year and spring festival. It’s a celebration rich in tradition and visual storytelling - ideal for candid portraits, street scenes, and photographing cultural detail. Almaty’s streets and parks fill with music, dancing, traditional dress, and open-air food stalls serving dishes like plov and baursak. With Richard’s guidance, we’ll seek out festive rituals and celebration. Overnight Almaty hotel

Meals: B,L,D

Today we venture east to Charyn Canyon, one of Kazakhstan’s most iconic natural wonders. Often compared to the Grand Canyon on a smaller scale, Charyn reveals towering red rock formations, deep gorges, and sculpted cliffs that shift dramatically with the light. We'll have the opportunity to photograph this dramatic landscape in the warm glow of afternoon and golden hour. Richard will guide us in working with changing light and scale. Drive 3 hours Overnight Lodge at Charyn Canyon area

Meals: B,L,D

Take in a sunrise photography session, After breakfast we drive back to Almaty and have some time for sightseeing and lunch in the city. In the evening we take our flight to Aktau which sits right on the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea - Kazakhstan’s only coastal city. This is the gateway to the stark and spectacular landscapes of the Mangystau region. Drive 3 hours Overnight Aktau hotel

Meals: B,L,D

Today we leave the city behind and aboard our 4WDs, head into the wild heart of western Kazakhstan. The terrain shifts quickly into dry steppe and open desert, where strange and beautiful formations begin to appear. We explore a surreal landscape where perfect stone spheres lie scattered across the earth, like the remnants of some ancient, forgotten game. Nearby, hills reveal layered slopes of ochre, red, and green, shaped by time and wind into painted patterns. As the day stretches into golden hour, we arrive at a dramatic, fortress-like mountain rising from the flat desert floor, where we make camp for the night. With open skies, long shadows, and total stillness, this is a chance to capture the raw beauty of the landscape as it shifts from light to dark. Drive: 3 hours Overnight camp at Mount Sherkala

Meals: B,L,D

This morning we continue our journey deeper into the desert, where the landscape once again transforms. The open steppe gives way to a maze of sculpted cliffs and spires, rising like ancient towers from the valley floor. Known to some as the Valley of Castles, this dramatic terrain is shaped by wind and time into forms that seem almost architectural. We'll have time to walk, explore, and photograph from different vantage points - capturing how the light reveals new textures across the stone throughout the day. As evening falls, we camp nearby with stars above and silence all around. Drive: less than 1 hour Overnight camp at Valley of the Castles

Meals: B,L,D

Today we travel into a strikingly different landscape - the vast, white expanse of the Tuzbair Salt Flat. Here, the desert opens out in every direction, with cracked textures and reflective surfaces that subtly shift with the light. It’s a place where scale dissolves and the horizon feels infinite. We explore the area, photograph into the golden hour, and camp nearby for another night beneath open skies. Drive 2 hours Overnight camp at Tuzbair Salt Flat

Meals: B,L,D

We travel into one of the most iconic and visually powerful landscapes in Kazakhstan - the Boszhira Tract. Towering white cliffs, narrow ridgelines, and jagged rock formations rise from a vast desert basin, often compared to Monument Valley, but with its own stark, lunar beauty. We find elevated viewpoints and low angles to photograph through shifting shadows and golden tones of the late afternoon. Drive 5 hours Overnight camp at Monument Valley

Meals: B,L,D

Our final full day in the desert takes us to the softly eroded formations of Kyzylkup Gorge, affectionately nicknamed “Tiramisu” for its distinctive layers of sediment in warm, earthy tones. We also photograph the dramatic silhouette of Mount Bokty, rising like a ship from the surrounding plain. As golden hour stretches across the striped terrain, we camp nearby for one last night beneath Mangystau’s open skies - quiet, vast, and perfect for slow shutter work or stargazing. Drive 2 hours Overnight camp at Kyzylkup Gorge

Meals: B,L,D

After a final morning shoot in the desert, we return to Aktau with some free time in the city in the afternoon. This evening we gather for a farewell dinner. Drive 4 hours Overnight Aktau hotel

Meals: B,L,D

Our journey through this remote corner of Central Asia comes to an end today. Transfers to Aktau airport are included, our team are happy to assist with any additional services, or onward travel.

Meals: B

Ready to start your adventure?

View dates to Book

What’s included?

Included

Escorted by award-winning photographer & Canon master Richard I'Anson
6 nights in 4 and 5 star hotels
5 nights camping
1 night glamping lodge
Expert bilingual guide
Private air conditioned vehicles
Internal flight Almaty to Aktau on day 6
12 breakfasts, 11 lunches and 12 dinners
Local sightseeing and entrance fees as listed in itinerary
Airport transfers on days 1 & 13

Not included

Travel to Bishkek and from Aktau
Travel insurance (compulsory)
Visas
Single supplement if you wish to have your own room
Meals not indicated in the program
Items of a personal nature such as drinks, souvenirs and laundry
Tips and gratuities for group leaders, local sightseeing guides & drivers

About your guide

This photography adventure will be led by one of the world’s most acclaimed travel photographers, and a good friend of ours for over 25 years. Richard represents. Canon Australia as a Canon Master Photographer, has published thirteen books, including five editions of the best-selling Lonely Planet Guide to Travel Photography, and is featured in the first series of the documentary series Tales by Light, now screening on Netflix. He has built an enviable career on his twin passions for travel and photography and over the past 38 years has travelled the world, amassing a substantial and compelling collection of images of people and places – in more than 100 countries on all seven continents. Richard has a Master of Photography awarded by the Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP). For more inspiration, visit www.richardianson.com, head to his Instagram page @richianson or watch the videos on this page to gain an insight into the knowledge you will tap into if you join him on this fantastic trip.