Powder Nomads

In August, Rasmus and Aurora joined our guide Alyona Alyona Gulyayeva for the first chapter of their multi-adventure journey with Powder Nomads - a three-day trek through the wild Kumbelsu Gorge. And the mountains made sure it wasn’t going to be boring.😄

The weather changed constantly, with plenty of rain along the way, which somehow made every appearance of the sun feel even more precious.

Over three days, the trail took them through Tien Shan spruce forests and alpine meadows, past waterfalls and two beautiful mountain lakes, with glaciers and 4000+ meter peaks rising above the valleys.

There were long climbs that tested the legs, but every pass and viewpoint came with a reward, the kind of panorama that makes you forget how hard you worked to get there.

Wet rocks, slippery earth and muddy trails demanded full attention on descents. Every step had to be deliberate, leaving absolutely no space in your head for anything else.

Despite the moody weather, the team’s spirit stayed wonderfully sunny. Rain or shine, they kept moving, exploring and taking everything the mountains had to offer.

Three days packed with contrasts, challenges, wild beauty and that special feeling of being completely present in the moment.

But this was only chapter one of Rasmus and Aurora’s adventure with us.

After exploring the mountains on their own two feet, it was time to change the way they traveled and head towards new trails…

How? We’ll show you in the next story. 👀

Wild is better together.🏔️💫

Recently, we welcomed a young couple who decided to trade everyday life for a few days in the saddle, and together with our guide Alexander sasha_bugece777 they set off across the wild landscapes of Don Zhailau and the Assy Plateau. 🐎🏔️

There is something special about traveling through these mountains on horseback. You follow remote trails and endless pastures during the day, then choose a beautiful place to stop, pitch the tents and make it home for the night.

On our first evening, a local shepherd joined us for a cup of tea and shared stories about his life in the mountains. Nothing planned or staged, just one of those spontaneous encounters that make these journeys so special.

The weather was kind to us too: almost no rain, comfortable days and cool nights under the stars.

For a few days, life became wonderfully simple: you ride, explore, set up camp, eat together, watch the sunset, sleep, wake up somewhere beautiful… and ride again.

A huge thank you to our wonderful guests for trusting Powder Nomads and sharing this adventure with us. We hope you took home not only beautiful memories, but a little piece of Kazakhstan’s nomadic spirit. 🇰🇿🛖 🐎🏔️✨

And if you’ve ever dreamed of discovering Kazakhstan from the saddle, stay tuned. Very soon, we’ll be adding several new and unusual horseback routes to our collection. More wild trails are waiting. 🐎✨

Wild is better together.

Sometimes the best way to escape everyday life is to trade roads for mountain trails, comfort for a tent, and routine for a little uncertainty.

In mid-August, our guest Ryan joined guide Rakhman and our local horseman for three packed days exploring the Kolsai Lakes on horseback and on foot.

And with an all-guys crew this time, the vibe was exactly what you’d expect: easy-going, adventurous, plenty of laughs and always ready for a little more. 🤙

Long days in the saddle, an extra hike to a panoramic viewpoint, steep mountain trails, picnics by the water and a wild campsite beside the lake. There was rain, hail and a proper mountain thunderstorm along the way, because apparently the mountains wanted to contribute some entertainment too.

On the final day, the horses took the luggage towards the village while the guys continued on foot. After two days of riding, it was time to stretch the legs, slow down and experience the landscape from another perspective following the trail past all three magnificent Kolsay Lakes.

The previous day’s rain had turned parts of the trail into a slippery, muddy playground, but the crew made it to the finish tired, happy and full of stories.

And somewhere between the horses, storms, camp meals, muddy trails and quiet mornings in the wild, everyday life feels very far away. For a few days, you get to be an explorer again.

Thank you, Ryan, for your trust and adventurous spirit and a big thank you to Rakhman for guiding the journey, keeping everyone safe, taking care of camp and meals, and capturing the moments along the way.

More wild trails are waiting.

Wild is better together. 🤍

Some birthdays deserve more than candles and cake.
They deserve a little adventure. 🐎✨

Recently, our guide Gulnaz gulnaz had the pleasure of taking sisters Deniz and Saliha from Australia on a special birthday ride through the Karagaily Apple Orchards.

They chose our longer three-hour route winding along quiet country roads and narrow trails through apple and apricot orchards, with the Kargalinskiy and Kamenskiy peaks rising on one side and the city stretching far below on the other.

Three hours in the saddle definitely made themselves felt 😄, but when you’re surrounded by mountain views, stopping for photos, sharing stories and feeding fresh apples to your horses along the way, tired muscles somehow become part of the fun. And perhaps that’s the beauty of celebrating a special moment through adventure.

You step away from the familiar, experience something new together, laugh a little more, notice the world around you and come home with memories instead of just another year added to the calendar.

Back at the stables, a proper birthday feast was waiting. A table full of delicious food, herbal tea with honey, time to relax and plenty of stories from the trail.

A beautiful ending to a beautiful day.🫠

Thank you, Deniz and Saliha, for choosing to celebrate such a special occasion with Powder Nomads. It was a joy to become a small part of your journey through Kazakhstan and share this warm, adventurous day with you.🙏🏻✨

May there be many more birthdays filled with new trails, open horizons and experiences worth remembering.

Wild is better together.🤍

Some journeys are not about how far you go, but about how free you feel along the way. 🐎🏔️

Our horseback adventures across the Assy Plateau have become one of this summer’s favourites, and we completely understand why.

This time, our guide Rakhman Рахман Байболатов headed into the highlands with two wonderful and experienced ladies for two days of life at the rhythm of the mountains.

Long hours in the saddle. Endless highland pastures. Sun above, distant snow-covered glaciers on the horizon, and nothing but open trails ahead.

Just horses, camp food, golden sunsets, tents beneath a sky full of stars… and the simple pleasure of waking up in the wild, brewing fresh coffee and slowly packing camp before getting back in the saddle.

There is something about traveling through these mountains on horseback that awakens the nomadic spirit within you. You begin to understand freedom differently, not as moving faster, but as having nowhere to rush.

There was plenty of laughter along the way, but also time for silence. Time to look around, listen to the mountains and disappear into your own thoughts while the horses quietly carried the journey forward. And perhaps that balance is what makes these adventures so special.

Thank you to our wonderful guests for choosing Powder Nomads and trusting us to show you another side of Kazakhstan: wild, authentic and beautifully untamed.

There are still plenty of trails ahead of us.🙂‍↔️

Unforgettable trip and moments in the upper Turgen Valley with our crew of young adventurers from the Netherlands Bauke Jansen ✨

From the very beginning, these guys brought an incredible amount of energy, curiosity and pure love for life into the mountains. They jumped into icy rivers without hesitation, laughed their way through long trekking days, sang while walking under pouring rain, and reacted to new landscapes with the excitement of kids seeing the mountains for the very first time.

No hiding emotions and complaining, just endless optimism, jokes, curiosity and a genuine appetite for adventure.

The guys were strong and moved fast, which gave us the freedom to explore more and reach places we hadn’t managed to visit on our previous trips. And this time, the mountains rewarded us generously.

One of the absolute highlights was reaching a remote glacier surrounded by a chain of alpine lakes - a wild, dramatic place that gave us some of the most epic views we’ve seen this summer.

And somewhere between river crossings, long climbs, cold swims, rainstorms and endless laughter, the group became a real little mountain family.

Our guide Alexander sasha_bugece777 even earned himself a new name along the way - Papa Sash. 😄🤍

That’s probably the best sign of what kind of trip this became: easy-going, wild, hilarious, genuine, full of life.

Thank you, guys, for this incredibly warm, crazy and joyful adventure. Your energy was contagious, and sharing these mountains with you was an absolute pleasure.

We really hope Kazakhstan hasn’t seen the last of you yet. There are still plenty of hidden valleys to explore, peaks to climb, trails to walk, and when winter comes, a whole new world of backcountry and freeride adventures will be waiting.

Come back hungry for more. We definitely have more wild places to show you. 😉

Wild is better together.

Six days in the wild, and somehow it felt like a whole little lifetime. 🏔️

Our next trekking adventure of this summer season took us deep into the Turgen Valley together with a wonderful group of 12 adventurers, our long-time Dutch partner NOMADventure | groepsreizen voor de échte avonturier local partner Dostar Trips Kazakhstan and Powder Nomads guides Skiing, Trekking & Horseback Trail Guide🇰🇿 & Alyona Gulyayeva

We walked through endless alpine pastures and Tien Shan forests, climbed closer to glaciers, crossed icy rivers, reached a turquoise mountain lake at 3,700 m, slept beneath dramatic skies and experienced almost every mood the mountains could offer us.

There was sunshine and pouring rain. Heavy backpacks and tired legs. Cold river crossings, muddy trails, laughter around the camp, breathtaking sunsets and those quiet moments when everyone simply stopped to look around.

And somewhere between the difficult climbs, shared meals, wet tents and endless mountain horizons, twelve different people slowly became one team. That’s what we love about wild adventures. They strip life back to something beautifully simple: walk, breathe, eat, rest, help each other, watch the sky and be present.

The mountains don’t always give us what we expect, but somehow, they often give us exactly what we need.

Thank you to everyone who walked this trail with us.🫰
Until the next wild journey.

Wild is better together.