Routes Silk Road 2019
Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan
• 15 – 17 July 2019
Complimentary Tours
Enjoy some of Kazakhstan's most compelling and beautiful attractions during your stay with one of our host's complimentary tours.
ALZHIR - Camp of Women's Tears
Date: Sunday 14th July
Time: 10:00 – 13:00
Commonly abbreviated to ALZHIR, the Akmola camp for the wives of the enemies of Motherland was one of the largest camps of the Soviet Union and one of three 'islands' noted in Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's The Gulag Archipelago. The camp was opened in early 1938 when the first wave of the prisoners arrived. According to incomplete data, the number of repressed exceeded 18,000 convicts.
Beginning at the entrance to the museum near the “Arch of Grief”, delegates will see the two statues called Despair and Powerlessness and Fight and Hope. Delegates will also have the opportunity to visit the Museum and Memorial Complex of Victims of Political Repression and Totalitarianism, which opened in 2007.
Nurzhol Boulevard Walking Tour
Date: Saturday 13 or Sunday 14 July
Time: 11:00 – 13:00
Booking Deadline: Sunday 7 July
Enjoy the coolness of the Alley of Singing Fountains, take a stroll through the Park of Lovers, visit the Baiterek Tower and witness Norman Foster's masterpiece, Khan Shatyr, during this half-day walking tour. Delegates will have the opportunity to discover Nurzhol Boulevard, also known as the Millenium Axis, designed by Kisho Kurokawa ahead of the event beginning. As the centre of the modern capital, the boulevard is full of buildings of various futuristic shapes and forms, built with true Kazakh spirit.
The tour starts near the Presidential Palace – Akorda. You will pass the buildings of the House of Parliament and the House of Ministries, and will walk through the pedestrian boulevard full with beautiful flowers, fountains and sculptures. At the end of the tour, you can stay at the Khan Shatyr and take a break, enjoy some shopping and have lunch at one of the many restaurants.
Nur-Sultan Tour by Bus
Date: Sunday 14 July
Time: 14:00 – 17:00
Booking Deadline: Sunday 7 July
Enjoy the sites of Nur-Sultan on this exclusive hop-on, hop-off bus tour. The tour covers the whole left bank of the Yesil River with its futuristic and modern architecture, as well as the cosiness and culture of the old right bank. Dive into the history of every building, feel the atmosphere of Nur-Sultan, and enjoy an unforgettable experience with this half-day complimentary tour!
This tour will be available exclusively to Routes Silk Road participants and will cover more sights than a regular double-decker tour. All participants will also receive free tickets to use at any time during their stay to join this tour at their convenience. Learn more
Old City Walking Tour
Date: Sunday 14 July
Time: 18:00 – 20:00
Booking Deadline: Sunday 7 July
The right bank of the Yesil River is the old centre of Nur-Sultan, witnessing the changes of the names, architectural trends, and generations, but still remaining the same charming and cosy area.
This tour begins at the old square between Kenessary Street and Abay Street and covers the historical buildings of Akimat, houses of the merchant Kubrin, and the picturesque river embankment with its fascinating bridges and sculptures.