Issyk Kurgans

Some 69km east of Almaty, the main road into the settlement of Esik/Issyk is lined with a dozen or so Saka burial mounds dating back to the early Iron Age period. This is where Kazakhstan's most significant archaeological find – the Golden Man – was unearthed, and though the intricate jewellery, gold suit and headdress from the kurgan (burial mound) now reside in Nur-Sultan, the excellent museum lets you admire copies of the exquisite finds. Frequent marshrutkas run from Almaty (400T, 45 minutes).