Wild Grape Sanctuary - Zhetysu Mountains

Botanical expedition to wild Vitis vinifera sylvestris populations in the Zhetysu (Semirechye) foothills. See the ancestral wild grapes that gave rise to all wine varieties, growing naturally in mountain canyons alongside wild apples and walnuts.

Insider tips

• This is a hiking adventure - bring good shoes and water

• Wild grapes fruit in late summer (August-September)

• Local guides know secret canyons with the densest populations

• Combine with visit to Charyn Canyon (Kazakhstan's Grand Canyon)

• The wild grapes are small and astringent - ancestors, not for eating