NUR-SULTAN – The Alatau Mountains, the great mountain range near Almaty, is the pride of the city and a popular destination not only for tourists, but for locals as well. While some enjoy a relaxed walk or cableway ride, others go for more active recreation.
Photo credit: chocolife.me.
Temirlan Sali liked hiking in the area and after several years became very well acquainted with the landscape, reported ainews.kz Oct. 14. When he and his friends decided to rent a motorbike to better explore the mountain, however, the only option they found in the city cost approximately $100. That is when they decided to buy three pit bikes (a type of a motorbike).
“In the beginning of summer we started biking, which drew people’s attention. Many were interested in where we rented the motorbikes. Then I thought, if people are so interested, why not start suggesting renting the bikes among people we know. I started with close friends and set the price for one tour around $40, depending on the route,” he said.
To advertise his business and attract more people, Sali provided a special offer on the Chocolife coupon website – daily four-six hour tours depending on the route and the riders. Those who were new or less confident could choose an easy level destination – Big Almaty Lake and Cosmostation; the more daring or experienced could opt for a trickier destination – Kok Zhailau natural boundary.
In addition to guiding the tour, Sali teaches his clients how to ride the motorbike, explains safety measures and provides equipment. Riding requires neither experience nor a driver’s licence.
“As experience shows, 30 minutes are enough for people to learn and to feel themselves confident on a bike. In addition, there is no traffic in the mountains and a wide road, which gives people the feeling of comfort,” he said.
After the coupon launched, the phone never stopped ringing. In three days, all of August was booked and a week later, so was September. Using the discount, a tour for two cost $18 per person. With the season ending, the offer ran through Oct. 3.
Sali participated in the Almaty Chamber of Entrepreneur’s Zhas Kasipker programme, an educational opportunity designed for young people who want to start their own businesses, reported atameken.kz. He was in the first graduating class and won a $1,300 grant, which he used to purchase quadricycles as a way to continue his business in winter.
Sali spent his own money to buy six more vehicles and is offering a cold weather coupon. The idea is the same, except for the mode of transportation, and thus costs approximately $45. He also added a new route to the so-called Japanese Road, named after Japanese prisoners of World War II who were forced to build it.
