Ile-Alatau National Park

You will be picked up from your accommodation in the city to start your trip to the Big Almaty Lake on a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle. Scheduled departure time is 9:00am. We provide 1L of bottled water and you are welcome to bring your personal snack, tea or coffee in a container with a lid on it. You will be taken to the south-western part of the city, passing by the Park of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. On the way you will listen to the stories of your guide about Almaty city and its history. After a short stop at the entrance to the Ile-Alatau National Park for completing necessary entry procedure, you will start your journey to the Big Almaty Gorge. Upon the way you will know how one of the oldest water pipes of Almaty was constructed, what is preserved in the territory of the national park and how Japanese influenced the development of this area.

Big Almaty Lake

After 40 minutes of driving in the gorge through the winding mountain paved road with breathtaking views, you will see the the glorious panorama of the Big Almaty Lake, color of which is always different depending on the weather. The lake is a source of drinking water supply of Almaty city. Because of this reason the access of the tourists to the lake is limited, so the excursion route leads little bit higher above the Big Almaty Lake. There you will have around an hour to admire the scenery and make a walk on the banks of the lake half-way to the water surface which is about 300 meters down from the road. Descend to the lake is stony and covered with seasonal shrubs and herbs so comfortable shoes or boots will make the walking more enjoyable.