Day Trip To Big Almaty Lake
Arriving at the Park
Big Almaty Lake is one of the most famous destinations for tourists in Kazakhstan. With its turquoise blue water and majestic alpine scenery, it is no wonder that this lake attracts hoards of selfie-snapping tourists. Unlike many of the main tourist sites in Kazakhstan, Big Almaty Lake is easily accessible from the city. With a tour or taxi driver, getting to Big Almaty Lake will take no longer than an afternoon. For those with more time on their hands or on a budget, it is possible to visit the park paying no more than 600 Tenge (1.6 USD). The buses in Almaty cost 80 Tenge if you have a card and 150 if you are paying with cash. Bus 28, which takes passengers just inside the entrance of the park, can be found at the corner of Al-Farabi and Navoi next to the Presidents Park. After boarding, take the bus to the last stop near the town of Kokshoky. From there you can find taxi drivers willing to take tourists to the lake for 2,000 Tenge (5 USD) or you can hike the 11km taking about 3 hours.
Be sure to download 2Gis to navigate your way around Almaty. It’s an offline map app which shows bus routes around the city.
Hiking to the Lake
The first 7 km of hiking along the road is uneventful. There are several restaurants with tourist yurts tucked into the side of the mountain, trying to bring in customers with brightly colored signs and tacky sculptures of animals. There are also several trails which branch off of the main road leading towards waterfalls, although some are nothing more than a slow trickling of water. Surprisingly, there were a lot more people who decided to walk to Big Almaty Lake than originally thought. Many couples and groups of college-aged kids were seen huffing it the 11 km to the lake. It wouldn’t be too hard to hitchhike during the summer with the droves of cars all looking to have picnics at the top of the Tien Shan Mountains.
Following the Gas Pipe
Seven kilometers down the road, just past the village of Kokshoky, is the most strenuous part of the hike. The main street for cars veers off to the left, winding up the mountain before finally descending down towards the lake. For those hiking, there is a gas line which sharply cuts over the mountain, giving a more direct route to Big Almaty Lake. From the ground, it is unclear if it is even possible to climb over this steep incline. After further inspection, many teenagers can be found hiking and laughing as they scramble up the pipeline. For the first 1/4 of the climb, there are poorly made metal wire stairs. For the rest of the hike, you will find nothing more than a metal rod strung along the pipe to support yourself as you reach the summit. From the top, travelers will get a beautiful view of the valley and a straight shot onwards towards Big Almaty Lake.
Boundary Zone
The area around Big Almaty Lake is extremely tense and restricted for several reasons. One is that this area provides most of the drinkable water for Almaty, therefore no swimming is allowed. Even approaching the water will result in a fine. The lake is also a mere 10 km from the Kyrgyz border. During the Soviet era, it was possible for tourists to simply hike from Kazakhstan over to their Southern neighbors. Sadly, with the fall of the Soviet Union also came the bolstering of security at the border zones between countries. Lastly, the most beautiful lake in Kazakhstan has constantly been the focus of turf wars between the Kazakh elite, resulting in sudden changes to the rules and regulations of the region. Due to the complexity of the area, it is advised to bring your passport along with you when visiting Big Almaty Lake. There are several guards who patrol the banks and they could do anything from asking for a 400 Tenge fee to detaining tourists overnight in a jail cell.
The Blue of Big Almaty Lake
After a long hike passing dense forests, steep mountainsides, and intimidating warning signs, the brilliant turquoise waters shine brightly in the basin of the mountain range. The color of the lake is known to change depending on the time of year you visit ranging anywhere from a snow-white color to the topaz water seen in the pictures above. Around the lake, many soon to be newly-weds and their photographers can be seen busily shooting cliche pictures with the romantic scenery in the background. College kids and families are found setting up picnics and hiking up and down the rocky slopes of the mountain.
Guarding the Lake
Despite all the warnings posted around the lake and online, tourists still foolishly try to approach the water to snap that one selfie which is sure to boost them to Instagram fame. There are two guards who regularly patrol the shores, on the watch for tourists just like these. After apprehending the trespassers, the guard will call for his colleague to help intimidate the tourists, ask for a bribe, or even take them to their guard house to book them for breaking the law. Depending on the perpetrator, the police seem to have different approaches to dealing with them getting too close to the lake. For some, it will result in being processed at the local police station, if you are lucky enough to be a cute girl, the guards will go as far as to help you take selfies as you pose near the picturesque lake.
A Perfect Day-trip
Traveling around in Kazakhstan can be a bit of a challenge due to the sheer size of the country and the lack of public transportation taking tourists from city centers to weekend travel destinations. Big Almaty Lake can be easily done in a day or afternoon for a minimal price. For those wishing to hike, the 11km to the lake is a fairly leisurely walk, the only difficulty being climbing alongside the steep pipeline. For those wishing to savor the experience of walking through nature, passing snow-capped mountains and tall pines, hiking up to the lake is a choice you definitely won’t regret. No matter how you approach traveling up to the lake, it is a must do when visiting Almaty. Despite the crooked security and every changing rules, adventuring out to Big Almaty Lake is an opportunity you don’t want to miss out on!
For cheap shuttle buses to places around Almaty be sure to check out Kazakhstan Eco Tours
