Hard
Very Hard
Talgar Peak Expedition (5,017 m) – The Highest Summit of the Zailiyskiy Alatau
From $439/person
Hard
Guided Hike to Peak Karniznyi (4,017 m) – A Four-Thousander via Prohodnoe Gorge
From $73/person
Medium
Small Almaty Circuit (MAK) – Four-Summit Ridge Traverse from Medeo to Shymbulak
From $91/person
Very Hard
Guided Climb to Almaty Peak (4,376 m) – The Highest Summit on Almaty’s Skyline
From $199/person
Ile-Alatau National Park runs along the northern edge of the Tien Shan, directly above Almaty. It is the reason you can leave a city of two million in the morning and stand on a glacier by lunchtime - the first trailheads are 30 minutes from the centre, and the range climbs past 5,000 m at Talgar Peak.
The park is organised as a series of gorges running north out of the main ridge, and choosing a gorge is really how you choose a hike:
- Malo-Almaty Gorge - the busiest and most accessible, holding Medeo, Shymbulak, the Tuyuksu glaciers and most of the four-thousanders.
- Big Almaty Gorge - Big Almaty Lake, the Cosmostation, and the peaks above it.
- Prohodnoye and Kaskelen - quieter western valleys, and the way onto the long multi-day traverses.
- Butakovsky, Gorelnik and Kim Asar - waterfalls, hot springs and forest walks close to the city, good for a half day.
- Talgar - the wildest sector, and the approach to the highest summit in the range.
Altitude is the thing to plan around. Trailheads sit at 1,500-2,500 m and routes climb to 3,000-4,500 m, so the high passes are open roughly mid-June to mid-September, while the lower forest trails and waterfalls are walkable from April into November.
National park entry fees are included in every tour we run, along with an English-speaking guide, round-trip transport from Almaty, lunch and a first aid kit.
Getting to the trailheads
The main access points are Medeo and Shymbulak in the Malo-Almaty gorge, the Big Almaty Lake road, and the Ayusay visitor centre. All are reachable by road from central Almaty, and our tours include round-trip transport, so there is no need to work out taxis or park entry on the day.
Choosing a route by difficulty
Routes in the park run the full range. Forest walks and waterfall trails are graded 1-2/5 and suit families and first-timers. Summit day hikes to 3,000-3,500 m sit around 3/5. The four-thousanders and glacier routes are 4-5/5 and are guided by a certified alpine guide with rope work where the route needs it.
If it is your first time at altitude here, read first time hiking in Almaty, or start with the easiest hikes near Almaty. For conditions before you travel, check the mountain weather forecast.
