Explore Ile-Alatau National Park, established to protect Kazakhstan’s unique landscapes and biodiversity. Enjoy improved conditions for tourism and recreation in this stunning natural haven.
Shymbulak Almaty: Trail Overview, Skiing, Prices, and More
From $87/person
Very Hard
Komsomol Peak: A Journey to 4,376 Meters
From $199/person
Medium
Day Hiking Tour to Mokhnatka Mountain from Almaty
From $72/person
Gorelnik Waterfalls: Eagle’s Nest Adventure
From $119/person
Easy
Medeo in Almaty: The Ultimate Ice Skating Rink
From $62/person
Easy
Alma-Arasan Hot Springs in Almaty Mountains
From $60/person
Medium
Day Hiking Tour to Mynzhylki Plateau from Almaty
From $72/person
Hard
Day Hiking Tour to Big Almaty Peak from Almaty
From $91/person
Hard
Terra Field and Alyoshkin Bridge: how to get there, route, Almaty mountains
From $65/person
Hard
Anatoli Boukreev peak: how to get there, route, hike in Almaty mountains
From $70/person
Medium
Day Hiking Tour to Butakovka Waterfalls from Almaty
From $72/person
Hard
Manshuk Mametova lake: how to get there, route, Mynzhylki
From $70/person
Medium
Day Hiking Tour to Kok-Zhailau from Almaty
From $72/person
Hard
Day Hiking Tour to Furmanov Peak & Panorama from Almaty
From $65/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.
