Peak Akbulak (3,460 m) & Issyk-Bash (3,917 m) – 3-Day Expedition from Ak-Bulak Resort

A guided 3-day expedition to Peak Akbulak (3,460 m) and Peak Issyk-Bash (3,917 m) — two remote summits in the Talgar sector of the Zailiyskiy Alatau, approached from the Ak-Bulak ski resort 40 km east of Almaty. Peak Akbulak is a first-ascent summit — named by our team after the resort at its base, climbed by a new route that no other guide company offers. Combined with the near-four-thousander Issyk-Bash, this is the most demanding multi-day product in the Talgar sector: heavy packs, no maintained trails above the resort, route-finding across exposed ridges, and a summit section on Peak Akbulak involving steep rock couloirs where wrong turns lead to dangerous slabs.

This expedition is for experienced mountain hikers who want genuinely remote terrain close to Almaty. Three days in the mountains and you will not see another group.

What to expect on the Peak Akbulak expedition

The route begins at the Ak-Bulak ski resort (~1,600 m) in Soldatskoye Gorge, reached by a 40-minute drive from Almaty through the town of Talgar. In summer the ski lifts are closed — you walk from the base. Expect to carry a full multi-day pack (25 kg) for three days of self-supported mountain travel.

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Ak-Bulak resort to high camp via the ridge

Start at Ak-Bulak base (~1,600 m). The trail begins through the closed ski resort, climbing alongside the runs through forest and alpine meadow. The first section is straightforward — the same approach used for Peaks Rakhat and Emshek day hikes.

Ridge traverse to the junction (~2,660 m). Beyond the treeline, the route follows a long ridge westward with a well-defined trail — open views on both sides, pleasant walking. After roughly 20 minutes of ridge, you reach a junction at ~2,660 m where two ridges converge. The left ridge continues toward Peak Akbulak; the right drops toward the black run of the Ak-Bulak ski area.

Continue to Dorozhnyi area and high camp (~2,800–3,000 m). The route follows the ridge beyond the junction into progressively more remote terrain. The trail becomes faint and eventually disappears. Navigation is by ridge-following and cairns. The high camp is established on a flat section of the ridge or an adjacent meadow, at approximately 2,800–3,000 m, with views toward the Kyzymshek–Issyk-Bash–Akbulak ridge system. The upper Talgar sector peaks become visible: Issyk-Bash (3,917 m), Kyzymshek, and — in the distance — the ice-capped main ridge with Peak Talgar (5,017 m).

Day 2: Summit Peak Akbulak (3,460 m) — first-ascent route

Approach from camp. Leave heavy packs at camp and carry a summit pack. The route ascends the upper ridge toward Peak Akbulak, crossing rocky terrain that requires route-finding skills. There are no cairns or boot tracks on the upper mountain — this is first-ascent territory.

Summit section — the couloir and slabs. The final approach involves a steep rock couloir leading to the summit block. The key navigational challenge: at a fork in the couloir, the route goes left — right leads to dead-end slabs. The summit itself is a narrow rock platform with full exposure.

From the top: the panorama spans the entire southern wall of the Talgar sector. Peak Issyk-Bash (3,917 m) is directly visible, along with Kyzymshek and the massive wall of the main Zailiyskiy Alatau ridge. Below, the Ak-Bulak resort is a tiny cluster in the green Soldatskoye gorge.

Descent. Return via the ascent route. The descent from the summit block requires particular care — the couloir is steep and loose. In early season, snow in the couloir allows a fast glissade. Return to high camp with time for rest before the following day’s summit.

Day 3: Summit Peak Issyk-Bash (3,917 m) and return

Traverse to Issyk-Bash. From high camp, the route traverses the upper ridge system toward Peak Issyk-Bash (3,917 m) — the dominant summit of the entire Talgar sector. The approach involves crossing a remote glacial cirque (the Issyk-Bash valley) that sees very few visitors. Terrain is scree, moraines, and potentially snow/ice on the final approach depending on the season.

Summit Issyk-Bash (3,917 m). The summit provides one of the most expansive views in the entire Zailiyskiy Alatau — the ice-draped main ridge extending east toward Peak Talgar (5,017 m), Issyk Lake visible in the foothills below, and the Talgar city grid on the plains beyond.

Descent and return to Ak-Bulak. Descend via the approach ridges back to the resort. Vehicle transfer to Almaty.