Guided Hike to Peaks Rakhat (3,088 m) & Emshek (3,454 m) via Ak-Bulak Resort

A guided day hike to two peaks above the Ak-Bulak ski resort in Soldatskoye (Soldier’s) Gorge — Peak Rakhat (3,088 m) and Peak Emshek (3,454 m). This route opens a completely different sector of the Zailiyskiy Alatau from the more familiar Big Almaty and Malaya Almatinka gorges. Located behind the city of Talgar, 40 km east of Almaty, the Soldatskoye gorge is quieter, less visited by international tourists, and hides a surprise: ancient petroglyphs carved into the rocks on Emshek’s slopes.

What to expect

The hike begins at the Ak-Bulak high-altitude resort (1,600 m) in Soldatskoye gorge, accessible by road from Almaty through the town of Talgar. Ak-Bulak is primarily known as a ski resort (6 runs, 14 km of pistes, 5 lifts), but in summer the slopes become hiking terrain — and the lifts are closed, so you walk.

Peak Rakhat (3,088 m) is sometimes called “Akbulak’s Furmanovka” by local hikers — a reference to Furmanov Peak (3,053 m) near Medeo, which occupies a similar position on its skyline: a prominent, accessible first summit that rewards with wide views. The ascent follows the ridge above the resort, gaining approximately 500 m from the upper resort area through alpine meadow and scree. From the summit: views west to Issyk Lake (visible along the ridge extending from the peak), east into the deeper Talgar valleys, and south to the higher peaks.

Peak Emshek (3,454 m) is the larger objective. The name translates from Kazakh as “breast” — describing the peak’s rounded, dome-like profile. The route from Rakhat continues along the ridge southward, climbing another 366 m through increasingly rocky terrain. From Emshek’s summit, the view is dominated by Peak Issyk-Bash (3,917 m) — the major summit of the Issyk-Bash massif, rising dramatically to the south. The Soldatskoye gorge drops away below, with the Ak-Bulak resort visible as a small cluster far below.

The petroglyphs

One of the most unexpected features of this route: ancient rock carvings (petroglyphs) on the slopes of Emshek, particularly on the old scree fields. The carvings depict mainly tau-teke (mountain ibex) — the iconic Tian Shan mountain goat — along with hunting scenes showing human figures with bows and arrows. These images date from the Bronze Age through the early medieval period and connect this route to the broader Central Asian petroglyph tradition seen at Tamgaly-Tas and the Altyn-Emel Tanbaly Tas sites.

If time allows, your guide will detour to the most significant petroglyph concentrations. Searching for the carvings among the scree is itself an engaging activity — they’re not signposted, requiring genuine observation.

Why book this guided hike?

Different mountains, different views. Most Almaty hiking products operate in the Big Almaty or Malaya Almatinka gorges. Rakhat and Emshek are in the Talgar sector — the same mountain range but a completely different valley with different sight lines. Clients who’ve done Furmanov, the MAK traverse, and the Cosmostation area get a fresh perspective.

Petroglyphs require a guide. The rock carvings on Emshek are not marked or signposted. Without someone who knows where to look, you’ll walk past them. Your guide locates the best panels and provides historical context.

Issyk Lake view. The western ridge of Peak Rakhat provides an aerial view of Issyk Lake — an angle that no other hike in the catalogue offers. Clients who’ve visited Issyk Lake from below see it in a completely new perspective.

Access through Ak-Bulak. The resort provides infrastructure at the start: parking, restrooms, and (in summer) a café. This makes the logistics cleaner than many mountain trailheads.