{"id":3831,"date":"2026-07-29T08:36:46","date_gmt":"2026-07-29T05:36:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/east-kazakhstan\/"},"modified":"2026-07-29T08:36:46","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T05:36:46","slug":"east-kazakhstan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/east-kazakhstan\/","title":{"rendered":"East Kazakhstan: the Altai, Sibin Lakes &#038; Bukhtarma Reservoir"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most visitors to Kazakhstan see the south &#8211; Almaty, the Tien Shan, the canyons. The country&#8217;s east is a different planet: Siberian taiga instead of steppe, the Altai instead of the Alatau, and water everywhere. If your map of Kazakhstan ends at Charyn, this region &#8211; a two-hour flight or a long drive from Almaty &#8211; is the expansion pack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed alignwide is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"\u041f\u0443\u0442\u0435\u0448\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0438\u0435 \u043f\u043e \u0412\u043e\u0441\u0442\u043e\u0447\u043d\u043e\u043c\u0443 \u041a\u0430\u0437\u0430\u0445\u0441\u0442\u0430\u043d\u0443: \u043e\u0442 \u0421\u0438\u0431\u0438\u043d\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0445 \u043e\u0437\u0451\u0440 \u0434\u043e \u0411\u0443\u0445\u0442\u0430\u0440\u043c\u044b\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/JdtULgR5908?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Kazakh Altai<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Altai range runs along the region&#8217;s eastern edge &#8211; snowbound crests, steep forested flanks and deep river gorges, crowned (just across the border ridge) by Belukha, the massif&#8217;s highest and most sacred mountain. The Kazakh side is the quiet side: genuine wilderness trekking, and in winter the deep-snow country around Ridder that we covered in our <a href=\"\/en\/freeride-skiing-snowboarding-in-kazakhstan\/\">freeride guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Sibin Lakes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Five lakes in a chain &#8211; Shalkar, Tortkarakol, Korzhynkol, Sauyrkol and Karakol &#8211; set in granite hills, with water so clear it reads emerald on a sunny day. The name comes from the nomads who rested and refitted their herds here; the legend comes from the Dzungars: a 17th-century Buddhist monastery stood nearby, and a golden Buddha is said to lie sunk in one of the lakes. Petrol boat engines are banned, which keeps the water as quiet as the story. The lakes fish well &#8211; pike, carp, perch &#8211; and yes, the locals will tell you about the unofficial nudist beach. Our full guide: <a href=\"\/en\/sibin-lakes\/\">the Sibin Lakes<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bukhtarma and the Blue Bay<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Created in 1960 on the Irtysh river, the Bukhtarma reservoir covers some 5,500 km\u00b2 &#8211; one of the largest artificial waterbodies in the world, bigger than Kapshagay and more varied than Borovoe, with a shoreline of coves and bays running to 50 km deep. The resort strip around Novaya Bukhtarma village holds the holiday bases and sanatoria; the showpiece is the <strong>Blue Bay<\/strong>, whose water is an implausible bright blue that no photograph quite convinces anyone of. Summer here is the East&#8217;s answer to a sea holiday &#8211; beaches, boats and fish in every size.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Practical notes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Getting there:<\/strong> fly Almaty to Ust-Kamenogorsk (Oskemen), then drive; the Sibins are an easy day trip from the city, Bukhtarma a weekend.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Season:<\/strong> summer for the lakes and reservoir; deep winter for Ridder&#8217;s snow.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Pace yourself:<\/strong> distances in the East are honest &#8211; this is a region you give days, not hours.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Closer to home base? The mountains above Almaty are our home ground &#8211; start with the <a href=\"\/en\/best-weekend-hikes-almaty\/\">weekend hikes<\/a> or <a href=\"\/en\/hiking\/\">the trips we run<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83c\udf92 Other routes<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"relative\"><div class=\"flex overflow-x-auto pb-6 -mx-4 px-4 sm:px-0 sm:mx-0 sm:overflow-x-visible sm:grid sm:grid-cols-2 gap-8 snap-x scrollbar-hide\"><div class=\"flex-none w-[280px] sm:w-auto snap-center last:pr-4 sm:first:pl-0 sm:last:pr-0\"><div class=\"group bg-[#202020] rounded-xl hover:border-white\/[0.06] transition-all duration-300\"><div class=\"relative aspect-w-16 aspect-h-9 rounded-t-xl overflow-hidden bg-[#202020]\"><a href=\"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/peak-maria\/\" class=\"block w-full h-full\" aria-label=\"Peak Maria (3,685 m) from Mynzhylki: Route, Couloir &#038; Winter Notes\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"w-full h-full object-cover transform group-hover:scale-105 transition-transform duration-500 my-0\" src=\"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image11-1-1024x576.jpg?v=1785303399\" alt=\"Peak Maria (3,685 m) from Mynzhylki: Route, Couloir &#038; Winter Notes\" loading=\"lazy\"><div class=\"absolute inset-0 bg-gradient-to-t from-black\/30 to-transparent opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100 transition-opacity duration-300\"><\/div><\/a><\/div><div class=\"p-4\"><h3 class=\"text-xl font-bold hover:text-[#d0d0d0] transition-colors duration-200\"><a href=\"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/peak-maria\/\" class=\"no-underline text-white hover:text-[#d0d0d0]\">Peak Maria (3,685 m) from Mynzhylki: Route, Couloir &#038; Winter Notes<\/a><\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"flex-none w-[280px] sm:w-auto snap-center last:pr-4 sm:first:pl-0 sm:last:pr-0\"><div class=\"group bg-[#202020] rounded-xl hover:border-white\/[0.06] transition-all duration-300\"><div class=\"relative aspect-w-16 aspect-h-9 rounded-t-xl overflow-hidden bg-[#202020]\"><a href=\"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/pila-peak\/\" class=\"block w-full h-full\" aria-label=\"Pila Peak (3,780 m): the Saw-Tooth Summit of Prokhodnoye Gorge\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"w-full h-full object-cover transform group-hover:scale-105 transition-transform duration-500 my-0\" src=\"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ZBG05535-scaled-1-1024x576.jpg?v=1785303379\" alt=\"Pila Peak (3,780 m): the Saw-Tooth Summit of Prokhodnoye Gorge\" loading=\"lazy\"><div class=\"absolute inset-0 bg-gradient-to-t from-black\/30 to-transparent opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100 transition-opacity duration-300\"><\/div><\/a><\/div><div class=\"p-4\"><h3 class=\"text-xl font-bold hover:text-[#d0d0d0] transition-colors duration-200\"><a href=\"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/pila-peak\/\" class=\"no-underline text-white hover:text-[#d0d0d0]\">Pila Peak (3,780 m): the Saw-Tooth Summit of Prokhodnoye Gorge<\/a><\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"flex-none w-[280px] sm:w-auto snap-center last:pr-4 sm:first:pl-0 sm:last:pr-0\"><div class=\"group bg-[#202020] rounded-xl hover:border-white\/[0.06] transition-all duration-300\"><div class=\"relative aspect-w-16 aspect-h-9 rounded-t-xl overflow-hidden bg-[#202020]\"><a href=\"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/almaty-mega-traverse\/\" class=\"block w-full h-full\" aria-label=\"The Almaty Mega-Traverse: 30 km, Two Passes, Two Peaks, One Day\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"w-full h-full object-cover transform group-hover:scale-105 transition-transform duration-500 my-0\" src=\"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Pamyat2-1024x576.jpg?v=1785303358\" alt=\"The Almaty Mega-Traverse: 30 km, Two Passes, Two Peaks, One Day\" loading=\"lazy\"><div class=\"absolute inset-0 bg-gradient-to-t from-black\/30 to-transparent opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100 transition-opacity duration-300\"><\/div><\/a><\/div><div class=\"p-4\"><h3 class=\"text-xl font-bold hover:text-[#d0d0d0] transition-colors duration-200\"><a href=\"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/almaty-mega-traverse\/\" class=\"no-underline text-white hover:text-[#d0d0d0]\">The Almaty Mega-Traverse: 30 km, Two Passes, Two Peaks, One Day<\/a><\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"flex-none w-[280px] sm:w-auto snap-center last:pr-4 sm:first:pl-0 sm:last:pr-0\"><div class=\"group bg-[#202020] rounded-xl hover:border-white\/[0.06] transition-all duration-300\"><div class=\"relative aspect-w-16 aspect-h-9 rounded-t-xl overflow-hidden bg-[#202020]\"><a href=\"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/medeo-to-shymbulak-walk\/\" class=\"block w-full h-full\" aria-label=\"Medeo to Shymbulak on Foot: the Small Almaty Gorge Walk\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"w-full h-full object-cover transform group-hover:scale-105 transition-transform duration-500 my-0\" src=\"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/ZBG08412-1024x576.jpg?v=1785303338\" alt=\"Medeo to Shymbulak on Foot: the Small Almaty Gorge Walk\" loading=\"lazy\"><div class=\"absolute inset-0 bg-gradient-to-t from-black\/30 to-transparent opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100 transition-opacity duration-300\"><\/div><\/a><\/div><div class=\"p-4\"><h3 class=\"text-xl font-bold hover:text-[#d0d0d0] transition-colors duration-200\"><a href=\"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/medeo-to-shymbulak-walk\/\" class=\"no-underline text-white hover:text-[#d0d0d0]\">Medeo to Shymbulak on Foot: the Small Almaty Gorge Walk<\/a><\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"flex-none w-[280px] sm:w-auto snap-center last:pr-4 sm:first:pl-0 sm:last:pr-0\"><div class=\"group bg-[#202020] rounded-xl hover:border-white\/[0.06] transition-all duration-300\"><div class=\"relative aspect-w-16 aspect-h-9 rounded-t-xl overflow-hidden bg-[#202020]\"><a href=\"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/karabastau-trek-issyk\/\" class=\"block w-full h-full\" aria-label=\"Karabastau (3,972 m): the Wildest Trek in the Issyk Mountains\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"w-full h-full object-cover transform group-hover:scale-105 transition-transform duration-500 my-0\" src=\"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image-13.jpeg?v=1785295698\" alt=\"Karabastau (3,972 m): the Wildest Trek in the Issyk Mountains\" loading=\"lazy\"><div class=\"absolute inset-0 bg-gradient-to-t from-black\/30 to-transparent opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100 transition-opacity duration-300\"><\/div><\/a><\/div><div class=\"p-4\"><h3 class=\"text-xl font-bold hover:text-[#d0d0d0] transition-colors duration-200\"><a href=\"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/karabastau-trek-issyk\/\" class=\"no-underline text-white hover:text-[#d0d0d0]\">Karabastau (3,972 m): the Wildest Trek in the Issyk Mountains<\/a><\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"flex-none w-[280px] sm:w-auto snap-center last:pr-4 sm:first:pl-0 sm:last:pr-0\"><div class=\"group bg-[#202020] rounded-xl hover:border-white\/[0.06] transition-all duration-300\"><div class=\"relative aspect-w-16 aspect-h-9 rounded-t-xl overflow-hidden bg-[#202020]\"><a href=\"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/aksay-gorge\/\" class=\"block w-full h-full\" aria-label=\"Aksay Gorge: the Closed Valley and its 3,735 m Peak\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"w-full h-full object-cover transform group-hover:scale-105 transition-transform duration-500 my-0\" src=\"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image-9-1024x580.jpeg?v=1785295681\" alt=\"Aksay Gorge: the Closed Valley and its 3,735 m Peak\" loading=\"lazy\"><div class=\"absolute inset-0 bg-gradient-to-t from-black\/30 to-transparent opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100 transition-opacity duration-300\"><\/div><\/a><\/div><div class=\"p-4\"><h3 class=\"text-xl font-bold hover:text-[#d0d0d0] transition-colors duration-200\"><a href=\"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/aksay-gorge\/\" class=\"no-underline text-white hover:text-[#d0d0d0]\">Aksay Gorge: the Closed Valley and its 3,735 m Peak<\/a><\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"flex-none w-[280px] sm:w-auto snap-center last:pr-4 sm:first:pl-0 sm:last:pr-0\"><div class=\"group bg-[#202020] rounded-xl hover:border-white\/[0.06] transition-all duration-300\"><div class=\"relative aspect-w-16 aspect-h-9 rounded-t-xl overflow-hidden bg-[#202020]\"><a href=\"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/kumbelsu\/\" class=\"block w-full h-full\" aria-label=\"Kumbelsu Gorge &#038; Lake 13: the Wild Route to Molodezhny Peak\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"w-full h-full object-cover transform group-hover:scale-105 transition-transform duration-500 my-0\" src=\"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Molodezhnyi2-1024x576.jpg?v=1785295664\" alt=\"Kumbelsu Gorge &#038; Lake 13: the Wild Route to Molodezhny Peak\" loading=\"lazy\"><div class=\"absolute inset-0 bg-gradient-to-t from-black\/30 to-transparent opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100 transition-opacity duration-300\"><\/div><\/a><\/div><div class=\"p-4\"><h3 class=\"text-xl font-bold hover:text-[#d0d0d0] transition-colors duration-200\"><a href=\"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/kumbelsu\/\" class=\"no-underline text-white hover:text-[#d0d0d0]\">Kumbelsu Gorge &#038; Lake 13: the Wild Route to Molodezhny Peak<\/a><\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"flex-none w-[280px] sm:w-auto snap-center last:pr-4 sm:first:pl-0 sm:last:pr-0\"><div class=\"group bg-[#202020] rounded-xl hover:border-white\/[0.06] transition-all duration-300\"><div class=\"relative aspect-w-16 aspect-h-9 rounded-t-xl overflow-hidden bg-[#202020]\"><a href=\"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/tamgaly-tas\/\" class=\"block w-full h-full\" aria-label=\"Tamgaly-Tas: Buddha Carvings &#038; Climbing on the Ili River\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"w-full h-full object-cover transform group-hover:scale-105 transition-transform duration-500 my-0\" src=\"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image19-1024x576.jpg?v=1785295641\" alt=\"Tamgaly-Tas: Buddha Carvings &#038; Climbing on the Ili River\" loading=\"lazy\"><div class=\"absolute inset-0 bg-gradient-to-t from-black\/30 to-transparent opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100 transition-opacity duration-300\"><\/div><\/a><\/div><div class=\"p-4\"><h3 class=\"text-xl font-bold hover:text-[#d0d0d0] transition-colors duration-200\"><a href=\"https:\/\/zabugorshiki.com\/en\/tamgaly-tas\/\" class=\"no-underline text-white hover:text-[#d0d0d0]\">Tamgaly-Tas: Buddha Carvings &#038; Climbing on the Ili River<\/a><\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Two hours north of Almaty, where the Ili river cuts through desert steppe, the rocks of Tamgaly-Tas rise straight off the water &#8211; and they carry two entirely different claims to fame.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":3832,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3831","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kazakhstan","category-travel"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>East Kazakhstan: the Altai, Sibin Lakes &amp; Bukhtarma Reservoir<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"East Kazakhstan is the country&#039;s wild green corner: the Kazakh Altai below Belukha, the five Sibin Lakes with their sunken-Buddha legend, and the vast Bukhtarma.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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