★4.9Aidos Serikov
Senior guide, mountain routes
Hiking tour · mountain
Small Almaty Circle: 4 peaks in one day
4.9 · 21 reviews
The route connects four peaks of Ile-Alatau: Kuygenzhar, Gorelnik Peak, Titova, and Kosmodrom. In one day, you'll cover about 12 km with an elevation gain of 1100 m, see panoramas of Almaty and glaciers. Suitable for experienced hikers.
WhenDaily, time upon request
Duration8 h
StartAlmaty
Pricefrom $44/person
Program
Hourly program of the tour «Small Almaty Circle»
06:30
Meeting in Almaty
We meet in the city center (Gogol St., 15). Transfer to a minibus, departure to the gorge.
07:30
Start of the route — Kuygenzhar peak
Start from Medeu. Ascent along the serpentine to the first peak (2400 m). View of the city and Shymbulak peak.
09:30
Gorelnik Peak
Transition to Gorelnik Peak (2800 m). Short break, photos against the rocks.
11:30
Titova Peak
Move to Titova Peak (2900 m). Lunch here with a view of the glaciers.
14:00
Kosmodrom Peak
Final peak — Kosmodrom Peak (3000 m). Descent along the traverse.
16:00
Descent to Medeu
Return along the trail to Medeu. Snack and rest.
17:30
Return to Almaty
Transfer to the meeting point, estimated arrival at 18:00.
What's included
What is included in the tour «Small Almaty Circle»
Included in Price
Already included in the tour price
- Transfer from Almaty and back
- Services of an experienced guide-instructor
- Ecological fees (national park entry)
- Bottled water (1 liter per person)
- First aid kit and group equipment
Paid separately
Optional, on site
- Personal expenses (souvenirs, extra snacks)
- Lunch (we recommend bringing your own snack)
- Accident insurance
What to Bring
To make the day comfortable
- Trekking boots or sneakers with tread
- Sportswear according to weather (windbreaker, thermal underwear)
- Backpack 20-30 L, raincoat
- Snack and thermos with tea
- Sunglasses and SPF cream
Team
Our team — guides and instructors from Almaty
Routes are led by working guides and instructors. The same people answer in WhatsApp and accompany groups on tour.
★4.9
★5Dinara Kassymova
Guide-lecturer in Almaty
★4.8Marat Zhunussov
Trekking instructor
★4.9Oleg Kim
Driver-guide, jeep tours
★4.8Zhanna Abenova
Tour manager
★4.9Timur Beketov
Multi-day tour guide
★5Aliya Nurlan
Group coordinator
★4.8Sergey Volkov
Instructor, ski tours
Reviews
Reviews of the Small Almaty Circle
4.9 ★
Our rating · 312 reviews
4.8 ★
Google · 540
4.9 ★
Yandex · 268
4.8 ★
2GIS · 197
1317
Total reviews
Maxim G.
Our website ·
★★★★★Very beautiful. But you need to be ready for the physical challenge.
Ruslan Yu.
Google ·
★★★★★Vse ploho? Net, vse zdorovo! No vyzhe dovol'no tyazhelo. Zhanna molodets.
Vladimir O.
2GIS ·
★★★★★I decided to celebrate my birthday in the mountains. The tour operator helped with the organization. Special thanks to the guide for the attention. The road is bumpy, but that's minor.
Dauren Sh.
Our website ·
★★★★★My friends and I had long wanted to do the round-the-world route. The tour met expectations. Only the road was bumpy. The guide explained everything clearly, and we reached all the peaks without problems. I especially liked Kosmodrom Peak — it offers an incredible view. True, on the descent our legs were already buzzing. But there are tons of impressions!
Dima Kh.
Our website ·
★★★★★We went with colleagues to unwind after work. We liked the tour, the views are awesome. I especially remember the moment when we came out onto the plateau and saw the glaciers. It was hard, but the guide encouraged us. Only at the end we had no strength left, the last ascent was very difficult. But it was worth it!
Viktoriya K.
Our website ·
★★★★★My husband and I went to test ourselves. Very pleased. The guide told us everything about the mountains and the route. Only at the end the departure was a bit delayed, but that's forgivable. I especially remember lunch at the peak with a view of the glaciers. And the descent along the traverse was thrilling. Thanks for an unforgettable day!
Timur R.
Google ·
★★★★★I decided to take a vacation and conquer the mountains. This tour was perfect. A bit hard but beautiful. Thanks to the guide.
Anna S.
Our website ·
★★★★★We chose the tour because of the packed program. Didn't regret it. The guide explained everything in detail. We were lucky with the weather.
Ivan P.
2GIS ·
★★★★★Vzyali tur cherez znakomyh. Gida ochen' hvalyat. Pod'em tyazhelyy, no vidy neperedaemye.
Gulshat A.
Our website ·
★★★★★I recommend it to everyone who loves mountains. The guide is very experienced, he led us through all the peaks. True, we got a little tired.
Nursultan A.
Our website ·
★★★★★Eto byl moy samyy trudnyy pohod. No vidy stoili togo. Spasibo gidu za podderzhku.
Tatyana Z.
Google ·
★★★★★I enjoyed the tour, everything was well organized. But it was really tough, my legs hurt.
Marzhan B.
Our website ·
★★★★★We chose this tour out of our passion for mountains. Aidos was very helpful, but the bus arrived a bit late. During the trip, the guide told us the history of each peak. The view of the glaciers was especially amazing. We climbed all four peaks, and despite being tired, we were happy. We were captivated by the beauty of nature. Next time we plan to go on such a tour again.
Lyazzat K.
Our website ·
★★★★★I took this tour on my friend's advice. The guide led us up the mountain, but there was some delay.
Sergey N.
Our website ·
★★★★★The circular route is super! I conquered all four peaks. The guide organized it well, but the departure was delayed by 15 minutes.
Yerlan T.
2GIS ·
★★★★★Thanks to Zhanna, we climbed all the peaks. Very grateful. The panorama is stunning.
Zarina E.
Our website ·
★★★★★I was choosing this tour for a long time, but this was the best. I went with friends, out of interest in the mountains. The guide helped along the way. There was a small delay, but everything was great. Especially the view of the glaciers amazed me.
Sveta M.
Yandex ·
★★★★★The tour is great, but I expected it to be easier. The guide encouraged us all the way. The peaks are fire.
Natalya V.
Yandex ·
★★★★★My friend and I had long dreamed of such a hike, and finally we dared. The guide kept encouraging us and showing where the most beautiful views open up. We really liked it, but would have wanted more time at the peaks. When we climbed the first one, the panorama of the city took our breath away. Then there were three more peaks, and each had its own feelings. At the end we were just falling off our feet, but happy. Thanks for the organization!
Alexander F.
Our website ·
★★★★★My wife and I had long dreamed of testing ourselves in the mountains. We chose this route because of the variety of peaks. We passed all four in a day — that's powerful! The guide helped on difficult sections. The downside is the shaking in the minibus on the way up.
Elena Ch.
Our website ·
★★★★★I decided to challenge myself alone. I chose this tour because I wanted to test my endurance. It was hard, but I made it! The guide encouraged me on every climb. From Titov Peak, indescribable views of the glaciers open up.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about the Small Almaty Circle
We've collected the questions travelers ask most often. Didn't find your answer? Write to us — a guide will reply in a couple of minutes.
Ask a questionIn a day you cover about 12 km of trail with a 1100 m ascent — that's four peaks in a row, from Kuygenzhar to Kosmodrom. The route is designed for prepared hikers, so if you haven't been in the mountains for a while, it's better to start with something easier. Our guide-instructor leads the group at a comfortable pace with rest stops, but basic endurance is needed.
You need sneakers or trekking boots with good tread — the trail is rocky and loose in places — and sports clothing suited to the weather, with a windproof jacket and thermal underwear. Take a 20–30 L backpack, a raincoat, sunglasses and SPF cream, plus a snack and a thermos with tea. We provide water per person, and the first-aid kit and group equipment are also ours.
We meet in the city center on Gogol Street, 15 at 06:30, then transfer to a minibus and drive out to the gorge. The route starts from Medeu at 07:30, and we descend back to Medeu by 16:00, after a short rest — transfer to the city. Estimated arrival in Almaty is around 18:00: the hike itself takes about 8 hours, and from the meeting point back to the city it is almost 11.5 hours.
Yes, this is a private format, and departures are daily — we choose the start time on request for your group. This option is convenient if you want to go at your own pace and without other companions. We'll agree on the date and time in WhatsApp to fit your schedule.
The price includes transfer from Almaty and back, the work of an experienced guide-instructor, environmental fees for the national park, a one-liter bottle of water per person, a first-aid kit and group equipment. You only pay separately for personal expenses such as souvenirs and extra snacks, lunch and accident insurance — we recommend bringing a snack with you.
For a private loop of four peaks, just message us on WhatsApp and choose a convenient day — we'll secure the spot right away, no prepayment needed. You pay $44 per person on the day of the trip: via Kaspi, by card or in cash. If your plans change, cancellation of the booking is free — just let us know on WhatsApp.
