★4.9Aidos Serikov
Senior guide, mountain routes
Trekking · 4 days
Trek through the Zailiysky Alatau — mountain hiking from Almaty
4.8 · 35 reviews
A four-day trek through the scenic gorges of the Zailiysky Alatau. The route passes alpine meadows, glacial lakes, and passes. Ideal for those who want to see real Tien Shan landscapes without exhausting transitions.
WhenBy schedule
Duration4 days / 3 nights
StartAlmaty
Priceот 61 900 ₸/чел
Program
Day-by-day program of the Zailiysky Alatau trek
Day 1
Gathering and start
06:30 departure from Almaty. Transfer to the Turgen Gorge. Start of trekking, transition to the base camp near the lake. Lunch on the route. In the evening, set up camp and dinner.
Day 2
Ascent to the pass
08:00 breakfast, then exit to the pass (altitude ~3200 m). Lunch at a rest stop. Descent to Lake Kazakhstan. Overnight in tents.
Day 3
Radial hike
09:00 radial hike to the glacier. Return to camp, lunch. Free time for photos. Evening bonfire and dinner.
Day 4
Return
08:00 breakfast, pack up camp. Descent through the gorge to the transfer point. Lunch at a cafe along the way. Arrival in Almaty by 18:00.
What's included
What is included in the cost of the Zailiysky Alatau trek
Included in Price
Already included in the tour price
- Transfer from Almaty and back in a comfortable minibus
- Services of an experienced guide
- Meals on the route (breakfasts, lunches, dinners)
- Tents, sleeping bags, mats, and group equipment
- Permit to visit the national park and fees
Paid separately
Optional, on site
- Personal expenses (souvenirs, extra drinks)
- Accident insurance (recommended)
- Rental of trekking poles (500 KZT/day)
What to Bring
To make the day comfortable
- Trekking boots with good tread
- Warm jacket and windbreaker (windy on the pass)
- Fleece or thermal underwear
- Sunglasses and SPF 50+ sunscreen
- Personal first aid kit and wet wipes
Team
Our team — guides and instructors from Almaty
Routes are led by practicing guides and instructors. These same people respond in. WhatsApp and accompany groups on the 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 Zailiysky Alatau trek
4.9 ★
Our rating · 312 reviews
4.8 ★
Google · 540
4.9 ★
Yandex · 268
4.8 ★
2GIS · 197
1317
Total reviews
Даурен С.
Our website ·
★★★★★Kolsay, Kaindy, Burabai? net tolko Kolsay. Ocher krasivo, no doroga dlinnaya. Mne ponravilos, rekomenduyu
Галина М.
Our website ·
★★★★★Excursion to Charyn, the views are super. Guide Dinara showed unusual rock formations. Only it was windy in the canyon, so dress warmly.
Александр Р.
Yandex ·
★★★★★I really liked the tour to Altyn-Emel. The dunes, mountains, yurt. Aidos told legends. But it was cold in the yurt at night.
Айнагуль Т.
Our website ·
★★★★★We went to BAO, the water is blue. A wonderful vacation. Everything was good, only one drawback: there was little food.
Владимир К.
Our website ·
★★★★★Shymbulak, went skiing. The trails are good, the cable car is fast. Thanks to Oleg for the tips. The downside is the long drive from the city.
Зарина Ш.
Google ·
★★★★★Tour to the mountains, took the kids. Everything was fine, but the departure was at 7 am, the kids were cranky. But the views were excellent.
Максим Г.
Yandex ·
★★★★★Kolsay ozera - eto prosto kosmos. Voda lazorevaya, gory ogromnye. Gid TImur molodec, no my opazdyvali na avtobus
Ирина В.
Google ·
★★★★★Excursion to Charyn Canyon. Beautiful, but dusty. The driver was cheerful. I recommend bringing water.
Айдос Ж.
2GIS ·
★★★★★Altyn-Emel, a wonderful place. Rich in legends. Marat told a lot along the way, only it was hot.
Елена П.
Our website ·
★★★★★Tour to BAO, liked it. The nature is beautiful. But they asked for warm clothes, and I didn't take any, I got cold. Aliya warned me, but I didn't listen.
Рахметолла А.
Our website ·
★★★★★Kolsai zhane Kaindy, ozder ote korkem. Gid Bolat zhaksy, birak zhol tassady. Birak bagadarlama boldy.
Динара К.
Google ·
★★★★★Trip to Kolsay and Kaindy. The water is blue, ice on Kaindy. Dinara told us everything, but they promised a hot lunch and gave us dry rations.
Тимур Ф.
2GIS ·
★★★★★We took an excursion to Charyn. The canyon is magnificent. The organization was clear, but the bus was a bit cramped. Zhanna is a professional.
Мария С.
Google ·
★★★★★Tour to Shymbulak and Medeo. Everything was cool, but the cable car was crowded. Aidos helped with the queue, thank you.
Аслан Б.
Google ·
★★★★★We went to Altyn-Emel and saw the sand. We liked it very much. The guide Sergey told good legends. Only the road was long.
Наталья З.
Yandex ·
★★★★★I really liked the tour to the mountains of the Zailiysky Alatau. We took tons of photos. Oleg was a great guide, he knows the places.
Ержан Т.
Yandex ·
★★★★★Yehat na Charyn, kanon super. Gid Timur vse rasskazal, no vyzd zaderzhali. V itoge hotelos by bolshe vremeni
Алия Н.
Our website ·
★★★★★Tour to BAO, excellent route. The water is turquoise, the forest is beautiful. Only the cable car was slow, we stood for 20 minutes.
Сергей В.
Yandex ·
★★★★★Trip to Kolsay was amazing. The lakes are like a fairy tale. The driver was experienced, but we almost got separated from the group on the road.
Гульнар А.
Google ·
★★★★★We were at Altyn-Emel, stayed overnight in a yurt. Starry sky, baursaks for breakfast. Organization was a 5, but breakfast was skimpy.
Виктор Ш.
Yandex ·
★★★★★Tour to Shymbulak. We skied and took photos. The prices are steep, but the experience was super. Marat helped with equipment rental.
Асель Д.
Our website ·
★★★★★Kolsay lakes are very beautiful, the mountains are interesting. Our guide was Zhanna, she told us a lot. The downside: the wind was blowing along the way.
Руслан П.
Google ·
★★★★★We went to Charyn, the canyon is impressive. The organization was good, they fed us baursaks. Only the road was bumpy, I got motion sick.
Ольга Л.
Yandex ·
★★★★★I really liked the tour to BAO. The water is blue, the air is clean. Oleg's commentary was interesting, but we waited in line for the cable car for a long time.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about the Zailiysky Alatau trek
We've gathered what tourists ask most often. Didn't find an answer. — write to us, the guide will tell you in a couple of minutes.
Ask a questionThe price per person already includes transfer from the city and back, guide accompaniment, and entrance tickets to national parks. Meals and accommodation for multi-day tours are listed separately in the program.
For sightseeing and day trips (Charyn, BAO, Medeu), no preparation is needed—anyone can handle it. For trekking at Kok-Zhaylau or Kolsai, basic stamina is required; most tourists without experience can manage the route.
It is cooler in the mountains than in the city, so take a windbreaker and comfortable shoes even in summer. The guide will send a specific packing list for your tour via WhatsApp after booking.
Yes, we take children with parents on sightseeing excursions and day trips. For mountain trekking, we recommend age 10 and up—we will suggest a suitable route.
We monitor road and pass conditions in advance. If the departure is impossible as planned, we will offer an alternative direction on the same date or reschedule the booking without losing the prepayment.
Write to us on WhatsApp—we will select a tour, send the program and price. The booking is confirmed after prepayment via Kaspi or card; the remaining amount is paid before departure.
