Big Almaty Lake was one of my favorite gems of Kazakhstan. It’s an easily accessible hike close to Almaty that offers breathtaking views for relatively low effort. I wasn’t expecting anything too spectacular, but wanted to get some reps in prior to some of the more intense treks that I would be doing in Kyrgyzstan.

Although it was a certainly a workout, Big Almaty Lake turned out to be much more than just a training session. The journey into the national park was breathtaking enough already, as the cityscapes of Almaty opened up to the wide open valleys of the Ile-Alatau National Park. My taxi driver rolled down the windows and the blast of fresh air that hit me was a refreshing welcome back to Central Asia’s mountains. I was already satisfied with my decision to day trip into the national park, but don’t get too complacent. The views that await you at Big Almaty Lake are truly unforgettable. Best of all, unlike other day trips outside of Almaty, it is pretty easy to embark on this stunning adventure without booking a tour or hiring a guide.

Here is everything you need to know to take on one of Almaty’s best adventures, the Big Almaty Lake hike.

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Should You Hike Big Almaty Lake With A Group or On Your Own?

This was one of my bigger dilemmas when planning my visit to Big Almaty Lake. At this point, I had become reliant on tour agencies because of how challenging it is to reach other natural areas like Charyn Canyon and Kolsai Lakes on your own. Many agencies offer group treks up to Big Almaty Lake should you go that route. Departures are frequent, and the price range is typically around 8,000 to 10,000 tenge, but can depend on the group size. This is a great option if you want guaranteed transportation to and from the lake. However, its proximity to Almaty makes it fairly easy to get to on your own, and the easy-to-follow trail makes having a guide fairly unnecessary. If you are confident in hiking without a guide, then I’d say a solo hike is the way to go.

Here is how to hike to Big Almaty Lake on your own.

How to Get to Big Almaty Lake Trailhead

Finding out how to get to Big Almaty Lake can be quite confusing, especially with all the conflicting information online and the varying conditions depending on the season. I hiked up to Big Almaty Lake during the summer and fortunately, it wasn’t too complicated to get there. Reaching the Big Almaty Lake trailhead without a guide or group tour is very doable. Here are a few different options to get to Big Almaty Lake.

Getting to Big Almaty Lake by Local Bus

The cheapest way is to take the local bus #28 to the entrance of the national park. However, bus #28 runs a very limited route. It mainly goes to the national park and a tiny section of Almaty’s outskirts, likely quite far from where you are staying in Almaty. Make your way to the bus stop at the First President’s Park. There are plenty of bus lines that head in that direction from the more central neighborhoods of Almaty. You can use 2gis for directions, although some phones, like mine, won’t let you download it due to regional restrictions. Upon reaching the national park entrance, you can pay 1,500-2,000 tenge for a taxi to the Big Almaty Lake trailhead or try and hitchhike. It is a long trek along the road to reach the trailhead. Go by car otherwise you are adding an extra 10 kilometers each way.

The most convenient way is to just call a Yandex directly to the trailhead, which is what I did on the way there. Type in Turbaza Elel’veys. This is the furthest point that a taxi can take you. Typing in Big Almaty Lake as your destination will add about 1500 tenge to your fare and you will get dropped off at the same spot regardless. With a group, Yandex is a pretty affordable option. For solo travelers, your best bet at meeting other backpackers to split the cost with would be at Almaty Backpackers. I like my solo hikes, so I paid 4500 tenge for the Yandex, plus the 1000 tenge entrance fee for the car to get into the park. Having the driver wait for you is also an option. Guaranteed transportation takes the hassle out of getting back, especially if you want to stay longer and fully soak in the stunning views.

Of course, a tour group isn’t a bad option, either. If you are traveling solo and have no one to split a taxi with, you might even end up saving money this way. Plus, having guaranteed transportation back to Almaty is a huge plus. I had to wait in a hailstorm for half an hour at the end of the hike before a shared taxi arrived. Like I said, a guide isn’t necessary as the trail is quite obvious, but it doesn’t hurt to have someone looking out for you.

What to Pack for the Big Almaty Lake Hike

While the hike to Big Almaty Lake can take just a few hours roundtrip, it is important to be prepared. The weather here can change in an instant. Once you get past the entrance gate, there are no shops to purchase drinks and snacks, and no man-made structures to seek shelter from rain or hail.

Bring everything you need for the day hike. Pack a big lunch, bring some snacks and sweets, and be prepared for dramatic weather changes. I was hiking in perfect weather on the way up, caking on sunscreen every couple hours. Next thing I knew, I was getting pelted by hail on the way down. The weather is very fickle up here. Come ready to face anything. Bring rain gear and plenty of sunscreen alike. The terrain of the trail isn’t particularly difficult, so hiking boots and hiking poles aren’t a must, but can still help with support and traction. 

At the trailhead of the Big Almaty Lake hike is a small shop selling snacks, coffee, tea, and other drinks. There is also a freshwater spring about 10 minutes into the hike where you can refill your water bottles. Aside from that, the Big Almaty Lake hike is completely wild. It doesn’t feel like it, considering you’re hiking along a man-made pipe, then a man-made road for pretty much the entire time. However, there aren’t any shops, cafes, or vendors along the trail or at the lake. 

There also isn’t much signal once you get deeper into the national park, so consider downloading an offline map of the trail, especially if you want to veer off the pipe and main road and detour up to Big Almaty Peak or some of the other side trails.

Hiking Up To Big Almaty Lake

Hiking to Big Almaty Lake is an out-and-back trail that takes about 4 or 5 hours to complete roundtrip. Factor in an extra hour or two to have lunch and walk around the lake, and you’ve got a solid full day adventure ahead of you.

You’ll start your hike at the security checkpoint where cars are no longer allowed to pass, right next to the Edelweiss cafe and snack shop. Stock up on any last-minute nourishment and then continue past the security gate. It’s about 20 minutes of steady incline along a paved road before a wooden owl signals you to turn towards the pipe. This is where the fun begins.

The pipe is very hard to miss. Once you see it, just follow it. It is impossible to get lost on this trail because you are sticking close to the pipe at all times. Keep it in your line of sight, and you’ll be fine. The first stretch of the pipe is brutally steep. It will take about 45 minutes of huffing and puffing before the trail finally flattens out. There are stairs for the first section of the pipe before it turns into a dirt path for another 20-30 minutes. The wildflowers will begin to appear as you climb higher and higher up the valley.

Following the steep stretch, one can continue hiking along the pipe or veer off and walk along the paved road for a while. I ended up following the hikers ahead of me and dropped down onto the road. This runs parallel to the pipe for the most part. It won’t make much of a difference time-wise.

After another 20 minutes or so, the paved road twists and turns into a series of switchbacks leading up to the lake. You can hike on top of the pipe to speed things up, or follow the switchbacks for a more gradual incline. There are also dirt trails that cut between the roads that I chose to follow instead of hopping on the pipe. Once you’re done with these switchbacks, you have made it to Big Almaty Lake.

 You can turn left to go down towards the shores of the lake, or turn right and continue going uphill for the iconic view of Big Almaty Lake. There’s time to do both, don’t worry. I had lunch down by the lake’s shores, which was very tranquil and quiet. Although there were a few other hikers and campers, not many walk all the way down to the lake. Fields of pinkish wildflowers, pine trees, and tall grass made for some beautiful scenery contrasting against the turquoise of the lake.

Soak it all in. Big Almaty Lake is a stunning hike and you will undoubtedly want to spend a couple hours here taking in the view, a fitting reward for the steep journey to get up here.

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