Highlights
- Hike through the Zailiysky Alatau mountains on a guided loop trail
- Enjoy panoramic views over Almaty and the surrounding peaks
- Traverse a ridge connecting two separate mountain gorges
- Experience a variety of landscapes, from forest to alpine meadows
- Benefit from a small group size and a certified mountain guide
Description
Begin your hike at Medeo and climb through dense Tien Shan spruce forest before emerging onto an open ridgeline with panoramic views over Almaty and the surrounding peaks of Ile-Alatau National Park.
From the Panorama, climb back up the mountain to reach the Bashuta peak, its distinctive feature being a large cairn made of stones. Then, immediately beyond Bashuta, descend to the Sarysai Pass and enjoy an excellent view of the Chimbulak resort's base station.
After crossing the pass, encounter the slope of Mount Chimbulachki. It's made entirely of rocks, and they're quite loose. Therefore, be extremely careful here and avoid dropping rocks on your companions. There are even some climbing routes at the beginning of the climb, but further up, the ascent is more intuitive.
Having climbed Chimbulak Peak, traverse the entire summit, which is about 400 meters. Carefully navigate the rocky sections, and where this isn't possible, descend lower and follow the trail. After the rocky sections, reach the trail, walk a little further along the ridge, and if you see the Talgar Pass with its cable car, breathe a sigh of relief—you're almost there.
Descend through a second gorge, completing the circle back to the starting point. No section is repeated — experience forest, alpine meadow, rocky ridge, and mountain valley all in a single day.
Includes
Hotel pickup and drop-off in Almaty city centre
English-speaking certified mountain guide
Warm tea break at the high point
Trekking poles available on request
Help with carrying heavy backpack if needed
Excludes
lunch at a cafe on the way
Important Information
- The hike is a circular loop with no repeated trails.
The highest point of the hike is 3450 m above sea level.
The hike covers approximately 12 km with an elevation gain of 1800 meters.
The hike duration is 6–8 hours and is of moderate difficulty.
Small group format with a maximum of 8 participants.
Easy cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
