Tour Route: Almaty Region (Kazakhstan)
Season: April-October
Best period: June, August-October
Route Complexity: The route will be interesting for beginners as well as for experienced mtb riders. Almost whole route will be going along well-groomed ground road with small elevation and dropping. Sometimes you will have to ride down the hill for many kilometers!
Height Difference: 500-700 meters per day
DAY BY DAY ITINERARY
Day 1. Almaty - Bartogai Reservoir - Charyn Canyon - Kurmety Settlement
Departure from Almaty at 07:00. Transfer to the start point of cycling part of the route. About 20 km you will ride by asphalt road, without traffic (usually only 1-2 cars drive this road per hour, sometimes nobody is met here). This road is going to Bartogai reservoir.
Amazing in its beauty Bartogai Reservoir is located in the gorge of the same name on the Chilik River, which is blocked by the rock-bulk dam, with height of 60 meters, length of 330 meters and with a set of culverts. The reservoir was created to store water in winter, and to feed the fields in the summer along the channel of 160 km length. Release of water through the dam at the Chilik River takes place from June to September for irrigation. In this time the spillway capacity reaches 100 cubic meters per second, due to which the height of the fountain reaches more than one hundred meters. Streams of water under great pressure get out into the open, and breaking into small particles form a cloud of sprays glittering in the sun.
You will make a stop on the shore of the reservoir for picnic and rest. Then, transfer to Charyn National Park where you will continue cycling. Descent to "Valley of Castles" on bicycles. Rest near the river and cycling back to the start point.
Charyn Canyon is a natural complex, unique of its kind not only in Kazakhstan, but also throughout the world. It was formed in the epoch of the Paleogene and reminds Colorado Grand Canyon in North America, though inferior to it in size. The height of the steep canyon slopes is 150-300 meters. The extreme ruggedness of relief impresses: numerous gullies and ravines form a dense, disordered network. Wind and water has created the beautiful "Valley of Castles", where you all the time are surrounded by bizarre towers, built of sedimentary rocks. Valley length is more than 2 km, the width - 20-80 meters. Over millions of years the nature has been creating a unique architecture, carefully and deliberately erecting magnificent castles. You can spend hours wandering among the strange towers and poles, marveling at the lush imagination of nature.
Transfer to Kurmety settlement. Dinner and overnight in a guest house.
Day 2. Kurmety Settlement - Kaindy Lake - Kurmety Settlement
Breakfast at 09:00. Transfer to the road leading to Kaindy river gorge. From there will start very interesting and the most difficult part of our the cycling route - ascent to lake Kaindy lake.
Kaindy Lake (birch lake) is situated among magnificent pine forest at an altitude of 2000 meters above sea level and is famous for its origin. It was formed in 1911 due to the powerful earthquake that triggered the landslide blocked the valley by the natural dam, and the water has flooded the valley. The water of the lake is very cold, that is why the needles of the flooded trees are well preserved and clearly visible through the transparent surface of the water, and dry stems of fir trees overlook the water surface, like the masts of the submarine squadron. It is impossible to describe in words all this mystical splendor of the lake – it is necessary to go there and see everything with own eyes.
Dinner at the lake and walking around its shore. Then, evening cross-country is waiting for you - descent back to Kurmety settlement. Accommodation in a guest house. Sauna, shower, dinner. Overnight in a guest house.
Day 3. Kurmety Settlement - Chilik River Valley - Kurmety Settlement
Breakfast at 09:00. Packing stuff and starting of cycling route, which will be very interesting and quite easy - not long ride along the plain valley of Chilik river.
Chilik River is the biggest river in Ile Alatau range (northern Tien-Shan). Its total length is about 450 km. Average annual quantity of water is 32,7 cube meters a second. The river-head is situated on the eastern slope of Chilik-Kemin mountain bulkhead at height of 3350 m a.s.l., the river starts from Jangyrak, Bogatyr’, Korjenevskiy glaciers. Before the river enters Jalanash valley it flows under the name Tauchilik (Mountain Chilik). After the glacier valley, which is 40 km long, the river enters a deep impassable canyon. At the entrance to Jalanash valley, the river abruptly turns to the north, here the depth of the canyon reaches 100 meters. In this part the river has several big tributaries: Jenishke river from the left, Saty and Kolsai rivers from the right. The upper part of the river is the most interesting, there is something to see. Wide meadows, on which the cattle of local residents peacefully graze. Small groves of water-loving poplar. Thickets of barberry, sea buckthorn and many other berry bushes. In some places it seems that in these places there are no footprints of tourists. So it is, the upper reaches of Chilik, are accessible only for hikers or cyclists.
Rest and lunch at one of the picturesque meadows. Back way to the guest house. Sauna, shower, dinner and overnight in the guest house.
Day 4. Kurmety Settlement - Bestyubinsk Reservoir - Tekes River Valley
Breakfast at 08:00. Packing stuff and transfer to the next cycling part of the route (about 40 km). You will ride along the asphalt road's serpentine. This road is very picturesque and deserted. The most interesting adventures are waiting for you then. Asphalt road is finished and the real cross-country cycling will be started. A stop near Bestyubinsk mountain water reservoir.
History of this reservoir was started many years ago. Building of Moinak hydroelectric power station was started in 1985. The process of building was moving in a rapid pace. However, the collapse of the Soviet Union caused an economic crisis, so the construction financing was finished. And in 1992, when almost 10% of all work was done, the construction of the hydroelectric power station was frozen. Many years passed after that. The economy of the country began to recover, money appeared. And in 2005 it was decided to resume construction of the hydroelectric power station. It took another 6 years, and on September 27, 2011, the filling of the Bestyubinsk reservoir began. Now the reservoir is completely filled. And Moynak hydroelectric power station itself was launched by the Independence Day of Kazakhstan - December 16, 2011.
Short rest on the shore of the reservoir, picnic. Unfortunately, the shores of the reservoir are steep and it will be not possible to come closer to the water, but you could enjoy the panorama. Then, transfer to the next point - Kegen settlement, where you will have late lunch in a local cafe and walking around local market. Afterwards, you will move to the last point of this day - valley of Tekes river.
Tekes river is the main source of Ili river, a quite large river in the region. Tekes river originates an altitude 3535 meters above sea level, at the foot of the main massif of Khan Tengri mountain group. The soil in the lower valley is fertile, the pastures and meadows along the stream are abundant. The whole Tekes valley is picturesque, each turn of the gorge is keeping the wild beauty of nature and nice surprises.
Arrival to overnight site. Setting a camp. Dinner around the campfire, overnight in the tents.
Day 5. Tekes River Valley - Tuzkol Lake
Breakfast at 09:00 and disassembling the camp. Today almost the whole day will be spent on bicycles. The road will be quite easy. The first part of the route goes down to Tekes gorge along the bank of the river. Then, not long uphill and getting the shore of Tuzkol lake. On the way you will make several stops for rest and lunch.
Tuzkol lake is dead and salty. Salt density in the lake changes several times throughout the year and can reach 300 g/l. For example, the salt concentration in the Dead Sea about 340-350 g/l. It is noteworthy that no river flows into the lake, and it is undrained. Locals say that it is fed by underground mineral springs, and the mud of the lake is curative. In ancient times, when the Mongols lived on these lands, this lake was called Doban-Nor. From Mongolian it is translated as Windy Lake. On a clear day, Khan Tengri peak, the seventhousander, is visible from the lake.
Setting a camp at the lake. Dinner and rest. Overnight in tents.
Day 6. Tuzkol Lake - Shalkodesu Valley - Ketmen Pass - Chunja
Breakfast at 09:00, disassembling of the camp and starting the last part of cycling route through Shalkodesu valley.
Mountain valley of Shalkodesu has one more name which is mostly used by local residents - Kegen valley. Shalkodesu is one of the largest mountain valleys of Kazakhstan, according to some data it surpasses in size even the Asy plateau. Valley is surrounded by high mountains, some of them have altitude 3730 m a.s.l. Of course, that the most frequent "fellow travelers" in these places - peacefully grazing sheep and shepherds, looking with surprise at a rare tourist.
You will overcome about 60 km up to the valley till the beginning of ascent to Ketmen pass.
Ketmen ridge separates the two valleys. The highest points of the ridge are offering impressive views of the Northern Tien-Shan peaks: Khan Tengri, Pobeda Peak and other majestic mountains peaks. Apparently, not in vain followers of Tengrianism lived here since ancient times. The ridge also has two names. The better known one and used by locals is Uzynkara. In former times, on the slopes of these mountains lived a steppe bison of an unthinkable size.
You will go to the pass by cars because the ascent is quite steep and difficult, and it will take a lot of time to get to it by bicycles. Having got an altitude of 3200 m a.s.l., you will be able to enjoy a breathtaking scenery, if the weather lets. At the lunch time, picnic will be arranged in suitable picturesque place on the route. Descent from the pass, ride to the recreation resort with mineral hot-springs. Dinner, rest, overnight at the resort in comfortable rooms.
Day 7. Chunja - Almaty
Breakfast at the resort at 09:00 and departure. The way to Almaty will take about 3-4 hours along the new highway. Lunch in Baiseit village. Arrival to Almaty at approx. 17:00.
