Tour Route: Almaty Region (Kazakhstan)
Season: May-October
Best Period: July-September
Route Complexity: Horseback part of the route is accessible almost for any tourist who has ever sat in the saddle. Those, who has experienced in horseback travel through the mountains, will enjoy beauty and simplicity of the route. Mountaineering on the peak doesn’t require skills of alpinism, but suits for experienced hikers.
Height Difference: Lowest point - 1600 m a.s.l., highest point is about 4000 m a.s.l.
DAY BY DAY ITINERARY
Day 1. Almaty - Kurmety Settlement
Departure from Almaty no later than 07:00. Transfer to Kurmety settlement. The way will take several hours. You will have lunch in a guest house on arrival. After lunch, training horseback walk to the lowest Kolsai lake.
Kolsai Lakes - "Pearls of the Northern Tien-Shan" - represent a cascade of three lakes. The lowest lake, the biggest one, is accessible for all visitors. It is the most beautiful lake, having a lack of civilization and the abundance of mushrooms. Horse lovers can order horseback tour to this place. The highest lake is small. It is located on the border of fir-wood and the alpine meadows and amazes by its harsh alpine beauty, as well as the rich flora and fauna. Vertical drop between the three lakes is about 700 meters. The lowest lake can be reached by car. But you should walk few kilometers along mountain trails to see the second and the third lake. Without doubts the tourists are expected to have a wonderful vacation in these places - berries, mushrooms and fishing. The water in the lakes is cold and clean and is home for the rainbow trout - a fish that lives only in the running or spring water. In the around mountains you can see Marals, mountain goats, wolves and even bears.
After reaching the lake shore, you will have a break for drinking tea or coffee. Coming back to the guest house. Dinner, sauna or shower, overnight in the guest house.
* Horseback walk during the day is about 6 km
Day 2. Kurmety Settlement - Taldy Gorge - Mountain Hut
Breakfast at 09:00. After breakfast, start of the horseback route.
During horseback walk you will follow quite easy trails with small height difference, making few stops for the break and lunch. Final point of this day will be a mountain hut, from where you could see wonderful view to Kyzymschek peak and upper reaches of Taldy gorge. Dinner and overnight in mountain hut.
* Horseback walk during the day is about 15 km
Day 3. Mountain Hut - Kyzymschek Peak - Mountain Hut
Early wake up, before the sunrise. Breakfast in the hut, starting the hiking route to Kyzymschek pass. You will make few stops on the way. Ascent to the peak is going through the narrow couloir from the side of the pass. Ascent is not difficult, but you should be very attentive because of many "moving" stones on the way. It will take about 2 hours from the pass to reach the top. Rest on the peak, lunch.
You will be rewarded for the long tough way with the view to Khan-Tengri and Pobeda (Victory) peaks. If the weather is fine, it will be possible to see Issyk-Kul lake, which is situated in neighboring country Kyrgyzstan.
Back way to the hut. Dinner and overnight in the hut.
* Hiking distance the day is 22 km. Last decision about mountaineering to the peak will be made by the guide, considering fit level of the tourists and weather conditions
Day 4. Mountain Hut - Taldy Gorge - Besmoinak Pass - Mountain Hut
Early wake up, breakfast. After breakfast, staring of the horseback route. Small part of it will be overcome by the same road. After you will make a stop for lunch near the bank of Kurmety river. After rest, there will be a long ascent to Besmoinak pass. Most of the trail passes through the coniferous forest, where there are many traces of wild animals. After reaching the saddle of the pass you will have a break. Then short walk to another mountain hut, where you will stay for the night. Dinner and overnight in the hut.
* Horseback walk during the day is about 20 km
Day 5. Mountain Hut - Kolsai-2 Lake - Mountain Hut
Breakfast in the hut. Depends on condition of tour participants, there is possibility to make a program more interesting by hiking to Kolsai-2 lake. Descent from hut to the lake will take about 2 hours. After reaching the shore of the lake, you will go to the area which is not so popular among the tourists. Picnic will be arranged over there. If the weather is good, it will be possible to swim in the lake!
After rest, walking and lunch you will go back to the hut. Dinner and overnight in the hut.
* Hiking distance during the day about is 15 km
Day 6. Mountain Hut - Besmoinak Pass - Kurmety Settlement
Breakfast in the hut. After breakfast, starting of the final part of the horseback route.
This part of the way will be the most exciting. When you get the highest point of the ridge, you will be moving along it almost till the settlement. Few stops will be made on the way. During one of the stops you could enjoy the view of the lowest Kolsai lake.
By the end of the day, coming back to the settlement. Dinner, sauna or shower and overnight in a guest house.
* Horseback walk during the day is about 28 km
Day 7. Kurmety Settlement - Kaindy Lake - Moon Canyon - Almaty
Breakfast at 09:00. After breakfast, transfer to 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 alley 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.
After walking at the lake, picnic will be arranged. Transfer to the Moon canyon.
Moon valley - it’s one of the numerous canyons of Charyn national park. It got such name because of fancy shapes of the rocks and pleasant yellow color. There are a lot of small springs and bush thickets where flocks of pheasants live. Just few of tourists visit this canyon. And because of this feature it was kept untouched by civilization.
Walking in the canyon. Then, long back way to Almaty. Arrival to the city by 20:00.
