Canyons & steppe Top pick
Charyn Canyon
The Valley of Castles, red canyon walls and a walk down to the rushing Charyn river.
Price on request
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All tours
Issyk Lake & Turgen Gorge
A mountain lake with a dramatic past and waterfalls in a spruce-filled gorge.
- Duration
- 9–10 h
- Distance
- 80 km from Almaty
- Altitude
- 1 760 m
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Season
- May – Oct
- Price
- Price on request
Lake Issyk was a famous resort until a mudflow destroyed it in 1963. Today it has refilled and mirrors spruce-covered slopes — a quiet place many visitors never hear about.
The second half of the day is Turgen gorge: a short trail to Bear Waterfall, a mountain river and a trout farm where you can have lunch with fresh fish.
Highlights
- Lake Issyk
- Bear Waterfall
- Turgen gorge
- Fresh trout lunch (optional)
Itinerary
- Pick-up at your hotel
- Lake Issyk: walk and photos
- Drive to Turgen gorge
- Lunch at a trout farm
- Trail to Bear Waterfall
- Arrival in Almaty
Times are approximate and depend on the road and your stops.
Included
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
- Comfortable car and fuel
- Driver-guide in your language
- Bottled water in the car
- Environmental fees
Not included
- Lunch and personal expenses
What to bring
- Passport or ID
- Comfortable shoes
- A warm layer or windbreaker
- Sunglasses and sunscreen
- Shoes with good grip — it is slippery by the waterfall
Season
Other tours
Lakes Top pick
Kolsai & Kaindy Lakes
Kazakhstan’s two most famous mountain lakes in one day: spruce-lined shores and a sunken forest.
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Lakes
Big Almaty Lake
A turquoise lake at 2,511 metres — just an hour’s drive from the city.
Price on request
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