Duration · 2 DAYS

Season · SUMMER 

Activity · TREKKING / CLIMBING

              From USD $325

Customer reviews   

Almaty – Edelweiss Base – Big Almaty Lake – Ozernaya Valley – Base Camp – Satpayev (Sovetov) Peak, 4,317 m – Almaty

Difficulty: ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ◊

Type: high-altitude trekking

Group size: min 1 – max 4

Get inspired

• Reach the summit of a 4,317-metre peak in the Northern Tien Shan! Satpayev (Sovetov) Peak offers a rewarding high-altitude challenge for experienced hikers who want to go beyond ordinary mountain trails. No technical mountaineering skills are required, but excellent physical fitness, stamina and determination are essential.
• Discover Big Almaty Lake along the way. One of the most spectacular natural landmarks near Almaty, this turquoise mountain lake is surrounded by forested slopes and towering peaks. The route then continues into the Ozernaya Valley, where the landscape gradually changes from green mountain scenery to rugged alpine terrain.
• Experience the atmosphere of a real mountain expedition. Spend a night in a tent camp beneath the peak, surrounded by the mountains of the Zailiysky Alatau. The summit day takes you along a rocky ridge and steep scree slopes, with breathtaking panoramas of the Northern Tien Shan as your reward.
• We take care of the camping equipment and tour logistics. We provide tents, camping gear, meals and professional mountain guiding, so you can concentrate on the adventure itself. Our guides organise the route and make decisions according to the weather, mountain conditions and the group's abilities.
• Enjoy a private, personalised mountain adventure. The tour is organised on request exclusively for you and your group. Your guide accompanies you throughout the trek, taking your fitness, pace and safety into account while providing personal attention and a flexible approach.

What to expect

• High-altitude trekking is a physically demanding activity that involves certain risks. Although the ascent of Satpayev (Sovetov) Peak does not require technical mountaineering skills, the long distances, steep rocky slopes, loose scree and high altitude make this a serious mountain challenge. Our professional guides take all reasonable precautions to manage risks, but you must understand that mountain trekking cannot be completely risk-free. By joining this tour, you acknowledge the inherent risks involved.
• This tour is available in summer only. Even during the summer months, mountain weather can change rapidly and unpredictably. At high altitude, rain, snow, strong winds, fog or thunderstorms may occur, regardless of the weather in Almaty. The guide has the authority to change the route, delay the ascent or turn back if conditions become unsafe. Reaching the summit is therefore not guaranteed.
• Excellent physical fitness and previous mountain hiking experience are essential. On the first day, you will hike approximately 15 km to the campsite. The second day is considerably more demanding: the ascent from camp to the summit takes approximately 6 hours, followed by 4 hours of descent to camp and the return trek to the starting point. You must be prepared for many hours of sustained physical effort at high altitude, including walking on steep scree and uneven rocky terrain while carrying a backpack. Good balance, concentration and endurance are especially important during the descent, when fatigue increases the risk of slipping or falling.
• Make sure you have suitable mountain clothing, sturdy hiking boots and the necessary personal equipment for this tour. Weather conditions at over 4,000 metres can be cold even in summer. Please refer to the equipment list in the Important notes section below.
• Accommodation is provided in a tent camp in the mountains. This is a basic wilderness camping experience, not a mountain lodge or guesthouse. We provide the necessary camping equipment and organise meals, but you should be prepared for simple outdoor living conditions without hotel-style facilities.

  Transfers

• Almaty – Big Almaty Gorge – Almaty; pick-up and drop-off in Almaty

  Accommodation

• Tent camping for 1 night: double/triple tents, portable kitchen equipment, gas and trekking utensils are provided

  Meals

• 2 lunches, 1 dinner and 1 breakfast. Meals are prepared by the guides at camp.

  Guiding / Safety

• Professional mountain guiding
• A comprehensive group first-aid kit is carried on every tour and is always easily accessible — with the guide at all times
• All tours are continuously monitored by our coordination team. Guides maintain regular mandatory contact with the office, ensuring real-time awareness of the group’s location, progress and overall situation throughout the tour. A GPS SPOT tracking device can also be provided to the group.
• Clear communication is a core part of our safety system. For larger groups, radio communication is used between guides or sub-groups to ensure smooth coordination at all times
• We use only our own certified equipment. All gear is regularly inspected, maintained and replaced when necessary to meet safety standards and operational requirements.

  Supporting services

• Porters for the group's equipment (tents, food, gas, portable kitchen equipment and stoves)
• Ile-Alatau National Park fees and entry permissions

  Prices

• $325 per person per tour – 4 people in the group
• $415 per person per tour – 3 people in the group
• $540 per person per tour – 2 people in the group
• $940 – 1 person (individual service)

Price does
 not include

• Rent of personal trekking clothing, boots and equipment (sleeping bag, sleeping mat, backpack and trekking poles)
• Porters for personal belongings, including clothing, shoes, sleeping bag and sleeping mat
• Soft drinks, alcoholic drinks and other beverages not included in the trekking menu
• International flights to and from Almaty
• Visa and migration arrangements, fees and assistance, if applicable
• Accommodation, meals and entertainment in Almaty before or after the tour
• Airport, railway station and bus station pick-ups and transfers
• Personal travel and trekking insurance
• Personal expenses, such as souvenirs and phone calls

1. We are responsible for your safety on this particular route, provided that you strictly follow all instructions given by the guide/instructor. The guide cannot be held responsible for your safety if you leave the route without permission, fail to follow the agreed schedule or disregard the established safety requirements.
2. We are responsible for your safety during the activities described in the tour programme. Horseback riding, ATV rides, bicycle or e-bike rental, and other similar services offered by local providers are undertaken at your own discretion and responsibility.
3. This is a demanding high-altitude trekking route involving certain risks. We will do everything reasonably possible to ensure your safety. However, you must understand that ascending a high mountain peak involves risks to your health and life. By choosing to participate in this tour, you acknowledge and accept these risks.
4. This route passes through a border zone near the Kazakhstan–Kyrgyzstan border. No special border permits are required for this route, but every participant must carry their original passport. You may encounter border guards along the way, particularly in the Big Almaty Lake area, who may ask to check your documents.
5. This tour operates in summer only. Although the weather in the Zailiysky Alatau mountains is generally more stable in summer than in other seasons, forecasts are not always reliable. Mountain weather can change rapidly and may affect the success of the ascent. If conditions deteriorate significantly, the guide may decide to turn back. By booking this tour, you acknowledge that the summit may not be reached if weather conditions compromise safety.
6. We cannot guarantee that you will reach the summit. We will certainly do our best to make the ascent successful, but if the summit is not reached for any reason, including adverse weather or your physical condition, the tour price will not be refunded.
7. If you decide to book this tour, please contact us in advance and describe your previous mountain hiking experience, current physical condition and expectations in as much detail as possible. Based on this information, we will be able to advise you on whether the tour is suitable for you.
8. We do not provide bottled drinking water for the tour. Please bring a filled water bottle or flask with you on the first morning. You will be able to refill it from suitable mountain water sources along the route.
9. Please let us know in advance if you have any specific dietary requirements, such as a vegetarian menu or food allergies.
10. Summer temperatures in the Almaty regiondepend on altitude, location and current weather conditions. The figures below are indicative only:
    • Foothills, 1,000–1,600 m ASL: +20 to +35°C during the day, +10 to +25°C at night.
    • Mountains, 1,700–2,700 m ASL: +15 to +25°C during the day, +5 to +15°C at night. Temperatures may be lower during rain.
    • Mountains, 2,700–3,600 m ASL: +10 to +20°C during the day, 0 to +10°C at night. Temperatures may be lower during rain or snow.
    Above 3,600 m, temperatures may be considerably lower, particularly at night, before sunrise and in strong winds. Freezing conditions are possible even in summer.
11. Recommended equipment for this trek: high-cut trekking boots, trekking socks, long trekking trousers, long- and short-sleeved T-shirts, thermal underwear (top and bottom), a warm mid-layer (such as thick fleece), waterproof and windproof jacket and trousers, down jacket, peaked cap, buff, sunglasses, sunscreen, warm hat, gloves, headlamp, water bottle or flask, 45–60 litre backpack, personal hygiene kit, personal first-aid kit, trekking poles, sleeping bag (comfort rating of −10°C) and sleeping mat.
12. The standard tour package and price include porters for group equipment only. Porters do not carry personal belongings such as clothing, footwear, sleeping bags or sleeping mats. You may request a porter for your personal belongings at an additional cost, but availability cannot be guaranteed. Please let us know well in advance if you require this service, and we will confirm whether we can arrange it. If you do not hire a personal porter, please make sure that all your belongings fit into your backpack and that you are physically capable of carrying it throughout the trek.
13. Camping conditions. Accommodation is provided in tents at a mountain campsite in the Ozernaya Valley. This is wilderness camping, with no permanent accommodation buildings, showers or hotel-style facilities. Participants should be prepared for basic outdoor living conditions.
14. Protected water area. Big Almaty Lake is a protected drinking-water reservoir. Access directly to the lakeshore and water is prohibited.
15. Cellular reception may be unavailable in some places along the route.