This trek is a real adventure for those who are not afraid of challenges and will not miss the opportunity to find themselves in truly wild nature far from civilization. If you need a 5-day digital detox against the backdrop of incredible landscapes of the Northern Tien Shan mountains and glacial lakes - then this route is just for you :) Includes 2 nighin in tents at 3250m and 2 radial hikes to higher areas.
Route overview
Almaty - Turgen gorge – Batan – Kairak waterfall – Temirtas - upper reaches of Turgen River - moraine lakes - foot of Mountain Institute glacier - Turgen River - Batan - AlmatyAlmaty
Difficulty: ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ◊
Type: trekking / backpacking
Group size: min 1 - max 8
Get insipired
Turgen is a gorge known for its unique flora and fauna. It is here that, as you move, you can observe an amazing change in landscapes and vegetation from thickets of fruit trees in the foothills and dense coniferous forests on the slopes to alpine meadows and giant glaciers with moraine lakes in the highlands. It is here that the Sievers apple tree grows - the ancestor of all apples on earth. And the unique Chim-Turgen mossy grass, which can be up to 1.5 meters deep.
The upper reaches of the Turgen are truly wild, and there is a high probability of encountering rare animals - mountain goats and deer, foxes, wild boars, huge vultures and lynxes.
If you are planning a trek between June 1 and August 31, then before and after it you will be able to fully enjoy the status of a valuable client of the Trekking Club - because all treks in the Turgen gorge begin and end in our famous campsite near Batan. There you can have great breakfast before the start, leave unnecessary things for storage. During the summer season, the Trekking Club camp operates as a base camp for all our groups / tours moving around the Turgen area.
Your unforgettable trekking experience in truly wild and untouched nature under the leadership of a team with internationally recognized achievements. We have been leading hikes since 2005.
High safety standards: private transfers, experiences drivers, professional mountain guides, continuous tracking of group movements with GPS SPOTs, emergency connection at any point, first aid kits, approved rescue criteria and procedures
This tour is organized on request and only for you. Our guides accompanying you throughout the tour will focus on your needs, interests and safety. You can fully enjoy personalized service and comfort.
What to expect
Trekking in Kazakhstan is very different from trekking in the Himalayas or the Alps. The trekking infrastructure in the Northern Tien Shan mountains - and Turgen gorge as well - is still very poorly developed. In most places located within a day's walk from Almaty, there are no trails, no huts or guest houses, no shops or cafes, no signs and cellular coverage. This is truly undeveloped terrain, with only wild nature around.
When going on a hike in the Zailiysky Alatau (these are the mountains around Almaty, one of the two ridges of the Northern Tien Shan), you should be aware that most of the time you will be completely cut off from civilization and moving along unprepared paths, and sometimes even off the trails.
Since there are no huts or guest houses along the way, all overnight stays will be in tents, which will be carried with the group.
This is a real multi-day trekking with backpacks. You should expect 5-7 hours of walking up/down by different terrain each day. With no trails. With backpacks. We do not provide porters for personal stuff like clothes, boots, sleeping bag, mat etc. If you do not specifically ask for porters for personal belongings (which is generally possible for an extra charge), then please make sure you can pack all your hiking gear into your backpack and will be able to carry it all the way.
Standard service package includes porters for the camping stuff only: porters carry tents, food, gas, portable kitchen gear.
How meals are organised: guides cook and serve breakfasts and dinners at the camps. Lunch is always on the way in a form of a picnic.
Day 1 · Almaty - Turgen gorge - Batan - Kairak waterfall - Camp 1
Our journey begins early in the morning when we pick you up in Almaty and drive to the Turgen Gorge. After a two-hour transfer, we find ourselves at the end of the paved road in a place called Batan. The road stops at the confluence of the Turgen and Kishi Turgen rivers, and this is where the hike into the Tien Shan Mountains starts.
From Batan (1650 meters above sea level), our path runs along an old dirt road. In three hours of walking through a beautiful forest, we reach an altitude of 2150 meters, where take a short break to take lunch and enjoy the view of the Kairak waterfall - biggest of all Turgen cascades. Then there is a sharp climb (altitude gain); the terrain changes. After another hour of walking, we have to ford a mountain river - we cross it in sandals, slippers are not suitable. Another hour of walking along old cattle trails and we are at the site of our first overnight stay at an altitude of 2450 m. Along the way, we come across several crystal-clear springs, the water from which can be used to rrefill the bottles.
At a nice glade we set a camp, take dinner and stay overnight in tents.
Meals · lunch, dinner
Accommodation· tent camping at 2450m
Walking· 5-6 hours, ↑ 800m (1650m to 2450m), ↔ 13 km
Driving· 2.5 hours
Day 2 · Camp 1 - Temirtas - Upper reaches of Turgen River (camp 2)
On the second day, after a hearty breakfast, we leave the hospitable glade. Move smoothly upward for about two hours along the old shepherd's road, which gradually turns into a narrow path and then completely disappears in the juniper thickets. The final part of the ascent to the moraine (with a short break for a lunch) passes without paths, through alpine meadows.
The most memorable moment of the day will be at the very end - fording the Turgen River. The water is extremely cold, so we move without delays. Finally, after another 30-40 minutes we reach the camp-2 place and settle in cozy tents surrounded by incredible views of moraine lakes, glaciers and alpine meadows.
Dinner and overnight in tents under the moraine of the Mountain Institute glacier at an altitude of 3250 meters.
Meals · breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation · tent camping at 3250m
Walking · 6 hours, ↑ 800m (2450m to 3250m), ↔ 9 km
Day 3 · Radial hike to the Upper Lakes - Camp 2
The first night at an altitude above 3000 m is always anxious :)
After we wake up and have breakfast, we take everything we need for a 1-day 8-hour radial hike and set off to Turgen Greenland. Our sleeping things remain in a cozy camp, we go light.
Today we will reach an altitude of 3750 m and see the most powerful moraine lakes of the Northern and Southern Chon-Turgen glaciers. For those who like to swim with icebergs: the water temperature in the lakes is +2°C.
We will see incredible views of the vast open spaces left by the ancient glacier: the purest lakes, glaciers flowing down the slopes of the peaks and mountain streams. The ascent and descent will be 500 m, the path passes through old moraines and alpine meadows.
In late afternoon we get back to the camp (camp 2), take dinner and stay overnight at the same place/height.
Meals · breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation · tent camping at 3250m.
Walking · 8 hours, ↑↓ 550m (3250m to 3750m), ↔ 14 km
Day 4 · Radial hike to the foot of Mountain Institute glacier
Today we have another radial hike, which starts and finish in our cozy camp at 3250 meters.
After breakfast, we begin hiking up to the glacier of the Mountain Institute, to the altitude of 3650 m. Along the way, we will refill our water tanks in the purest streams, and admire the panoramas of the majestic peak Turgen (altitude 4407 m). We will walk along the tongue of the glacier and become witnesses to its history - the changes that took place centuries ago and the impressive rate of melting in our days. Our path will lie mainly along ancient and young moraine deposits.
In the afternoon we return to our camp, take dinner and spend another night in tents.
Meals · breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation · tent camping at 3250m.
Walking · 6-7 hours, ↑↓ 400m (3250m to 3650m), ↔ 12 km
Day 5 · Descent along Tirgen River - Batan - AlmatyAlmaty
The final day of the trek. After an early breakfast and packing up the camp, we have a long descent along the Turgen River through alpine meadows and relict forest, to Kairak. From here, along an old convenient road, we return to the Batan forestry.
Depending on the season, lunch can be organized along the way or at the Trekking Club campsite (it works from June 1 to August 31).
Meet our cars and get back to the city.
Meals · breakfast, lunch
Walking · 7 hours, ↓ 1600m (3250m to 1650m), ↔ 18 km
Driving · 2.5 hours
Service and prices
Transfers
transfer Almaty city - Turgen gorge (Batan) - Almaty
Accommodation
tent camping for 4 nights: we provide double/triple living tents, portable kitchen gear, gas and trekking utensils
Meals
5 lunches, 4 dinners, 4 breakfasts. Guides are cooking.
Guiding / safety
Professional mountain guides
Porters for the group's gear (tents, food, gas, portable kitchen equipment/stoves)
Safety: GPS-monitoring, group's first aid kit, emergency connection
National Parks entry fees
Ile-Alatau NP fees and permissions
Prices:
$585 per person per tour - if there are 4-8 people in group
$620 per person per tour - if there are 3 people in group
$690 per person per tour - if there are 2 people in group
$1070 - 1 person (individual service)
Price does
not include
rent of personal trekking clothes, boots and gear (sleeping bag/mat, backpack, poles)
porters for personal belongings including clothes, shoes, sleeping bag and mat
trekking menu does not include soft/alcohol drinks, beverages
international flights to/out Almaty
any visa/migration issues, fees and support, if applicable
accommodation (hotel), meals and any entertainment in Almaty before/after a tour
airport/train/bus station meetings/transfers
personal traveller’s and trekker’s insurance
personal expenses like souvenirs, calls etc.
Important notes
We are responsible for your safety on this particular route and only if you strictly follow all the instructions of the guide. The guide will not be responsible for your safety and life if you change the route arbitrarily, do not follow the schedule or do not fulfill the stated safety requirements.
The cost of the tour is based on shared tent accommodation. Single accommodation is possible for an additional fee.
Let us know in advance if you have any specific food requirement (like vegetarian menu or food allergies).
We do not provide water for a tour. Please take a bottle or a flask with water on the first day morning with you. You will be able to refill it during a tour in clear sources.
Temperatures in summer in Almaty region depend on the height above sea level, location and current weather conditions. Below data is for information only: - foothhills, 1000m - 1600m ASL: +20..+35C degrees daytime, +10..+25C in the night - mountains, 1700m - 2700m ASL: +15..+25C degrees daytime, +5..+15C in the night. Can be cooler when raining. - mountains, 2700m - 3600m ASL: +10..+20C degrees daytime, 0..+10C in the night. Can be cooler when raining/snowing.
We recommend having for this trek: high hiking boots, high trekking socks, long trekking pants, t-shirts with long and short sleeves, thermo-underware top and bottom, warm jacket (like thick fleece), wind/waterproof costume (raincoat and pants), down jacket, peaked cap, buff, sunglasses, sun protection lotion, hat, gloves, sandals for river crossing, headlamp, water bottle or flask, backpack of 45-60 liters, personal hygienic set, personal first aid kit, trekking poles, sleeping bag (comfy for -10C degrees), sleeping mat.
Standard service package / price includes porters for the group gear ONLY (they do not carry your personal stuff like clothes, shoes, sleeping bag etc.). You can ask for a porter for your belongings for additional fee. If you need it, let us know in advance. If you do not take a separate porter for your personal stuff, then please make sure you pack all your trekking gear into your backpack and you are able to carry it all the way.
There will be no cellular connection on the route and no places to charge your devices.
In early June there can be ticks in the forests and bushes. If you come in June, then please do not forget to take anti-tick repellent, or also treat your hiking shoes/clothes in advance.
If you come between 1st June and 31st August, you will start and finish the trek at our camp in Turgen. We will be able to serve a breakfast at a camp's canteen on the first day morning, meet you with the lunch after a trek. You can also leave the things you do not need during a trek at a camp's storage tent. The camp is also considered as a BC for all trekking groups/tours.
Meals · lunch, dinner 
Accommodation · tent camping at 2450m
Walking · 5-6 hours, ↑ 800m (1650m to 2450m), ↔ 13 km
Driving · 2.5 hours 
Guiding / safety
Prices:
