Seated at the foyer of the hostel, I was greeted by a bunch of people who made plans to visit the Big Almaty Lake. It looks so lush and untouched. Pack warm layers and waterproofs in case of blizzard (like the one I experienced in March 2018).Summer (June to September) is the best time to go. I visited in March 2018 and couldn’t see anything, even though it was warm and sunny in Almaty.You can find many hostels and hotels in and around Almaty to suit all budgets. 3 cars later we were back in Make your way from your accommodation to President’s Park.Take bus 28 to Kokshoky Village: 150 Tenge without IC card or 80 Tenge with IC card.Hitchhike/ take a mini-van to the big Almaty lake: Free – 1000-2000 Tenge.Take a bus back to your hostel or next stop in Almaty City: 80/ 150 TengeExcellent article – thank you!
It looks so stunning and pristine. We both looked at each other and debated if to pay the price and get to Big Almaty Lake quicker. The Big Almaty Lake is located in the gorge of Bolshaya Almatinka River which is 2511 m above sea level and is 28.5 kms south of Almaty. The colour of the lake is a stunning light blue, and you could sit for hours just taking in the beauty. The best way to do this is to take the number 28 bus from President’s Park.
The lake is actually a natural reservoir that flows out into the Big Almaty River and provides much of the drinking water for the city of Almaty. This service likely only operates in the summer months during daylight hours and shouldn’t be relied upon.You can attempt to hitchhike but bear in mind that every car is a potential taxi in Kazkhstan and most people stopping will be expecting a fare.If your Russian is up to it you can try explaining that you are trying to hitchhike, but otherwise expect to pay something unless you get lucky. Hitchhike or take a mini-van from Kokshoky village to Big Almaty LakeHitchhike or take a mini-van from Kokshoky village to Big Almaty LakeClick to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
The driver gave us a look of hesitation for just a split second before waving us in.The roads on the way up are winding and steep. This helps us to run this site and bring you more travel tips and tales of wanderlust. Big Almaty Lake: A Road Trip To Trans-Ili Alatau National Park. Big Almaty Lake or Ozero Bolshoye Almatinskoye, is a beautiful turquoise lake 2,500 metres high in the Zailisky Alatua mountain range (part of the Tian Shan Mountains). Read my complete guide After getting to grips with the essential information about Almaty, we did some quick research on how to get to Big Almaty Lake.However, we were a little disappointed at the thought of possibly having to do a tour and overpay for the 30 km journey just outside of the city.
1 day trip to Big Almaty lake and horseback riding (From US$148.11) The Golden Ring Of Zhetisu Tour - 7 Days (From US$1,246.42) Day trip to Big Almaty Lake and Falconry Farm (From US$126.73) Group tour to Big Almaty Lake and 4 waterfalls. We are no win Europe yay! How did you communicate? Thanks a lot guys! Unlike many of the main tourist sites in Kazakhstan, Big Almaty Lake … The area is home to waterfalls, freshwater springs and stunning mountain scenery not unlike the Swiss Alps.Take a bus or taxi (see below) to Kokshoky and hike 15km up the road to the lake. Quite a few cars passed by, making no attempt to stop; only a taxi driver that wanted to charge us 3,000 Tenge.After around 10 minutes, another mini-van pulled over and offered to take us both for 2,000 Tenge. The lake is situated in the Il-Alatau National Park (entrance 400 tenge) approximately 15km from Almaty in Kazakhstan. Good luck with the hitchhiking too, I am sure you will be just as lucky I can’t wait to go to Kazakhstan! This means that if you click on these links and make a purchase, we will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. He drove us about 10 km before dropping us off at a view-point, before picking up his mates. The journey takes about 30 minutes, and the bus costs 150 Tenge, or 80 Tenge if you have the You will need to get off the bus at the last stop, in a village called Kokshoky. You can learn more about hitchhiking in my article Many outdoors companies offer guided tours to the lake, and if you don’t mind losing out on the freedom then this is one of the easiest ways to get there. YAY, the last leg to Big Almaty Lake was a success!Upon arriving at Big Almaty Lake, we were blown away by the beauty of the lake and surrounding area. Would love to go here somedayIt’s strange that i had not heard about Almaty lake earlier. Big Almaty Lake is one of the most famous destinations for tourists in Kazakhstan. One day tour. When you get off the bus there will be a few mini-vans and taxis that will offer to take you to the lake. After a few whispers to each other, Jake whipped out a 1,000 Tenge note and asked the driver if he could take us both for 1,000. Look forward to more of your stories from that part of the world. Keep exploring, keep sharing Thanks a lot Anna.
The tourist rate in a mini-van is 2,000 Tenge ($5.15) per person.