Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
Big Almaty Lake sits at 2,500 meters above sea level — a turquoise alpine gem surrounded by snow-capped peaks of the Tian-Shan mountains, just 30 minutes from Almaty.
Choose your adventure:
Group Hike — Trek 10 km one way through alpine meadows and pine forests to reach the lake. Hiking sticks provided. Best for active travelers who love a real challenge.
Hike + Falcon Show — Same epic 10 km hike, plus a traditional Kazakh falconry show on the way back. A perfect mix of nature and culture.
Private Hike — The full 10 km trail with your personal guide, at your own pace. No strangers, total focus on your group.
Car Tour — Drive directly to the lake and enjoy breathtaking views without the hike. Perfect for families or those with limited time.
English-speaking guide included in all hiking options. Hotel pickup available. All national park entrance fees included.
Additional Info
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have a high level of physical fitness
What To Expect
Big Almaty Lake
Duration: 6-7 hours Difficulty: Moderate Distance: ~10 km round trip Elevation gain: Around 600–800 meters
Options
Private hiking to the Lake
Hiking to Big Almaty Lake Pickup included
Big Almaty Lake tour by car
Big Almaty Lake tour by car Pickup included
Hiking and Falcon Show
Pickup included
Big Almaty Lake tour by hiking
Pickup included
What‘s Included
National parks entrance fees
English speaking guide
Hotel Pick-up and drop
Air-conditioned vehicle
Lunch
Snacks
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
48 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Decent physical fitness...
Kevin T,May 20, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Decent physical fitness is necessary. Beginning area of the hike can be difficult otherwise. Good morning start time avoids sun and crowds. Tour guide was very nice and friendly, and pickup was on time. There was no rush. Would’ve maybe liked to hear some background info on the area but otherwise all good!
Great experience
Z2577HFlisaa,May 12, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The weather wasn’t great for our trip but this didn’t stop us… we had a fantastic tour guide, Nurzhan. The whole hike was 10.5 miles and took about 2 hours each way. There’s a stop off point half way on the route for a toilet n coffee but there are no other toilets! The hike has different intensity levels, due to weather conditions we took the easy route, which was a great decision as it started snowing towards the top! We didn’t have many other tourists about so was able to move about easily and quickly.
Great experience — many thanks !!
moett2026,May 7, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great experience with hiking to the stunning big Almaty lake. It took about 2.5 hours hiking for one way, but it was worth it! The views of the lake and surrounding mountains were breathtaking. Our tour guide, Alibi was very friendly and kind. He is very easy to talk to and he told me nice places to visit and Kazakhstan songs!!
tired but worth it!...
Zhenyu Z,May 6, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00tired but worth it! Thanks our guide Mr. Alibi! Fluent in English, take care of everyone in our group.
Great hike
Ann-Sophie M,May 5, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00i did the hike with the tourguide Alibi. It was really nice and i enjoyed it, although the weather was a little cold and rainy.
Fantastic hiking experience
E9280KMmaxc,Apr 24, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great hiking up to the big lake. It's was a half day trip with amazing views. Tour guide was knowledge and kind.
Great day hike to Lake Almaty
CheanLee,Apr 10, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00I have a great day hiking with our guide Amir. We were in a small group of 3 travelers, the pickup was on time. Amir always making sure we were safe during the hike when passing through some steep sections of the trails. We reached the lake on time before it became cloudy. The scenery was spectacular and I would recommend the day trip if you want to experience the landscape without traveling too far from Almaty city.
Definetly a fun experience and worth your time! 🥾
848dilarac,Apr 8, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We were picked up from our hotel at 7am and drove to the hiking starting point by car. Our tour guide, Amir, was very friendly from beginning to end and always provided us with interesting and useful information on Almaty and Kazhakstan. The hike itself was exhausting (IF you are not frequently hiking/sportsy like we were) but manageable and rewarding! Our Guide would take breaks when we needed so it was definetly doable! Despite the lake still being frozen, it was still a beautiful experience and still looked nice! At the lake we took a break, talked and had snacks together, which was very nice. Since we were only four people, we had nice conversations on the way down. Amir also took (nice) pictures of us during the hike and sent them to us later, which is really neat. Definetly recommend booking with this tour agency :)
Good climb
Meander355566,Dec 12, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Nurzhan was an amazing guide. The whole trip was just pure vibes. Just the 3 of us climbing up talking and having fun. It was amazing. He also treated us well, gave us cats for our shoes, water, and snacks.
Exhilarating trek culminating in scintillating views.
Getaway29103655991,Dec 11, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00It was a memorable experience hiking upto Big Almaty with the ever cheerful and helpful Nurzhan and his team. Not only did they help us in the difficult parts of the terrain but also explained in detail about the region and its significance. Would highly recommend this hike to new travellers!
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