What To Expect

What‘s Included

Reviews

• Winter wonderland

  Clara W,Apr 2, 2026

  - Review from Viator

  5.00

  We had a nice experience visiting Big Almaty Lake. Our guide/driver Dmitriy picked us up at our hotel, drove us to the area near the lake where we were transported on another vehicle to the lake. We had about an hour to explore the lake. It was a short but beautiful visit.

• Get a taxi better

  232gastond,Mar 3, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  1.00

  I paid 100usd for a guide , hiking , explanation of the lake and history... There was nothing , just a taxi to arrive , 40 minutes there , a taxi to come back ... No guide at all, couldn't even have time to get a coffee

• Beautiful

  charloteeak,Jan 28, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  4.00

  10km walk along road to and from lake, best conditions underfoot in snowy conditions. Vlad the guide was very kind and informative about the area and Kazakhstan generally. Please ensure you treat this like any other hike, snacks and water etc. Lake is in a border zone, ensure you take passport. Breathtaking views and an incredible amount of snow !

• Early start. Ask for...

  Bevin H,Jan 8, 2026

  - Review from Viator

  4.00

  Early start. Ask for hotel collection. You transfer near the lake after a 300 metre walk. Incredible lake and you have about 40 minutes. If you are doing the Canyon and two lakes then no need to do this lake as well. It is actually more expensive than the Canyon tour.

• Hiking guide

  VinthuNair H,Dec 12, 2025

  - Review from Viator

  5.00

  My friend and I had a wonderful hiking experience with our guide, Victor. He was very friendly and shared a lot of interesting information about Big Almaty Mountain. Highly recommended.

• Great hike and guide, thank you Viktor!

  Kate S,Dec 6, 2025

  - Review from Viator

  5.00

  Went by myself at the end of a work trip to Almaty. It was a beautiful hike and Viktor, our young guide, was knowledgeable and you can tell he loves to do this job. I am so glad I did this, because going alone would be impossible. Totally worth it!! BUT a tip: the hike is close to 18km, it's not 6km. It will take you between 5-7 hours to hike in total with steep ascent. Come prepared!!!! The tour company was communicative when reaching out via WhatsApp, but did not make the distance clear 🌟😂 It was still worth it. Once in a lifetime experience.

• Amazing view , rushed trip, overpriced

  Reginald C,Dec 6, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  2.00

  Big Almaty Lake is beautiful and definitely worth seeing — the view is amazing. But the tour itself felt rushed. They only gave us about 40 minutes at the lake, which wasn’t enough to really explore or enjoy the area. It was also just one destination for the whole trip, so overall it felt a bit overpriced for the time given.

• I'd love more of it

  natalysF9809BL,Nov 24, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  3.00

  The trip was extremely short, which may be an advantage or disadvantage depending on the situation. We were talked into taking this tour instead so in case of bad weather we don't get stuck during a longer excursion. But the weather was just perfect, so cutting the mountain experience short was a disappointment. During our tour there was an emegency but the guide handled it so we wouldn't know if not told. Props to him! During our off-season visit there were no crowds and our own group was comfortably small. The sight itself is a thing to see, mountains are beautiful, the lake water turquoise and nice spots on the slope to take pictures. Besides going by the asphalt road to it on foot that locals do, there's pretty much nothing else to do, as the lake shore is guarded by the military. So, it's a quite brief and harmless experience for people who would like to see the nature but don't go hikes or don't want to spend much time doing it.

  

  

• Big Almaty Lake Experience

  xcrsland,Nov 2, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Doing this tour is 1000% recommended! I am glad I booked with Dao Travel. Dmitri was super helpful and provided with a lot of historical and useful information involving not only the Lake but the city as well. The Lake was unreal, I had plenty of time to admire it and take all the photos, we then head back to the city and he gave some good tips for some great local cafés. It is worth mentioned that the tour was done on the best possible time to see the lake in full glow with perfect sunlight, after sunrise, at around 8 AM.

  

  

  

• Big Almaty Lake Hike

  NosAlucard,Oct 29, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Beautiful view after a long tough hike. But great guide Viktor made it easy and relaxing. He was patient, funny and very knowledgeable about the terrain and spots. Will definitely recommend him for next hike!

• Load more reviews