Big Almaty Lake Hike and Falcon Show Experience
Description
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.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Duration: 6-7 hours Difficulty: Moderate Distance: ~10 km round trip Elevation gain: Around 600–800 meters
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
You can write any address in the city center. We will send you all information of pick up time and transport the day before the tour. We will pick-up you from your hotel with our mini bus or send you taxi. You will come to nearest hotel.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- 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
Reviews(68)
Our guide Aidyn was a very nice person and explained us many interesting facts about the lake and Kazakh culture and history. Moreover, he could manage a group with people hiking with very different pace guaranteeing the best experience for all of us. The lake is also very beautiful with several viewpoints with a wonderful landscape on the lake itself and the surrounding peaks. However, the logistics of the trip was not as great as the rest. Despite the car that brought us there was big and comfortable, when we came back we found out that the driver abandoned us there for a problem with his car and the agency could not send an other one. Even though the guide tried its best to help us, we waited for an hour and, in the end, we had to take a Yandex to come back to Almaty.
Don't book with this company - they cancelled our hike 15 minutes before an early morning pickup, and said they would move us to a 1pm slot without hiking. They offered no discount for the shortened excursion, but we agreed in writing to join the 1pm group anyways. At 1:05pm, we began texting to see where the driver was. The company did not and has still not returned our texts, they just ghosted us. Disappointing because we wasted a day just waiting around for them. Their tour company name is Kazakhstan Very Nice. I suggest booking with a different company.
The hike to Almaty Lake was fantastic, with spectacular views throughout and terrain that was challenging enough to be enjoyable without being too difficult. Butter, our guide, was excellent, gave great recommendations, prioritised safety, and helped us through the trickier sections of the trail. It was clear he genuinely enjoys what he does, and he was always happy to share advice and encourage everyone along the way.
Butter, our tour guide, is awesome. He has been helping and taking care of us all the way from the accommodation and throughout the hike. We have an amazing experience that goes beyond our expectation. And the fee is reasonable for the trip.
Great tour! Can go at a steady pace and the end result is so worth it. The lake is stunning! Nurzhan was my tour leader, couldn’t recommend him more! Very knowledgeable
Really easy going and can go at an easy pace. Tour leader was Nurzhan! Was excellent and couldn’t recommend him more
It was a great experience despite the rain. Batyr helped me a lot in the hike and the view was still stunning. I wish there was no rain that day though, the lake would have been perfect shade of blue.
We went to The Big Almaty Lake with John, and had an absolutely incredible day. He was knowledgeable, funny and a brilliant guide. He took time to get to know all the guests and make sure everyone was okay. He told us facts about more than just the lake but the entire city of Almaty and Kazakhstan. We could not have asked for a better guide.
Sensational walk! Bauka was a great guide! He was also a great photographer! Hahaha Super worth it! In addition, we were lucky to visualize wild horses, marmots and other wild animals in the region, such as rats! Although it requires some preparation for the climb (for those who are not used to it), I recommend the experience.
Almaty lake is a very cool spectacle to behold. It takes about 2.5 hours each way to hike. Tour guide is very nice and speaks good English (~Жандос). Bottles of water are included. They pick up and drop off from your hotel, which is a bonus. Overall among the best tours I’ve done in the region. Highly recommend
