Almaty, 28 km south
Big Almaty Lake
Turquoise water at 2,511 metres, straight above the city.
The closest of the great mountain lakes: less than thirty kilometres from your hotel, and two and a half thousand metres higher. The colour changes through the year: milky turquoise in spring meltwater, deep blue-green by autumn, and the peaks around it hold snow into July.
The last stretch
Cars cannot drive to the water at the moment, and that turns the approach into the best part of the day. Most guests hire an electric bike at the barrier and ride up through the spruce forest; quads are there for anyone who would rather not pedal. Your guide waits at the bottom with the car.
It is the city drinking water
The lake supplies Almaty, so swimming and wading are not allowed, and the shore is walked rather than sat on. Rangers are serious about it. What you come for is the view and the air, not a swim.
When to go
June to October for the ride up. Earlier in the year the road holds snow and the barrier is often shut; in winter the lake freezes and the whole valley is a different trip entirely.
Tours that go here
Prices are per group, not per person, and include the guide, the driver and the car.