How To Get To [Stunning] Big Almaty Lake | Updated 2023

Learn how to get to Big Almaty Lake, a stunning, shimmering, turquoise lake, backed by snow-capped peaks, up over 8,200’ (2511 m) above sea level. It’s located in the Ile Alatau region of the Tian Shan mountains, joining Kolsay and Kaindy Lakes as the three most beautiful lakes in this region of Kazakhstan. All three I highly recommend visiting, although with limited tourist infrastructure, all three are challenging to get to.

Big Almaty Lake, is the easiest of the three to get to, and can be done in an afternoon from Almaty.

Note that the road from the mountain base up to the lake is reportedly closed to vehicles for construction and repair. Some vehicles, however, are getting through, so there must be specific days and or times it’s open. Check with the local tourist center to verify details. There have also, sadly, been reports of scammers on the way up when it is open, with people requesting sums of cash from Yandex (taxi) drivers after passing the entrance gate. See Trip Advisor for more information on this. An organized tour may be the way way to visit until the situation clears up. Walking up is still reported as possible, but it is several miles.

Post updated August 2023.

About Big Almaty Lake

Big Almaty Lake is known as BAO by locals, short for Bolshoe Almatinskoy Ozero, which means Big Almaty Lake in Russian. It’s also known as Zhasylkol in Kazakh.

This lake was created after several earthquakes created a dam, which filled with water from glacial melt. The glacial sediment gives it its stunning turquoise hue. Especially in September and early October. In the spring, snow melting into the lake from the nearby mountain peaks, turns it more of a milky blue green, but it’s beautiful both ways.

The water in the lake is very fresh and pure. So pure, it’s piped down to Almaty as drinking water. Because of this, there is no swimming in the lake. You are not even allowed to get close to the edge.

When I was here, there was someone letting people take photos of his golden eagle, which is an amazing part of historic Kazakh culture. See my post of the Kazakh Nomads of Mongolia for more details and why many Kazakh nomads moved to Mongolia.

How To Get To Big Almaty Lake

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Big Almaty Lake is located about 18 miles (30 km) from central Almaty. Roughly 9 miles (15 km) from the center of Almaty to the base of the mountain, plus another 9 miles up to the lake. The distance isn’t too far, but just enough to make getting there as a tourist challenging with no direct public transportation.

There are several options to get here, including a tour, a taxi, hitchhiking, and taking a bus partway, then catching a taxi or hitchhiking the rest of the way.

I’ve noted these options, along with pros and cons of each below.

Tours To Big Almaty Lake

Tours are the most expensive option, but probably the best choice with the road closure issues noted above. I recommend this tour: Private Tour To Big Almaty Lake as the operator sounds like he understands the most up to date situation. He even states that you need to hike the last bit of the trail right now. As the situation changes daily/weekly, I recommend calling the number listed on the page before booking anything. Big Almaty Lake: A Natural Gem for Tourists: Small group day tour is another option.

Taxi From Almaty To Big Almaty Lake

Have your accommodation arrange a taxi for you round trip, or using the Yandex Taxi app, schedule a pick up. Yandex shows the cost for a pick up from the base of the Kok Tobe Gondola to Big Almaty Lake at about 5,500 tenge ($12) one way. Double this for return, plus any waiting time you negotiate.

This honestly seems fairly reasonable to me, especially if you share with multiple people. It’s also about the same cost as the basic tour above. It gives you more freedom on when to visit, but then you need to wonder about road closures and scammers requesting cash for access.

Keep in mind that most taxi drivers do not speak English. Therefore, be prepared to request, in Russian, that you want them to take you to the lake at the top, wait for you for an hour or two, then bring you back. I pre-translated this and saved it on my phone, so all I had to do was show my driver. You can also download Google translate when you have wifi, then you can translate later wifi free.

Also don’t be surprised if they ask for you to pay the entrance fee. I was able to enter with no fee as my driver had a Kazakh military card.

Note on a taxi to Big Almaty Lake: See trip advisor for reports of recent scams where your taxi is stopped and asked for cash to continue along the road.

Note on Yandex Taxi: As Yandex is a Russian owned company, there were rumors that they may stop running in Kazakhstan due to sanctions on Russia, but that does not seem to be in effect.

Bus To First President’s Park, Then Bus, Taxi, Or Hitchhike

I talked to the tourist center and they recommended taking bus 34 to Presidential Park from Almaty. This park is south of Almaty, so gets you closer to Big Almaty Lake, reducing taxi costs. Here is the route and details for bus 34 (select block 34). The bus is 150 Tenge, ($.31) each way in 2022 prices, 80 tenge, ($.16) if you use the bus card.

From here there are three main options:

• Taxi from First President’s Park to Big Almaty Lake
• Hitchhike from First President’s Park to Big Almaty Lake
• Take bus 28 from First President’s Park to Kokshoky Village (the last stop) and taxi or hitchhike from there.

Taxi From First President’s Park to Big Almaty Lake

This is the option I chose. There is a small bus stop around the corner of First President’s Park, where you should be able to find a taxi, or order one from Yandex. It’s below, and a little farther down, from the bridge I took this photo from (to the left).

My driver wanted 5000 tenge, which is about $10 for the ride there and back to First President’s Park and two hours at the top. My ride was a few years ago and costs have risen since then. Looking at the Yandex app, they’re currently asking about 4,000 tenge (about $8.50) from this park to the lake, so double this and add in estimated costs for wait time.

This option as much less than the tour or full taxi ride from central Almaty above. If you run into another traveler doing this same thing, you can share a ride and reduce the cost.

Hitchhike from First President’s Park to Big Almaty Lake

This may seem scary to those from western countries, but hitchhiking is not unusual in Kazakhstan (and neighboring Kyrgyzstan). Before my trip here, I read on government websites that you should never get in a stranger’s cars here, but quickly learned that it’s really difficult to avoid this as public transportation to tourist sites is not developed here yet.

Hitchhiking, of course, comes with its risks, so you need to decide what is right for you. Although I did not hitchhike in Kazakhstan, I did so several times in Kyrgyzstan and felt 100% safe each time. And one of my rides was over 3 hours long!

Locals are known to operate as unofficial taxis here, expecting a fee in return. Most are honest and safe, but I have heard of tourists getting scammed, so be careful. Make sure you are clear on the cost to the destination, and if it’s for one person or multiple (if there are more in your group), and if you need wait time. Use the Yandex app in advance to see what they charge and use this as a guide to negotiate.

The downside to this option (other than safety risks) is that you need to hitchhike or taxi back. And there is no wifi service. There are not as many free free taxis at the peak, so you may need to walk a distance before catching one.

Theoretically, the cost of this should be the same, and most likely less, than an official taxi as you should be able to negotiate a better rate with a local.

Take Bus 28 from First President’s Park To Kokshoky Village, Then Taxi or Hitchhike

The last option adds in another step, taking bus 28 from First President’s Park to the last stop in a village called Kokshoky. This gets you an additional 5 miles (plus or minus) closer to Big Almaty Lake. From there, you can catch a taxi or hitchhike at a lower cost. See the link here for the route and stops for bus 28 (select block 28).

The downside is coordinating the timing of the two buses and hassle of catching the more remote rides, where there is less traffic.

This bus is also 80 tenge (each way), but you need to buy a top up card for 400 tenge (which covers your first ride). The taxi ride, or negotiated hitchhiking price should be less than above as the ride is overall about 10 miles shorter, making this the least expensive option. That said, it’s a lot of complication to save a few dollars.

Trekking Up To Big Almaty Lake

You can trek up to Big Almaty Lake. There is a trial maps on AllTrails under Big Almaty Lake (BAO). It starts the trial in Central Almaty, but it’s better to start closer to the entrance of the park area.

There is also trekking around the lake, like this 6.4 mile (10.3 km) trail in All Trails for Big Almaty Loop. It is possible you may need permits for this, and other hikes around the peaks. As this is protected property, ask at the tourist center if hiking is your plan. Note that due to road closures, some portions of this trial may be closed too.

There are also old trails that lead to, or get close to, the border of Kyrgyzstan, which are no longer open (after the collapse of the Soviet Union). It’s best to avoid these for obvious safety and security reasons. To be completely safe, it’s best to hike only with a local guide beyond the lake and always carry your passport (in case you get questioned).

Park Entrance Fees and Requirements

Note that by law you need to carry your passport in Kazakhstan, so bring it with you. Especially when traveling to Big Almaty Lake.

Also, there are random park entrance fees in additional to the costs noted above. In some places I’ve read it’s 200 tenge, while others say 400 tenge per person plus 500 per vehicle. Either way, it’s not much, but nice to know.

My taxi driver and I were admitted for free. Although he only spoke Russian, he indicated that the fee wasn’t charged because he was ex-military. He did this through gestures, showing me his badge and tossing away a bill in the car. It’s amazing how much you can communicate without knowing the actual language.

How To Prepare For Big Almaty Lake

As the process to get here and back takes some time, bring plenty of water and snacks to enjoy along the way. And, of course, your passport.

There will not be cell phone service at the peak, so download maps in advance. This way, you’ll be able to track where you are in case there is an issue with a taxi or while hitchhiking. Fully charge your phone before you leave, or bring a charger.

Remember that there is no swimming in the lake and you cannot get too close to the edge. Guards are constantly on the lookout for this.

Also, I did not see any bathroom facilities here, so be aware there are probably not any. Note there are not many bushes here either.

When To Visit Big Almaty Lake

Try to avoid weekends and holidays, as it can get very busy here. If you have to visit on a weekend, try to do so around tour bus schedules. If arriving in the afternoon, keep in mind the mountains may block the setting sun, so don’t arrive too late.

Summer is the best time to visit tempertuare-wise, as the weather will be the best, but any time is possible.

As noted above, the color of the lake is generally its most brilliant shade of turquoise in the fall (September and early October). Due to snow melting, it will have a more milky blue-green color in the spring. It’s still beautiful either way.

Where To Stay In Almaty

There are many places to stay in Almaty, but if you start to dig into the reviews, many get very mixed feedback. Below I’ve listed some centrally located places that get (mostly) great reviews. Many of these book up quickly, so book early.

Shoestring

• Art Hostel is a 6-bedroom very basic mixed dorm within walking distance of some of the main sites. It’s also not far from the tourist center noted above. This is where I stayed and for the price, I enjoyed it, liked the people, and felt safe. 

Budget

• Apartment on Abylai Khan is also centrally located. It’s near the Zhibek Zholy metro station, and within walking distance to Zankov’s Cathedral. This budget accommodation gets very high reviews.
• The Soviet Union Apartment in the Heart of the Old City is also centrally located and gets good reviews in addition to being a little historic. It’s located near the Almaly metro station. 

Moderate

• If you want something more grand, but want to avoid the international chain hotels here, try the Kazakhstan Hotel (I always try to choose local over big chains). This historic Soviet era hotel, located by Kök Töbe Gondola, is a 4-star hotel. Reviewers note it’s a little dated, but renovation seems to be going on. It’s known for its views of the Zailiyskiy Alatau snow peaks.

Other Things To See and Do In Kazakhstan

In addition to Big Almaty Lake, there’s a staggering wealth of natural beauty in Kazakhstan., offering so much for the outdoor enthusiast.

There are also sites within Almaty to see, which makes an ideal base for exploring Kazakhstan. See my post on the Best Things To Do In Almaty for details. In addition to what to do in Almaty, it also highlights other amazing day trips like a visit to Kolsay and Kaindy Lakes, other stunning alpine gems here!

To see an comprehensive overview of Kazakhstan: including top sights, safety, scams, money matters, and more, see my Kazakhstan Travel Guide, which I will be posting here soon.

Safe Travels!

Julie