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Trekking in the Zailiyskiy Alatau |
Text by Vitaliy Shuptar
The Zailiyskiy Alatau is the most northern range in the Northern Tien Shan Mountains. Its highest peak is Talgar (4973 meters). The Zailiyskiy Alatau possesses both easy (non-categorical) and difficult passes, and a vast glaciation zone. They are distinguished be a rare diversity of flora and fauna, and it is possible to see the maral (Cervus elaphus), the roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), the Siberian ibex (Capra sibirica), the wild boar (Sus scrofa), the wolf (Canis lupus), the fox (Vulpes), the badger (Meles meles) and various rodents. Also resident in the region are the Tien Shan brown bear (Ursus arctos isabellinus) and the snow leopard (Uncia uncia). KEY POINTS The most popular places to begin and finish the routes along Zailiyskiy Alatau are the two gorges: Bolshoye (Big) Almaty (to the south of the city) and the Maloye (Small) Almaty (to the southeast of the city). The Turgen and the Issyk gorges can also be the focal points of treks (more often terminal ones). The Maloye Almaty Gorge is home to the famous mountain skating-rink Medeu and the mountain resort, Shymbulak, (from both of which trekking routes often start). There are also a number of other alpinist camps, tourist centers and hotels and the Tuyuksu Glacier, a popular site for trainning novice mountaineers. The picturesque Gorelnik and Butakovskoye Gorges branch off from the Maloye Gorge.
To the east of Issyk Gorge is the Turgen Gorge, famous for its Alpine and sub-Alpine pastures, and its hot springs of healing waters. The major settlement in the gorge is the village of Turgen (950 meters). The Turgen Gorge is especially remarkable for its waterfalls, particularly the Medvezhiy (Bear) glacial waterfall, at over 30 meters tall. ROUTES There are a great number of routes in the Zailiyskiy Alatau, and here the descriptions here are only for those that are rather famous and most frequently used, (both by independent tourists and those traveling with tourist agencies). Each of the gorges described above can be the basis of an independent route, especially for those with limited time and unable to travel far, providing the opportunity the opportunity to enjoy the mountains, breath fresh, clean, mountain air, with 2-3 camping within easy proximity to Almaty. Thus, for example, there is a route from the Alma-Arasan Gorge (the western branch of the Bolshoye Almaty Gorge) along the Prokhodnaya River to the Almaty Pass (3599 meters) where the Kazakh-Kyrgyz border lies. The pass provides a magnificent view of northern slopes of the Kungei-Alatoo Range and Almaty Lake. There is also a trek which combines the two branches of the Bolshoye Almaty Gorge. This route begins in Alma-Arasan and goes along the Prokhodnaya River. Then, near the Aleshkin Bridge it turns eastwards to the Zhoshalykezen Pass (3337 meters). It slopes to the Bolshoye Almaty Lake. It is possible to go a bit farther along the Prokhodnaya River toward the Almaty Pass and, by turning eastwards before reaching the pass, to reach the valley of the Ozernaya River and next to Bolshoye Almaty Lake through the Almaty-Alagiri Pass (3600 meters). It is possible to diversify the route by ascending to the Almaty Peak (3681 meters). It is an easy trekking top situated northwest of the Zhoshalykezen Pass.
First of all, an easy route, often called the Almatinskaya Krugosvetka. The main points of this route are: Bolshoye Almaty Lake the Ozernaya River valley the side moraine of the Mutniy Glacier the Turistov Pass (3950 meters, category of complexity: 1A) the Turistov River valley the Leviy Talgar River valley the Solnechnaya Polyana Place (a plot of the riverside buried in verdure) the Maliy Talgar Pass (2900 meters) the Bolshoi Talgar Pass (3163 meters) Shymbulak Medeu. The Bolshoye and the Maloye Almaty gorges can be passed via the following easy route planned for 10 days (it is possible in either direction): the Gorelnik Gorge the Titov Pass (3630 meters) the Mynzhylky Place the gorge of the Malaya Almatinka River Shymbulak the Bolshoi Talgar Pass (3163 meters) the Maliy Talgar Pass (2900 meters) the Leviy Talgar River valley the Solnechnaya Polyana Place the moraine of the Turistov Glacier the Turistov Pass (3950, 1A) the Ozernaya River valley Bolshoye Almaty Lake the Zhoshalykezen Pass (3337 meters) the Prokhodnaya River valley the Alma-Arasan Gorge. The route joining the Maloye Almaty and the Issyk gorges is interesting. This route is category 3D in complexity and is planned for 8-9 days. The main points are: Medeu sports base Tuyuksu the Mynzhylky Meteorological Station the foot of the Amangeldy Peak (the place usually called 'Alpengrad') the Manshuk Mametova Glacier the Byrdzhiga Glacier the Leviy Talgar Gorge the Solnechnaya Dolina Place the Ulken-Mynzhylky River's flowing into Leviy Talgar the Severtsev Glacier the MYD Pass (4250 meters, 2A) the Shui-Tsa Glacier the OPTE Pass (4200 meters, 2A) the Shokalskiy Glacier the Suroviy Pass (4250, 2A) the Korzhenevskiy Glacier the Kokbulak Pass (4070 meters, 1A) Akkol Lake the Issyk Gorge.
FORMALITIES In the Zailiyskiy Alatau there are two protected territories: The Ile-Alatau National Park and the Almaty Nature Preserve. The former is situated on the northern slopes of the mountain range in the immediate proximity of the city of Almaty (from the Chemolgan River in the west to the Turgen River in the east). The latter territory occupies the central part of the Zailiyskiy Alatau, its borders running along the rivers Leviy and Praviy Talgar, the range separating the Turgen and the Issyk rivers and along the Yugo-Vostochniy Talgar River and the upper course of the Chilik River. Visiting the National Park costs 100 Tenge a day for a person, the admission to the Preserve is 200 Tenge. Driving into the National Park costs from 500 to 800 Tenge for a car. In order to visit the Preserve one should get a pass from the Park Administration. The administration of Ile-Alatau National Park is in the village of Kamenka The administration of Almaty Nature Preserve is in the town of Talgar, As already noted above, there are some places in the Zailiyskiy Alatau Range where the Kazakh-Kyrgyz border lies. Trekkers should always have appropriate maps and navigation equipment, as this will not only help them know their exact location and direction but also help to avoid problems and unintentionally crossing the border. |
There are many areas in the Semirechye (“Seven Rivers”) region where it is possible to organize treks of various categories of complexity and length. The most popular amongst trekkers are in the Zailiyskiy Alatau Mountains, especially as they neighbor upon the city of Almaty, where it is possible to buy or hire all the necessary equipment for trekking, as well as receive consultations concerning the different routes and theiradvantages. 
The Bolshoye Almaty Gorge has two branches. The western branch leads to the valley of Alma-Arasan where the resort of the same name name is located at an altitude of 1800 meters. The eastern branch leads to the Bolshoye (Big) Almaty Lake (2510 meters) which is surrounded by coniferous forests. The lake was formed long ago (about 10 thousand years ago) as the result of a landslide caused by tectonic movements. Even now one can see traces of breaks and imagine the scale of that ancient catastrophe. On the lake is the 'Sternberg Astronomical Institute of Ionosphere and the Sun' with its observatory, where one can watch the starry sky through the telescope. The western and eastern branches of the Bolshoye Almaty Gorge join through the Zhoshalykezen Pass (3337 meters) where the 'Space Station' is located. (The scientists at the station are involved in the investigation of cosmic rays.) Both Alma-Arasan Resort and Bolshoye Almaty Lake are convenient points to begin a trek. 
A short route in the Maloye Almaty Gorge is the trek to the Tuyuksu Glacier. It begins from Medeu (1680 meters), goes through Gorelnik (1930 meters), the alpinist camp Tuyuksu (2560 meters) and the Mynzhylky Meteorological Station, then through the glacial moraine, it comes to the biggest glacier in the area. 
Those interested in more serious trekking in mountains and glaciers can undertake an alternative, category 5 complexity route, from the Maloye Almaty Gorge to the Issyk Gorge, planned for 15-17 days. The route follows mostly the glaciation zones and requires going with a rope. The main points of the route: the sports base Tuyuksu the Pionerskiy Pass (3850 meters, 1B) 'Alpengrad' the Tuyuksu Glacier the Igly Tuyuksu Glacier the Igly Tuyuksu Pass (3975 meters, 2B) the Turistov Glacier the Leviy Talgar River valley ('Polyana Tsvetov') the Toguzak Glacier the Toguzak Pass (4203 meters, 1B) the Bogatyr Glacier the Uraltsev Pass (4300 meters, 2B) the Shokalskiy Glacier the Zelenaya Polyana at the foot of the Karaulshetau Peak the Aktyuz Pass (4400 meters) the Korzhenevskiy Glacier the junction of the right and the central branches of the Korzhenevskiy Glacier the Kokbulak Pass (4070 meters, 1A) the gorge of the Issyk River.