Explore Medeu, Issyk Lake & Turgen Gorge in 3 Days

The day starts with Issyk Lake (1756 m), set among conifer-covered slopes with clear water. Around midday you move on to Turgen Gorge, with its seven cascading waterfalls and trout farms along the mountain river, one of the most family-friendly routes in the area. A trek leads to Bear Waterfall, 30 meters high: you hear the roar of the water, see a rainbow in the spray and feel the coolness a hundred steps before the cascade itself. You return to Almaty in the evening.

The second day is spent in the gorges above the city. Alma-Arasan Gorge has a mineral thermal spring, a mountain river and trails that follow cascades under a canopy of conifers. Along the way you stop at the Ayusai eco-park in the Small Almaty Gorge, with wooden boardwalks, alpine flowers and a waterfall on the trail toward Big Almaty Lake. You return to Almaty in the evening.

The last day is the lightest, so there is no need to rush. You begin at the Medeu ice rink, 1691 meters above sea level and one of the highest outdoor speed-skating rinks in the world. In winter the ice is flawless, and in summer it is a cool mountain amphitheater with a walk along the dam and views down the gorge. Then you ride up to the Shymbulak mountain resort (2260 m). The upper cable car lines reach the top station at Talgar Pass (3200 m) and open a full panorama of the Zailiysky Alatau. Shymbulak offers skiing and snowboarding in winter and hiking and cafés with views in summer.