Big Almaty Lake
Big Almaty Lake is a picturesque body of water located in the spurs of the Zailiyskiy Alatau, 15 kilometers south of the city of Almaty. The cause of the lake’s formation was a large earthquake, which caused the collapse of mountain slopes and the appearance of an embankment dam in the riverbed. Big Almaty Lake lies in a deep tectonic depression and is surrounded by steep rocky shores. Above the water surface rise three mountain peaks – Sovetov, Ozerny and Turist, the height of which varies from 3900 to 4300 meters.
Video: Big Almaty Lake
ContentsHighlights
The lake itself is located at an elevation of 2,511 meters, is 1.6 km long and up to 1 km wide. The length of the shoreline is 3 kilometers. The mountain reservoir is quite deep – its average depth reaches 30-40 meters. In late summer, when the surrounding glaciers are actively melting, Big Almaty Lake is filled with water to the maximum, and by the end of winter, the water level in this reservoir becomes minimal, and the bottom is partially exposed.
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The Big Almatinka River flows into the lake from the southern side. Depending on weather conditions and time of year, the lake water can have different shades – from soft green to dark turquoise. When there is no wind, high sky and beautiful mountain peaks are reflected in the crystal clear surface of the reservoir.
.The Big Almaty Lake is very popular among tourists. Tour groups traveling in the mountains of the Zailiyskiy Alatau make their routes past it. In addition, many residents of Alma-Ata and surrounding villages go to the lake for a day. Most motorists coming to the lake go up to the observation deck, which is located 1 km from the northern shore.
.Near the picturesque reservoir, you can have a great rest, as well as climb the surrounding peaks. It is forbidden to put tents on the shore of the Big Almaty Lake. There are no catering establishments or hotels nearby, so travelers bring everything they need for a picnic.
.Environmental problems
For a long time, the gorge where Big Almaty Lake is located was part of a large nature protection area – Ile-Alatau National Park. In May 2011, it was decided to annex these lands to the city of Alma-Ata.
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This was done to legalize illegal construction in the valley of the mountain river and to legalize the already erected cafes and cottages. The removal of the protection regime has led to major environmental problems. Due to the increasing flow of tourists, garbage began to appear on the shores of the lake.
Clear Lake serves as a natural reservoir of drinking water for the residents of Alma-Ata, so it is not allowed to swim in it. However, if we take into account that at such an altitude, even on a hot day, the water warms up to +8…+10 ° C, those who want to bathe in the lake are simply not found.
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Border regime
From the east of the Big Almaty Lake there is a dirt road that leads to the Ozerny Pass (3520 m), to the border of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Although there is a border regime here, tourists can freely access the border and border areas. Since 2015, residents of both states and foreign tourists have been allowed to visit the border area for tourism purposes, and there is no need to obtain a pass from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
.What to see in the neighborhood
Traveling to the Great Almaty Lake can be combined with excursions to the surrounding sights. It is always colder in the mountains than in the city, so tourists traveling to the lake are advised to bring warm clothes, comfortable shoes, sunglasses and a supply of drinking water.
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Driving along the mountain road 2 km above the lake, travelers get to the Tien Shan Astronomical Observatory. Paid excursions are conducted on it. In addition, the observatory has a hotel where you can stay overnight.
8 km higher, on the mountain pass Zhusaly-Kezen, there are buildings of Cosmostation – Tanshan high-mountain research station FIAN, recording cosmic rays.
.How to get there
The Big Almaty Lake is located 15 kilometers south of the urban area of Almaty. There is a good dirt road leading to it, and you can get to the mountain reservoir by car in an hour and a half. It should be borne in mind that on the way to the lake there are rock-hazardous serpentines with steep turns. In winter, avalanches can come down on the roadway. In the warm months there are no such problems, but on weekends on the way to the lake accumulates a lot of cars.
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There is an ecopost near the road, where the travelers are charged an ecological fee of 400 tenge. By public transportation tourists come only to the ecopost. There is a bus No. 28 from the city. From the ecopost to the lake for 3.5-4.5 hours travelers reach the lake on foot.
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A convenient option to get to the Great Almaty Lake is to buy a one-day tour. Such tours are organized by many travel agencies in Alma-Ata. The trip to the lake usually starts at 9.00, ends at 18.00 and costs 3200-3500 tenge.
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