The notebook of Ile-Alatau National Park
Collect views that reward the effort.
Above Almaty, Ile-Alatau National Park brings together mountain lakes, wooded gorges and Tian Shan pastures. Medeu, Shymbulak, Lake Esik and the Assy plateau are explored on day trips.
At your own pace
Identity summary
2 to 4 days
Spring · Summer · Autumn · Winter
Recommended car
Mountain · Lake · Forest · Nature
Variable accessibility
Modular rhythm
General presentation
Ile-Alatau National Park
Ile-Alatau National Park, created in 1996, covers nearly 200,000 hectares on the northern slope of the Trans-Ili Alatau, from the Chemolgan river to the Turgen. It protects spruce forests, alpine meadows, glaciers and lakes a few dozen kilometres from Almaty.
In the west, the Medeu valley leads to the high-altitude ice rink and on to Shymbulak resort, while Big Almaty Lake fills a neighbouring high valley. Further east, the Esik and Turgen gorges lead to Lake Esik, the Bear waterfall and the pastures of the Assy plateau.
See all
Each area is reached separately from the plain: allow a day per trip, good shoes and warm clothes even in summer. The park is also home to mountain wildlife, including the snow leopard, which visitors should not expect to see.
Strengths and constraints
Strengths
- Big Almaty Lake
- Medeu ice rink
- Shymbulak resort
- Lake Esik
- Bear waterfall
- Assy plateau
Before you choose
- Check the accesses, reservations and times at the site prior to the visit.
- Indicative Hidengo duration, excluding transport; it varies with the route, access and local conditions.
- Mountain roads and changeable weather: check road conditions, especially outside summer.
Places worth visiting
A selection to start dreaming and organizing the stay — not an exhaustive list of everything there is to see.
Mountain lake
Big Almaty Lake
At 2,511 m and some 15 km south of Almaty, this natural mountain reservoir turns turquoise beneath the peaks of the Trans-Ili Alatau. It is seen from the road and permitted viewpoints.
Historic ice rink
Medeu ice rink
Built at 1,691 m in the Medeu valley, this outdoor rink offers 10,500 m² of ice and has seen many speed-skating records fall. The nearby mudflow dam gives an overall view of the stadium and the valley.
Mountain resort
Shymbulak resort
Above Medeu, from 2,200 m, Shymbulak is the largest ski resort in Central Asia. A gondola links it to Medeu; depending on the season, lifts lead up towards the Talgar pass at about 3,200 m.
Mountain lake
Lake Esik
Formed some 8,000 to 10,000 years ago when a landslide dammed the Esik gorge, this blue-green lake lies at about 1,750 m, around forty kilometres east of Almaty. Its wooded shores take on colour in autumn.
Practical tips
This information helps know if the destination matches the planned trip before starting a fuller search.
To go further
More activities
Restaurants, walks, culture, leisure and outings to search without leaving the destination card.
The nearest destinations
The closest ideas on the map, to extend your trip.
Escaped to discover
Cholpon-Ata and the northern shores of Issyk-Kul
Issyk-Kul, 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan
Discover this idea
Similar destinations
Same landscapes and the same pace of travel, elsewhere in the world.
