Ile-Alatau National Park

The snow-covered landscape of the national park created a breathtaking winter wonderland. Although the Big Almaty was inaccessible, the park itself offered a serene beauty with snow-laden trees, frozen lakes, and pristine trails. The quietude of the snow-covered scenery added a unique charm, making it a memorable and picturesque experience despite the travel limitations.

We visited the Big almaty lake, and I must say it is a must visit spot if you're in almaty, turquoise blue water surrounded by huge mountains with little snow was a true treat to my eyes

Really good nature and a beautiful lake. It's not easy to go there by public transport. But it's worth the trip.

Wonderful place, Definitely worth to see. Accessible by taxi which is very cheap, from Almaty city.
Sometimes there are guards who do not allow the access to the lake. During lunch the access to the lake directly is free. :-)
Nice walk by the lake. Free Entry.

Beautiful place with a different landscapes within less then an hour of drive from each other. Recommend to visit. You can sleep in a guest house, or can bring your tent. (Proper toilet and shower in the guest house) you can also order a meal there, delicious Kazakh dishes. Very affordable prices . (Note that you need to book the guest house in advance, because it might be busy when you are there)

Ile-Alatau National Park  is a national park in Kazakhstan. It was created in 1996 and covers about 200,000 ha. It is situated in the mountains south of Almaty between Gorge Turgen in the east and Chemolgan River in the west. The National Park borders Almaty Nature Reserve, which is located around Pik Talgar.

The landscape includes woodlands, alpine meadows, glaciers and lakes, including Big Almaty Lake. Remarkable trees include apricot, maple, and apple. A total of 300 species of birds and animals have been recorded from the Ile-Alatau National Park. The park is home to snow leopards, Central Asian lynx, Tian Shan brown bears, Central Asian stone martens, Siberian ibexes, bearded vultures and golden eagles. Other notable bird species found in Ile-Alatau National Park include Himalayan snowcock, ibisbill, Eurasian scops owl, and Eurasian three-toed woodpecker.The park also protects specific species of deer whose antlers are believed to have medicinal properties.

There is a BAO. All mt. place is good, even though road condition is poor. It takes 1 hour to the lakes from the city. I recommend you should go there before 10 am due to the traffic.

Nice place to enjoy long trekking and on the way a nice host spring and beautiful place. Better to visit by morning also public transportation is reach 3 km from th spot

This is heaven near a big city of Almatı. People living in Almatı are so lucky to have this heavenlike national park. Especially in autum this place will show you variety of colors that nature brings and amaze you forever. Go there with someone you love you will definately have amazing memories. Do not forget to drink water from the side of the road which is fresh and tasty.

Amazing views, wild raspberry, and lots of flowers. But there are almost no signs and some paths end in a cliff. Just find yourself a local guide and go for it, it's totally worth visiting

Having lived in Almaty for 37 years, this was our first trip to the mountains up so high. The height is about 2900 (ish) meters. At one point u can feel it with ur ears))) We were warned, that the path might be a bit difficult for kids, but everyone did great. Its a nice and pleasant walk, not as hard as people might think

Have you seen one of those wallpapers on your laptop, this is much better than all those , soo cold for an equator-person, save atleast 4 hrs on bright daylight summer stream for the best pics and terrific peace

Approximately an hour out of Almaty. The road flows through suburbia and starts to get bumpy with potholes as you enter the national park. Cost was negotiated at the entrance by a local but other posters have reported 400 kzt. The road is winding and narrow. Traffic really picked up around 11am when minibuses started arriving. Public buses go to a certain point then head back to town. After that you have to work it out yourself or walk...saw plenty of walkers. Very small space for parking above the big Almaty lake.. perhaps 10 cars. Stunning scenery, fresh air and also the chance to dress up like a Kazakh and hold an eagle. You can walk down to the lakes edge. Fairly steep on a simple dirt track. Go early. You'll find the beauty and the silence of this place much more enjoyable with less people.

Beautiful trek! Hot water spring is a must-try

Hiked up to furmanov peak. Totally incredible, beautiful, and also difficult hike for an inexperienced hiker. Breath taking and so worth it! Incredible.

This a perfect place to run from heating sun in the city. It is always cooler in the mountains, so don't forget to grab clothing. Also, there is a river nearby with cold water running from the mountains. Please remember about fire safety and always clean after you have finished with a picnic.

Stunning views and landscapes, fresh air, quiet and tranquil evenings, great horse riding, adventurous hiking, amazing plov from the local chef and breathtaking sunsets!

Beautiful place and must visit when you come to Almaty, beautiful nature. Perfect to come with kids and enjoy.

perfect for relax place
beautiful views
and amazing nature

Beautiful natural place ,with amazing landscapes, turciz water surfaces, waterfall, aerthquake monument, pavilons.