Kazakhstan offers an incredible variety of hiking routes — from trekking in the snow-capped Tian Shan peaks to arid canyons and forested plateaus. This article presents ten of the country’s best hiking destinations, each with unique terrain, route length, elevation gain, access tips, and ideal seasons.
Ile-Alatau National Park
Ile-Alatau, established in 1996, spans 200 000 hectares of the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains south of Almaty, featuring forests, alpine meadows, glaciers, and lakes. Popular hikes include the seven-kilometer loop around Big Almaty Lake — two to three hours, 2511 meters and the Kok-Zhailau-Peak Kumbel route — approximately twelve kilometers, six to seven hours, across high-altitude pasturelands. Wildlife sightings — snow leopard, ibex, golden eagle, and ancient petroglyphs enrich the experience; access is via Almaty and the park’s three main entrances.
Charyn State National Park
Charyn National Park protects 125 050 hectares around Charyn Canyon, two hundred kilometers east of Almaty. The “Valley of Castles” trail is a three-kilometer — approximately two hours walk among three-hundred-meter-high rock formations; longer hikes — five to six hours reach the Ulken-Buguty Ridge and Sogdian ash groves. Best visited from May to October; a dirt road off the Almaty-Chundzha highway leads to the park’s three main trailheads.
Kolsai Lakes & Kaindy Lake
In Kolsai Lakes National Park, three emerald lakes sit at elevations of 1818 meters, 2252 meters, and 2850 meters:
— Lower Kolsai: a four-kilometer trail from the parking area
— Middle Kolsai: five kilometers from the Lower lake
— Upper Kolsai: six kilometers from the Middle lake.
Nearby Kaindy Lake features submerged spruce trunks; a twelve-kilometer trail from Saty village takes three to four hours one-way. Trails are best from May through September.
Big Almaty Lake & Peak Hikes
Big Almaty Lake sits at 2511 meters within Ile-Alatau National Park, with an out-and-back trail of approximately seven kilometers — three to four hours from Bus Stop 28. More experienced hikers can tackle the ten-point-three-kilometer loop around the lake — four to five hours or ascend to Big Almaty Peak — 3681 meters, in a full day.
Turgen Gorge
Turgen Gorge in the eastern Ile-Alatau offers the Kairak Falls trail — a sixteen-kilometer round-trip — three to four hours, moderate — and a two-day loop via Assy Plateau and Don-Jailau Valley featuring petroglyph sites. Accessible by car from Almaty. May through October is ideal.
Aksu-Zhabagly Nature Reserve
Central Asia’s oldest reserve covers 131 900 hectares across elevations from 1100 meters to 4236 meters in the Western Tian Shan. The Kshi-Kaindy waterfall hike is seven-point-five kilometers — about four hours, elevation gain 320 meters, and a multi-day Aksu Canyon trek showcases deep gorges, petroglyphs, and endemic flora. Permits and local guides are required; best seasons are May–June and September.
Altyn-Emel National Park
Covering 4600 square kilometers in the Ili Valley and elevations from 300 meters to 2200 meters, Altyn-Emel’s badlands include the Singing Dune, the Aktau and Katutau mountains — two to seven hours across colorful sedimentary layers, and Besshatyr kurgans. Entry requires permits; guided hikes maximize safety and cultural insight.
Markakol Lake
In East Kazakhstan at 1447 meters, Markakol Lake stretches thirty-eight kilometers by five-point-five kilometers and reaches a depth of 27 meters. Trails ascend to Aksubas Peak — 3305 meters or follow creek headwaters over ten to fifteen kilometers. Located within a nature reserve; access via Urunkhayka village with permit checks.
Karkaraly National Park
Set in granite hills — 1200 meters to 1400 meters, of central Kazakhstan, Karkaraly NP features the “Stone Tale” trail to Lake Bassein and the Shaytankol loop, plus seventy-five kilometer multi-day treks through Zhirenshal peaks and ancient Kent sites. Guesthouses and campsites are available within the park.
Bayanaul National Park
Pavlodar Region’s first park spans elevations from 400 meters to 1027 meters. Trails include the Sacred Cave hike and the Akbet Peak ascent, offering panoramic views of lakes Sabyndykol, Jasybay, and Toraygir. Short routes lead to rock formations nicknamed “Old Woman” and “Valiant Man”. Well-developed tourist bases support year-round visits.