Your adventure begins in the scenic Turgen Valley, a favorite retreat near Almaty. Here, you can visit the Turgen Waterfalls, adding about two hours to your trip. From there, we ascend to the Assy Plateau, with our first stop at the Assy-Turgen Astronomical Observatory, offering stunning views of the high-altitude landscape.

As we journey eastward across the plateau, we’ll follow the Assy River, passing through diverse landscapes that shift from semi-desert to lush alpine meadows at elevations between 2,400 and 2,800 meters. Along the way, we’ll stop at ancient petroglyphs carved into striking red rocks and enjoy a picnic lunch beside the Assy River.

We continue through the Kyzylauz and Karaarsha passes, eventually reaching the Zhenishke Valley, which connects to the routes leading to Kolsay Lakes. The Sarytau Ridge stretches along the southern horizon throughout the journey, adding to the dramatic scenery.

As the plateau descends, we enter the Bartogay Reservoir Valley, home to a 60-meter-high rock dam and intricate water channels. Passing through a 2,050-meter pass between the Ortatau and Alabaytal mountains, we reach the Chilik River, the largest in the Ili Alatau range, which flows into the Kapshagai Reservoir. Built in 1985, the Bartogay Reservoir plays a key role in irrigating Kazakhstan’s agricultural lands through the Big Almaty Channel (BAC), stretching 160 kilometers.