Issyk Lake, Turgen Gorge
and Bear Waterfall Tour
- 1 day
- Hotel pick-up in AlmatyHotel pick-up
- from $85 per person
Itinerary
This private day tour from Almaty visits Lake Issyk and the Turgen Gorge, with a 4 km round-trip trek to Bear Waterfall.
Leave Almaty
Lake Issyk and a walk to the water (2 km round trip)
Drive to the Turgen Gorge
Lunch at a local cafe
Trek to Bear Waterfall (4 km round trip)
Back to the parking area; drive to Almaty
Back in Almaty
A scenic drive up to the Assy Plateau can be added for an extra cost.
April to November
We run this tour from April to November. In winter the roads are closed, so we suggest Big Almaty Lake or Charyn Canyon instead: both run all year.
Easy to moderate
The walk to Bear Waterfall is about 4 km round trip on a forest path with a steady climb and a few stream crossings. At Lake Issyk you walk about 2 km.
Where the road takes you
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By roadRoutes are shown approximately.
Moments from this route
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What our travelers say
Incredible time touring Big Almaty Lake, Assy plateau, Turgen gorge and Issyk lake
We had an incredible time touring Big Almaty Lake, Turgen Gorge, Issyk Lake, and Assy Plateau with Nomad Outfitters. Our tour lead and guides Damir and Dayana were one of the best tour guides we have experienced. They were knowledgeable - Damir shared amazing insights into Kazakhstan's culture, history, nature, and traditions. They were very friendly and a great company on one-day long tours. The areas we visited were beautiful and definitely worth visiting. Assy plateau is unique in its landscape and natural beauty. Both Damir and Dayana are excellent drivers, especially Dayana and made the visits comfortable. We would definitely be back touring with them when we are return to Kazakhstan.
Highly recommended tour of Big Almaty lake & Assy Plateau
We spent 2 days travelling across, and in and around Almaty with the Damir and Diana from the Outfitters KZ team. Our first expedition was to the big Almaty lake. The Outfitters KZ team assigned Damir who organised for our pickup from the hotel, our hike to the big Almaty lake, as well as gave us an incredible cultural and historical glimpse of the Kazakh people. Or second expedition was to Assy Plateau via Turgen Valley and Issyk Lake. The road to the plateau isn't the greatest (requires 4WD) but Damir's Lexus and Diana driving alongside the easy conversions (in their impeccable english) made the long journey incredibly comfortable. We enjoyed learning about all things Kazakstan in our two days spent with Damir and Diana.
Great visit to Charyon canyon and issyk lake
We went to the charyon canyon with Pavel and to Issyk lake with Yevgeniy. Both guides did a great job and were very patient with us as we were traveling with our 1 year old daughter. At the charyon canyon we went to places where there were no other tourists which was great. Pavel was a great driver as the roads seemed to be quiet challenging. Yevgeniy who took us to issyk lake was very talkative and told us interesting facts about different things on the way there and on spot. Very easy to talk with him. Would we have had more time we would have gone somewhere else with him. We booked both trips late and for the first trip we were a bit worried that we would not be able to go as we did not hear back from outfitters straight away, but once we did hear back from them everything worked out really well and we were able to go to Charyon canyon the day after and then later onwards to issyk lake. Both cars were clean and in perfect condition as well. I would highly recommend outfitters
Questions about this tour
When is the best time for this tour?
We run this tour from April to November. In winter the roads are closed, so we suggest Big Almaty Lake or Charyn Canyon instead: both run all year.
How hard is the walking?
Easy to moderate. The walk to Bear Waterfall is about 4 km round trip on a forest path with a steady climb and a few stream crossings. At Lake Issyk you walk about 2 km.
Is it suitable for children or older travelers?
Yes. Families like this one because the drives are short and the walks are varied. The waterfall trail is uneven in places, so good shoes matter more than fitness.
What should I wear and bring?
We recommend you bring:
- Hiking shoes with a good grip
- Sunglasses, a hat and sunscreen
- A warm layer, as mountain and steppe weather changes fast
- A light rain jacket
- Cash for personal expenses
We provide drinking water on every tour.
Is this a private or shared tour?
Private: only your group travels in the car, with your own guide. The price per person drops as your group grows, from $85 per person. Group tours with set dates start in March 2027.
What if the weather is bad, or I need to cancel?
Cancellation is free for our standard tours. For special tours or large groups, where we book rooms or activities in advance or pay a deposit to a hotel or partner, there is a 20% deposit: we refund it if you cancel 5 or more days before the tour, and not if you cancel later. If snow, heavy rain or a road closure makes the route unsafe, we move you to another day or cancel at no cost.
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