Big Almaty Lake, Mountain lake in Ili Alatau range, Kazakhstan
Big Almaty Lake is a mountain lake set in the Trans-Ili Alatau range at an elevation of 2511 meters. The water displays different shades of blue and turquoise throughout the year, with depths reaching between 30 and 40 meters.
The lake formed through tectonic movements and seismic activity in the Tien Shan mountains over geological time. This process created a natural reservoir within the mountain range surrounding Almaty.
The lake holds meaning for Almaty residents as a connection to their mountain landscape and water resources. Visitors can observe how the surrounding peaks and waters shape local perceptions of nature.
Visitors need entry permits for Ile-Alatau National Park and should carry identification documents. Access is regulated due to the location's proximity to border zones and protected water areas.
Three distinct peaks frame the lake: Peak Councils at 4317 meters, Peak Ozerny at 4110 meters, and Peak Tourist at 3954 meters. These summits define the landscape and create a natural backdrop for the water.
Location: Бостандық ауданы
Address: Үлкен Алматы көлі, Алматы, Kazakhstan
GPS coordinates: 43.05056,76.98500
Latest update: December 6, 2025 16:00
Kazakhstan stretches across an impressive variety of landscapes, from high mountains to vast steppes, from hidden mountain lakes to wide desert plains. The country protects numerous natural areas that show these differences and allow visitors to experience places that remain little changed. In the national parks and reserves, you can walk through forests, stand by quiet lakes, or explore canyons shaped over thousands of years. Among the most visited are Charyn Canyon with its red rock walls, Burabay National Park with its pine forests and granite boulders, and Big Almaty Lake, which sits in a narrow valley at over 2500 meters elevation. Kaindy Lake is known for its submerged trees, their trunks still rising from the water. In the southern regions you find Aksu-Zhabagly, the country's oldest nature reserve, while in the east Mount Belukha, the highest peak of the Altai range, stands on the border with Russia. Each of these places offers its own picture of what nature looks like in this part of Central Asia.
Ile-Alatau National Park
14.9 km
First President's Park
17.8 km
Esentai Tower
19.3 km
Golden Warrior Monument
21.2 km
Almaty Tower
19.9 km
Central State Museum of Kazakhstan
20.8 km
Shymbulak Cableway
13.6 km
President's Residence, Almaty
20.7 km
Kok Zhailau
10.3 km
Almaty Botanical Garden
20.7 km
Kamenskoe Plateau Observatory
14.1 km
Tien Shan Astronomical Observatory
1.4 km
Medeu tract
13.5 km
Butakovsky gorge
15.6 km
Almaty City Hall
21 km
The Beatles Monument (Almaty)
20.3 km
Pioneer Palace, Almaty
20.9 km
Аксайская пустынь
16.9 km
Oktyabrskaya cave
11.7 km
Jambulu Jabayev Haykali
20 km
Gorodetsky Glacier
9.6 km
Monument to Kanysh Satpayev
21.2 km
Almaty Towers
19.3 km
Bakhyt
20.3 km
Ledovoye Pole "Medeu"
13.3 km
Lednik Sapozhnikova
12.1 km
Monument to Gani Muratbaev
21.1 km
Almaty
21 kmReviews
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