About this experience
One of the most beautiful and wild routes lies ahead of you - the pass and the mountain Kaskabas. Trekking on it is of medium difficulty, so there are few people here. Perfect to admire the incredible views. You need good physical preparation, we provide transfer, conduct the hike, tell stories about the area. Be prepared to see traces of wild animals!
What to expect
From Almaty by car we will reach the Ile-Alatau National Park, from where we will start hiking.
- From the very beginning of the route, beautiful landscapes await us: mountain forests of Tien Shan spruce, giant burdocks taller than human height, traces of avalanches, snow-white snow in winter. Climbing to the Kaskabas pass at an altitude of 2550 meters above sea level, we will take a short break: from here you can see cosmic views of alpine meadows and the Kargalinsky River valley.
- After the rest, we will head directly to Mount Kaskabas. In Kazakh, Kaskabas translates as "bald head". As soon as we pass the highest point of the mountain forest zone, fantastic views will open up before us. You would never think that a bald mountain, to which there is a 40-minute climb remaining, can look so magnificent against the background of mountain fields and stone peaks. From here, you can see one of the best panoramas of the city, mountains, and peaks of Zailiysky Alatau.
- Reaching the signboard Kaskabas 2932 m, you will understand why Almaty is among the most beautiful cities on our planet and in the World TOP-10 best cities for mountain tourism. Here we will have a good rest, take photos, look through binoculars: maybe we will be able to spot traces of a snow leopard on the slopes! Then we will start a pleasant descent.
Keep in mind, the route is little-traveled, it is easy to come across traces of brown bears, lynxes, and other animals here. And above the Berkut-Tas pass, you can often see the flights of the world's strongest eagle - the golden eagle.
Who is this hike suitable for
Moderately difficult mountain trekking - only for physically prepared travelers. Not suitable for people with heart, lung, respiratory diseases, asthma, epilepsy, and a predisposition to altitude sickness. Do not take children and primary school students on the hike. High school students and older with good physical fitness and hiking experience are allowed to participate.
Organizational details
Includes
- Transfer from the hotel to the starting point and back
- 1 liter of water per participant
- Services of a mountain guide
- Ecological fee in the national park
This excursion is designed for a group from 1 to 4 people. On request, we can conduct it for a larger number of participants, specify details in correspondence. For an additional fee, participation of mountain guides with knowledge of English and German is possible.
Equipment
- Sports clothing according to the season, additionally take a set of clothes in case of cooling
- Cap, trekking poles, trekking boots or sneakers with a strong tread - mandatory
- Sunglasses, gloves, raincoat - desirable
- Each participant brings a hiking snack and a minimum of 2 liters of water
Route characteristics
- Distance - 7 km one way, total - 14 km
- The walking part will take 4-5 hours of ascent and 2-3 hours of descent
- Elevation gain 1291 m
- Total transfer time by car in the city and the national park - 2 hours
- Tour time: 07:00-19:00
Cancellation due to external reasons
Hiking may be canceled 1 day or on the day of departure in case of emergencies warning of danger in the mountains, avalanches, downpours, lightning, forest fires, and mudflows. In this case, we will offer you either rescheduling for another day, or another route, or a refund of the prepayment.
