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Asia central asia Kazakhstan

Big Almaty Lake

Stories and Photos from my travel to the most beautiful natural alpine reservoir near Almaty.

Destination 》Asia 》Central Asia 》Kazakhstan 》Big Almaty Lake

Year Visited: 2019 – July

During my travel through Kazakhstan, I made a day trip to Big Almaty Lake from Almaty. I took a trip to the mountain with a final-year college student, making a friend along the way. 

The Big Almaty Lake is a natural alpine reservoir, located 15 KM from Almaty. The lake is nestled in the Trans-ili Alatau Mountains, part of the Tian Shan mountains range. Depending on the time of day/month/year, the lake changes color from light-green to turquoise-blue. The lake is a major source of drinking water for the city of Almaty.

Since 2020, the Almaty Biosphere Reserve, located on the Zailiysky Alatau ridge, on the watershed of several river basins featuring a number of lakes, has become a part of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage site.

Beyond the lake, the drive through the mountains features gorgeous views of the Valley of Flowers

A valley full of wild flowers on the way to the Big Almaty Lake.
A day out in the mountains.
One of many road side waterfall on the way to the Big Almaty Lake.
A water fall on the way to the Big Almaty Lake.
The Big Almaty Lake, a natural reservoir perched high in the Ili Alatau mountains, more than 8,000 feet above sea level, backdropped by three peaks that rise above the canyon.
At the Big Almaty Lake

After spending a wonderful day in the mountains and having a picnic lunch near the lake, we came back to Almaty just before the dinner.

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By Window on The World

In May 2017, 23 days before I was going to complete 50 years, grabbed an opportunity and took an early retirement.. Picked up a backpack and traveling ever since.. Love to travel around the world, experience different culture, local cuisine & drinks .. and take pictures.. so far been to 108 countries and still counting...

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