Ile-Alatau National Park

Ile Alatau State National Natural Park (1996), About 200,000 Hectares Of Mountain Forest, Alpine Meadow, Glaciers And Gorges Directly Above Almaty. It Contains Medeu, Shymbulak, Big Almaty Lake And The Talgar And Kok Zhailau Sectors, Which Are Described In Their Own Rows. · Almaty, Almaty

Ile-Alatau National Park is the protected mountain belt directly above Almaty, set up in 1996 and covering roughly 200,000 hectares of spruce forest, alpine meadow, glaciers and gorges on the northern slopes of the Ili Alatau. Think of it as the umbrella over the city's mountain day trips: Medeu and Shymbulak, Big Almaty Lake, Kok-Zhailau, Talgar Gorge and Turgen are all reached through or beside it, and each has its own row. This row is for the park itself, its gates, its rules and its trails. It suits walkers, families with a car or a driver, and anyone who wants real mountain air within an hour of a big city. Allow a half day for one valley or a full day for a longer hike. It is worth the detour from June to September, and in winter for snow and views. Expect registration or a fee at the gates, and expect vehicle and water-protection rules to change by season. Weather turns fast, and altitude, mudflows and avalanches are real.

Mountain national park occupying the northern slopes of the Ili Alatau south of Almaty, with entry gates on the Medeu, Big Almaty Lake, Alma-Arasan and Talgar roads; visitor registration is at the gates, Almaty, Almaty, Kazakhstan

The park is open all year, but access is controlled at the entry gates, which are usually staffed by day and may refuse entry late in the afternoon. Registration or a permit is normally taken at the gate, and the rules for private vehicles, the road up to Big Almaty Lake and the water-protection zone change with the season and with the water authority. Roads and trails can close in snow, after heavy rain, during mudflow or avalanche risk and in fire season. Exact gate times and fees are not known here, so confirm at the gate, with your hotel or with a local operator before you set out. Trails have no lighting.

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