Tour to the lakes of Kazakhstan Altai, East Kazakhstan

Transfer: Ust-Kamenogorsk - Kaznakovskaya crossing (175 km). Arrival at Kaznakovsky ferry, waiting for the ferry. Crossing to the opposite bank of the Bukhtarma reservoir (4 km). Further transfer: Kaznakovskaya crossing - the village of Kurchum (34 km). Lunch in the village of Kurchum.

Transfer: settlement Kurchum - settlement Barak batyr - settlement Kalzhyr - settlement Markakol (former name Alekseevka, Terekty) (189 km). Arrival in the village of Markakol, shopping. A short walk around the village, visiting and examining the old brick buildings in the village built at the beginning of the 20th century.

Transfer: Markakol village - Derelbiigy mountains - Marble Pass (21 km). In the vicinity of the village of Moildy there is a border post, where documents and border passes are checked. Further transfer to the Marble pass 1317 meters above sea level.

Stop at the pass from here opens a majestic panorama of the surroundings. In the south, on the territory of China, dunes and sands of the Akkum and Kyzylkum deserts are clearly visible, which borders the territory of Kazakhstan with its northern edge. In the south rises Mount Marble, composed of marble rocks, with a height of 1398.3 meters above sea level.

Transfer: Marble pass - nameless pass 1452.3 meters above sea level - Akzhalau village - Belezek river - Tikkabak pass 1804.6 meters above sea level - Urunkhayka village (Markakol lake) 1447 meters above sea level (37 km). Arrival in the village of Urunkhaika, accommodation in a guest house or in tents, dinner, overnight.

Breakfast. Walking tour around Lake Markakol. Ascent to the mountain, which is located east of the village of Urunkhaika, from here a magnificent panorama of the lake and the surrounding mountains opens (1 + 1 = 2 km). We will make a short traverse along the ridge and descend to the southern tip of the lake. Return to the village of Urunkhaika. After lunch, walk along the eastern shore of Lake Markakol to the fishermen's house (3 + 3 = 6 km). Dinner, overnight.

Breakfast. Walk to the Cold Valley (5 km). The cold valley was created by nature itself, it is located among low, gentle mountain ranges. From a small pass, a beautiful view of Lake Markakol opens, the western part of which is lost in the haze. In the vicinity of the Cold Valley, there is an endemic toad that can be seen in wetlands. Lunch on the way. Return to the village. Dinner, overnight.

Breakfast. Transfer: settlement Urunkhayka (lake Markakol) - the bridge across the river Sorvenok (12 km). Stop at the bridge, short walk around. From here begins the Austrian road, which was laid by Soviet military builders in the late 60s, early 70s of the last century.

Transfer: Sorvenok river - Altai pass 1792 meters above sea level (7 km). Stop at the pass, from the pass you can see an impressive panorama of the surrounding mountains and the Altai taiga. Walk around.

Transfer: Altai pass - the first bridge across the Karakoba river (6 km). The bridge over the Karakoba River is one of the most picturesque places of our journey through Altai. The graceful, luxurious and transparent Karakoba River originates in the spurs of the Tarbagatai and Southern Altai Mountain ranges and carries all its waters to the Republic of China. Stop, short walk around the river.

Further transfer: the first bridge across the river Karakoba - "cheeks" on the river Karakoba (7 km). After the first bridge on the Karakoba River, we pass three more bridges over this beautiful river and in a picturesque place, on the right bank of the river, where it makes a sharp turn to the right, we will stop for lunch. Fishermen often stop here to catch taimen and "rainbow grayling". Walks around the river.

Transfer: "cheeks" of Karakoba - Upper winter hut - Burkhat pass 2141.9 meters above sea level (14 km). After the lunch stop, we will also move along the right side of the Karakoba River and soon we will overcome the ford through the left tributary of the Karakoba - Tautekeli. From the Tautekeli River begins a slow ascent to the Upper winter quarters. We pass the winter hut, and the road begins to climb along the rocky road to the Burkhat pass. the stunning panoramas of the Kazakh Altai, to the north, you can see the valley of the Bukhtarma river, from the pass you can see how the Bukhtarma river winds like a thin thread and goes to the west. From the Burkhat pass, the descent into the Bukhtarma river valley begins. On the way from the Burkhat pass, visit the Burkhat-Kol lake, which is located 600 meters from the road.

Transfer: Burkhat pass - Uryl village (41 km). Stop in the village of Uryl, shopping, there will be no more shops further down our path.

Transfer: Uryl village - Berel village - bridge across the Belaya Berel river - Karaayryk (Yazovka) village - Yazevoye lake (50 km). Arrival to Lake Karakol (Yazevoe). Accommodation in guest houses or tents, dinner, overnight.

Breakfast. Lake Yazevoye is one of the fascinating parts of our journey through the Kazakhstan Altai. Lake Yazevoe is located in a picturesque valley, located at an altitude of 1656 meters above sea level. The length of the lake, from north to south, is 3 kilometers, the width is 600 meters. The lake is quite warm in summer, you can swim in it. In clear weather, a magnificent view of the two-headed peak of Mount Belukha, 4506 meters above sea level, opens up from the coast. Only one species of fish lives in the lake - ide. Day of rest on the lake Yazevoe. Dinner. Walk to the Yazevy waterfall (5 km). Walks around the waterfall. Return to the lake, dinner, overnight.

Breakfast. The color of the water in Lake Yazevoe is yellowish-green, with a transparency of up to 4.2 meters. The color of the water is given by the silt and algae that fill the lake. The shores are formed by sand, pebbles and boulders. Two small unnamed tributaries and springs flow into the lake. The Yazevaya River flows out of the lake, on which, approximately 2 kilometers downstream, several waterfall cascades have formed. Walk to an abandoned sawmill, which is located in the north-eastern part of the lake (5 km). Lunch on the way. Here are walks in the surroundings. Return to Lake Yazevoe, dinner, overnight.

Breakfast. Transfer: Lake Yazevoye - Yazovka village - bridge over the Belaya Berel River - Belaya Berel River - Mustache Batyr waterfall on the Arsan River (34 km). Walk to the waterfall (600 + 600 = 1200 meters).

Transfer: waterfall Mustache Batyr - Lake Arasan (Small Rakhmanovskoye) (2 km). Walk around the lake.

Transfer: lake Arasan - sanatorium Rakhmanovsky keys (2 km). Arrival at the resort, accommodation, lunch. After lunch, walk along the footpaths and wooden decks along the southwestern and northwestern parts of the lake (2 km). Dinner, overnight.

Breakfast. Walk to the Joyful Pass 2306 meters above sea level. The pass is located between the rivers Arasan and Black Berel. From the pass, far to the south, a picturesque panorama of the Katunsky ridge and Mount Belukha, 4,506 meters high above sea level, opens up. Only 30 kilometers in a straight line now separates us from the Joyful Pass to the top of Mount Belukha. In good weather, you can see the highest part of the Katunsky ridge, which stretches in a latitudinal direction. From a bird's eye view in the southeast, we will enjoy the view of Lake Rakhmanovskoye, which stretches from northwest to southeast in the valley of the Arasan River. Return to the sanatorium, dinner, overnight.

Breakfast. Today, on rowing boats, we will take a walk along the Rakhmanovsky Lake to the Rakhmanovsky Falls, which is located 2 kilometers on the northeastern side of the lake. The waterfall has a poetic name Veronica's Spit. The height of the waterfall is 30 meters. We will climb to the waterfall along the right side of the river, along the path that winds between rocks and firs. The length of the walk to the waterfall is about (1 + 1 = 2 km). The waterfall forms an unnamed stream, the stream originates from three small moraine lakes located in a cascade, at an altitude of 2265 meters above sea level. Lunch in a gazebo on the lake. Return to the sanatorium, dinner, overnight.

Breakfast. Transfer: sanatorium Rakhmanovsky Klyuchi - Berel village - Arshaty village - Uytas stone (68 km). In this place, to the left of the road, there is a huge stone, it should be noted that there are a lot of slightly smaller stones on the right bank of the Bukhtarma River. The stone has been known since ancient times, its fate remains mysterious. It can be assumed that during one of the strong earthquakes, many stones of various sizes rolled down from the northern slope of the Southern Altai ridge. From a distance, the stone resembles a large house in size, which is why it was called the Stone House. After the end of the service, the soldiers of the local border outpost have a tradition of writing their names and dates of service on the stone, the inscriptions are applied with paint of various colors. Walk around.

Transfer: Uytas stone - Ust-Chindagatuy waterfall (15 km). Hiking to the waterfall (1 km).

Transfer: Ust-Chindagatuy waterfall - Chindagatuy tract - Bukhtarma lake (9 km). Arrival at the lake, accommodation in tents, dinner, overnight.

Breakfast. Walk along the north-eastern shore of Lake Bukhtarma, climbing the eastern ridge, bordering the Ukok plateau at a height of 2732 meters above sea level. From the eastern ridge, a majestic panorama of the Listvyaga ridge opens up before us, which is located to the west of the Katunsky ridge. Lunch on the way. In good weather, in the northwest you can see the dominant peak of the Katunsky ridge - Belukha, 4506 meters above sea level. Return to Bukhtarma lake, dinner, overnight.

Breakfast. Return to Ust-Kamenogorsk. Transfer: Bukhtarma lake - Ust-Chindagatuy tract - Arshaty village - Uryl village (78 km). Stop in the village of Uryl, shopping.

Transfer: settlement Uryl - settlement Katon-Karagai (60 km). Lunch at the cafe.

Transfer: settlement Katon-Karagai - Kaznakovskaya ferry (206 km). Crossing to the opposite bank of the Bukhtarma reservoir (4 km).
Transfer: Kaznakovskaya crossing - Ust-Kamenogorsk (175 km). Arrival in Ust-Kamenogorsk, end of the trip.