THE ISSYK LAKE TOUR

One of the main attractions to your visit at Almaty is the tour to the famous Issyk Lake. The Issyk or Isik is a picturesque lake located at the height of 1760 metres in the Issyk gorge of Trans-Ili Alatau, around 70 km east of Almaty among beautiful and thick forests along with vast flower fields. The Lake was formed due to a massive rock avalanche some 8000 years ago, which in turn resulted in a 300m high dam. In 1939, development along the lake was heightened only to be destroyed in 1963 by a glacial mudflow. Today the lake has been restored to its full glory and is loved by all, especially by the adventurous hikers and people who love to just have a picnic on a lazy weekend.

The Issyk lake tour is especially designed for all mountain lovers who can first hike to the beautiful cliffs called ‘The Kremlin walls’ and later camp at the lake side taking in the fresh air and scenic beauty. The tour would start by taking you to the spectacular gorges of Trans-Ili-Alatau along the Kuldja tract famous for trade caravans. In between, you would get a dose on history, as the tour would take you to see the burial mounds of the Saka Period, the Ostrich Farm and the Issyk Barrow. The route would finally take you to Issyk Lake, where you can enjoy the breath-taking beauty of the turquoise water surface and a view of the surrounding area. One can click photographs to seize the moment or can just laze around and read a book or soak in the silence of the natural beauty.