Big Almaty Lake - The Big Hike Up, and the Easy Way Down!

Join me as we leave the city of Almaty and head deep into the mountains for one of Kazakhstan’s most iconic spots — Big Almaty Lake. This isn’t the regular tourist trail. We take the steep shortcut along the pipeline route, climbing from forest paths to loose dusty rock, tackling old metal staircases, and pushing up to over 2,500 metres above sea level. The views at the top are absolutely worth the effort — turquoise glacial water, alpine air, and complete peace high above the city. And just when the legs are about to give up… we manage to secure a lift back down, shaving off nearly four hours of descent. Absolute lifesaver. If you’re planning a hike to Big Almaty Lake (or just want to see how tough the shortcut really is), this is the full POV experience from a reluctant British traveller who definitely should’ve trained more for this climb. Right, let’s go! 🎵 Music: www.davidcuttermusic.com / ‪@dcuttermusic‬ #almaty #bigalmatylake #kazakhstan #travelvlog