Travel on lakes of Kazakhstan Altai - Markakol, Karakol (Yazevoe) and Rakhmanovskoe.

Short description of tour route from Markakol lake to Rakhmany lake:

Almaty – Zhangiztobe train station - Ust-Kamenogrsk – Bukhtarma reservoir – Shakelmes valley - Keiin-Keriish natural landmark - Zaisan lake - Markakol lake – Altay-Burkhat mountain road - Lake Karakol (Jazevoe) - Rakhmany Lake - Berel archaeological excavations – Zyryanovsk - Ust-Kamenogrsk – Almaty.

Distance route: 1403 km.
Season: June - 1 of September.
Best time for an tour: July, August.
Duration tour: 13 days, 12 nights.

Detailed program day by day from Almaty to Ust-Kamenogorsk:

First variant of tour. Flight by plane to beginning of travel across Kazakhstan Altai.

1 Day. Almaty – Ust-Kamenogorsk (1389 km).

Arrival in Almaty, meeting at the airport, transfer to hotel, accommodation, rest. Breakfast.
Excursion on the town, visiting: park 28 Panfilovsev, Cathedral, museum of musical instruments, State national museum, valley Medeo, Area of Republic (4 hours).
In second half of day flight in town of Ust Kamenogorsk (2 hours).
Arrival in Ust Kamenogorsk, meeting at the airport, transfer to hotel, accommodation, overight.

2 Day. Ust-Kamenogorsk - Bukhtarma reservoir – Shakelmes valley (302 km).

Breakfast. Transfer: Ust Kamenogorsk - village Leninka - village Samarskoe - village Kaznakovka - Bukhtarma bridge (188 km).
Transfer: Buktarma - settlements of Kuygan - of Kurchum - natural landmark Shakelmes on coast of lake Zaisan (122 km).
It is vicinities of valley Shakelmes magnificent ancient multi-coloured loam with unusual beauty of landscapes. Walks in vicinities of valley Shakelmes. Overnight in tents on coast of lake.

Second variant. Transfer by train to beginning of travel across Kazakhstan Altai.

Hiking Katon-Karagay natural park.

1 Day. Almaty – train station Zgangiztobe.

Arrival in Almaty, meeting at the airport, transfer to hotel, accommodation, rest. Breakfast.
Excursion on city, visiting: park 28 Panfilovsev, Cathedral, museum of musical instruments, National museum, Area of Republic (4 hours).
Transfer on railway station of Almaty-II. At 12.30 transfer by train Almaty - Ust Kamenogorsk up to station Zhangiztobe. Overnight in train.

2 Day. Train Station Zhangiztobe - lake Zaisan - natural landmark Shakelmes (340 km). 

 Arrival on railway station Zhangiztobe at 7.00.
Transfer: Zhangistobe - settlements Georgievka - Kokpekty – Ulken Bukon - Buktarma bridge (218 km).
Transfer: Bukhtarma bridge - settlements of Kuygan - of Kurchum - natural landmark Shakelmes on coast of lake Zaisan (122 km).
It is vicinities of natural landmark Shakelmes magnificent ancient multi-coloured loam with unusual beauty of landscapes.
Walks in vicinities of natural landmark Shakelmes. Overnight in tents on coast of lake.

3 Day. Nataural landmarks Shakelmes - Kein-Keriish (41 km). 

Breakfast. Transfer: natural landmark Shakelmes - lake Zaisan - natural landmark Kein-Keriish (41 km).
Vicinities of natural landmark Kein-Keriish are combined from clay, on the beauty this place has unique red, white and yellow nature architectural constructions from multi-coloured clay. Walks in vicinities of valley. Overnight in tents.

4 Day. Nataural landmark Kein-Keriish - pass Marble - lake Markakol (155 km).

Breakfast. Transfer: valley Kein-Keriish - village Terekty - pass Marble (113 km).
In vicinities of village Moildy there is frontier post, here check of documents and permits. The further transfer on pass of Marble 1317 m. a. s. l. The stop on pass from here opens majestic panorama of vicinities, in the south in China barchans and sand of desert which borders by northern part on territory of Kazakhstan are well looked through.
Transfer: pass Marble - village Akzhalau - pass Tikkabak - village Urunkhajka (lake Markakol) (42 km).
Arrival in village Urunkhajka, accommodation in the houses of local residents or in tents, overnight.

5 Day. Markakol nature reserve. Lake Markakol.

Breakfast. A walking tour in vicinities of lake Markakol.
Walk on mountain which is to the east from village Urunkhajka, from here opens magnificent panorama of lake and neighboring mountains. Walk on ridge and descent to southern extremity of lake. Returning in base camp. After lunch walk on east coast of lake to small house of fishermen.
In the evening Russian bath. Overnight.

6 Day. Cold valley near lake Markakol.

Breakfast. Walk in the Cold Valley (5 km).
Returning in village. Traditional evening bath. Overnight.

7 Day. Lake Markakol - pass Alataysky - pass Burkhat - valley of river Bukhtarma - lake Karakol (Yazevoe) (140 km).

Breakfast. Transfer: village Urunkhaika (lake Markakol)  - bridge through the river Sorvenok - (the Altay-Burkhat road constructed in the late 1950s and early 1960s by two sapper battalions of the Soviet Union's Ministry of Defense) - pass Alataysky of 1792 m. a. s. l. (20 km from here begins).
The stop on pass, from here opens an impressing panorama of neighboring mountains and the Altay taiga.
Transfer: Pass Alataysky - the bridge through river Karakoba (5 km).
The bridge through the river Karakoba, picturesque place of our travel across Kazakhstan Altai.
The further transfer: river Karakoba - pass Burkhat of 2141 m. a. s. l. (22 km).
A stop on pass. Fine panoramas of the Kazakhstan Altai, on the north the kind on valley of the river Bukhtarma opens, from pass is visible thin thread the rivers leaving on the West.
Transfer: pass Burkhat - settlement Uryl (41 km).
A stop in settlement Uryl, here it is possible to visit shop both to fill up supplies and to be reserved by water.
Transfer: villages of Uryl - of Berel - village Karaayryk (Jazovaya) - lake Karakol (Yazevoe) of 1656 m. a. s. l. (52 km).
Arrival on lake Yazevoe. Accommodation in the guest house or tents in Katon-Karagai of national park. Overnight.

8 Day. Lake Karakol (Yazevoe).

Breakfast. The lake Karakol (Yazevoe) is fascinating part of our way across the Kazakhstan Altai. Day of rest on lake Karakol (Yazevoe). Walks in vicinities of lake.
Walk to falls on the river Yazovay (4 km).
Returning in camp. In the evening Russian bath. Overnight.

9 Day. Lake Jazevoe - * lake Rakhmanovskoe (45 km). 

Breakfast. After a breakfast transfer: lake Karakol (Yazevoe) – village Karaayrayk (Yazovaya) - lake Rahmanovskoe (40 km).
The lake Rakhmanovskoe is at height of 1760 m. a. s. l. (45 km). After descent from lake Karakol (Yazevoe), we shall visit a facilities of marals. Arrival on lake Rahmanovskoe, accommodation near health resort Rakhmanovsky klyuchi. Walks in vicinities on the lake. Overnight.

10 Day Lake Rakhmanovskoe - walk on pass Radostnyi (3 + 3 = 6 km).

Breakfast. Walk on the pass of Radostnyi 2306 meters high above sea level.
The pass is between two rivers Arasan and Black Berel. From the pass, it is far on the South, the picturesque panorama to Katun Range and Mount Belukha high 4506 m. a. s. l. opens. Only 30 kilometers, separate us from the pass Radostnyi to Mount Belukha top now.
In good weather it is possible to see the highest part of Katun Range which was stretched in the width direction. From height of bird's flight in the southeast we will enjoy a view of Rakhmanovsky lake which was stretched from the northwest on the southeast in the valley of the river Arasan.
Return to tent camp on resort Rakhmanovsky klyuchi, dinner and overnight.

11 Day. Lake Rakhmanovskoe – Berel burial mound - settlenet Katon-Karagay (286 km). 

Breakfast. Transfer: lake Rahmanovskoe - bridge through the river Bukhtarma – village Berel – Berel burial mound (40 km).
Visiting Berel of barrows where there were archeological excavations.
Transfer: Berel excavation - settlement Katon-Karagai (76 km).
Arrival in Katon-Karagay, accommodation in hoe guest house, dinner and overnight.

12 Day. Katon-Karagay - Ust Kamenogorsk (396 km).
Breakfast. Transfer: settlements of Katon-Karagay - of Ulken Naryn - Bukhtarma water basin - Bukhtarma bridge (208 km).
Transfer: Bukhtarma bridge - Ust-Kamenogorsk (188 km).
Arrival in Ust-Kamenogorsk, accommodation in the hotel, dinner and overnight.

13 Day. Ust Kamenogorsk - Almaty. 

Breakfast. Seeing in the airport. 
Flight: Ust Kamenogorsk - Almaty (2 hours).
 Arrival in Almaty,  end of the tour.

* The note:

The Rakhmanovskie Klyuchi sanatorium announced its closure and ceased accepting guests in June 2021. The reopening date for the sanatorium is unknown.
In addition to the sanatorium, accommodation is currently available (December 2025) at the only guesthouse, "Sunrise Rakhmani," which is already booked until August 2026.

Note:
Author program of Alexander Petrov. Copying and introduction -  from the sanction of the author.

Photos by:
Alexander Petrov.