Hiking in Kaskelen and gorges Aksai.

“Books are the plane, and the train, and the road. They are the destination, and the journey. They are home” 

Anna Quindlen,

The route passes on Kaskelen, Aksay and Kargaly to the gorges, located in the West from Almaty. We pass many rivers and numerous inflows of the river Aksay, our way passes near to glaciers which are on northern slopes of a ridge and by beautiful моренных lakes. Some snow high tops finish Aksay gorge. On top, height more than 4000 meters, it is possible to make an ascention. Then our way passes on Kaskelen gorge through wide plateaus and slopes c a dense fir forest. Last kilometers of our way along rough and abounding in water river Kaskelen and we come on a highway leading in city Almaty.

The short description of a route on Northern Tien-Shan in ridge Zailiskiy of Ala-Tau:

Almaty - settlement Kargaly - river Kargalinka - gorges Kargaly - moraine lakes - river Mynzhilki - pass Osypnoi - river Right Aksai - Glacier Shnitnikov - top Tour - river Left Aksai - river Average Aksai - lakes Aksai - River Southern Kazachka - pass Frontier guard - gorge Kaskelen - Almaty.

Distaance of route: 99 km.
Season: from 10 of July to 20 of September.
The best time for travel: from July, 10th till August, 10^th.
Group size: no more than 12 pax.
Duration tour: 10 days, 9 nights.

The detailed program of round day after day on Kargaly gorge in Zailiskiy Ala-Tau:

Kosher tourism in Kazakhstan.

1 Day. Almaty – Kargaly gorge (23 km).
Transfer from Almaty city to Kargaly village (15 km). The hiking rise along river Kargalinka through a coniferous wood (8 km). Lunch on the way. Dinner and overnight in the tents at height of 2500 meters above sea level.
2 Day. Gorges Kargaly (6 km).
Breakfast. Hiking in the Alpine zone. Lunch on the way. Dinner and overnightin in the tents about the river at height of 3100 meters above sea level.
3 Day. Gorges Kargaly - moraine lakes - river Mynzhilki - pass Osypnoi - river Right Aksai (8 km).
Breakfast. Hiking to Kargaly gorge to the western part of a glacier and passage Kargaly Pass 3730 meters above sea level, descent to mointain lakes at river Mynzhilki (right inflow Aksay river). Lunch on the way. Passage of pass Osypnoi 3710 meters above sea level. Descent in a valley of the river Right Aksay. Dinner and overnight on a green glade at the river at height of 3100 meters above sea level.
4 Day. River Right Aksai - river Average Aksai (7 km).
Breakfast. In the morning hiking through the river Right Aksay and passage in a valley of Average Aksay. Lunch on the way. Rise on the right coast of the river. Dinner and overnight in the tents on a green glade at height of 3200 meters above sea level.  
5 Day. Glacier Shnitnikov - top Tour (4 km).
Breakfast. Early in the morning a radial walking to bottom of ridge Zailiyskii Alatau on glacier Shnitkova and an ascention on peak Tur 4205 meters above sea level located in the main ridge, on a snow and ice slope. Lunch on the wa. In the evening returning in Base Camp. Dinner and overnight in the tents.
6 Day. The river Left Aksai - the river Average Aksai - lakes Aksai (10 km).
Breakfast. Descent to Left Aksay, hiking through the river Average Aksay, rise to Aksay lakes 3250 meters above sea level. Lunch on the way. After a lunch walk to a glacier and the top lake. Dinner and overnight on coast of the bottom lake at height of 3250 meters above sea level.  
7 Day. The river Southern Kazachka - pass Frontier guard (6 km).
Breakfast. Hiking in riverheads Southern Kazachka through pass Pogranichnik 3600 meters above sea level, descent on green glade on a stony slope. Lunch on the way. Dinner and overnight on coast of lake at height of 3200 meters above sea level.
8 Day. Day of rest.
Breakfast. Walk to the lake located in the western part of gorge (6 km). Lunch, dinner and overnight.
9 Day. Kaskelen gorge (7 km).
Breakfast. Descent along of the river to Kaskelen gorge. Lunch on the way. Dinner and overnight on coast of a stream at height of 2850 meters above sea level.
10 Day. Kaskelen gorge – Almaty (43 km).
Breakfast. Descent through a coniferous wood, a lunch in a wood at the river. Hiking to river Kaskelen and to the beginning of a highway (8 km). The end trekking in Northern Tien-Shan. Transfer to Almaty (35 km).

Attention!
1. The program for of people with average mountain preparation. Complexity trekking average.
2. For bad weather it is necessary to have one reserve day (11 Days) or to reduce the program, to take a radial on 5-th or or 8-th days.
3. For an ascention it is necessary to have stud (a belt) with a carbine. It is necessary to have warm clothes and a sleeping bag.

The program of the trekking and photos
Sergey Mikhalkov.