Overview
Batan is a small settlement at the confluence of the Turgen and Batan rivers, approximately 83 km from Almaty. The paved road ends here and the landscape opens into broader alpine meadows. The trailhead for Kairak Waterfall starts from the Batan visitors area, which has a café and parking. The trail runs 8 km through dense spruce forest with moss-covered boulders, crossing the river on bridges and improvised log crossings several times. Total hiking time to Kairak is 2.5–3 hours each way, so starting by 10:00 is advisable to return before late afternoon. The trail is straightforward to follow and gains roughly 600 m of elevation.
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Visit notes
Viewing visit notes for Turgen Gorge
Batan Trailhead (Kairak Waterfall start)
Step 4 · 8 km from previous · 15 min drive
Batan is a small settlement at the confluence of the Turgen and Batan rivers, approximately 83 km from Almaty. The paved road ends here and the landscape opens into broader alpine meadows. The trailhead for Kairak Waterfall starts from the Batan visitors area, which has a café and parking. The trail runs 8 km through dense spruce forest with moss-covered boulders, crossing the river on bridges and improvised log crossings several times. Total hiking time to Kairak is 2.5–3 hours each way, so starting by 10:00 is advisable to return before late afternoon. The trail is straightforward to follow and gains roughly 600 m of elevation.