Before you go
- Vehicle
- Sedan is fine
- Permit
- Not required
- Entrance fee
- Ile-Alatau National Park ecopost charges approximately 506 KZT per person (2023 rate). An additional barrier fee of ~1,000 KZT applies at Batan village if you continue to the Asy Plateau road. The trout farm has a separate entry of ~200 KZT.
- Peak altitude
- 2210 m
- Cell coverage
- Patchy
- Fuel
- Refuel in Almaty or Esik before entering the gorge. There is a Royal Petrol station at the junction where you turn into the gorge (approximately 57 km from Almaty city center). No fuel inside the park.
- Road status
- Fully paved from Almaty through Esik and into the gorge past the ecopost to the Bear Waterfall parking area. The road continues paved to Batan (upper end of the gorge, ~83 km from Almaty). Beyond Batan the surface turns to gravel and dirt; the Asy Plateau requires a 4×4 or high-clearance vehicle.
- Closed months
- Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec
About this trip
Turgen Gorge cuts south from the Turgen River valley into the northern flank of the Ile-Alatau range, starting near the small town of Turgen and climbing toward the high Asy Plateau. The gorge holds seven significant waterfalls at various elevations, ancient Saki burial mounds, relict spruce forest where moss grows a meter thick on the rocks, and thermal springs tucked into side valleys. A park ecopost marks the official boundary of Ile-Alatau National Park roughly 10 km inside the gorge.
The two waterfall targets most visitors choose are Medvezhiy (Bear) Waterfall and Kairak Waterfall. Bear Waterfall sits at 1,530 m, drops 28–30 m from a glacial stream flowing out of a rock niche, and requires only a 1 km walk from the Ak-Bulak café parking area — accessible to almost anyone. Kairak Waterfall, 55 m tall and perched at 2,210 m on a tributary of the Bozgul River, is a full hiking objective: 8 km each way from the Batan trailhead, taking 2.5–3 hours in each direction through forest and multiple stream crossings.
The gorge also has a trout farm about 3 km past the ecopost where visitors can rent a rod, catch rainbow trout, and have it grilled on site for a modest fee. The upper reaches beyond Batan village transition to the Asy Plateau, where the Bugu-Ata (Turgen-Asy) observatory stands — reachable by 4×4 only. For a day trip, the combination of Bear Waterfall, trout farm, and the Kairak hike is about as full as a day gets.
Seasonal window runs April through October for the lower gorge; the upper road closes under snow from roughly November through March. The gorge is genuinely popular on summer weekends — an early start avoids parking pressure at the waterfall trailheads and the trout farm.
Route
Skip map, jump to step listItinerary
Stop 1
Almaty
Depart Almaty via Ryskulov Prospect heading east onto the Kuldzhinka (A351) highway. At around the 35 km mark, turn right toward Esik town and continue through it, following signs for Turgen. At approximately 57 km from the city centre, turn right at the Royal Petrol station — this is the start of the gorge road. Fill up here; there is no fuel beyond this point. The total drive to the park ecopost is around 70–75 km from Almaty, taking 1.5–2 hours depending on traffic leaving the city.
Stop 2
Park Ecopost and Trout Farm
- From previous:
- 75 km · 100 min drive
- Stay:
- ~1.5 h
The Ile-Alatau National Park ecopost is located roughly 10 km into the gorge from the main road junction. Pay the per-person entrance fee and continue a further 3 km to reach the Turgen trout farm, a long-running commercial hatchery on the riverbank. Visitors can rent a rod, catch rainbow trout priced by the kilogram, and have it grilled on site for lunch. The trout farm is popular with families, and its shaded riverside tables make a good rest stop. A golden statue of a Scythian warrior stands nearby at the Kiely-Bulak spring, 700 m inside the park — a roadside curiosity worth a brief stop.
Stop 3
Medvezhiy (Bear) Waterfall
- From previous:
- 9 km · 15 min drive
- Stay:
- ~1 h
Bear Waterfall is the easiest and most-visited waterfall in the gorge. The parking area sits next to the Ak-Bulak café, roughly 12 km past the ecopost and 19 km into the gorge from the main junction. The trail is 1 km long, rises gently, and takes 20–30 minutes at an easy pace. The waterfall drops 28–30 m from a glacial stream flowing out from beneath Zhambas Pass; the water temperature stays below 12°C year-round and the falling water raises a permanent mist. Rocks around the base hold fossilised plant imprints from the pre-glacial period. Brown bears historically gave this waterfall its name, though they no longer appear near the trail.
Stop 4
Batan Trailhead (Kairak Waterfall start)
- From previous:
- 8 km · 15 min drive
- Stay:
- ~0.5 h
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.
Stop 5
Kairak Waterfall
- From previous:
- 8 km · 0 min drive
- Stay:
- ~1 h
Kairak Waterfall is the tallest in the gorge at 55 m, situated on a tributary of the Bozgul River at 2,210 m elevation. The final approach involves a short steep section before the viewpoint platform opens onto the full cascade. The power of the water has carved a visible tunnel through the rock at the base. On warm days the mist reaches well down the slope. Allow 30–40 minutes at the waterfall for lunch and photos before the return leg. September and October bring the most dramatic light and autumn colour in the forest below; July and August are cooler and less crowded early in the morning.
What to bring
- Water (2 L per person minimum)
- Hiking boots or trail shoes — rocky, muddy trail to Kairak
- Windproof layer — temperature drops quickly at elevation
- Sun protection (hat, sunscreen)
- Packed lunch if doing the Kairak hike
- Cash in KZT (ecopost and trout farm are cash-only)
- Trekking poles (optional but useful on the steep Kairak section)
- Rain jacket — afternoon storms common in summer
Sources
Researched from English and Russian sources. Inaccuracies are mine.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bear_falls_(Turgen_gorge)
- https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9C%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%B2%D0%B5%D0%B6%D0%B8%D0%B9_(%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%BE%D0%BF%D0%B0%D0%B4,_%D0%9A%D0%B0%D0%B7%D0%B0%D1%85%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BD)
- https://www.hitchedandhiking.com/hiking/turgen-gorge-kazakhstan
- https://nomadsland.travel/en/before-you-go/kazakhstan/sights/turgen-gorge-and-waterfalls
- https://trekking-club.com/category2/around-almaty/turgen-gorge.html
- https://central-asia.guide/kazakhstan/destinations-kz/turgen-gorge/
- https://x-travels.ru/gornye-poxody/turgenskoe-ushhele/
- https://shopomania.kz/travel/261-turgenskie-vodopady-turgenskoe-uschele-forelevoe-hozyaystvo-strausinaya-ferma.html
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