Group meet-up in Ust-Kamenogorsk. Dinner at a city café, getting to know the other travelers, the guides, and the organizers. Overnight in Ust-Kamenogorsk.
Distance: 450 km (~280 miles)
Mode of transportation: by car
Time on the road: up to 12 hours
We depart from Ust-Kamenogorsk early in the morning and drive to Yazevoye Lake. The road runs through scenic landscapes of East Kazakhstan, gradually winding into the Altai mountain serpentine. The first half of the drive crosses endless sunflower fields (in season) – photoshoot breaks required!
We’ll drive along the waters of the Bukhtarma Reservoir, and, around lunchtime, we’ll reach the village of Katon-Karagay, where we’ll arrange permits to enter the national park and have lunch at a café. After lunch we continue driving deeper into Kazakhstan’s Altai.
We’ll enter the national park after we pass the village of Uryl and drive the final stretch to the Yazovoe lake. On the way we’ll stop by the small Yazevy Waterfall, and by evening we will arrive at our overnight stay in a guesthouse by the lake. There we rest after the long road.
If you’re into fishing, you can cast a line — the lake is home to ide (a fish, russian - yaz’), which gave the lake its name.
Distance: 39 km (~24 miles)
Mode of transportation: on horseback
Time on the trail: up to 8 hours
On the morning of day two, we saddle up and ride toward Belukha to the lower base camp. It’s a long ride with one lunch stop midway.
Be ready for a full day on horseback: wear comfortable clothing and keep a rain jacket, water, and a snack within reach.
When we reach the lower base camp, we set up our tent camp. We’ll stay here for the next few days and head out from here on day hikes.
Distance: up to 6 km (~3.7 miles)
Mode of transportation: on foot (trekking)
Time on the trail: up to 6 hours
A day hike to Lake Ravnovesiya (The Balance Lake). This glacial lake sits on a high-altitude plateau between three peaks: Vera (2,591 m), Nadezhda (2,709 m), and Lyubov (3,039 m).
Along the way we’ll snack on sweet wild blueberries and pick mushrooms — the area is rich in both.
We’ll hike Peak Vera, the most accessible of the three, for a stunning panorama over the Belukha region.
We’ll also visit the “labyrinth of wishes” built by Russian shamans.
Distance: up to 18 km (~11 miles)
Mode of transportation: on foot (trekking)
Time on the trail: up to 8 hours
Roerich Stone (the prayer stone) is a sacred place. Legend says that Nicholas Roerich searched for the entrance to the magical land of Shambhala in these mountains — and found it after long wanderings.
Since then, people of different faiths, spiritual practitioners, healers, and simply curious have made pilgrimages here. The spot is believed to have powerful energy: great for meditation, recharging, and – as the legend goes – making wishes that come true.
As a sign of gratitude, visitors leave small offerings like sweets, coins, or meaningful tokens. The stone’s location also offers a breathtaking view of Belukha.
Then we’ll hike to the Berel Glacier, look into its dramatic crevasses, and drink ice-cold meltwater. We’ll also pick wild blackcurrant leaves for tea and see what a moraine looks like up close.
Distance: up to 2 km(~1.2 miles)
Mode of transportation: on foot (trekking)
Time on the trail: up to 2 hours
An easier day to recharge and unwind. We’ll take a short walk to Kokkol Waterfall, not far from our camp.
Kokkol is a stunning natural wonder – the largest waterfall in Kazakhstan’s Altai. The cascade drops about 80 meters, and the stream is around 10 meters wide.
It’s formed by the Bolshoy (big) Kokkol mountain river, which flows out of Lake Kokkol and into the Belaya Berel (White Berel) river.
Distance: up to 18 km (~11 miles)
Mode of transportation: on foot (trekking)
Time on the trail: up to 8 hours
A day hike to the upper camp of an abandoned mine – an old tungsten mine near the border with Russia. The Kokkol mine is a unique monument of mining history.
It was founded in 1938 on Kokkol Pass (3,000 m above sea level). The site includes the Kokkol mine (Upper Camp), the Lower Camp, the road between settlements, and a bridge across the Belaya Berel (White Berel) river.
The Upper Camp is remarkably well preserved. Thanks to the cold climate, the buildings and ore-processing equipment have survived and now present a feeling of an open-air museum.
Distance: 39 km (~24 miles)
Mode of transportation: on horseback
Time on the trail: up to 8 hours
We have breakfast and pack up our camp early in the morning, saddle the horses, say goodbye to Belukha, and head back along the same route.
We descend back to Lake Yazevoye and relax at the guesthouse. In the evening we’ll have a hot banya (russian sauna) waiting for us to finish the day right.
Distance: 450 km (~280 miles)
Mode of transportation: by vehicle
Time on the road: up to 12 hours
Drive back to Ust-Kamenogorsk. We leave early in the morning and return to the city by evening.
