Mountain rivers and gorges Firstly, let's answer the question of what is meant by the word "gorge". It is a deep mountain valley with steep inaccessible slopes. But what then is the difference between the gorge and the canyon? The fact is that unlike the canyon, the bottom of the gorge is not completely occupied by the river, so gorges often play the role of a natural pass in the mountains.
Glaciers are the main source of food for mountain rivers. The main part of glaciers in Kazakhstan is located on the territory of the Almaty region, so the main part of mountain rivers with their gorges is located here. In this topic, we invite you to get acquainted with the most beautiful of them, which often become the destinations of our jeep tours.
The Turgen gorge and the Turgen river (Turgen is a camp from the Kazakh language) are famous far beyond the borders of Kazakhstan for their numerous alpine and subalpine pastures. It was noticed that the most humid part of the Zailiyskiy Alatau is its central region - Almaty, Talgar, Issyk. In the Turgen Gorge climate is noticeably drier, and this dryness, as well as a large number of sunny days, are most favorable for human health. The area of the gorge is quite urbanized, so everyone will find a personal vacation. There are recreation centers, trout farms, and the ruins of the Tau-Turgen sanatorium (with the history of which we will introduce you) for lovers of the USSR heritage. The waterfalls of Turgen are worth mentioning separately. Bear Waterfall is located a couple of kilometers from the main road and a little trekking to it is not difficult in all. The name of the waterfall is associated with the fact that this area is the habitat of the red book white-clawed bear.
The Issyk Gorge is located on the territory of the Ile-Alatau National Park. The flora of the national park and reserve is diverse. In the vicinity of the gorge, there are Shrenk spruce, Sivers apple, common apricot, hawthorn, aspen, Tien Shan birch, mountain ash, wild rose, barberry, juniper and others. The history of the Issyk Gorge is linked with the disaster that occurred in 1963. Then a powerful mudflow actually destroyed the pearl of the gorge - Lake Issyk and claimed the lives of hundreds of people. At this moment, the lake has recovered (a third of its original volume remained) and a cross was erected on its shore in memory of the victims of the disaster. Previously, the gorge was a developed recreational facility in the USSR, now you can walk through the ruins of the bus station and other tourist infrastructure, and the nature of the gorge continues to please the eye.
From almost anywhere in the city you can see a peak that resembles a pyramid - Big Almaty Peak. There are gorges to the right and left of the pyramid: the Almaty (Prokhodnoye) gorge on the left, and the Ozernoye gorge on the right. At the foot of the peak, these two rivers (Prohodnaya and Ozernaya) merge and give rise to the Big Almaty Gorge, the highlight of which is the Big Almaty Lake. An interesting fact is that the gorge began to be called the Big Almaty, since it originates at the foot of the peak of the same name, one lake in fact should not be called the Big Almaty, because it is located in the Ozernoye Gorge.
During the Soviet era, the Passable gorge (Almaty gorge) was an integral part of mountain hikes, and it got its name due to the fact that through the Prokhodnoye one could go down to the Chon-Kimin valley in Kyrgyzstan. Now there are other requirements of the border services, and the routes have lost their relevance. At the moment, we also drive small trekking during jeep tours, and the goal is refined radon springs, located 2 km from the parking lot.
Small Almaty Gorge is famous all over the world. Its pearl is the Medeu skating rink, the "factory of world records". The gorge impresses with its panorama: Mount Mokhnatka with a thick head of spruce forest, above it is the Kumbel and Abay peak, the huge rocks of the Tuyuk-Su gate. The area is known for 46 climbing routes from the easiest to the most difficult. Between the Small and Big Almaty gorges, there is a huge alpine meadow called Kok-Dzhailau. This is one of the most popular hiking trails. The entire climb goes through spruce and birch forests and takes 2-3 hours. From the plateau, you can climb the neighboring Kumbel peak - 3200 meters above sea level. The ascent to the ridge of Mount Kumbel takes place near large rocky outcrops called “Three Brothers” (3000 m). Adjacent to the Small Almaty Gorge Butakovka is a favorite vacation spot for Almaty residents. The gorge is famous for its waterfall.
The Komirshi gorge is located at the beginning of the Ketmen ridge and is fundamentally different from all other gorges in the Almaty region. Its characteristic feature is white rocky bastions, sometimes overgrown with Schrenck spruce, which creates a unique landscape. The picturesque road along the gorge is decorated with the Komirshi Gate - a high white rock that creates a narrow pressure on the mountain river.
The upper reaches of the Temirlik River, which is a tributary of the Charyn River, is formed by a wonderful rocky gorge overgrown with spruce forest. On the way to the Temirlik gorge, we pass the last village on the way, which is called Tuyuk. Tuyuk is translated from Kazakh as "the last". There is a lead mine, and the inhabitants of the village since the times of the USSR have been living by this industry. During the jeep tour, we drive along the bottom of the gorge until the moment where the rocks create too much pressure and there is no way to go further. On the way, we overcome small fords 7 times, and the surrounding landscapes deserve admiration.
The gorges considered above are mainly mountain ranges of the Central Trans-Ili Alatau. The western part of its mountains has a lower height and less rich flora. It is no coincidence that the city at the foot of the western part of the ridge is called Kaskelen, which means “bald mountain” in Kazakh. But there is a wonderful place there. The picturesque Kaskelen Gorge is located at a short distance from the city. The sight alone is breathtaking. There you can observe young Tien Shan spruces, carefully planted by foresters, as well as the lands of the first president of the Republic of Kazakhstan. It is immediately evident that everything was done there for people! Also in the Kaskelen gorge there is a maral farm, where you can buy a wide variety of products from antlers in our jeep tours, as well as look at the huge marals walking freely along the slopes of the gorge.
