Butakovsky waterfall - Visit Almaty

Favorite route of Almaty citizens

This is one of the most beautiful places in the mountains near the city of Almaty. The waterfall is named after the Butakovsky gorge, where it is located, and it is one of the most popular tourist routes for residents of the capital. The height of the waterfall is 25 meters, and its full flow depends on the time of year – the creek is the broadest in the spring period of melting snow.

Blue Winter Icefall

Most of the way to the waterfall runs along the mouth of the stream – in one place you will even have to cross it. Along the way there will be clean drinking water right next to you, so when getting ready for a trip you should take empty bottles. In winter, the waterfall freezes, so we recommend visiting and personally seeing these incredibly bizarre blocks of clear blue ice, powdered with white snow, for anyone who wants to experience something new.

Upper / Far Falls

The waterfall that we described is not the only one in this gorge. Upstream there is another natural miracle, another 1.5 hour walk away from the main waterfall. The second waterfall can be seen on the way to the first, it will be located on the western slope of the gorge. On the way you will meet fewer tourists and there is a high probability to enjoy the beauty of the waterfall in reverent solitude.

See also

The “Pearl of the Tien Shan”, Kolsai Lakes, are located 300 km from Almaty, in the spurs of the Kungei-Alatau ridge. It is also called Kazakh Switzerland. These are three most beautiful mountain lakes surrounded by steep mountain slopes. The lakes are located at different heights and form a kind of cascade. The lower Kolsai Lake is located at an altitude of 1800 meters above sea level, the middle one is at an altitude of 2250 meters and the highest one is at an altitude of 2800 meters above sea level.

Lake Kaindy (Kaiyndy), located in the Tien Shan mountain system at an altitude of about 1900 meters above sea level, is a natural landmark of Kazakhstan. It was formed in January 1911 after a strong earthquake, which resulted in a mountain collapse that blocked the river - and the valley was filled with water. In the late 80s of the last century, the area of the lake decreased after the passage of a mudflow flood. To date, the length of the reservoir is 400 meters, and the depth is 25 meters.

It is often compared to the American Grand Canyon, to which Charyn is only slightly inferior in size and not at all in beauty. The total length of the canyon is 154 kilometers, and its age is about 12 million years. The river of the same name Charyn flows at the bottom of the canyon, the total length of which exceeds 360 kilometers.

This historical sight represents several caves decorated with cave paintings from the XIV-XVI centuries. Here you can find images of animals and «sun men» - symbols of the main sun god Tengri. But that's not all! You will be surprised to find images of Buddha and Burkhanov (Bodhisattvas) in the caves, accompanied by Tibetan inscriptions.

State Natural Park «Altyn Emel»

The park is located in the valley of the Ili River and is considered one of the foremost parks of the republic, especially in the field of protection of natural wonders, flora and fauna, as well as in the organization of tourist activities and nature recreation. «Altyn Emel», which in Kazakh means «Golden Sand» was founded in 1996 by order of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan in order to preserve this unique natural zone, plants and animals living in it.

Medeu Alpine Skating Rink

The "Medeo" complex is located on the border of the city of Almaty at an altitude of 1691 meters above sea level. Beautiful views of the tops of the Zailiysky Ala Tau mountains, clean air, soft sun - Almaty residents of all ages and occupations love to spend their time here. Medeo got its name in honor of a nomad who lived here at the beginning of the twentieth century and founded an aul (village) in that area.

Shymbulak ski resort

"Shymbulak" ski resort is unique in its location - in just 1 hour, you can get from Almaty city center to its highest point and drink coffee in the highest bar in the CIS. Here you can find snow even in the 30-degree summer heat. In summer, the average air temperature is +20 C. In winter it’s around -7 C. And there are 300 sunny days a year!

City “Nomads”

This place was built as a decoration for the film "Nomad", which was released in 2005. But you will be surprised by how organically it fits into the surrounding landscape. Now this city is often called the “Nomad Fortress”, and thousands of tourists flock to this tourist site every year. It is located on the banks of the Ili River, just 30 km from Kapchagai.

Big Almaty Lake

Big Almaty Lake, or BAO for short, is a picturesque lake 20 kilometers from Almaty. The reservoir is located near the state border of Kyrgyzstan, however, special passes are not required to visit - and millions of tourists who have visited here are the best confirmation of this. BAO is hidden in a mountainous area with landscapes of indescribable beauty and delicious air filled with the aroma of fragrant herbs and the freshness of the snow-capped peaks of the Trans-Ili Alatau.

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