Turgen Gorge

Top choice in Kazakhstan


Part of the Ile-Alatau National Park and located 70km east of Almaty, this beautiful, densely forested gorge, carved out of rock by the whitewater of Turgen River, is a hiker's wonderland. The gorge sees relatively few visitors, so the half a dozen waterfalls, the most impressive of which is the 55m Buzgul, meadows and surrounding mountains remain relatively pristine. You can get here with your own wheels or else do a hiking or mountain biking tour with Kazakhstan Travel Agency.


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8.83 MILES

Some 69km east of Almaty, the main road into the settlement of Esik/Issyk is lined with a dozen or so Saka burial mounds dating back to the early Iron Age…