Horseback riding and hiking tour to the foot of the highest point of Altai, Mount Belukha (4509m) ‹ Ak-Sai Travel – Silk Road tours, Mountaineering: Lenin peak, Khan Tengri peak, Pobeda peak, trekking, fixed depature dates

Description

Available dates:

July 13-20, 2025

July 22-29, 2025

This is a fascinating journey to the heart of the Altai Mountains - to the foot of the mysterious and majestic Mount Belukha.

The name of the peak comes from the abundant snow that covers the mountain from the peak to the very base.

There are many myths and legends around this legendary and unique beauty of the peak!

Mount Belukha is a place of attraction and pilgrimage for mountaineers, artists, photographers and people in search of energetically powerful places, as well as lovers of wildlife in its pristine form.

Belukha is a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site.

All our journey from start to finish will be accompanied by the most experienced guides of East Kazakhstan!

Itinerary

Day 1. Arrival in Ust-Kamenogorsk

Arrival in Ust-Kamenogorsk

General gathering of all participants in the city of Ust-Kamenogorsk. Dinner in a cafe of the city, acquaintance with participants, with guides, with organizers.

Overnight in the hotel in Ust-Kamenogorsk.

Day 2. Ust-Kamenogorsk city – Katon-Karagai – Yazovoye Waterfall – Yazovoye Lake.

Distance: 450 km.

Way of traveling: car Travel time: up to 12 hours

Early in the morning we leave by car from the city of Ust-Kamenogorsk.

Closer to lunch our crew will arrive in Katon-Karagai settlement.

We get a permit to enter the territory of the national park – pay ecological fees.

We have lunch in the cafe of Katon-Karagai settlement.

After lunch we continue our way deep into the Kazakhstan Altai. In Uryl settlement we pass a border post.

By 6 p.m. we arrive at the place of overnight stay at Yazovoye lake. Dinner. Overnight in a guest house.

Day 3. Lake Yazovoye – Lower Camp (Kokkol)

Distance: 39 km

Mode of transportation: on horses Travel time: up to 8 hours

Early breakfast. We equip horses and set out on the way towards the foothills of Belukha, to the lower camp. We should get ready for a long horse ride and wear comfortable clothes. In the area of lunch we will stop for lunch and rest. After lunch we continue our way to the Lower Camp. Here we will stop for the next days and make day radial walks. Dinner. We spend the night in tents.

Day 4. Lake of Equilibrium. Vera Peak. Shaman’s Labyrinth

Distance: up to 6 km

Mode of travel: on foot (trekking) Travel time: up to 6 hours

Breakfast in the morning. Radial trekking to the lake of glacial origin called “Lake of Equilibrium”. The lake is located on the high-mountainous massif between 3 peaks – Faith, Hope and Love. We will also climb to the top of the mountain “Vera” (the most accessible of the 3 peaks surrounding the lake). The summit offers a great panorama of the views of the lakeside! After descending from the summit we will have a look at the labyrinth of “wishes” made by Russian shamans.

Lunch snack. Return to the camp. Free time. Dinner. Overnight in tents.

Day 5. Prayer Stone (Roerich’s Stone). Small Berel Glacier.

Distance: up to 20 km

Way of travel: on foot (trekking) Travel time: up to 8 hours

Breakfast in the morning. After breakfast radial exit towards the sacral place – Prayer Stone (Roerich’s Stone). We will pass by the “Warm” lake. From the stone there is a magnificent view of Mount Belukha.

Lunch snack near the stone.

Further we will pass to Berel glacier (according to weather and participants’ strength)

We will return to the camp by evening. Free time. Dinner. Overnight in tents.

Day 6. Kokkol waterfall. (rest day)

Distance: up to 2 km

Mode of travel: on foot (trekking)

Travel time: up to 2 hours

In the morning breakfast. After breakfast we will walk to Kokkol waterfall, it is very close to our camp! Kokkol waterfall is a marvelous, magical beauty creation of nature, one of the biggest waterfalls in Kazakhstan, and certainly the most spectacular. The height of the waterfall cascade is about 80 meters.

The width of the stream is 10 meters. The waterfall is formed by a small mountain river Bolshoy Kokkol, flowing out of the lake of the same name and flowing into the Belaya Berel River.

After lunch we return to the camp, free time. (optional walks on additional locations)

Dinner. Overnight in tents.

Day 7. Upper Camp. Kokkol mine.

Distance: up to 20 km

Mode of travel: on foot (trekking) Travel time: up to 8 hours

Breakfast in the morning. Radial trekking to the upper camp of the abandoned mine. Old Tungsten mine (border with Russian Federation). The abandoned mine Kokkol is a unique monument of mining. It was founded in 1938 on the Kokkol Pass (3000 m above sea level). Due to the cold climate, all the buildings and elements of the Upper Camp processing plant are well preserved and represent a wonderful open-air museum.

Lunch snack at the mine.

Descent to the camp. Dinner. Overnight in tents.

Day 8. Lower Camp – Yazovoye Lake

Distance: 39 km

Way of transportation: on horses Travel time: up to 8 hours Return to Yazovoye Lake on horses. Overnight in a guest house

Day 9. Yazovoye Lake – Katon-Karagai settlement – Ust-Kamenogorsk city

Distance: 450 km

Mode of travel: motor transport Travel time: up to 12 hours

Return trip by car to Ust-Kamenogorsk city.

Prices

Cost per person in USD in 2025

Cost of the program: 1200 (USD)

The price includes:

transfer by car from Ust-Kamenogorsk to Yazovoye Lake and back,
night in the hotel on the day of arrival and departure (double occupancy)
night in the guest house of the National Park on Yazovoye Lake. Yazovoye (on the first and 7th day of the tour),
accompaniment by experienced guides-instructors during the whole route (2 guides for a group of 8-12 people),
balanced meals on the route (field kitchen),
cook,
ecological fees for staying in the national park Katon-Karagai,
registration of passes to the border zone,
horses for each participant from Lake Yazevoe to Lower Camp and back,
luggage preparation for the equestrian part, (nets for horses, dense bags)
group equipment (equipped field camp, utensils, solar battery, etc.). )
group camping first aid kit,
satellite phone for emergency communication

Not included in the price:

logistics to Ust-Kamenogorsk (our managers will help you plan logistics from your city),
night in Ust-Kamenogorsk before the tour and after
the end of the tour (our managers will help you choose and book a hotel or apartments in Ust-Kamenogorsk)
lunch in a cafe in the village. Katon-Karagai on the first and the last
day of the route (approximate check: 2500tg),
medical insurance (we recommend you to get it!),
rent a tent, mat, inflatable mat, sleeping bag, trekking poles, backpack or bag (if you wish, you can choose what you do not have and book for the trip).

Additional Info

Always carry your documents (passport/ID)!
(Since most of the route is in the border area)

CLOTHING:

Comfortable clothes for hiking and horseback riding (quick-drying pants, long-sleeved shirt, fleece jacket, windbreaker)
Set of warm clothes (down jacket, thermal underwear, warm pants, hat, gloves)
Raincoat or storm jacket, waterproof pants (it may rain on the way)
Swimsuit or swimming trunks
Headgear (cap, panama hat, etc.). etc.)
It is obligatory a set of change of clothes (for the time of rest in the evening after the active part)
“Flashlights” (shoe covers).
gloves for the equestrian part
shorts with “diapers” (cycling shorts) - for the equestrian part, or a piece of foam.

FOOTWEAR:

Trekking boots
Rubber boots (recommended to take, in bad weather is an excellent option)
Light sneakers or/and sandals for the camp and not large local outings

OTHER EQUIPMENT:

A large backpack (70-80 liters) to hold all personal belongings. Protective rain cover on the backpack (can be rented)
small backpack (15-25 liters) for local day trips
Tent, sleeping bag (comfort temperature from 0 to -5), foam karemat (can be rented from us)
Trekking poles
Headlamp with batteries
Mug, spoon, plate
Sunscreen.