Assy Plateau and the Turgen waterfalls

An endless high pasture where herders still move their yurts up for the summer and the stars feel close enough to touch.

Region

Almaty region

Start from

Almaty

Distance

about 120 km

Time needed

1–2 days

Best season

June – September

Difficulty

Moderate

Transport

4×4 or high-clearance car; tours from Almaty

Permits

National park fee at the Turgen gorge entrance

Why go

Behind the Turgen gorge, a rough road climbs to the Assy plateau, a wide green valley at around 2,500–2,800 metres. In summer it's dotted with yurts, horses and flocks of sheep brought up from the lowlands. It's one of the easiest places near Almaty to see something close to traditional semi-nomadic life.

On the way you pass the Turgen waterfalls, the most famous being Bear Falls, a short hike from the road. At the top of the plateau, the Assy-Turgen observatory sits on a ridge; the night sky here is excellent because there is almost no light pollution.

There's also archaeology: burial mounds and stone markers scattered across the valley tell you people have grazed animals here for thousands of years.

The story

In Kazakh, the summer pasture is called the zhailau. For centuries, herding families moved their animals between winter quarters in the lowlands and high summer pastures like Assy, following the grass. The tradition survives here, even if the yurts now share space with off-road vehicles and solar panels.

The plateau is scattered with kurgans, burial mounds from the Saka and later periods, sometimes with stone stelae nearby. Each mound represents a family or a leader who once grazed animals on the same slopes; walking among them, you understand that this landscape has been lived in for thousands of years.

The observatory on the ridge was chosen for the same reason the herders love the plateau at night: clean, dry air and almost no artificial light. If you're lucky enough to be invited to look through a telescope, don't say no.

Getting there

Drive east from Almaty towards Turgen village and turn into the gorge. The first part is paved; after the national park gate the road becomes gravel and then a bumpy track up the pass. A Land Cruiser-type car is best; a crossover can make it in dry weather with a careful driver.

Many agencies in Almaty run day tours that combine Bear Falls and the plateau, sometimes with an overnight in a yurt.

A suggested plan

1. Day 1 morningLeave Almaty early. Stop at the Turgen gorge and walk to Bear Falls (around 30–40 minutes each way).
2. Day 1 afternoonContinue up to the plateau. Drive slowly along the valley, stop at the herders' camps if invited, and climb a little hill for the view.
3. NightSleep in a yurt camp or tent. Go out after midnight for the Milky Way.
4. Day 2Return via the same road, or with a capable 4×4 and a guide, continue east through the valley towards other exits.

Where to stay

Several yurt camps operate in summer; book through an agency or find contacts on local travel forums. Wild camping is common; take everything with you and leave nothing behind.

Good to know

• Nights are cold even in July; bring a proper sleeping bag.
• If you buy kumis (fermented mare's milk) from herders, start with a small cup.
• Ask before photographing people and their yurts.