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Route: Jungar Alatau (Almaty Region, Kazakhstan)
Season: June-October
Best Period: August-September
Complexity: Average Complexity Trekking
Height Difference: 2000-3400 m.a.s.l.
Season: June-October
Best Period: August-September
Complexity: Average Complexity Trekking
Height Difference: 2000-3400 m.a.s.l.
DAY BY DAY ITINERARY
Day 1. Almaty - Taldykorgan - Taubulak
Departure from Almaty at 07:00. Arrival to Taldykorgan at 10:00. Visit to local history museum of Almaty region, lunch. Transfer to Taubulak eco-camping (132 km, of which 61 km is in mountainous terrain). During the 6-hour trip there are expected 2-3 stops (10-15 minutes) near the unique places of Jungar Alatau. Arrival to Taubulak eco-camping at 17:00. Accommodation and rest. Dinner, free time and preparation to trekking. Overnight in Taubulak eco-camping.
Mountains of Jungar Alatau serve as a natural border with China and have a length of 400 km. One of the most picturesque gorges of Zhetisu – Kora Gorge lies in these mountains and stretches for 90 km. At the bottom of the gorge Kora River is flowing, which is born high in the mountains, in a kingdom of age-old glaciers. In winter and early spring waters of the river is calm and transparent, but when the snow covering the mountain slopes begin to melt away, the river becomes turbulent and rigorous and easily rolls over the huge boulders and breaks like a match the age-old trees. The road, winding along the river, accessible for good cross-country vehicles only and delivers a lot of emotions to all those who dare to go through it. Around, as far as the eye can see, the forests are. Spruce and fir alternates with a lacy greenery of birch trees, and meadows are covered with colorful flower carpet. The road goes higher and the nature becomes more severe: gay birches give way to high mountain plateaus, and dozens of large and small waterfalls rush down from the majestic rocky peaks. Inaccessibility of this area as a border zone for decades helped to keep here a brown bear, deer, mountain goat, as well as the wolf, fox and the hare, which are quite frequent met by travelers. The clear mountain streams originating from glaciers are inhabited by Osman fish.
Day 2. Taubulak – Kaskabulak Gorge – Kaskabulak Glacier
Early wake-up and breakfast. Leaving the base and trekking up through Kora gorge. Crossing Kora river and trekking to Kaskabulak gorge. The rise through the gorge to Kaskabulak glacier runs along Kaskabulak river, which in some places is very poured, and it is difficult to find a crossing over it. When approaching the glacier, the terrain becomes less enjoyable - heaps of moraine ridges make the rise to the glacier a bit tedious. On the right, there is a lake from which Kaskabulak river originates. This place offers a beautiful view of Kaskabulak glacier, Edelweiss pass, Tentek pass and Kokchetav pass. Setting a camp. Dinner and overnight in the tent camp at the glacier. *Walking distance in this day approx. 16 km
Day 3. Kaskabulak Glacier – Tektensai Gorge – Tronov Glacier
Early wake-up, breakfast and disassembling of the camp. Ascending on the glacier to Kokchetav gorge. The way on the glacier is much easier - the rise is flat, glaciers alternate with rocks. Then we go down into Tenteksai gorge and have a rest. Further we climb to Tronov pass and descent to Tronov glacier. Tronov glacier is one of the largest and the most beautiful glaciers of the central Jungaria. Climbing to the glacier starts from the origins of Shegirbulak river. Stones intersperse with patches of muddy earth mixed with ice, from which the water trickles. The glacier is strongly "torn", cracks occur both clogged with snow, and open, some of which are very deep and broad, and one can hear the roar of water. Hiking is carried in bundles without crampons, gradually taking the left edge of the glacier. The rise is flat, slope is about 15 degrees. Setting a camp. Dinner and overnight in the tent camp on the moraine of Tronov glacier. *Walking distance in this day approx. 8 km
Day 4. Tronov Glacier – Olga Pass – Bezsonov Glacier
Early wake-up, breakfast and disassembling of the camp. Ascend on the east moraine of Tronov glacier to Olga pass. Olga pass is remarkable with that the "classic" path of descent to Tronov and Bezsonov glaciers are quite spaced. To get to declivity to Bezsonov glacier, you must either climb over the rocks of medium difficulty from the western part of the ridge, or to pass on a small steep snowfield on the east side. Descent to the moraine of Bezsonov glacier. Setting a camp. Dinner and overnight in the tent camp at the moraine of Bezsonov glacier. *Walking distance in this day approx. 7 km
Day 5. Bezsonov Glacier – Kora Gorge – Yuzhnaya River
Breakfast and disassembling of the camp. Descend on Bezsonov glacier to Yuzhnaya river in Kora gorge. The descent on Bezsonov glacier is less pleasant: the legs are constantly fail in small gullies in the snow, you can sometimes fail till the knee. Closer to the moraine the way becomes a lot easier. Having descended in Kora gorge, to the confluence with Yuzhnaya river, we choose a place for a camp. Setting the camp. Dinner and overnight in the tent camp. *Walking distance in this day approx. 7 km
Day 6. Yuzhnaya River – Sapozhnikov Glacier – Yuzhnaya River
Breakfast. Radial trekking to Sapozhnikov glacier. Dinner and overnight in the tent camp.
The second largest glacier of Jungar Alatau is named after the explorer Sapozhnikov. The route of his 1902 expedition had covered 2000 miles of the caravan route and took five months. Sapozhnikov approached Jungar Alatau from the south, and afterwards the ridge was crossed by two challenging routes. Members of the expedition were three medical students, a geologist and a teacher from Verny. In 1904, an expedition was repeated, a lot of materials was collected, and a few maps were made up.
Day 7. Yuzhnaya River – Kora Gorge
Breakfast and disassembling of the camp. Descend through Kora gorge. Overnight at the bank of the river near a place of crossing the river. *Walking distance in this day approx. 14 km
Day 8. Kora Gorge - Taubulak
Breakfast and disassembling of the camp. Crossing the river and descend through Kora gorge to Taubulak base. Rest and preparation to departure to Almaty. Overnight in Taubulak eco-camping. *Walking distance in this day approx. 7 km
Day 9. Taubulak - Taldykorgan - Almaty
Breakfast. Departure from Taubulak at 09:00. Lunch on the way in Taldykorgan. Arrival to Almaty approx. at 20:00. *Total automobile mileage in this day approx. 380 km
