Best trails in Ala-Archa National Park

This trail takes hikers high up the beautiful Ala-Archa valley, following the river. Hikers will hike through a landscape that gives the park its name, which means "Brightly-colored Juniper". Along the way, visitors might also see local horses grazing on the grassy slopes. The trail is a rugged, rocky path that gets very steep. The final section of the waterfall is a scramble over large boulders. The reward is a close-up view of the powerful Ak-Sai waterfall and the surrounding snow-capped...

This trail begins with a steep climb from the main alpine camp. From here, the trail becomes a rugged and rocky path, following the Ak-Sai River valley. The hike involves scrambling over large boulders and steep sections. The leading destination is the Racek Hut, a historic, Soviet-era shelter that serves as a base camp. The reward is the breathtaking, close-up view of the massive Ak-Sai Glacier and the stunning amphitheater of jagged, snow-covered Tian Shan peaks.

The journey begins at the main alpine camp, a site with a rich history as a base for Soviet mountaineers. This trail is a well-maintained path that follows the beautiful, rushing Ala-Archa River up the main valley. You will be surrounded by magnificent, snow-capped peaks on all sides while staying on the gentle valley floor. The park derives its name from the native Tian Shan juniper trees that cover the slopes, visible along the entire path.

This trail is a hike to the stunning Adygeny Lake. The path starts from the main alpine camp and takes you up a wide, rocky valley. You will hike through a landscape of sparse grass and native Tian Shan spruce and juniper, which gives the park its name. The trail is mostly open, offering continuous, wide-open views of the surrounding snow-capped Tian Shan peaks as you climb. The main reward for the ascent is the pristine, turquoise-blue Adygeny Lake, a tranquil glacial lake nestled high in a...

This track leads from the Alplager in Ala Archa near the parking lot to the Komsomolets. The trek is technically easy but physically very demanding. You have to cover much altitude to get up and then back down. On your way back you can surf down a scree that saves you a few hundred meters of walking down. If you plan to surf down the scree, identify the right one on your way up. Otherwise you will end up too far away from the track and you will have to climb across some rocks to get back to...

The path begins near the main alpine camp area and follows a wide, well-defined trail along the Ala-Archa River. The trail ascends gently, offering stunning, uninterrupted views of the towering, snow-capped peaks and glaciers of the Kyrgyz Ala-Too Range, which forms the southern wall of the valley. The slopes are covered in dense forests of native Tian Shan spruce and fragrant juniper, which gives the park its name ("Brightly-colored Juniper"). Hikers often spot local wildlife, such as...

This trail is a rugged, mountainous track characterized by steep, rocky moraine and scree slopes. Hikers ascend through dense Tian Shan spruce forests, which quickly give way to exposed alpine meadows and a dramatic, high-mountain environment. The main reward for the climb is the panoramic view from the high passes, which look out over the entire Kyrgyz Ala-Too range. The trail offers a chance to experience local nomadic culture, passing through summer pastures dotted with yurt camps and...