Big Almaty Lake

Big Almaty Lake (BAO) is a glacial lake at 2,510 metres, just an hour from the city centre. Its colour shifts from turquoise to deep emerald through the season, fed by the melting glaciers of the Zailiysky Alatau. Above the lake rise the Sovetov, Turist and Ozyorny peaks, and higher up the road stands the Tien Shan Astronomical Observatory. The road to BAO is partly unpaved and can close in winter, so a prepared 4x4 and local knowledge matter. It is the shortest ‘mountain escape’ from Almaty — ideal when you are short on time but want high country and snow peaks in a single day.