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Belukha

Hikes to the Foothills

A Ten-Day Tour in East Kazakhstan, Summer 2021

Technical Specifications

  • A ten-day tour from Ust-Kamenogorsk to the foot of Mount Belukha (the summit of Altai), Katon-Karagay National Park.
  • Difficulty level – medium (2 out of 3); good physical condition and appropriate clothing and footwear are required.
  • Age – 16+
  • Length of the hiking section – 39 km to base camp (2 days on foot or 1-2 days on horseback), radial day hikes of 4 to 18 km each day (optional), 39 km back from base camp (2 days on foot or 1-2 days on horseback).
  • Drive to the trailhead – about 435 km one way.
Radial Hikes to the Most Beautiful Spots

  • Lake of Balance

  • Kok-kol Waterfall

  • Prayer Stone

  • Warm Lake

  • Mount Panoramnaya

  • Berel Glacier

  • Lake Skazka

  • The “Pravi” Labyrinth

  • Kok-kol Mine

    Tours – Dates – Prices

    Standard

    Трекинг тур “налегке”. Вещи, снаряжение и продукты доставляются до базового лагеря (Нижний лагерь на р.Большой Кокколь) и обратно на конях.
    За дополнительную оплату можем организовать переход до базового лагеря на коне и для Вас. Радиальные выходы по достопримечательностям осуществляются пешком.

    Departure:

    July 1-10 (2 spots available)

    July 17-26 (2 spots available)

    August 2-11 (5 spots available)

    198,000 KZT

    Premium

    Tourists ride on horseback to base camp (Lower Camp on the Bolshoy Kokkol River) and back. Radial day hikes to points of interest are done on foot. At the end of the trekking tour, you’ll relax at the “Yasnaya Polyana” guest house or another one (agreed on before the tour) with a bathhouse, meals, and an overnight stay in a cabin.

    Departure:

    July 9-18

    July 25 – August 3

    August 10-19 (2 spots available)

    357,000 KZT

    On Request

    We can arrange such a tour for you on request, outside the regular schedule.

    The number of people, price, and conditions for the trek, accommodation and meals are agreed on individually.

    We’ll do our best to make this challenging trek as comfortable as possible, so it stays in your memory only for the positive experience.

    We Go Whenever You Want

    You choose the date and go with your own friends, not a mixed group. We can also run a custom tour for a very small group. Share your ideas, and we’ll help bring them to life.

    Belukha Summit Climb

    Tour Description

    • The expedition takes 7 – 12 days, with overnight stays in tents and a cabin.
    • In total, round trip, we’ll cover about 900 km (130 km of which is off-road) and travel more than 80 km on horseback (walking is an option if you prefer).
    • A team of professional instructors will design a program that makes you feel comfortable!
    • The program is prepared individually for each group!
    • To take part in the “Belukha Summit Climb”, you need to be in good physical shape, and prior mountaineering or trekking experience is desirable. The route runs mainly over snow-and-ice terrain and rock formations, so skills in crampon travel and rope work will be an extra advantage for a successful summit. If you feel you don’t fully meet these requirements, that’s no reason to give up on your goal — what matters most is the will to do it, and our experienced guides will make your Belukha climb as safe and comfortable as possible.
    • The cost of the group climb averages $800 to $1,200 per person.

    What’s included:

    • Airport pickup

    • Hotel for 2 days + breakfast

    • Lunch on the way (2 times)

    • All National Park permits

    • Border zone permit

    • Transfer Ust-Kamenogorsk – Katon – Lake Yazovoye

    • Horses for the whole program

    • Horse handlers for the whole program

    • Guide instructor

    • Transfer Lake Yazovoye – Katon – Ust-Kamenogorsk

    • Meals for the entire route

    • Overnight stay in a house on the lake

    Elevation

    4,509 m above sea level

    Route

    From the Bolshoy Berel Glacier via the North-Eastern slope

    Category

    3-A. Combined route: ice and rock

    Day-by-Day Itinerary, Including the Approach to the Route

    Day 1 – Ust-Kamenogorsk => Lake Yazovoye
    Day 2 – Lake Yazovoye => Sersenbay tract
    Day 3 – Sersenbay tract => Lower Camp (Kok-kol waterfall)
    Day 4 – Lower Camp (Kok-kol waterfall) => Moraine Lake
    Day 5 – Moraine Lake => R0 (overnight under the ridge)
    Day 6 – R0 (overnight under the ridge) => BBS (Big Berel Saddle)
    Day 7 – BBS (Big Berel Saddle) => Belukha Summit => BBS
    Day 8 – BBS => Moraine Lake
    Day 9 – Moraine Lake => Lower Camp (Kok-kol waterfall)
    Day 10 – Lower Camp (Kok-kol waterfall) => Lake Yazovoye
    Day 11 – Lake Yazovoye => Ust-Kamenogorsk
    Day 12 – Bad weather (spare day)

    For Athletes: Minimum Day-by-Day Itinerary

    Day 1 – Ust-Kamenogorsk => Lake Yazovoye => Sersenbay tract
    Day 2 – Sersenbay tract => Lower Camp (Kok-kol waterfall)
    Day 3 – Lower Camp (Kok-kol waterfall) => Moraine Lake => R0 (overnight under the ridge)
    Day 4 – R0 (overnight under the ridge) => BBS (Big Berel Saddle)
    Day 5 – BBS (Big Berel Saddle) => Belukha Summit-BBS
    Day 6 – BBS => Lower Camp (Kok-kol waterfall)
    Day 7 – Lower Camp (Kok-kol waterfall) => Lake Yazovoye => Ust-Kamenogorsk

    Descent via the ascent route, using a rappel down the steep inner corner

    Photos From Our Climbs