Big Almaty Lake is set high up in a gorge of the Bolshaya Almatinka River, 2,511 meters above sea level and 28,5 km south of Almaty. It lies in a hollow like a gleaming mirror, surrounded on all sides by majestic peaks. Three main peaks tower above the lake and can be seen from the northern end of the dam: Sovetov (4,317 m) to the south-east, Ozyorny (4,110 m) to the south, further up the river valley, and the forested slopes of Turist (3,954 m) to the south-west.
West of Turist is the crest of Bolshoi Almaty Peak, a 3,681meters high pyramid, which is visible from the city center. Fed by glacier water, the lake is 1,6 km long, almost a kilometer wide and 40 m deep. Higher up above the pale blue chalice of the lake is the domed Tien-Shan Astronomical Observatory, in a very ancient glacier valley 2 km from the lake and at an altitude of 2,700 m. Walk another 8 km and you will reach the Cosmic Rays Research Station at 3,300 m, near the Zhosylkezen pass.
Attention! The road to Big Almaty Lake is closed to all vehicles. The lake can only be reached on foot via a moderately difficult hike, which takes about 3 hours each way.