11 Passes of Tian-Shan, 12 Days
Almaty, Kazakhstan
12 days
$3,500 / person
Highlights
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Fuel station
Almaty sits under a wall of mountains, but most of the valleys closest to the city are now closed to private motor traffic: the road to Big Almaty Lake and the road up to Medeu and Shymbulak both have checkpoints and access rules that keep changing. The Turgen gorge is the mountain valley you can still ride. The road runs east along the foothills through Talgar and Esik, where the Golden Man, the gilded Saka warrior on top of the monument you start from, was dug out of a burial mound, then turns south at Turgen and follows a fast mountain river for 25 km into the Ile-Alatau National Park, climbing from orchards and meadows into dark spruce forest.
It is an honest out-and-back: the gorge is a dead end for road bikes, so you ride the same road home, and the descent along the river is as good as the climb. The whole route is tarmac and the gradients in the gorge are gentle, so a rented 150–250 cc bike will manage it without trouble. The work is at the start and finish: the first 30 km through Almaty's eastern suburbs and Talgar are busy, and the foothill road passes through a string of towns. Leave early, and save the waterfall walk for when you are in the gorge.
Longest stretch without a fuel station: about 52 km, between km 63 and km 115.
The ride, stop by stop
- 1km 0
Start
Republic Square
Photo: Меридианец, CC BY-SA 4.0 Almaty's ceremonial square, with the Independence Monument at its centre: a tall column topped by the Golden Man, a Saka warrior in gilded armour standing on a winged snow leopard. The original golden suit was found in a burial mound at Esik, which you pass in about 45 km. Nazarbayev Avenue, your first road out of the city, is a few hundred metres away.
Tip: The city has plenty of fuel stations; the last ones before the gorge are in Turgen, so fill up there at the latest.
The roadkm 0–9
Out of Almaty
Nazarbayev AvenueTole Bi StreetEastern BypassMulti-lane city roadsNazarbayev Avenue and Tole Bi Street take you east to the Eastern Bypass, which you follow for a short stretch before turning onto the Talgar road. Expect heavy traffic, frequent lights and lane-changing minibuses. Almaty drivers are quick and close; keep your distance and your eyes up.
The roadkm 9–30
The Talgar road
KZ05-09Malkeyev Street, TalgarTalgar RoadKonayev Street, TalgarMulti-lane highway and town streetsThe KZ05-09 runs east through a continuous ribbon of suburbs to Talgar, with fuel stations every few kilometres. It is straight, busy and lined with shops and side roads, so watch for cars pulling out and stopping without warning. Through Talgar the route follows Malkeyev and Konayev streets.
The roadkm 30–64
Along the foothills
KZ05-09Two-lane tarmac through towns and villagesBeyond Talgar the KZ05-09 rolls east along the foot of the range, dipping to about 775 metres before rising through Esik at around 1,030 metres and on to Turgen. The mountains fill the view to the south. Traffic thins, but the road passes through towns and villages where you should expect pedestrians, livestock and speed bumps.
- 2km 45.7
SightDetour
Issyk kurgans, Esik
Allow 45–60 minAbout 4 km each way, north from the road through Esik
A field of large Saka burial mounds on the northern edge of Esik, now a state historical and cultural museum-reserve. In 1969–70 archaeologists opened one of them and found the Golden Man, a young warrior buried in a costume covered with thousands of gold plaques, which became a national symbol of Kazakhstan. The mounds themselves are grassy hills against the mountains; the museum beside them tells the story.
Tip: Turn north onto Tauelsizdik Street in Esik and follow it to Altyn Adam Alley, which leads to the mounds; check that the museum is open before you make the detour.
The roadkm 64–89
The Turgen gorge
KZ05-09Two-lane tarmac, gentle climb with river cornersAt Turgen the road turns south into the gorge and climbs steadily beside the river, from about 1,020 metres to 1,668 metres at Batan. At about km 70 is the national park ecopost, a barrier where the park entrance fee is paid. Above it the road winds with the river, with mostly open, well-sighted corners, but watch for rockfall and gravel washed across the road after rain, cars parked on the verges at weekends and riders coming down fast.
- 3km 81.7
Sight
Bear Waterfall
Allow 1½ hours
Photo: Nikolai Bulykin, CC BY-SA 4.0 Halfway up the gorge, the Medvezhya stream comes in from the north through a narrow, rocky side valley, and a footpath follows it up to the Bear Waterfall, about 30 metres high. It is the gorge's best-known walk: allow around half an hour each way on a path that is rocky and steep in places. Even if you skip it, the meeting of the two rivers by the road is a good place to stop.
Tip: Bring proper footwear for the path rather than riding boots with smooth soles, and keep an eye on your bike and helmet: the side valley is busy on summer weekends.
- 4km 88.5
Viewpoint
Batan, end of the tarmac
Allow 30 min
Photo: Nikolai Bulykin, CC BY-SA 4.0 The turnaround, at nearly 1,700 metres and the highest point of the ride. The valley narrows, spruce forest comes down to the river on both sides, and the air is noticeably cooler than in Almaty. Beyond here the road turns to gravel and dirt and climbs on towards the Assy plateau; the Kairak waterfall is a walk of a few hours further up the valley. For a road bike, this is the end.
Tip: Don't be tempted onto the track beyond the tarmac on a rented road bike: it is rough, remote and soon a long way from help.
The roadkm 89–177.6
The way home
KZ05-09Konayev Street, TalgarTalgar RoadMalkeyev Street, TalgarP-17Eastern BypassTole Bi StreetSame roads in reverseBack down the gorge and west along the foothills the way you came. The descent is gentle, so the river corners are a pleasure rather than a test. The final run from Talgar into Almaty is busy, and slower in the evening rush; the last few kilometres follow slightly different one-way streets back to the square.
- 5km 177.6
Finish
Republic Square
Back down the gorge, back along the foothills and back into the city to where you started. The evening traffic into Almaty from Talgar is the slowest part of the day, so time your return before the rush if you can.
Before you ride
Licence and insurance
You need a licence that covers motorcycles: a Kazakh licence, or your national licence with an International Driving Permit that includes motorcycles. Check the current rules for your nationality before riding, carry the bike's papers and insurance documents, and expect to be stopped at police checks on the roads out of Almaty.
Which bike
The whole route is tarmac and the climb up the gorge is gentle, so anything from a 150 cc bike upwards will do it comfortably, two up included. A bike with some comfort for the long run through the suburbs makes the day easier; nothing here needs off-road tyres unless you continue beyond the tarmac, which this page does not recommend.
Fuel
Fuel stations are plentiful from Almaty to Talgar and through Esik and Turgen. There are none in the gorge itself, so fill up in Turgen on the way in: from there to the end of the tarmac and back to Turgen is about 50 km.
National park rules
The gorge is part of the Ile-Alatau National Park and an entrance fee is charged for vehicles at the ecopost. The park closes the road to traffic at times, after heavy rain or rockfall and when glacial lakes upstream threaten mudflows; check for current closures before you set out.
When to ride
June to September is the season, when the gorge is green and the road is clear. In spring snowmelt and heavy rain bring mudflow warnings and closures, and from late autumn to early spring snow and ice make the upper gorge cold and slippery. Even in summer it is markedly cooler at the top than in Almaty; afternoon thunderstorms are common in the mountains.
Traffic and safety
Kazakhstan drives on the right. Helmets are compulsory for rider and passenger. City traffic in Almaty is fast and aggressive, and speed cameras are common across Almaty. Summer weekends bring crowds to the gorge; a weekday is far quieter.
Why not Big Almaty Lake or Medeu
These are the mountain goals most visitors ask about, but private motor traffic is restricted on both roads: the road to Big Almaty Lake has been closed to vehicles for long periods, and access to Medeu and Shymbulak is controlled at a checkpoint under rules that change. Check the current rules if you want to try them. The Turgen gorge gives you the same mountain scenery on a road you can ride.
Rather ride with a local?
These operators run guided tours from Almaty, listed alphabetically. Contact any of them through Moto Mass.