Big Almaty Lake

Big Almaty Lake is a high-altitude mirror in the Trans-Ili Alatau, only fifteen kilometers from Almaty. It lies at 2,510 meters and reaches depths of up to 40 meters, with steep wooded shores. In summer, the water changes from pale green to turquoise blue and reflects the peaks of Sovetov, Ozerny, and Tourist, while the pyramid of Big Almaty Peak rises to the northwest. The Bolshaya Almatinka River enters the lake from the south. Osman, marinka, and rainbow trout inhabit the mountain rivers of the park. Snow leopards, Tien Shan brown bears, Central Asian lynx, and Siberian ibex can also be found in the region. On a clear day, the lake becomes a mirror-like panorama of alpine ridges.

A legend says that Big Almaty Lake was formed from the tears of a girl named Alma. She loved a warrior who went to war and never returned. Each day, she climbed the mountain and cried for him until her tears gathered into a lake. The water has carried her name and her sorrow ever since.