Aksay Gorge Trip from Almaty by Private Minibus
A gorge on the western edge of Almaty with a trail to the Aksay Skete and the Akzhar rockslide. A private 13-seat Toyota Hiace with a driver drops your group at the start of the trail and picks you up after the walk — no hunting for a taxi at the foot of the mountains.
from 30,000 ₸ for the whole Toyota Hiace minibus, round trip
Not a scheduled bus or a taxi: the whole minibus for up to 13 people — just your group · a driver with 20+ years of experience
The same terms for every destination — price per vehicle, not per seat
Pickup at your door in Almaty
You choose the address and time: home, office, hotel or airport. No bus station and no meeting the group “at the bus stop”.
The whole minibus — just your group
The 13-seat Toyota Hiace takes no other passengers. One person or 13 — the price is the same; we don’t sell individual seats or tickets. More than 13 people — we’ll find a partner minibus for your date; on short routes two runs in a row also work.
Driver, fuel and road included
Our regular driver with 20+ years of experience, fuel, toll sections and pickup in Almaty are all in the quoted price; you don’t pay extra per passenger. National park entrance fees, ski passes and a local off-road vehicle, if your route needs them, are not included.
Round trip
The round trip is one price. The driver waits for your group on site for as long as you said when booking; if you stay longer, you pay only for the extra hours.
Luggage: 13 traveling light, up to 9 with suitcases
Bags and gear go in a separate compartment. If everyone has a large suitcase or a stroller, we take up to 9 people; with skis and snowboards, 9–10. Tell us what you’re bringing when you book.
Payment: cash, Kaspi or invoice
Trips in the city and nearby are paid after the trip. Long intercity trips and trips of several days need a partial prepayment to hold the date, the rest before departure. Companies get an invoice, a contract and closing documents.
Getting to Aksay Gorge from Almaty costs from 30,000 ₸ for the whole 13-seat Toyota Hiace minibus with a driver, round trip. One price for the group, however many of you walk up to the skete: we pick you up at your door, drop you at the entrance to the gorge and wait in the parking area.
Aksay Gorge begins just past Tausamaly (formerly Kamenka), about 25 km from the city center — the drive takes around 50 minutes. It is the wooded valley of the Aksay River, with a well-trodden trail, benches and signposts. The walk has two main goals. One is the Holy Seraphim-Feognost Aksay Monastery for men, which everyone calls the Aksay Skete, on the slope of Kyzyl-Zhar mountain. The other is the Akzhar rockslide, a huge landslide of rock that comes into view along the way. From the entrance it is a few kilometers one way to the skete, and the elevation gain is moderate.
AlaGo takes groups to Aksay Gorge in a Toyota Hiace with a private driver. The asphalt runs to the gorge entrance and the recreation area, and from there you continue on foot — the minibus brings the group to the start, the driver waits in the parking area and drives you back once you come down. For a half-day outing, hourly minibus hire works too: tell us roughly how long your walk will take, and we’ll build the waiting time into your plan.
How to get to Aksay Gorge from Almaty
The route heads west along Zhandosov Street, through Tausamaly and on into the mountains — about 25 km from the center, roughly 50 minutes including city traffic. The paved road ends at the gorge entrance and the recreation area; the trail starts here.
The minibus drops the group at the starting point and either stays in the parking area or comes back for you at the agreed time. If some of your group won’t hike up to the skete, they can stroll along the river and return to the minibus earlier — the driver is reachable by phone throughout the trip.
The skete, the rockslide and the trails of Aksay Gorge
A well-trodden trail with benches and signposts leads to the Aksay Skete — at an easy pace the walk takes half a day, and most people can manage it. The monastery stands on the slope of Kyzyl-Zhar, and both pilgrims and ordinary hikers make the climb; it’s worth checking the monastery’s visiting rules in advance, especially if you’re coming as a large group.
The second landmark is the Akzhar rockslide, a giant landslide of rock visible from the trail. The best time for the gorge is April to October, when the trail is dry; in winter there can be ice on the trail, so mention your plans when you book. Nearby routes you can add to the same outing: Kaskelen Gorge with its trout farms and Alma-Arasan Gorge in the south of the city.
Getting to Aksay Gorge: minibus, taxi or your own car
Public transport ends a kilometer short of the gorge entrance, catching a taxi back from the foot of the mountains takes a long time, and with your own car, one of you has to drive instead of simply enjoying the walk. One Hiace picks everyone up from a single address in Almaty, drives you to the trail and waits.
For a group of 8–13 people, the price of the minibus is comparable to several taxis both ways, and the ride is far more relaxed: backpacks, trekking poles and thermoses go in the luggage compartment, and everyone, tired after the climb, rides home together in one warm cabin.
Aksay Gorge: how the trip works
Half an hour to an hour from the center
About 25 km along Zhandosov Street, past Tausamaly — one of the closest gorges to the city with a real mountain trail.
Right to the trailhead
We drive you to the gorge entrance, where the path to the skete begins — no extra kilometer of asphalt from the bus stop.
We wait in the parking area
After the climb to the skete, there’s no need to call a car up into the mountains: the driver is already there at the agreed time.
The skete and the rockslide in half a day
The trail to the skete, with benches and signposts, is manageable for most people, and on the way you get a view of the Akzhar rockslide — good for pilgrims, groups of friends or families with children.
Aksay Gorge: trip price
from 30,000 ₸ — for the whole Toyota Hiace minibus, round trip
The driver, fuel, toll roads and pickup in Almaty are included. Not included: national park entrance fees, ski passes, a local off-road vehicle, paid parking and pickup outside the city. We quote the total before departure; it only goes up if you decide to extend the waiting time.
This is the price for the minibus, not per seat as on shared group tours: the minibus is only for your group, with no other passengers and no one else’s schedule.
All day trips from Almaty →Customer reviews on 2GIS
“Efficient and fast — a clean bus with a driver arrived on time.”
“Excellent — they provided a minibus with a driver very quickly.”
Real photos — not a manufacturer’s catalog
All photos
- Driver with 20+ years of experience
- Air conditioning and heating
- DVD · TV · MP3
- Soft reclining seats
- Electric door
- Luggage compartment
These photos show our own 13-seat Toyota Hiace with a high roof and a wide aisle between the seats. We took them ourselves: the cabin, seats and luggage compartment of this very vehicle. We have one minibus: this is the one that will come for you, with its own driver at the wheel.
13-seat cabin
Luggage compartment
Aksay Gorge: frequently asked questions
How much does a trip to Aksay Gorge from Almaty cost?
From about 30,000 ₸ for the whole Toyota Hiace minibus, round trip. The total depends on how long the driver waits in the parking area while your group walks to the skete — tell us roughly how long the walk will take, and we’ll give you the exact amount by phone or on WhatsApp.
How long is the drive to Aksay Gorge?
About 25 km from central Almaty, roughly 50 minutes via Zhandosov Street and Tausamaly. It’s one of the closest gorges to the city.
Can you drive us all the way to the skete?
No, only a footpath leads to the monastery — the minibus brings the group to the gorge entrance, where the route begins, and waits in the parking area. The walk to the skete is a few kilometers one way.
How many people fit?
Up to 13 passengers, plus room for backpacks and gear. A pilgrim group or a group of friends travels together in one vehicle, and nobody gets lost on the way.
When is the best time to go?
From April to October the trail is dry and the walking is easiest. In winter the trail may be icy — when you book, we’ll discuss whether it makes sense to go on the day you’ve chosen.
Tell us where and when
We’ll bring a Toyota Hiace minibus with a driver to any address in Almaty at the time you need. Available 24/7.