Turgen Waterfalls Day Trip from Almaty by Private Minibus
A day out in nature in the Turgen Gorge — no cramped marshrutkas (shared minibus taxis) and no changing vehicles. A private 13-seat Toyota Hiace with a driver who knows the way to the waterfalls, the trout farm and good spots to relax.
from 70,000 ₸ for the whole Toyota Hiace minibus for the day
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.
We take groups to the Turgen waterfalls in a 13-seat Toyota Hiace with a driver — from 70,000 ₸ for the whole minibus for a full day. We pick you up early in the morning at one convenient point in Almaty, wait at the trailhead while you walk, and in the evening bring everyone back to the same point.
The Turgen waterfalls are a popular choice for a day trip from Almaty. The Turgen Gorge is the longest in the Trans-Ili Alatau and part of Ile-Alatau National Park, and seven waterfalls are tucked away along the Turgen River. Most people go to the Bear (Medvezhy) and Kairak waterfalls: together with a walk through the conifer forest, a trout farm and lunch outdoors, that makes a full day off. It is about 90 km and roughly an hour and a half to the trailheads, so for a group the easiest way to go is your own minibus — direct, with no hunting for a taxi once you are there.
AlaGo drives to the Turgen waterfalls in a 13-seat Toyota Hiace with a private driver. You leave early in the morning so there is time for both the waterfalls and the trout, and while the group is on the trail, the minibus waits at the trailhead with your things. The cabin has air conditioning, a media system and reclining seats, and the price is for the whole minibus, not per person — so for a large group the trip costs less than several taxis.
How to get from Almaty to the Turgen Gorge
The route heads east from Almaty through Talgar and Esik to the village of Turgen, and from there turns into the gorge itself. The distance is about 90 km, roughly an hour and a half on the road. Up to the national park entrance the road is paved and easy to drive; beyond it come dirt roads and footpaths to the waterfalls — which is where it pays off that your group was brought right to the start of the route.
At the entrance to Ile-Alatau National Park a small eco-fee is charged. A day trip usually takes about ten hours including the drive, walks and lunch, so it is best to start in the morning — the driver will suggest a departure time for your program and help with stops along the way. If the day feels too packed, you can stay overnight in the same gorge — see our transfer to Turgen Dacha with a driver.
What to see: the Bear and Kairak waterfalls
The Bear Waterfall (Medvezhy) is the best-known and most accessible in the Turgen Gorge. It is about 30 meters high, and the path to it is short enough even for an easy walk with children. It is the main stop on most trips: a scenic spot among rocks and spruces that you can reach and return from without any special preparation.
The Kairak Waterfall is the tallest in the gorge, about 55 meters. It lies farther than the others, and the way there is longer and more demanding, so it is for those ready for a proper trek. You decide which waterfalls to see — we will suggest options based on your group’s fitness and time, and the driver will wait on site.
Trout farm, national park and the best time to go
Besides the waterfalls, there is more to see in the Turgen valley and on the way: a trout farm where you can catch fish and have it grilled, an ostrich farm, thermal springs and an open-air history and ethnography museum with a statue of the Golden Man next to the Issyk burial mounds; higher up the gorge begins the dirt-road climb to the Assy Plateau — only off-road vehicles get through, and the minibus does not drive that section. Everything below it is easy to combine into one route when you travel in your own minibus and are not tied to a schedule.
The best time to go is roughly April to November: in summer the gorge is green and cooler than the city, and in early autumn the forest turns yellow. For a group of 8–13 people, chartering the whole Hiace costs less than several taxis, and the trip is much easier — air conditioning in the heat, music on the way and no changing vehicles with your bags.
Turgen: how the trip works
Straight to the trailheads
Pickup at your door in Almaty and drop-off at the start of the trails in the Turgen Gorge — no changing vehicles, no looking for a car once you are there.
An early start for a full day
We leave in the morning so there is time for the Bear Waterfall, the trout farm and an unhurried lunch outdoors.
The driver waits on site
While you walk to the waterfalls, the minibus waits at the trailhead with your things — come back and carry on along your route.
No per-passenger markup
For a day at the waterfalls you pay one sum for the whole Hiace, not for each seat.
Turgen: trip price
from 70,000 ₸ — for the whole Toyota Hiace minibus for the day
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
Turgen: frequently asked questions
How much is a day trip from Almaty to the Turgen waterfalls?
From about 70,000 ₸ for the whole Toyota Hiace minibus for the day. The exact price depends on the program, the number of stops and the time on the road — we will work it out for your waterfall trip as soon as you message or call us. The national park eco-fee is paid separately at the entrance.
How do you get to the Turgen waterfalls, and how long is the drive?
From Almaty you head east through Talgar and Esik to the village of Turgen, then into the gorge — about 90 km in total and roughly an hour and a half on the road. In your own minibus you get right to the trailheads without changing vehicles.
Which waterfalls can you see in the Turgen Gorge?
There are seven waterfalls in the gorge. Most people visit the Bear Waterfall — about 30 meters, with a short, easy trail — and the Kairak Waterfall, the tallest at about 55 meters, but farther away and harder to reach.
What else is there to see around Turgen besides the waterfalls?
The valley has a trout farm with fishing and a grill, an ostrich farm and thermal springs, and on the way, near Esik, there is an open-air museum with a statue of the Golden Man next to the Issyk burial mounds. We put the route together for your group.
What is the best time of year to visit the Turgen waterfalls?
The season runs roughly from April to November. In summer the gorge is cool and green, and in early autumn the forest’s golden colors are especially beautiful. In winter the way to the more distant waterfalls is much harder.
How many people does the minibus take for a waterfall trip?
It fits 13 people, plus luggage and gear for walking in the gorge. That is enough for a large family or a group of friends to go to the waterfalls together in one Toyota Hiace. All 13 can travel light; if everyone has a large suitcase or bulky gear, we take up to 9 passengers — tell us what you are bringing when you book.
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.