Kazakhstan Gallery
Trans Ili Ala-Too Range
While much of Kazakhstan is known for its vast steppe, the south reveals a striking contrast: the dramatic Trans-Ili Ala-Too and Central Tien Shan ranges. These mountains form some of the wildest and least explored (except for Russian Alpinists) landscapes in Central Asia.
Our exclusive Kazakhstan Gallery takes a deeper look at a recent mountaineering/hiking expedition, completed in July, 2025, through the heart of the Trans Ili Ala-Too Range. Ian and Sam teamed up with some friends from Czechia & Slovakia as part of a greater mission to complete the Kazakhstan section of The Snow Leopard Track.
Spruce forested valleys
Stuck in sinking mud
Traversing river walls
Emergency shelter
Hiking towards the main Ili Ala-Too Range
Yurt Camp in Batan
Hiking towards Togyzak Pass
Togyzak Base Camp
Hiking along the Togyzak Glacier
Togyzak Glacier
Descending moraine walls after Togyzak Pass
Atop an unnamed pass
The roaring glaciated rivers of the Ili Ala-Too
Clouded views of the main Trans-Ili Ala-Too ridge
Trans-Ili Ala-Too Main Range
Views from Selezashchitnikov Pass
Ak Kul Lake
Our final campsite
Laying exhausted in a yurt camp in Batan
Practicing glacier setups before Togyzak Pass
The final push to Togyzak Pass
Our camp after Togyzak
Emergency refuge shelter
The full team at camp
Inside the home of a Kazakh meteorologist
Geared up for Togyzak Pass
Inside the spruce forests of the Northern Tien-Shan
Descending into the Turgen Valley
Heading up an unnamed mountain pass