The ascent from the Aktry Mountaineering Camp to the Blue Lake is the most popular route in the Aktry Valley. In fact, it is the only one available for unprepared tourists. All other routes lead to mountain peaks that are accessible only to climbers with special equipment.
The ascent begins at the Mountaineering Camp Aktry at an altitude of 2150 m. The route is 5.2 km long. The climb is 720 m. Blue Lake is located in the glacial zone at an altitude of 2823 meters. For climbing, even in the summer, warm clothes and trekking boots are mandatory.
The path to the Blue Lake begins in the Valley of the Aktry River, above which the Karatash peak rises (3534 m). On the right is the long slope of Mount Kyzyltash, where you can see numerous scree stones. At first, the trail goes through a coniferous forest, but as you climb, the trees remain at the bottom, only occasionally you can see flowers and plants among the stones. The trail runs along the bed of the Aktry River, which is fed by glaciers.
The Small Aktry glacier is visible at the very beginning of the trail on the left side of Mount Karatash. After a few kilometers, the observation deck offers a view of the left tongue of the Big Aktry glacier. It hangs over the valley of the Aktry River on the steep slope of the Peak of Radist mountain.
After that, the trail comes to the most difficult segment at the foot of the Ram`s Foreheads mountains. Here you need to climb a steep slope. In rainy times, this trail becomes quite slippery and difficult to climb.
After the Ram`s Foreheads, there is a view of the most powerful left tongue of the Big Aktry Glacier. The thickness of the ice here reaches 360 meters. The trail goes along a stone scree a few meters from the glacier and at an altitude of 2823 meters, tourists come to the Blue Lake.
The color of the water in the Blue Lake is not blue, but turquoise. The lake is located in a hollow between mountain peaks. Its height exceeds 3000 meters. The lake is covered with ice from September to June. You can enjoy its beautiful water color only two months a year – July and August. Climbers on its shore undergo acclimatization before climbing difficult routes to the glaciers.
