Pass Ketmen
Hello friends!! Today we will go to one of the most beautiful and exciting passes of the Almaty region. The Ketmen pass is located on the ridge of the same name. The height of this pass is 3030 meters above sea level. That is why you can see snow on the pass even in summer. The weather here changes as quickly as in any mountains. A bright sun can shine here and immediately after fifteen minutes you can be covered with pouring rain, so it’s better to be prepared for anything, we were lucky, this time we passed the pass when the sun was shining there, but at the end of the descent we were not covered by a big rain … Because of this, I had to drive very carefully, along the washed-out roads of the beautiful Sharkode valley.
Well, let’s get ready for the journey! Today we will pass the pass from north to south. We will go from the direction of Chundzha city, through hot springs. Here you can take hot mineral baths. Relax after a long journey and improve your health. There are a lot of mini boarding houses for every taste and budget.
Let’s go further. We pass hot springs and head towards the Kazakh-Chinese border. But we need the village of Ketmen. We turn off at the pointer. And now our road stretches up into the mountains.
The village of Ketmen is not big, but cozy and clean. Local residents keep order here. Passing the village in a straight line. A beautiful road opens up for us along a small river. At the entrance to the pass there is a huntsman’s house, and with his permission we go to the pass.
Next begins the Beauty of nature and the palette of colors. Birch groves give way to Tien Shan spruce and a wide variety of grasses. We are already at 2500 meters above sea level. Here, as a rule, precipitation is always abundant, brought here by mountain winds.
Our road is getting steeper and steeper. It was repaired for the last time, probably during the Soviet Union. So in the choice of transport, it is better to take a more passable and stronger car.
And here we are at the pass itself, an altitude of 3030 meters at sea level! In Soviet times, a monument «Bear on a tree» was erected here, but time does not spare anyone.
The view from the pass is simply dizzying! Here the whole Syugatinskaya valley opens up for you. You can also hold your breath to look at the serpentine, along which we have just climbed.
The weather is good here. But you have to consider the height. So it is better to prepare warm clothes with yourself if this is your first time at such a height. Cold winds blow even in summer. But we need move on, as clouds appeared on the horizon, which means that you should not linger on the pass.
On the other side of the Ketmen pass, the road is not so steep. There are no steep slopes and serpentines here, but this makes it no less beautiful. Since this is the southern side, vegetation abounds here. Full meadows of grass, flowers and a lot of livestock grazing. Local cows and wildlife. Local gophers do not even pay attention to tourists and continue to go about their business.
The gorge along which we descend is not long and quickly goes into the Sharkode valley, along which the Sharkodesu river runs. This river has the ability to fill up very quickly with melt water in warm weather and you will have to cross it. In some places, the depth reaches more than half a meter, and you need to be prepared for such water procedures! The valley is very beautiful, like the name itself! And at the exit from the valley, the famous lake Tuzkol awaits us.
If you would like to visit the Ketmen pass, but you do not have such an opportunity. We can help you with this. Our jeep drivers can take you there and show you all the beauty of the local nature.
you just need to write to us and we will select the best conditions for the trip!
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