Kazakhstan: Aksai Canyon Monastery
Казахстан: Монастырь Аксайский каньон
The short and easy Aksai Canyon Monastery walk is every bit as much a cultural experience as a natural one. The small Russian Orthodox Serafimo-Feognostovskiy Monastery makes a great dayhike destination for families or casual hikers, combing some pretty and gentle landscapes with a culturally interesting and photogenic end point, all in easy reach of Almaty. Hiking in Kazakhstan doesn’t get any easier than this.
Total Km: 5km
Total Days: 1
Elevation Gain/Loss: 364m+ / 364m-
Start Point: Koklaisay Village
End Point: Koklaisay Village
GPS Files
The road to Aksai Canyon’s Monastery starts above the village of Koklaisay, about 19km southwest of the center of Almaty (further than this by road). The GPS route linked above starts several kilometers south of the village, assuming you’ve hired a car to get here from the city, but if you decide to try public transport you’ll need to add a bit of distance to get to the start of the route.
Out of the village and from our starting point, the path climbs quite gently along an exposed hillside, eventually crossing the small stream and climbing into the forest on the opposite side. Looking back downhill, pleasant views open up of the surrounding villages and out on the plain towards Almaty.
Entering the forest, the first small signs of the holy nature of this area start to appear. Small rock carvings and crosses soon give way to the monastery gate and large ‘Cavalry Cross’, a massive stone carved with an Orthodox Cross at the entrance to the complex. Continue ascending briefly through the woods, and you’ll soon arrive at the Aksai Church itself.
The Aksai Canyon Monastery itself, properly known as the Serafimo-Feognostovskiy Monastery (on Google Maps here), is decidated in the memory of two monks (later sainted) who were murdered here by the Soviet security services. The site itself has a long history, settled by monks driven out of Almaty and into the mountains after the revolution, which is discussed at considerable length here and here.
Several monks (and a handful of lay people in training to take the cloth) still live at the monastery, and part of the touristic interest of visiting is to see and experience their lifestyle here in this rural abode so close to village life in Koklaisay. Everyone was quite friendly when we visited, and if you speak some Russian will in all likelihood welcome you in and share the monastery’s story with you.
When you’ve explored the Aksai Canyon Monastery and feel content with the experience, return to Koklaisay along the same short path that brought you here.
Alternate Options for Aksai Canyon Monastery
The Aksai Canyon is a hiking destination in itself, though typically trekkers will want to enter the main canyon directly rather than detouring up this side valley to reach the Aksai Canyon Monastery. The immediate environs of the monastery are also quite pleasant, full of bird life and mountain views, so if you have time to spare after your monastery visit it can be a nice area to stroll without any real destination in mind.
Good To Know
There are no costs to visit the Aksai Canyon Monastery, no special equipment necessary, and this route is so straightforward that you only really need take the most basic of walking gear along. It’s in good taste to bring a small donation to leave in the monastery chapel, of course.
Getting to the Aksai Canyon Monastery
The hardest bit of visiting the monastery is really just getting there. Though there is almost certainly public transport as far as Koklaisay, we’ve never figured out where this might leave from. Rather, metered taxis from the center of Almaty should charge less than $15 each way – a little more to include waiting time if you ask the driver to stay while you walk up to the monastery. Alternatively, tour companies in the city can also arrange transfer and local homestays if you’d like to spend more time in the area.
