Bogdanovich glacier: Cool escape from the summer heat near Almaty

Blogger Yevgeny Prochnik has shared footage of the towering ice wall of the Bogdanovich Glacier in the Ile Alatau, describing the landscape as “unlike anything on Earth.” The glacier is located just a few kilometres from the popular Shymbulak ski resort, El.kz reports.

“This definitely doesn’t look like Earth… although it is actually Kazakhstan,” the author wrote on Threads.

One of the best-known glaciers of the Ile Alatau

The Bogdanovich Glacier is situated in the upper reaches of the Malaya Almatinka River, within the Medeu mountain area and the high-altitude hiking routes of the Ile Alatau. It forms part of the glacier system that feeds mountain rivers and serves as an important source of freshwater for the region.

Located at a high elevation, the glacier retains snow and ice even during the peak of the summer season. However, like many glaciers worldwide, it is gradually retreating as a result of climate change and rising average temperatures.

The glacier can be observed during mountain hikes along established routes in the vicinity of Almaty. Visitors are advised not to approach the glacier’s ice wall, as glacier fronts may be unstable and the surrounding area presents natural hazards, including rockfalls and zones of melting ice.

Yevgeny Prochnik’s video has once again drawn public attention to Kazakhstan’s remarkable natural landscapes - sites located in close proximity to Almaty that resemble scenery from another planet.