The Japanese Road in Almaty: An Enduro Perspective
If you ask locals about hiking spots in the Big Almaty Gorge, someone will definitely mention the "Japanese Road". For hikers, it's a scenic trail with a dark history. But for dirt bike riders, it's a prime technical section perfect for testing your grip on loose rocks.
Let me be honest: walking it is a bit tedious. But hitting those switchbacks on an electric dirt bike pushing 880 Nm of torque? Pure adrenaline.
Why is it called the Japanese Road?
Back in the 1940s, this road was carved straight into the cliff faces by Japanese prisoners of war to build a hydroelectric cascade. In some sections, the road is so narrow that a 4x4 truck won't fit anymore due to rockfalls. But on a bike, you can squeeze right through.
Today, the road is abandoned. In winter, it's an avalanche zone. But in summer, it offers some of the most technical riding near the city.
The ride experience
The trail starts just past the eco-post on the way to Big Almaty Lake. You turn off the asphalt and immediately start climbing. Expect loose rocks and boulders - your suspension works overtime. On a heavy gas bike you'd be burning the clutch trying to crawl over them; on an electric bike you just roll the throttle and let the instant torque pull you up. Then come the narrow ledges: cliff on your left, a sheer drop on your right. It gets your heart pumping. The route ends near massive old water pipes, with a view over the whole gorge - the perfect spot to kill the motor, grab some water, and enjoy the silence.
Why electric is better here
The Japanese Road is full of tight, slow-speed technical sections. On a gas bike, you're constantly fighting the clutch and screaming the engine. On a Sur-Ron or an Arctic Leopard, you just glide over the obstacles. You can actually hear your tires gripping the rocks instead of an exhaust pipe.
If you want to tackle this trail, drop us a line. We don't just rent bikes out blindly - we provide the full gear and guide you up there ourselves. We know exactly which lines to pick and how to navigate the trickiest rock gardens safely.
