Nurali Aliyev joins Almaty's snowbound networking hike to discuss consciousness and leadership

A business networking hike in Almaty drew extra attention this week when Nurali Aliyev, grandson of Kazakhstan's former president, joined as a guest speaker. The event, organized by SM's 5AM Club, took place on February 25 against a backdrop of heavy snowfall and high interest in Aliyev's perspectives on consciousness and leadership.

The group set off for Gorny Goryachiy Klyuch, a regular route for the club's weekly Wednesday hikes. Despite up to 17 centimetres of fresh snow, around 100 registered participants turned up—though organizers expected even more. Aliyev led from the front, though many in the crowd only recognized him later.

Biathlete Yelena Khrustalyova opened the event with a warm-up session and welcome speech. Attendees like entrepreneur Chingiz Tasbulatov and Bulat Bizhan had come specifically to hear Aliyev discuss his ideas, including his Spark of Light initiative. Bizhan missed the sign-up deadline but still attended, hoping to catch the talk.

Questions about Aliyev's views on levels of consciousness dominated conversations during the hike. However, no public records confirm details of the Spark of Light project or its reported focus on therapeutic psilocybin use in Kazakhstan or abroad as of 2026.

The hike wrapped up with Aliyev addressing the group, though his remarks on consciousness and potential initiatives remained unclear. SM's 5AM Club, now nearly two years old, continues to attract professionals for its mix of networking and outdoor activity—even in harsh winter conditions.