Day Tour to Kolsai Lakes from Almaty

A guided 2–3 day tour from Almaty to the Kolsai Lakes and Kaindy Lake — three cascading alpine lakes and a sunken spruce forest set in the northern Kungey Alatau ridge, 300 km southeast of Almaty. This is the second corner of the “Golden Triangle” — Kazakhstan’s most famous multi-day trip circuit alongside Charyn Canyon — and the single most requested tour for international visitors to Kazakhstan.

What to expect on the Kolsai Lakes & Kaindy Lake tour

The Kolsai Lakes have earned the title “Pearl of the Tien Shan” — and the marketing name is justified. Three lakes sit at different elevations in a single gorge within Kolsai Lakes National Park (UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 2012): the accessible Lower Lake (1,818 m), the largest and most dramatic Middle Lake (2,252 m), and the remote Upper Lake (2,850 m) near the Kyrgyz border. Each lake has its own character: the Lower is ringed by tourist facilities and boat rides; the Middle requires a proper 8.7 km round-trip hike through dense spruce forest; the Upper demands a full day of serious trekking.

Kaindy Lake (2,000 m), 36 km from Kolsai, is the sunken forest — a lake formed when an earthquake-triggered landslide in 1911 dammed a river valley, flooding a stand of Tien Shan spruce. The dead trees still stand upright in the turquoise water, their bare trunks above the surface and their preserved green needles visible beneath it. It is one of the most photographed natural sites in Central Asia.

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Almaty → Charyn Canyon (optional) → Saty Village

Departure from Almaty (7:00–8:00 AM). Drive southeast on the Khorgos highway. The landscape transitions from city to agricultural steppe to dry semi-desert.

Optional: Charyn Canyon stop (2.5 hours from Almaty). If following the 3-day “Golden Triangle” format, stop at Charyn Canyon — descend into the Valley of Castles, walk to the river, and continue. If on the 2-day Kolsai-only format, drive directly to Saty.

Black Canyon viewpoint. A roadside stop overlooking a dramatic gorge of dark rock along the Charyn River. Quick photo stop.

Arrival in Saty Village (afternoon). Saty is a small Kazakh village of roughly 2,000 people, your base for the lakes. Guesthouse accommodation with home-cooked Kazakh meals (beshbarmak, lagman, plov, tea with baursak). Rooms are simple but clean — shared facilities, hot water, warm bedding. Prices: approximately 20,000–30,000 KZT per person including breakfast and dinner.

Lower Kolsai Lake (1,818 m). A 15-minute drive from Saty. The lower lake is the most accessible — a short walk from the car park to the lakeshore, with facilities (café, toilets, boat rental, horse riding). Walk around the lake, take a boat ride (optional, extra cost), and enjoy the late-afternoon light on the turquoise water.

Overnight in Saty guesthouse.

Day 2: Hike to Middle Kolsai Lake (2,252 m) + Kaindy Lake (2,000 m)

Morning: Hike to Middle Kolsai Lake. The trail from the Lower to Middle lake is 4.5 km one way through dense Tien Shan spruce forest, crossing wooden bridges and climbing steadily. Allow 3–4 hours up, 1.5–2 hours down. The Middle lake is larger, deeper, and more dramatic than the Lower — surrounded by steep forested slopes with snow-capped peaks above.

Total hiking: approximately 16 km round trip, 500 m elevation gain. This is a proper mountain hike — bring water, snacks, and hiking shoes.

Afternoon: Kaindy Lake (Sunken Forest). Drive from Saty to Kaindy (30 minutes by 4×4 — the road requires a high-clearance vehicle, crossing river fords). From the drop-off point, walk or ride a horse (optional, approximately 8,000 KZT) to the lake — 30 minutes uphill.

The lake itself is unforgettable: turquoise water, dead spruce trunks rising from the surface like masts, and beneath the water, green needles preserved by the cold. Formed by the 1911 Kebin earthquake (magnitude ~8.2), the lake is approximately 400 m long and up to 30 m deep.

Return to Saty for dinner and overnight. Or, on the 2-day format, begin the drive back to Almaty after Kaindy (arriving late evening, approximately 5 hours).

Day 3 (3-day format): Return to Almaty via optional stops

Morning: Relaxed breakfast in Saty. Optional morning walk to a local viewpoint or revisit the Lower lake for sunrise photography.

Drive to Almaty (5 hours). Optional stops en route: Bartogay Reservoir viewpoint, local roadside market for kurt (dried cheese balls) and honey, or a second Charyn Canyon section (Bestamak or Yellow Canyon).

Arrival in Almaty (evening).

FAQ: Kolsai & Kaindy Tour

Can I visit Kolsai and Kaindy in one day from Almaty? Technically yes, but we don’t recommend it. The 10-hour round-trip drive plus time at the lakes makes it a 16+ hour day. Budget bus tours that offer this format give you 30 minutes at each lake. Our 2–3 day format is the way to actually experience the lakes.

Which lake is the most beautiful? The Middle Kolsai Lake (Lake 2) — larger, deeper, and more dramatically surrounded. But you have to hike to it.

Can I swim in the lakes? Swimming is officially prohibited in Kolsai (protected area). Kaindy is extremely cold (~5°C year-round).

What’s the best season? June–September. July and August are warmest. June can have some trail sections still snowy. September offers autumn colours. The lakes are accessible in winter but the road conditions are challenging.

Do I need my passport? Yes — border zone. Original passport required. Border guards fine tourists who carry only copies.