Charyn & Kaindy With Hike To Kolsai Lake 2: 3 Days Private Hiking Tour From Almaty
About this tour
This private 3-day tour is for travellers who want more than the viewpoints. Alongside Charyn Canyon and Kaindy Lake, it gives you a full day on foot in the mountains, hiking through spruce forest from the first Kolsai lake to the second, Mynzhylky.
Day 1 is Charyn Canyon in depth: the Valley of Castles on foot, then off-road to the Lunar Canyon, the Stone Shelf and the Napoleon and Austrian viewpoints, and the Black Canyon on the way to Saty village. Day 2 is the hiking day, about 9 km each way on forest trails, with a picnic lunch by the second lake at about 2,300 m. On day 3 you walk to Kaindy Lake, where spruce trunks rise from the water, and stop at a viewpoint over the Chilik River valley.
Two nights in a Saty village guest house, with a private room, a private bathroom and home-made local food, let you rest well between the active days.
Highlights:
- Hike through spruce forest from the first to the second Kolsai lake
- Picnic by Mynzhylky Lake, the second Kolsai lake
- See the Valley of Castles and the off-road viewpoints of Charyn Canyon
- Walk to Kaindy Lake and its sunken spruce forest
- Two nights in a Saty guest house, in a private room with a private bathroom
- A private tour: only your group, with your own guide who speaks English, Russian and Kazakh
Activities included
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1: Almaty, Kazakhstan to Charyn Canyon National Park, Tamerlik, Kazakhstan
Your guide-driver picks you up from your hotel at 07:30. After a drive of about 2.5 hours you start at the Valley of Castles (Qyzylsay), with a walk of about 2 km each way between red rock towers, and have lunch at a local cafe. Then you drive off-road to the Lunar Canyon (Zhabyr, Uzunbulak), step onto the Stone Shelf and finish at the Napoleon and Austrian viewpoints, each a few minutes' walk from the car. On the way to Saty village you stop at the Black Canyon, then check in at the guest house, in a private room with a private bathroom, for dinner and the night.
Day 2: Saty, Kazakhstan to Kolsai Lakes National Park, Алматы, Kazakhstan
After breakfast you drive 20 km to Kolsai 1 (Saty Lake) for a trailhead briefing and gear check. Then you hike about 9 km on forest trails to Kolsai 2 (Mynzhylky), arriving around 12:30 to rest, take photos and have a picnic lunch packed by the guest house. You hike about 9 km back to Kolsai 1 and drive 20 km to Saty village for dinner and a second night at the guest house.
Day 3: Saty, Kazakhstan to Almaty, Kazakhstan
After breakfast you drive 15 km to Kaindy Lake and walk about 2 km to the lake, where spruce trunks rise from the water. You see it from the shore, the viewpoint and the inflow of the Kaindy River. On the way back you stop at a viewpoint over the Chilik River valley, have lunch at the guest house and drive 300 km back to Almaty, arriving around 18:00.
What's included
Private tour: only your group, with your own guide-driver and SUV, with hotel pickup and drop-off anywhere in Almaty. 2 nights in a Saty guest house in a private room with a private bathroom, and 3 meals a day except breakfast on day 1 and dinner on day 3, with a picnic lunch on the hiking day. National park fees and 1.5 liters of drinking water per person per day.
Personal expenses. Optional horse riding at Kolsai for part of the hike. Pickup from outside Almaty city costs extra.
Languages spoken
What to know
The hiking day is about 18 km on forest trails with around 500 m of climbing, so you need good fitness. Kolsai 2 is at about 2,300 m, and your guide carries extra water on the hike. The other walks are easy: about 2 km each way in the Valley of Castles and about 2 km to Kaindy Lake. The best time for the hike is June to September, when the trail is clear of snow. We run the tour all year; in winter the hike is more challenging, and we provide crampons and trekking poles free of charge. If the trail becomes unsafe, your guide shortens the walk or changes the plan to spend more time elsewhere on the route. Bring hiking boots, sunglasses, a hat, sunscreen, a warm layer and a change of clothes. Mountain weather changes fast. Child seats are available on request, and your luggage can stay in the car during the tour. If weather or a closed road makes the route unsafe, we move the tour to another day or refund it in full. Prices are per person for groups of 1 to 4. For 5 or more people, message us for a price.
Route & locations
Almaty, Kazakhstan to Charyn Canyon National Park, Tamerlik, Kazakhstan