Charyn Canyon & Kolsai And Kaindy Lakes: 2 Days Private Tour From Almaty
About this tour
Three of the most famous places east of Almaty, without the rush: the red rock towers of Charyn Canyon, the mountain water of Kolsai Lake and the sunken forest of Kaindy Lake, with a night in Saty village in between.
On the first day you walk through the Valley of Castles in Charyn Canyon, stop at the Black Canyon and stroll along the shore of Kolsai Lake, then check in at a guest house in Saty village for a home-made dinner. The next morning you walk through the forest to Kaindy Lake, where spruce trunks still rise from the water, and see it from the main viewpoint and from the inflow of the Kaindy River.
It suits anyone who wants to see the classic highlights of the region at a gentle pace. From late May to mid-October the lakes are at their bluest; in winter they freeze and the mountains turn white.
Highlights:
- Walk among the red rock towers of Charyn's Valley of Castles
- Stroll along the shore of Kolsai Lake
- See spruce trunks rising from the water at Kaindy Lake
- A night in a Saty village 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 Kolsai Lakes National Park, Алматы, Kazakhstan
Your guide-driver picks you up from your hotel at 07:30. You reach Charyn National Park around 10:30 and walk through the Valley of Castles, about 2 km each way between red rock towers. After lunch at a local cafe, you stop at the Black Canyon, then drive 80 km to Kolsai Lake for a walk along the shore. In the evening you check in at a guest house in Saty village, in a private room with a private bathroom, for dinner and the night.
Day 2: Saty, Kazakhstan to Almaty, Kazakhstan
After breakfast you drive 12 km to Kaindy Lake. You walk about 1.5 km through the forest to the lake, where spruce trunks rise from the water, and see it from the main viewpoint and the inflow of the Kaindy River. Then you return to the guest house for lunch 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. 1 night 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 2. National park fees and 1.5 liters of drinking water per person per day.
Personal expenses. Optional horse riding at Kolsai Lake. Pickup from outside Almaty city costs extra.
What to know
The walks are easy: about 2 km each way in the Valley of Castles and about 1.5 to 2 km each way to Kaindy Lake on a forest trail. The guest house has private rooms with private bathrooms, Wi-Fi, hot water and heating in winter; twin beds are available. Meals are home-made local food with halal meat. Vegetarian, vegan and other diets can be arranged if you tell us in advance. We run the tour all year, and the roads stay clean and safe in winter (the road to Kaindy is paved). The lakes are bluest from late May to mid-October. Bring walking shoes, sunglasses, a hat, sunscreen, a warm layer and a change of clothes. 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 Kolsai Lakes National Park, Алматы, Kazakhstan