Private Golden Ring Of Zhetysu: Altyn-emel And Charyn To Kolsai & Kaindy In 3 Days
About this tour
Desert, canyon and mountain lakes in three days. This private tour links the colored hills and Singing Dune of Altyn-Emel with Charyn Canyon and the Kolsai and Kaindy lakes. It covers the same national parks as our 5-day Golden Ring of Zhetysu in less time, so it suits travellers who want the full variety of the region on a shorter trip.
You trek through the Aktau Mountains among layered colored hills, climb the Singing Dune early in the morning for views over the Ili River, and walk between the red rock towers of Charyn's Valley of Castles. The last day belongs to the mountains: a stroll along the shore of Kolsai Lake and a walk to Kaindy Lake, where spruce trunks rise from the water.
Your nights are in guest houses in Basshi and Saty villages, in private rooms with private bathrooms, with home-made local food.
Highlights:
- Trek about 7 km through the colored Aktau Mountains in Altyn-Emel
- Climb the Singing Dune for views over the Ili River
- Walk through the Valley of Castles in Charyn Canyon
- See Kolsai Lake and the sunken forest of Kaindy Lake
- Two guest house nights with private rooms and bathrooms, meals included
- 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 Altyn Emel National Park, Алматы, Kazakhstan
Your guide-driver picks you up from your hotel at 07:30 for the 255 km drive to Basshi village, the Altyn-Emel park headquarters. You check in at the park office and visit the visitor center, then have lunch at a guest house. In the afternoon you trek about 7 km in the Aktau Mountains: the main canyon, a small canyon and a summit. On the way back you stop for photos at a 700-year-old willow, then have dinner and spend the night at the guest house in Basshi.
Day 2: Basshiy, Kalinino, Kazakhstan to Charyn Canyon National Park, Tamerlik, Kazakhstan
Early in the morning, after breakfast, you drive 55 km to the Singing Dune and walk to the top for views over the Ili River. After lunch at a local cafe in Chunja, you walk through the Valley of Castles in Charyn Canyon, about 2 km each way between red rock towers. On the way to Saty village you stop at the Black Canyon, then check in at a guest house for dinner and the night.
Day 3: Saty, Kazakhstan to Almaty, Kazakhstan
After breakfast you drive 15 km to Kolsai Lake and walk along the shore, then return to the guest house for lunch. In the afternoon you drive 12 km to Kaindy Lake and walk about 1.5 km 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 drive 300 km back to Almaty, arriving around 20:30.
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 guest houses in Basshi and Saty in private rooms with private bathrooms, and 3 meals a day except breakfast on day 1 and dinner on day 3. 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.
Languages spoken
What to know
The longest walk is the Aktau trek, about 7 km. The Valley of Castles trail is about 2 km each way, the Singing Dune climb is short but steep, and Kaindy is about 1.5 to 2 km each way. It covers a lot of ground in three days, so the driving days are long. We run the tour all year; May to early October is the best time. In winter it gets dark sooner, so there is less time at each place. The guest houses have private rooms with private bathrooms, Wi-Fi and hot water. Meals are home-made local food with halal meat, and special diets can be arranged if you tell us in advance. Bring hiking shoes with a good grip, sunglasses, a hat, sunscreen, a warm layer, a rain jacket 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 Altyn Emel National Park, Алматы, Kazakhstan