Kolsai & Kaindy Lakes And Charyn Canyon In One Day: Private Tour From Almaty
About this tour
Short on time but keen to see the region's best-known landscapes? This long private day takes you from Almaty to Kaindy Lake, Kolsai Lake, the Black Canyon and the Valley of Castles in Charyn Canyon, from early morning to late evening.
At Kaindy you follow a forest trail to see the lake from three spots: from above, at the river inflow and from the shore, where the trunks of a sunken spruce forest rise from the water. Lunch is at a guest house in Saty village, and in the afternoon you stroll along the shore of Kolsai Lake before finishing at the Valley of Castles viewpoint in Charyn Canyon.
It is a big day, with about 570 km of driving, made for travellers with only one day to spare. We suggest it for children over 10; if you have a second day, our 2-day tour of the same places is more relaxed.
Highlights:
- See Kaindy Lake, Kolsai Lake and Charyn Canyon in a single day
- Walk to Kaindy Lake and its sunken spruce forest
- Stroll along the shore of Kolsai Lake
- Stop at the Black Canyon and the Valley of Castles viewpoint
- Lunch at a guest house in Saty village
- 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 Kaindy, Kazakhstan
Your guide-driver picks you up from your hotel at 05:30 and drives east towards the Kolsai Lakes, with a stop at the Black Canyon on the way. At Kaindy Lake you walk about 1.5 km each way on a forest trail to three spots: the view from above, the river inflow and the shore. Back in Saty village, with a viewpoint over the Chilik River on the way, you have lunch at a guest house. In the afternoon you walk along the shore of Kolsai Lake, then drive to the Valley of Castles viewpoint in Charyn Canyon. You are back in Almaty around 21:30, after about 570 km of driving.
What's included
Private tour: only your group, with your own guide-driver and SUV. Hotel pickup and drop-off anywhere in Almaty. Lunch at a guest house in Saty village, national park fees and 1.5 liters of drinking water per person.
Personal expenses. Optional horse riding at Kolsai Lake. Pickup from outside Almaty city costs extra.
Languages spoken
What to know
It is a long day: pickup at 05:30 and back around 21:30, with about 570 km of driving. We suggest this tour for children over 10. Our 2-day tour of the same places is more relaxed. At Kaindy you walk about 1.5 km each way on a forest trail with some steep, rooty sections. The walk along the Kolsai shore is flat, and you choose how far to go. We run the tour all year. In winter the roads stay clean and safe (the road to Kaindy is paved), but it gets dark sooner, so there is less time at each place. The lakes are bluest from late May to mid-October. Bring walking shoes, sunglasses, a hat, sunscreen and a warm layer. 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 Kaindy, Kazakhstan