Charyn Canyon Tour: Singing Dunes & Kolsay Lakes 3-Day
The Singing Dunes actually emit sound when the wind crosses them.
A 3-day guided tour from Almaty visits four natural sites: the Singing Dunes and Aktau Mountains in Altyn Emel National Park on day one; Charyn Canyon and Kaindy Lake on day two; and Lower Kolsay Lake on day three. An English-speaking guide leads the route with hotel pickup, transport and guest house accommodation included. The itinerary is flexible: stops can be swapped or added during the tour.
Step-by-step itinerary
Day 1: Almaty to Altyn Emel National Park
- Visit Singing Dune
- Explore Aktau Limestone Mountains
Day 2: Charyn Canyon and Kaindy Lake
- Tour Charyn Canyon
- Visit Kaindy Lake
Day 3: Lower Kolsay Lake and Almaty
- Visit Lower Kolsay Lake
What’s included
- Comfortable transport throughout the three days.
- English-speaking guide.
- guest house accommodation on nights one and two.
- pickup from your Almaty hotel.
- traditional Kazakh meals.
Times
- Every day 07:30
Before you book
Operated by Explore Kazakhstan
Prices and times updated 6 days ago
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The experience
You leave Almaty and head into Altyn Emel National Park, where the Singing Dunes produce an audible rumble as wind crosses the sand. A light breeze makes barely a squeak, while stronger gusts sound like an organ. The same day brings you to the Aktau Mountains, a geological formation of multi-colored dome rocks and calcite-filled canyons that shift constantly in appearance. You stay overnight at a guest house.
Day two takes you to Charyn Canyon, where limestone walls drop 150 to 300 meters and the canyon floor sits 200 meters below the rim. The park protects rare and endangered species listed in Kazakhstan's Red Book. From there you move to Kaindy Lake, formed by a massive landslide at over 2,000 meters elevation and surrounded by coniferous forest. Another guest house overnight.
The final morning brings you to Lower Kolsay Lake, the most accessible of three lakes in the gorge. It sits at 1,818 meters and reaches 80 meters deep. The lake has guest houses, campsites, boats and horse riding on site. You return to Almaty in the afternoon. Throughout the tour, the guide can adjust the route or add stops based on your interests, and meals feature traditional Kazakh food.
Is this one for you?The guide speaks English and Russian, so you follow the commentary in whichever language suits you. The itinerary is fixed to three days, which fits the main sites into a single trip without the time commitment of longer routes, and the guide can adjust stops along the way if something catches your interest.
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Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
Live guide in English and Russian.
What is the Singing Dunes and why does it make noise?
The Singing Dunes are located in Altyn Emel National Park and produce a distinctive rumbling sound when wind crosses the sand. A light breeze creates barely a squeak, while strong gusts produce a sound similar to an organ. In the Middle Ages, people who heard it believed the sound was the howling of a devil.
How deep is Charyn Canyon and what makes it geologically significant?
Charyn Canyon reaches depths of 200 meters, with sheer mountain walls rising 150 to 300 meters high. The canyon sits within Charyn National Park, which was created to preserve rare geological formations and endangered species. The landscape features multi-colored rock formations, towers and calcite-filled canyons.
What is Kaindy Lake and how was it formed?
Kaindy Lake sits at an altitude of over 2,000 meters and is surrounded by coniferous forest. It was formed by a massive landslide of limestone and subsidence of the soil, creating a deep, cool lake that stands as a unique natural formation in the region.
Can the tour itinerary be changed during the trip?
Yes, all tours are flexible. During the tour, the guide can change the itinerary or add stops based on your interests and preferences, so the route can adapt to what you want to see.
Charyn Canyon Tour: Singing Dunes & Kolsay Lakes 3-Day
3d · EN +1 · at your hotel
from US$ 870 per person
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