Yurt canyon Kazakhstan: Soviet van to submerged forest

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Duration2d

GroupUp to 35

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Sleep in a yurt, ride a Soviet UAZ to a forest underwater.

You’ll start early from Almaty, ride through wild canyons and lakes with a local guide, share Kazakh food in Saty village, sleep in a yurt or guesthouse, and rattle up to Kaindy Lake’s sunken forest by Soviet van before wandering Charyn Canyon’s trails. Expect laughter around the campfire and moments of real quiet under big skies.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Black Canyon, Moon Canyon, Kolsai Lake

Visit Black Canyon viewpoint
Photograph Black Canyon
Visit Moon Canyon viewpoint
Photograph Moon Canyon
Walk and visit several spots at Kolsai Lake
Boating at Kolsai Lake
Enjoy hearty local lunch
Campfire evening in Saty village

Day 2 — Kaindy Lake and Yellow Canyon

Breakfast in guesthouse
Drive to Kaindy Lake
Walk and photograph Kaindy Lake
Drive back to Saty village
Visit Yellow Canyon viewpoint
Walk around Yellow Canyon
Hearty local lunch on way back
Drop off in Almaty

The Experience

I’ll be honest — I nearly bailed when I saw the forecast: cold snap, maybe rain. But our guide Ayan just grinned and said, “Kazakh weather is like a horse — unpredictable but always interesting.” So we piled into the van at 7am in Almaty, still half-asleep, and by noon we were gawking at the Black Canyon. It’s not black-black, more like layers of dark stone that look almost purple if you stare long enough. There was this weird silence out there — just wind and the odd crow. I tried to take a photo but it never quite caught the scale.

After Moon Canyon (which actually does look lunar, not sure how), we reached Kolsai Lake. The water’s so clear you can see straight down to stones on the bottom. Some folks went for a boat ride; I just sat on a rock and let my feet dangle in. Lunch was hot plov and tea served by a woman from Saty village who told us about winters here (she laughed when I asked if she ever gets bored). That night, we crammed into a yurt — yes, you really do sleep on those thick floor mats — and passed around bread while someone played music on their phone. Campfire smoke got in my eyes but honestly, that’s half the fun.

The next morning kicked off with strong tea and homemade jam before we bounced up to Kaindy Lake in an old Soviet UAZ van. That thing rattled so much my teeth felt loose by the end. But walking down to Kaindy — seeing those drowned trees poking up through blue-green water — made every bump worth it. Our group just stood there for a minute without saying anything; it’s one of those places you can’t really describe without sounding fake.

Charyn Canyon was our last stop, late afternoon sun making everything redder than usual. We wandered along dusty trails while Ayan pointed out shapes in the rocks (“That one looks like a camel,” he insisted). By then everyone smelled like campfire and road dust but nobody cared. The drive back felt quiet — tired in a good way. Sometimes I still think about that lake with the ghost trees, especially when city life feels too loud.

What’s included

Your two-day adventure includes hotel pickup from Almaty, all national park entrance fees covered, an English-speaking local guide throughout, overnight accommodation in Saty village (with options for standard room or yurt), hearty Kazakh meals—two lunches plus dinner and breakfast—and transfers including that bumpy ride up to Kaindy Lake in an old Soviet van before returning back to Almaty at sunset.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Kazakhstan Very Nice