Kolsai Lakes & Kaindy Lake tour from Almaty: Charyn Canyon

A 150-million-year-old canyon carved by the Charyn River sits between two alpine lakes, one of them drowned in spruce trees.

A private day tour from Almaty visiting Kolsai Lakes, Kaindy Lake and Charyn Canyon with a live guide in English or Russian, air-conditioned vehicle, lunch and bottled water included. The tour covers roughly 200km east of Almaty to three distinct landscapes: the Charyn Canyon's 150m to 300m vertical cliffs and Valley of Castles, the cascade of three high-altitude Kolsai Lakes where water color shifts from dark blue to turquoise depending on weather, and Kaindy Lake, formed in 1911 when an earthquake triggered a landslide that flooded a spruce forest and left white tree trunks standing in the water. Hotel pickup is included. The full day runs 16 hours.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Charyn Canyon and Lakes

• Explore Charyn Canyon Valley of Castles
• Visit Kolsai Lakes cascade
• Hike and photograph Kaindy Lake

The experience

Charyn Canyon opens the route 200km east of Almaty, where the Charyn River has carved a 12-million-year-old gorge into the flat steppe. The canyon's vertical cliffs and weathered rock formations (the most visited section is called the Valley of Castles) frame the first part of the day before the drive climbs into the Kungey Alatau ridge toward the lakes. The canyon stays warm even in winter, and summer sunsets here are the reason photographers stop.

Kolsai Lakes cascade across three different elevations, each one sitting in its own landscape zone. The water shifts from dark blue to turquoise or green depending on the weather and the light, and the ridges around them hold snow leopard, brown bear, maral and golden eagle. Kaindy Lake, the final stop, is the flooded forest: a 1911 earthquake triggered a landslide that dammed the gorge and drowned the spruce trees. The trunks that stick above the surface lost their branches and bark over time, turning white. Below the waterline they've been overgrown with algae, which gives the whole lake a mystical look. A hike and photo stops fill the afternoon.

The tour runs 16 hours door-to-door, with your own guide, driver and air-conditioned vehicle. Lunch is served at a guest house partway through, and bottled water travels with you. Hotel pickup in Almaty is included. The guide speaks English or Russian.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup in Almaty.
• professional guide in English or Russian.
• air-conditioned vehicle for the full route.
• lunch at a guest house.
• bottled water throughout the day.
• all fees and taxes.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 05:30

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (18 to 60 years) · Under 18: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Russian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availableNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Kolsai Tour

Is this one for you?The 16-hour day means an early start and a full afternoon of hiking and photo stops, so this tour suits travelers who want to see all three lakes and the canyon without splitting the trip across two days. The private vehicle and guide let you set the pace at each stop rather than follow a group schedule.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Russian.

What is Kaindy Lake and why does it look so strange?

Kaindy Lake formed in 1911 after a massive earthquake caused a landslide that blocked the gorge with a natural dam, flooding the spruce forest below. The tree trunks that stick above the water have lost their bark and branches, turning white, while the submerged parts are overgrown with algae, creating a mystical underwater forest landscape.

How far is Charyn Canyon from Almaty and what makes it special?

Charyn Canyon lies about 200km east of Almaty. The canyon is roughly 12 million years old and features vertical cliffs 150m to 300m deep carved by the Charyn River over millions of years. The most popular section, the Valley of Castles, shows weird and colorful rock formations shaped by wind, sun and rain, and the area stays warm even in winter.

What wildlife might I see around Kolsai Lakes?

Kolsai Lakes sit in high-altitude landscape zones where snow leopard, brown bear, maral, roe deer, blue whistling-thrush and golden eagle live. The water color shifts from dark blue to turquoise or green depending on weather, and the three lakes cascade at different elevations across the Kungey Alatau ridge.

How long is this tour and what's included in the price?

The tour runs 16 hours from hotel pickup to return. Included are the professional guide (English or Russian), air-conditioned vehicle, lunch at a guest house, bottled water, and all fees and taxes. Hotel pickup in Almaty is part of the booking.

Is this tour physically demanding?

The tour involves hiking and photo stops at each lake, spread across a full 16-hour day with significant driving. It's suitable for all fitness levels, though it's not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health due to the length and terrain.