2-Day Kolsai & Kaindy Lakes Adventure with Charyn Canyons from Almaty

The journey begins in the morning with departure from Almaty at the designated meeting points. Traveling through scenic steppe and mountain landscapes, you will reach Charyn National Park, one of the most impressive natural landmarks of the region.

Here you will stop at Moon Canyon for panoramic views and make a short photo stop at Black Canyon, known for its dramatic rock formations. After exploring the canyon viewpoints, the tour continues toward the mountain area of Kolsai.

A home-cooked lunch featuring local cuisine is served en route (vegetarian option available). In the afternoon, you arrive at Lower Kolsai Lake, where you have free time to walk around the lake, enjoy the alpine scenery, take photos, or choose optional activities such as boating or horseback riding.

In the evening, you check in at a cozy yurt camp or guesthouse located in the foothills. After a traditional dinner, enjoy a relaxed evening with bonfire gatherings, games, and karaoke under the starry sky, experiencing the authentic nomadic atmosphere far from city noise.

Spectacular canyon landscapes, peaceful alpine lakes, local cuisine, and an authentic overnight stay in a yurt camp surrounded by nature.

After breakfast at the yurt camp, the tour continues toward the mountain area of Lake Kaindy. To reach the lake, travelers switch to a special off-road Soviet UAZ vehicle, making the journey itself an exciting adventure through rugged mountain terrain.

Kaindy Lake is famous for its surreal sunken forest, where tree trunks rise from crystal-clear turquoise water. You will have ample time to explore the area on foot, enjoy the peaceful alpine atmosphere, take photos, and optionally try horseback riding.

Following a home-cooked lunch, the journey continues to Charyn Canyon Valley of the Castles. Here you walk along the canyon floor for about 1.5 km toward the Charyn River and back, surrounded by dramatic rock formations resembling ancient castles.

In the late afternoon, the group departs for Almaty. Arrival is expected in the evening, where the tour concludes at the original meeting points.

Off-road adventure to Kaindy Lake, the iconic sunken forest, and a scenic hike through Charyn Canyon’s Valley of the Castles before returning to Almaty.