Kolsai Lakes tour

Tour itinerary: Day 1 Almaty → Kolsai Lakes → Almaty

Season: April – October | days: 3 | nights: 2

Kolsai Lakes

Group tour to Kolsai Lakes includes excursion on the most famous 3 alpine lakes situated at the altitudes of 1700 – 2650m. The lakes are exceptionally clear and located in idyllic location, surrounded by massive cliffs and mountains with snowy caps and wooded slopes.

Take 3-day Kolsai lakes tour and get impressed with stunning nature of Kazakhstan with a bunch of your family members or friends.

Pick up any suitable date and discover more about this wonderful country in the heart of Central Asia.

Excursion

day 1

Day 1 Almaty – Kolsai Lakes

09:00 Meet the guide and driver at the hotel in Almaty.

Transfer to Kaindy gorge.

Exploring most beautiful places of Kazakhstan, Kaindy Gorge.

- Kaindy lake (Birch Lake) is situated among magnificent pine forest at an altitude of 2000 meters above sea level and is famous for its origin. It was formed in 1911 due to the powerful earthquake that triggered the landslide blocked the valley by the natural dam, and the water has flooded the valley.

The water of the lake is very cold, that is why the needles of the flooded trees are well-preserved and clearly visible through the transparent surface of the water, and dry stems of fir trees overlook the water surface, like the masts of the submarine squadron. It is impossible to describe in words all this mystical splendor of the lake.

Picnic lunch.

Transfer to Saty village near Kolsai lakes.

Resting time in the evening.

Dinner and overnight at the guesthouse.

day 2

Kolsai Lakes

Breakfast at the guesthouse.

Start hiking from Lake Kolsai-1 to Lake Kolsai-2.

Start hiking from the lower lake where the scenic road leads to the middle lake (~ 9 kilometers), located at an altitude of 2250 meters.

Middle lake is considered the most beautiful of all three lakes. Exploration of the area.

Picnic lunch.

After a short rest, continue the transition to the upper lake (~ 6 kilometers), located at an altitude of 2650 meters.

Take easy hike along the lakes.

Transfer to the guesthouse.

Resting time in the evening.

Dinner and overnight at the guesthouse.

day 3

Kolsai Lakes – Almaty

Breakfast at the guesthouse.

09:00 Transfer to Almaty via Charyn Canyon that is often called "Valley of Castles". The length of the valley is more than 2 km, the width is 20-80 meters.

- Charyn Canyon is a natural complex, unique in its kind not only in Kazakhstan but also worldwide. It was formed during Paleogene and reminds the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River in North America, although inferior to it in size. The height of the steep slopes of the canyon is up to 150-300 meters. Extraordinary dissection of the terrain is striking: the numerous ravines form a dense, chaotic network. Wind and water have created the beautiful "Valley of Castles", where you are always surrounded by the fancy towers composed of sedimentary rocks. The length of the valley - more than 2 km, width - 20-80 meters. For millions of years nature has been creating a unique architecture, erecting magnificent castles carefully and slowly.

Arrival in Almaty in the evening.

Arrival in the hotel in Almaty.

End of the tour.

Included

Guide services;
Environmental fee;

Group Dates

Departure	Return	Price	Book it
spring 2026
Fri, 08 May	Sun, 10 May	$0	Request
Fri, 22 May	Sun, 24 May	$0	Request
summer 2026
Fri, 05 Jun	Sun, 07 Jun	$0	Request
Fri, 19 Jun	Sun, 21 Jun	$0	Request
Fri, 10 Jul	Sun, 12 Jul	$0	Request
Fri, 24 Jul	Sun, 26 Jul	$0	Request
Fri, 07 Aug	Sun, 09 Aug	$0	Request
Fri, 21 Aug	Sun, 23 Aug	$0	Request
autumn 2026
Fri, 04 Sep	Sun, 06 Sep	$0	Request
Fri, 18 Sep	Sun, 20 Sep	$0	Request
Fri, 02 Oct	Sun, 04 Oct	$0	Request

Book it

To send us a tour request, please fill out and submit the booking form. Please fill in all required fields marked with an asterisk (*)

Notes

- Check-in 14.00, check-out time 11.00. No early check-in/ late check-out is included unless indicated;

- Please note that the tour price does not include seasonal VAT 15 %, VAT can be added to the basic tour price.

- Please note that the drivers do not speak English or can speak only basic English;

- All the changes in the basic itinerary, the timing for transfers depending on the international flight departure/arrival time are to be discussed and pre-agreed;

- Please note that the train trip/s can be replaced for transfer/s by car depending on train tickets availability and trains schedule;

- After the date of publication, any changes in the hotels, air/train ticket prices, tax increase, and exchange rate fluctuation may influence the tour prices;

- Anur Tour is not responsible for the force majeure occasions (weather conditions during the tour, repairing-reconstructing works at some parts of roads, government restrictions).