Unforgettable Day Trip: Kolsai and Kaindy Lake Kazakhstan

You are planning your trip to Kazakhstan. And if you are already there and want to see something truly stunning, or thinking about taking a day trip, then you must take an excursion from Almaty to the Kolsai and Kaindy Lakes. These serene and breathtaking lakes are like beautiful master pieces of nature. It’s a truly unique and wonderful experience to view Kazakhstan’s vast, unspoiled, remote environment when you’re there. So, are you curious about how to organize your day trip, from where you can book it, how much it will cost, and what makes these locations so stunning? To find out, continue reading this blog, and don’t forget to read the tip at the end of the blog.

How can you book this day trip?

There are so many tour operators that offer different day trips from Almaty, but I’ll suggest two good reputable companies (as I booked tours with them) one is Banana Tours, and Joinme.asia. I booked this trip with Joinme.asia (you can search for them on Instagram as well).

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Our Tour van for the day trip
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Picture taken at the first stop, just outside the city of Almaty

Time & cost of the trip

It is a full day trip, as they picked us up from a specific point at 6 AM and we got back to the city around 7 PM, so prepare yourself according to that. The trip cost me 17000 tenge, which is approximately 38 USD, which is reasonable for me considering the convenience and distance we travel on the trip with a professional guide in English. Although the food is not included in the trip, on the way, they stopped at different points where you could take your snacks or eat your lunch. But it is recommended to buy some snacks or disposable food and take them with you in your bag.

As the trip starts

As you start your journey, the adventure starts, You will witness vast expense of natural wilderness, As I was there in the winter, there was blanket of snow everywhere. On the way, you may encounter herds of horses grazing in the fields, adding more beauty to the scenery. Before reaching the lakes, there is a stop at Black canyon, one of the five Charyn canyon spanning nearly 155 km. This place is also included in the day trip( and you can take another day trip as well, in which you can cover all of these 5 different Charyn canyons), The serenity and wilderness around Black Canyon point is a sight to behold, as captured below in the images.

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View of the Black Charyn Canyon
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Tea and Coffee Stall at the Canyon stop point
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Exploring around Black canyon area

Kaindy Lake

After about an hour of driving from Black Canyon, we reached the point where we were shifted from our initial van to another sturdier vehicle, which is better for rugged and bumpy roads, as this stretch of road consists of bumpy terrain and has to cross small streams, so the shift of the vehicle is necessary. Although this vehicle looks old and awkward, believe it or not, its ride is just unforgettable, As the suspension of this vehicle is exceptional, I feel like I’m floating in the sea on a ship.

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The old van which took us to Kaindy Lake
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Rugged road towards Kaindy Lake

From the drop-off point, there is a 30 minute hike, and you can take a horse ride from there as well to the lake, but I preferred the hike. Despite the wintry blanket and the lake was covered in snow, the tranquility and allure of the lake is unmatchable. Existed amidst the aftermath of an earthquake, Kaindy Lake has a unique charm, with trees partially submerged in waters, which increase the beauty of the lake. This surreal landscape adds to the lake’s captivating beauty, making it the perfect place for relaxation and photography.

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Standing on the frozen Kaindy lake

Towards Kolsai Lake

Again reboarding to our van, we headed for lunch in a local restaurant in a nearby town. There are 2 to 3 different options on the meal menu, I opted for the combo meal, which can be seen in the picture below, and it cost me about 2000 tenge, which is very reasonable, I think.

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Beef Pulao served with salad and cup of coffee

With our appetites filled, we embarked on the final and most beautiful and picturesque leg of our journey. It took almost 30 minutes from our lunch spot to reach Kolsai Lake, where our van stopped just a minute’s walk from the lake. Though there are three different Kolsai lakes, we stopped at the Lower Kolsai lake, accessible directly by road, while the other two require a hike. Despite the winter cloak of snow, the lake’s beauty, surrounded by majestic, lush green mountains, was truly mesmerizing. A beautiful, well-maintained wooden track runs alongside the lake, adding more to the beauty of the lake and the perfect place for photos.

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Lake view in the winter
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Lake view in the summer

You will also find some shops and a couple of good restaurants there where you can grab your snacks or enjoy a cup of coffee or tea. We were allotted around 90 minutes to explore the surroundings, and every moment there felt like a treasure, with the lake’s immaculate nature, serene atmosphere, and breathtaking beauty.

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Standing on frozen Kolsai Lake with my Tour fellows
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Getting ready to pose with Pakistan’s flag at Kolsai Lake
Journey back towards the city

From there, we started our journey back to Almaty, which took almost three and a half hours. Without a doubt, this day trip stands out as one of the best trips I’ve ever had so far. From the beautiful landscapes to the untouched wilderness, and from the lovely company of fellow travelers to the well-maintained organization of the tour, everything was perfect and unforgettable. So if you go to Kazakhstan, your trip is incomplete if you don’t take this trip, it’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. This is all for this blog.

Tips:

  1. Even if you are doing this trip in summer, take a warm jacket or upper with you as temperature can be cold at the lake spots
  2. Try to book a tour in advance with a reputable company.
  3. Although they stopped the van on the way to shops or small restaurants, it is recommended to take snacks with you in your back pack.

Thank you for reading the blog, if you have any other question or suggestion you can comment below.

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