Kolsai Lakes and Lake Kaindy

The Kolsai Lakes and Lake Kaindy lie in the Tien Shan mountains of Almaty Region, Kazakhstan, near the Kyrgyz border, and are among the most photographed landscapes in the country. Saty village, the usual base, is about 300-330 km east of Almaty by road via Kegen, and the drive takes about 4 to 5 hours each way. That makes a single-day return exhausting, so many visitors stay one night in Saty or in a guesthouse near the lakes. Small-group tours from Almaty cost from about 26,000 KZT per person for a combined Charyn-Kolsai-Kaindy tour, and a private transfer package is about 37,600-56,400 KZT per person. There is no dependable public timetable, so a tour, a private driver or a rented car is needed. A self-drive trip should leave early to arrive in daylight. The park service fee in Kolsay Lakes National Park is about 740-790 KZT per person per day and about 2,750-3,030 KZT per car, and kolsai-koldery.kz lists the current tariff. Kolsai 1, the lowest of three lakes, is reached by a 12 km drive from Saty and offers a short lakeside walk with spruce-lined shores and mirror-like reflections. Kolsai 2 and 3 are reached on foot at a higher altitude, and the climb to Kolsai 2 is a significant uphill hike that takes several hours. Lake Kaindy, formed by a landslide in 1911, is known for the dead spruce trunks standing in its turquoise water. The road to Kaindy is rough, and a 4WD transfer or a tour vehicle is recommended. A typical plan is to leave Almaty at dawn, reach the lakes by late morning, walk the Kolsai 1 shoreline, eat a lunch of local dishes such as beshbarmak or grilled fish at a Saty guesthouse, visit Kaindy in the afternoon, and stay overnight. The best season is June to September. The water is cold year-round and swimming at Kaindy is discouraged. Mobile coverage is poor at the lakes. Pack warm layers, rain protection and cash, because card terminals are unreliable.