After a few days of walking around the beautiful city of Almaty, it's finally time to explore outdoors. My first tour of choice the famous sunken forest of Kaindy Lake and the alpine beauty of the Kolsai Lakes at 1,800 MASL as a day tour from Almaty.
In this guide, I’ll share exactly how I visited Kaindy Lake and Kolsai Lakes on a budget, what to expect during the trip, and a few tips to help you plan your own adventure.
Disclaimer: The name of the lake can be spelled either as Kolsai or Kolsay. For consistency, I’ll be using “Kolsai” throughout this post.
💡 Want more inspiration in Kazakhstan? Check out these posts:
- Border Crossing Guide: Almaty to Bishkek by Public Bus (Ak-Zhol Border)
- Banya Experience(s): Arasan Wellness & Spa Complex
- Hostel Recommendation: Wanderlust Hostel in Almaty
- Hiking Activity: A Morning Hike in Small Almaty Gorge in Shymbulak
- Tour(s): Charyn Canyon National Park, Kok Tobe Hill in Almaty
- Travel Story: Alone but Not Lonely: My Solo Travel through the Great Steppe of Kazakhstan
Kaindy Lake & Kolsai Lakes Tour from Almaty (Quick Guide)
- Distance: ~120–300 km from Almaty
- Travel Duration: 12–16 hours
- Cost: ~14,000–70,000 KZT depending on type
- Best Tour Option: Budget group tour
- Difficulty of Activity: Easy–Moderate
- Best time to visit: May to October (summer for accessibility, autumn for colors)
- Highlights: Sunken forest at Kaindy Lake, alpine views at Kolsai Lakes, Off-road adventure
What's in the Kaindy Lake and Kolsai Lakes?
A popular tour from Almaty, Kaindy and Kolsai Lakes are two different stunning lakes located in Kolsay Lakes National Park. The national park itself is on the slope of the Tien Shan Mountains and is 120 kilometers from Almaty.
How to visit Kaindy and Kolsai Lakes from Almaty?
As of now, there are three main ways to visit Kaindy Lake and Kolsai Lakes from Almaty. Unfortunately, not all of them are created equal.
Budget-Friendly (But Challenging): DIY via Public Transport
Similar to visiting Charyn Canyon, reaching these lakes independently is possible—but not easy. It usually involves a mix of buses, shared taxis, and even hitchhiking, with no guaranteed schedules.
I came across a guide by Cynthia of Journal Nomads (this post), where she explains how to do this step-by-step. But even she doesn’t fully recommend it. I read it multiple times because I thought I'd do it. In the end, I agreed with her. So, unless you’re very flexible with time and logistics, this option can be more stressful than rewarding.
Easiest & Most Practical: Budget Group Tours
By far, the most straightforward way to visit both lakes is by joining a budget group tour. I tried to avoid it at first, but it kept coming up as the most recommended option, for good reason. You pay and go.
The catch?
👉 Budget tours are usually time-constrained, while more flexible ones are expensive.
As a solo traveler, I went with a budget-friendly group tour that included:
- Black Canyon
- Kaindy Lake
- Kolsai Lakes
- A lunch stop in Saty Village (meals not included)
For me, it was the best balance between cost and convenience.
Looking for a budget tour? Check these out:
Most Comfortable: Private Tour or Car Rental
If budget isn’t a concern, this is easily the best experience.
Renting a car or booking a private tour (ideally with an English-speaking guide) gives you full control of your time. You can explore at your own pace, stay longer in each location, and even add hikes or an overnight stay in Saty Village.
Private tours typically start at around $100+, depending on your negotiation skills and inclusions.
Quick Comparison:
| Option | Cost | Ease | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget Group Tour | $25–$50 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Solo Travelers |
| Private tour | $$$ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Comfort |
| DIY (car/public) | $$ | ⭐⭐ | Flexibility |
Day Tour Costs & Logistics:
Most budget group tours to Kaindy Lake and Kolsai Lakes are operated in Russian, but they’re still the most practical and widely used option for travelers coming from Almaty.
Even if you don’t speak Russian, many guides still try their best to accommodate non-Russian speakers, especially for basic instructions and timing. So while communication can be limited, the experience itself is usually smooth and well-organized.
My Tour Cost Breakdown
I paid KZT 14,000 (around USD 27 / AED 98) for my tour, booked directly through Onyx Tour (contactable via WhatsApp: +77777306598).
The package included stops at:
- Black Canyon
- Kaindy Lake
- Kolsai Lakes
- Lunch stop at Saty Village (meals not included)
On the day itself, the tour was operated by JoinMe Asia, one of the largest and most established tour operators in Kazakhstan. Everything was well-organized from transport to timing, so even though I booked through a third party, the actual experience felt reliable and smooth.
Highlights and What to Expect:
During my Solo Trip through Kazakhstan, my priorities were visiting Charyn Canyon National Park, Kaindy Lakes, and Kolsai Lakes. The rest, including hiking peaks, were negotiable.
The first scheduled group tour that I was able to grab was the budget group tour to both Kaindy Lakes and Kolsai Lakes in one day. I didn't waste my chance and went with it. After almost 4 hours of bus ride, we had a short photo stopover at Black Canyon.
The Black Canyon's wide-open gorge reminded me of our hike in Jebel Shams in Oman. Although the two gorges were in different regions, the terrain and colors had similarities, as far as I remember. The only difference was its full-flowing river, while the gorge in Jebel Shams was completely dry.
Kaindy Lake - The Sunken Forest and the Soviet Taxi Experience
We continued our journey and then stopped at Saty village to switch vehicles. We transferred into a Soviet-era truck used by our group as a bus to cross water streams along our way to the Kaindy Lake. It was a wild ride with songs being played during the ride.
Apart from the water streams, the bumpy off-road ride made the journey wild! Songs in Kazakh and Russian languages were being played during the ride and those who knew the songs sang along. It was like a party while going deeper into the mountains!
From the parking lot, there was still a distance to reach the Kaindy Lake. There were three ways to go—hiking, riding a horse, or a taxi ride by marshrutka. Not wanting to spend money and mixed emotions with riding a horse, of course, hiking is the way.
The tour guide showed me the road to take (the same road used by taxis/marshrutka), and it was easy to follow. I took a steep shortcut along the way and still ended up on the main road. The shortcut wouldn't save a huge amount of time, to be honest. So if you're not comfortable cutting through, just stick walking on the main road.
As you go higher, you will see the opposite mountain where the trail taken by the horses is visible. It was on a lower level and could also be taken by people walking to the lake.
After walking past through the wooden planks, the Kaindy Lake opens up like a secret hidden deep inside a forest. Its striking color was absolutely mesmerizing even if seen on a midday (like our visit). Imagine visiting during the early morning or at a time when the sun is not staring straight at it.
While short and sweet, I walked back to the parking lot and ended up with iced coffee from one of the local stores. The older men applauded me for hiking alone and were so kind enough to strike up a wholesome conversation with me even though my Russian was limited.
Kolsai Lakes - The Lower Kolsai Lake at 1,800 MASL
After stopping for a quick lunch at Saty Village, the tour continued to the last highlight of the day, the Kolsai Lakes. Located within Kolsai Lakes National Park, there are three major lakes within the park—Lower, Middle, and Upper.
The Lower Kolsai Lake is the most accessible, as it's reachable by road and with facilities such as toilets, a coffee shop, cafeterias, and even guest houses and campsites. From the parking lot, it's just a short walk down to Lower Kolsai Lake. Wooden planks line the lakeside, making for a scenic walk around it. Despite visiting during the summer, I was greeted by a refreshing cool breeze thanks to the lake’s altitude of 1,800 MASL.
The wooden planks run along the lake's edge, and I highly suggest you walk on it following them to their end. The path takes you to the other side of the lake, where it feels like you've entered into a forest, as you will be surrounded by trees on both sides.
Depending on the sun's angle, the time of day, and your vantage point, the lake’s color shifts into slightly different hues—a mesmerizing detail, so you better maximize your time and explore!
During my tour to Charyn Canyon (on another day), the itinerary included a visit to Kolsai Lake as well. This time, I skipped the walk down the wooden planks. Instead, I grabbed a coffee at 1800m (the name of the coffee shop) and peacefully enjoyed the scenic view while enjoying my coffee. It was a completely different experience from my first visit with lots of walks and exploring, yet equally memorable.
Both Kaindy Lake and Kolsai Lake are equally charming and unique in their ways. Despite the distance, it’s no wonder they’re such popular day trips from Almaty. Locals and tourists alike come to enjoy everything the area has to offer—whether it’s having a picnic, horseback riding, endless hiking, or simply relaxing by the lake. That's all for this post. See you later!
