Charyn State National Nature Park

Morning pick up in Almaty and drive to Charyn NP main entry. The most attractive canyon called "Valley of Castles" is located 200km to the east from the city, so we start early. After the Park's entry procedures, we take a hike along the gorge to enjoy the canyon's famous views. The height of the vertical walls here is between 150 and 300 meters, and their shapes are so different! Some formations look like fossilized dinosaurs, the others seem to be the heads of giant wizards. Fantastic towers, sky bridges and other indescribable figures of different colors make you feel walking through the real Fairyland. The trail stops near the Charyn River and we take a lunch/picnic at a riverbank, in a shadow of relic Sogdian ash trees.

Kolsai Lake

After lunch, we get back to the car and head further, in a direction of the Kungei Alatau mountains. Our next stop is planned near the Kolsai Lake. In fact, "Kolsay" is a name for a cascade of three lakes in Kungey Alatau ridge. The lakes are dark blue and filled with pure glacial water. The area is a part of Kolsay National Park. In the rays of sunset, we take an excursion around the first lake called “Saty” – the biggest and deepest one located at a height of 1800m above sea level. It looks like a “stretched mirror” along the gorge and has approximately 2 km in length (80m deep).

Saty

After visiting the lake, we get back to the Park's entry and accommodate at a guest house. Take dinner and stay overnight.

Lake Kaindy

Take breakfast at a guest house and start driving up, following Kaindy Gorge to the famous lake. Kaindy Lake, called after a small river that runs through in the depth, is located 15km to the east of the village Saty (dirt road). This natural reservoir lies at a height of about 1800m above sea level, in the zone of dense spruce forest. The lake was formed in 1911 after a huge earthquake that resulted in a big landslide from the eastern slope. The uniqueness of the lake is that after the rise of a natural dam that blocked the gorge, water that filled a basin has formed a lake but has not destroyed the spruce that had been growing in this place along the river. The upper parts of the trees sticking out of the water lost lateral branches and bark, and the wood became white. The lower part of the “drowned” pines retained branches that were overgrown with algae under the water, thus created a fantastic underwater landscape.

Almaty

After an excursion around Kaindy Lake, we get back to the cars. Take lunch and head back to Almaty. Drop off at your hotel in late afternoon.