Big Almaty Lake is the one everyone sees on a half-day from the city. Kolsai and Kaindy are further out, about 300 km east, and far better: three Kolsai lakes stepped up a forested valley, and Kaindy, a landslide lake with a sunken spruce forest. You base yourself in Saty village in a family guesthouse, walk from the lower Kolsai lake to the middle one, and take a 4WD up the rough track to Kaindy. Give it two nights; a one-day tour from Almaty is mostly time in a van.
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When to go
June to September is the hiking season. Late spring brings snowmelt, mud and strong stream crossings; summer weekends are busy with Almaty day-trippers, and fire restrictions can close trails. Early autumn is cooler with shorter days. Winter is snow and ice: Kaindy freezes and draws ice divers and skaters, but the lake walks are not for most visitors.
Kolsai right now and the next 7 days
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Kolsai on the map
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The area
Getting there
Places to see
Day trips
Kolsai & Kaindy Lakes · Open in Google Maps ↗
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Step 3 of 11Next: Cost↓What your trip costs
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Ballpark ranges, not live quotes. Page updated 18 October 2026. Prices move with season and demand, so check live fares before you book.
On the ground: stay, food, local travel and tickets. Pick a route above to add the journey.
Kolsai & Kaindy Lakes in 3 days: a day-by-day plan
Our suggested plan, in a sensible order with times. Move things between days, remove them or add more. It saves on this device, and you can share it.
- 11:00Walk lower to middle Kolsai lakeFull day · free · 7-8 km each way through spruce forest, 3-4 hours up. Covered by the park eco-fee.
- Lunch on the way
- 08:00Kaindy sunken forestHalf day · price to check · The drowned spruce trunks standing in the lake. 4WD from Saty, then a short steep walk down to the water.
- 12:30Lunch break
- 13:30Lower Kolsai lakeshore2 h · ₹180 each · Easy walk along the first lake. The 926-tenge adult eco-fee is the only cost. Swimming is not allowed.
- 08:00Horse ride to the middle lakeHalf day · ₹950 each · From about 5,000 tenge an hour. Arrange at the lower lake or through your guesthouse.
- 13:00Lunch break
How to get to Kolsai
One-way prices per person. The cheapest sensible option is marked. Each button opens live times and fares for the date you picked above.
Shared taxi Cheapest
₹550Travellers reported about 2,500-3,000 tenge a seat in 2024. Go early (around 7 am); drivers do not call out destinations, so ask. Expect it to cost more now.
Two-day group tour
₹5,100Local operators advertise two-day tours from about 27,000 tenge with a night in Saty, usually including transfer, guide and eco-fees. One-day tours from about 13,000-15,000 tenge exist but are mostly driving.
Bus
Check fareAn early-morning bus is mentioned in several guides but is not reliable. Do not plan around it.
Saty → Kaindy Last leg
Check fareAbout 11-12 km of rough track with river crossings. Local drivers wait in Saty; agree the price and the waiting time before you get in.
Getting around once you're there
Off-road taxi (UAZ)
Check priceThe usual way to Kaindy. Share it with others from your guesthouse to cut the cost.
Taxi, Saty → lower Kolsai lake
₹300About 1,000-2,000 tenge in older reports. Make sure the driver goes to the lake, not just the park gate 8 km short of it.
Horse
₹950From about 5,000 tenge an hour for the ride to the middle lake.
On foot
FreeLower to middle Kolsai lake is a marked 7-8 km trail, 3-4 hours one way.
Where to stay in Kolsai
Price per night for the room. The buttons open live availability for your dates.
Guesthouse, meals included
₹2,300/nightAbout 6,000-12,000 tenge per person, often with breakfast and dinner. The host can arrange the Kaindy 4WD.
Yurt
₹3,800/nightSummer only, from about 20,000 tenge a night.
Tent pitch
₹140/nightAbout 738 tenge a day. Tents and fires only in marked places.
What to eat, and what it costs
Guesthouse breakfast and dinner
Check priceMost Saty guesthouses feed you. There are very few cafés in the village.
Home-cooked dinner added to a bed-only stay
₹190Around 1,000 tenge in a 2024 traveller report. Ask when you book.
Tea and snacks at the lakeside stalls
Check priceTea gazebos at the lower lake. Carry your own water and lunch for the walk.
Things to do in Kolsai
Tap “Add to my plan” and it goes into your day-by-day plan above.
Walk lower to middle Kolsai lake
Free7-8 km each way through spruce forest, 3-4 hours up. Covered by the park eco-fee.
Kaindy sunken forest
Check priceThe drowned spruce trunks standing in the lake. 4WD from Saty, then a short steep walk down to the water.
Horse ride to the middle lake
₹950From about 5,000 tenge an hour. Arrange at the lower lake or through your guesthouse.
Lower Kolsai lakeshore
₹180Easy walk along the first lake. The 926-tenge adult eco-fee is the only cost. Swimming is not allowed.
Upper Kolsai lake
FreeA long, steep climb beyond the middle lake. Check with the park that the route is open before you start.
Day trips and next stops
Charyn Canyon
Check fareOn the way back to Almaty, usually by tour or hired car
Black Canyon (Temirlik)
Check fareHired car or tour
Almaty
₹550Shared taxi from Saty
Kegen and the Karkara valley
Check fareShared taxi or hired car
Know before you go
Mistakes to avoid
- The UK FCDO does not advise against travel to this area, but it says mountain trekking in Kazakhstan carries real avalanche, landslide and rockfall risk: do not trek alone, and carry insurance that covers it.
- The park can close trails in spring floods, tick season or high fire danger. Check the park's notices before a long walk, especially to the upper lake.
- Swimming in the lakes is banned, and tents and fires are only allowed in marked places.
Ways to spend less
- Stay in Saty, not Almaty. The lakes are best in the early morning, before the day tours arrive.
- Share the Kaindy 4WD with people from your guesthouse. One vehicle, split four ways.
- Go on a weekday in September: no weekend crowds from the city, and the birch and aspen are turning.
Before-you-go checklist
Kolsai in pictures
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Step 11 of 11Next: FAQ↓Questions people ask
When is the best time to visit Kolsai & Kaindy Lakes?
Jun–Sep is the best time. June to September is the hiking season. Late spring brings snowmelt, mud and strong stream crossings; summer weekends are busy with Almaty day-trippers, and fire restrictions can close trails. Early autumn is cooler with shorter days. Winter is snow and ice: Kaindy freezes and draws ice divers and skaters, but the lake walks are not for most visitors.
How do I reach Kolsai & Kaindy Lakes?
Shared taxi: Almaty (ALA), Sayakhat bus station → Saty, 4-5 h, about ₹550 one way. Two-day group tour: Almaty → Kolsai, Kaindy and Charyn Canyon, 2 days, about ₹5,100 one way.
How much does a 3-day trip to Kolsai & Kaindy Lakes cost?
On the ground (stay, food, local travel and tickets), one person spends about ₹5,400 on a shoestring, ₹9,600 mid-range or ₹21,000 in comfort over 3 days. Add the journey: the cheapest sensible option is shared taxi (Almaty (ALA), Sayakhat bus station → Saty) at about ₹550 each way.
How many days do you need in Kolsai & Kaindy Lakes?
3 days is right for most people. That covers Walk lower to middle Kolsai lake, Kaindy sunken forest, Lower Kolsai lakeshore, Horse ride to the middle lake without rushing.
Is Kolsai & Kaindy Lakes good for families or solo travellers?
Kolsai & Kaindy Lakes works best for solo, couples, groups. Solo travellers find it easy and cheap.
Is vegetarian food easy to find in Kolsai & Kaindy Lakes?
Hard. Kazakh village cooking is built on meat, and guesthouse dinners assume you eat it. Tell the host when you book, carry snacks, and expect bread, salads, eggs, rice and dumplings with potato rather than a proper vegetarian meal.
Will my phone and cards work in Kolsai & Kaindy Lakes?
Buy a SIM in Almaty. Signal around the lakes is patchy. Fine in Almaty. Not something to count on in Saty. Carry tenge. The park gate may not take cards, and guesthouses mostly want cash.
Sources and last check
Checked 11 October 2026. Fees, hours and rules change, so confirm on the official site before you pay.
- gov.uk OfficialFCDO advice current, updated 13 Oct 2026; no advise-against areas
- gov.uk OfficialClosed areas (not Kolsai); mountain trekking risks, do not trek alone; Almaty region mountain rescue
- aviasales.kzEco-fee 926 KZT adult, car 2,753 KZT, hours 10:00-22:00, horses from 5,000 KZT/h, guesthouses 6,000-12,000 KZT pp, yurts from 20,000, hotels from 35,000, tours from 15,000/27,000, Saty-Kaindy 11 km, lower-middle 7-8 km (updated 28 Aug 2026)
- weproject.mediaCar 2,928 KZT, parking 221 KZT/day, tent 738 KZT/day, one-day tours from 13,000 and two-day from 27,000 KZT incl. eco-fees, UAZ to Kaindy is standard (29 Jul 2026)
- about-kazakhstan.comLower-middle lake 7 km official route; swimming banned; tents/fires only in designated places; seasonal route restrictions; upper lake needs access check
- thegonegoat.comShared taxi Sayakhat-Saty 2,500-3,000 KZT, 4 h 20; Saty-Kaindy 12 km, 45 min by car; homestay dinner 1,000 KZT (2024)
- lostwithpurpose.comSayakhat station; unreliable early bus; taxi Saty-lower lake 1,000-2,000 KZT; gate 8 km short of the lake (2021)
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Set your dates and group at the top, shape the days, then book each piece directly.
Back to the planner ↑Costs are indicative ballparks for doing it yourself and change with season and demand. Always check live fares, rates and opening rules before you book. Trip Under is not a travel agency: we sell nothing, take no commission, and every booking link goes straight to the provider. Photographs come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences; see credits.
By Gokul · Updated 18 October 2026 · Photo: TakingOver · CC0 · source · Photo: Bok · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: Man77 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · Photo: Dimash Kenesbek · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: Guldariya Baimukhanova · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
