2 day trip to Charyn canyon, Kolsay & Kaindy lakes

ered to be the floor of the ancient ocean Tethys. The erosion made by the river Charyn below and the elements created a dramatic and impressive landscape. The Charyn canyon itself is approximately 150 km and in some places up to 300 m deep

They are also called a blue necklace of Northern Tien Shan. And it is quite understandable – such beauty cannot be found anywhere! In the Kazakh language “Kolsay” means “a lake in the valley”, indeed, all three lakes are situated in the eastern part of the picturesque Kungei Tau gorge, 300 km from Almaty. The lakes are located at 1,800m, 2,250m and 2,700m above sea level. The Kolsay River originates from glaciers, located in the Kungei Alatau mountain ridges, and falls, in turn, to each of the three lakes: Verkhneye, Mynzholki and Nizhneye. The water in the lakes is fresh. Kolsay Lakes are very deep. For example, the deepest place of the first lake is 80 m, while in the second – about 50 m. The bottom in some places is shallow without crags. Kolsay Lakes are a favorite place for mountain tourism. Trekking routes to Kolsay Lakes are very easy and fit even for amateurs. Furthermore, Kolsay is a wonderful place for picnics, horse riding and mountain biking. A suitable period for camping is from April to late September.

Mountains, close to the country’s largest city, Almaty. The lake was formed after an earthquake in 1911, which caused a major landslide, effectively creating a natural dam. Successively, rainwater filled the valley and created the lake. The lake is famous for the number of dead and bleached spruce trees that stick out of the water – remnants of the trees that were flooded when the lake was formed. The trees, together with the improbable turquoise water of the lake, make an incredibly scenic sight. Underwater, the imagery is even more stunning, as the trees have not decomposed and create the surreal vision of an underwater forest. Surprisingly, the lake sees few visitors, partly because Kaindy Lake is overshadowed by the more famous Bolshoe Almatinskoe Lake and the Kolsay Lakes, all of which are close by, but far easier to reach from Almaty. Thus, despite its proximity to a city with a population of more than one million, the lake retains a peaceful atmosphere.