The Kolsai and Kaindy Lakes

The Kolsai lakes lie in a steep valley of the Kungey Alatau east of Almaty, three of them in a chain at rising altitude: the first at around 1,800 metres is reached by road and is where most visitors stop, the second is a walk or horse ride of three hours above it, and the third sits near the Kyrgyz border and needs a permit. The water is green, the slopes are Tien Shan spruce. Kaindy, in a side valley, was formed when a landslide in 1911 dammed a stream and drowned a spruce stand; the trees died but their trunks did not rot in the cold water, and they still stand out of the surface with the submerged branches visible below.

What you actually see

• The first Kolsai lake - the road-accessible lake with boats and horses.
• The upper lakes - the second and third reached on foot or horseback.
• Kaindy - the drowned spruce trunks standing out of the water.
• Spruce forest - the dark Tien Shan spruce filling the valleys.

When to go

June to September for the trails and the road; the valley is snowbound from November. Kaindy is reached by four-wheel drive from Saty. Weekends are crowded at the first lake and quiet above it.

Honest expectations

The first lake is busy, developed and lined with stalls and horse touts. The road up to Kaindy is rough and requires a transfer vehicle. A border zone permit is needed for the third lake. Swimming is very cold and often prohibited.

Nearby

Charyn canyon lies south; Almaty is west.