Kolsai Lakes and Lake Kaindy

Kolsai Lakes National Park (2007). Three Glacial Lakes On The Kungey Alatau Range; Lake Kaindy Was Created By A 1911 Earthquake That Dammed A Gorge And Left A Drowned Forest Of Spruce Trunks Standing In Cold Turquoise Water. · Saty, Almaty Region

Kolsai Lakes National Park lies in the Kungey Alatau range of the Tian Shan, south-east of Almaty, close to the Kyrgyz and Chinese frontiers. Three glacial lakes sit one above the other at roughly 1,800, 2,250 and 2,850 m, reached from the village of Saty. Lake Kaindy, an hour further along a rough track, was made by an earthquake in 1911 that dammed a gorge and drowned a spruce forest, so grey trunks now stand in cold turquoise water. It is the most photographed scene in the region, and it deserves it. Be realistic: this is a long day from Almaty, the road is bad, the lakes are cold and not for swimming, and the upper lakes and Kaindy sit in a border zone where foreigners need a permit, normally arranged by a guesthouse or operator (confirm the current rule). The season is short, roughly June to September, and snow shuts the upper trails outside it. Go for the scenery and the walking, not for comfort or for a quick stop.

Tian Shan lakes south-east of Almaty; three Kolsai lakes at 1,800, 2,250 and 2,850 m above the village of Saty, with Lake Kaindy and its drowned forest an hour's drive further along the track, Saty, Almaty Region, Kazakhstan

The park is not a ticketed building with fixed hours, but it works to daylight. Gates and checkpoints on the road to Saty and onward to Kaindy are staffed in the day and are often closed or unstaffed at night, and the border-zone permit is checked at a post on the way to Kaindy. The usable season is roughly June to September; in winter the road is open to Saty but the upper trails and the Kaindy track are blocked by snow, and rangers may turn visitors back. Park entry and a Kaindy fee are usually small and often cash only. Hours and fees change, so confirm with your guesthouse or operator the day before.

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