Kolsai and Kaindy Lakes

Kaindy and Kolsai Lakes fit perfectly within a loop of Almaty Region that takes in Charyn Canyon, Altyn Emel and possibly the Assy Plateau. Or alternatively, as a stopover on the road to Karakol in Kyrgyzstan, or Khorgos on the Chinese border. We do not recommend visiting the Kolsai Lakes as a stand-alone trip from Almaty. It is still a considerable drive, and there is plenty of natural beauty closer to Almaty, for instance in the Ili-Alatau park or the Turgen Gorge. Connect it at a minimum with a good look around Charyn Canyon, and preferably with a few more sights on the way.

Charyn Canyon

The Charyn Canyon is located in the Charyn National Park about 215km east of Almaty and approximately a 3 hour drive.The story of the Canyon is that it was formed about 3 million years ago as the land around the canyon started to rise. A very large lake existed in the area around the top of the canyon and it started to empty. Over the next million years the canyon was formed by the Charyn river. Approximately 2 million years ago a large earthquake disturbed the flow of the river by blocking it with a land-slip. The visitor part of the canyon then has suffered from the elements forming the rock sculptures. The Charyn River still flows at the bottom of the canyon forming the next great canyon. Because the area used to be a large inland sea, the deposits revealed on the sides of the canyon are relatively soft and are a geologists dream, revealing hundreds of millions of years of the earth’s history at this location.

Shymbulak Ski Resort

The ski resort Shymbulak (Chimbulak) is located in the Almaty Region (Kazakhstan). For skiing and snowboarding, there are 20 km of slopes available. 6 lifts transport the guests. The winter sports area is situated between the elevations of 2,260 and 3,163 m. The resort is year-round and has all seasons. It has the longest skiing season among CIS resorts. Due to artificial snow and the soft and comfortable climate, ski season lasts from November-May. Many foreign tourists are eager to visit the resort each season and share their experiences when they return home. Of 800,000 visitors each year, 30 percent are from abroad.

Botanical Gardens

Its area occupies more than a hundred hectares. It contains a live exhibition of different species of plants coming not only from our country, but also from Russia, the Caucasus, East Asia and North America. It is not necessary to travel to see plants from all over the world - just visit the botanical garden in Almaty. There are some very rare species of trees and herbaceous plants, which, thanks to proper care, grow and bloom actively.