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Seoul to Almaty, Charyn Canyon and the Kolsai Lakes

Seoul → Almaty → Charyn Canyon → Kolsai Lakes

Almaty
"Almaty_Kök_Töbe.jpg" by Dauren Nabijan, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence
Almaty Kök Töbe (Almaty)
Photo: Dauren Nabijan, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Tian Shan nature Best season (general guide): Jun–Sep

This trip pairs a lively Central Asian city with two very different landscapes in the mountains to its east. From Seoul it's a single flight to Almaty. From there you head out by road, first to the red-rock gorge of Charyn and then up to the forested Kolsai Lakes, before returning to the city for the flight home.

How to pace it: Spend days one to three in Almaty: day one, Panfilov Park and Zenkov Cathedral; day two, Green Bazaar, then Kok-Tobe; day three, Medeu and Shymbulak. Then spend day four at Charyn Canyon: drive east, then Valley of Castles trail in the cool hours. Then spend days five and six in the Kolsai Lakes: day five, travel to Saty, then Lower Kolsai; day six, Lake Kaindy or a hike toward Middle Kolsai (if open).

Almaty deserves a few days of its own: green avenues lined with trees, the wooden Zenkov Cathedral in Panfilov Park, the Green Bazaar, and quick escapes into the mountains at Medeu. The drive east crosses the steppe to Charyn Canyon, often compared to a smaller Grand Canyon, where a short trail leads down through the Valley of Castles. Spending a night nearby lets you walk it in the cool hours. The road then climbs to Saty, the base for the Kolsai Lakes and Lake Kaindy, where dead spruce trunks rise out of the turquoise water. Guesthouses in the village make it easy to stay over and hike at your own pace.

The lakes are most accessible from about June to September. Late spring can bring snow, rain and muddy trails, and snow often blocks mountain roads in winter. Charyn is a different case: its exposed canyon floor gets extremely hot in high summer, so plan that walk early in the day if you visit in July or August. September is a good compromise for both.

Mountain roads are rough in places, so many travellers hire a car with a driver or join a small-group tour from Almaty. The lakes are cold even in August, so bring warm layers for the evenings in Saty.

Suggested outline

  1. Seoul

    Start

  2. Almaty

    By air · 3 nights suggested

    Kazakhstan's largest city sits below the Zailiysky Alatau. A cable car climbs to Kok-Tobe, and Medeu and Shymbulak are a short drive into the mountains.

  3. Charyn Canyon

    Overland · 1 night suggested

    A long drive east of Almaty. The Valley of Castles trail drops to the river between red rock formations.

    Charyn Canyon
    "Charyn_Canyon,_Kazakhstan_03.jpg" by Bgag, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence

  4. Kolsai Lakes

    Overland · 2 nights suggested

    Three mountain lakes above the village of Saty. Lake Kaindy, with its sunken forest, is nearby. Check park notices before setting out.

Day by day

  1. Day 1 · Almaty — Arrive; Panfilov Park and Zenkov Cathedral· Seoul → Almaty (by air)
  2. Day 2 · Almaty — Green Bazaar; Kok-Tobe
  3. Day 3 · Almaty — Medeu and Shymbulak
  4. Day 4 · Charyn Canyon — Drive east; Valley of Castles trail in the cool hours· Almaty → Charyn Canyon (overland)
  5. Day 5 · Kolsai Lakes — To Saty; Lower Kolsai· Charyn Canyon → Kolsai Lakes (overland)
  6. Day 6 · Kolsai Lakes — Lake Kaindy or a hike toward Middle Kolsai (if open)
  7. Day 7 · Kolsai Lakes — Travel home from Kolsai Lakes· Kolsai Lakes → Almaty (overland), then Almaty → Seoul (by air)

A suggested pace only; expedition days are set by the operator.

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Almaty

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Charyn Canyon

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