Itinerary

1. Day 1- Charyn Canyon

   • Recommended tour start time is 7:00 am. Your Almaty tour guide will pick you up from the Hotel / Hostel / Apartment in the morning.

   • Proceed to see the Charyn Canyon. The first half of the drive will be on a Highway that is about 130 km long. Change directions here. Road quality is of Normal asphalt. The total mileage to the canyon is about 200 km or 3.5 hours. On your way, there will be stunning landscapes with their immensity and beauty! The road will be interesting.

   • You will make a short stop at the local bazaar, Baiseit village, to buy fresh vegetables and fruits from farmers.

   • Of course, it will be possible to make a brief stop for 30 minutes for a coffee break with beautiful views of the rocky mountains of the "Kokpek" pass.

   • 11:00 am, you will arrive at the Charyn Canyon. Here, first of all, explore the Canyon from the top. Our guide will provide you with the most breathtaking spots from the top of the Canyon. A walk along the Canyon will take 1-1.5 hours, depending on the client's request. Walking along the bottom of the Canyon is just exciting! Distance will be about 3.5 km or 1 hour. You will have lunch by the banks of the Charyn River (one hour). 

   • At 15:00 hours, return to the car and go to the village of Satty. The road drive takes about 2-2.5 hours (distance 120 km. Notice the change of the climatic zones here, from steppe, semi-deserts to mountainous areas with an altitude of 1500-1800 m. You will want to stop by every 100 meters, because of the breathtaking nature around!

   • Between 17:30 - 18:00 hours arrive at the Satty village. Stop at a guest house with a local family. Here you can fully immerse yourself in the atmosphere of local village life, the lifestyle of a local Kazakh family. Get to know the traditions and try the traditional, national food! It is fascinating! Believe me!

   Dinner will be at a guest house with a local Kazakh family and also an overnight stay. 

2. Day 2- Kaindy Lake (Sunken Forest) - Black canyon - Almaty City

   • Have breakfast at 7:00 in the Guesthouse.

   • Transfer to the Lake Kolsay. The distance will be about 15 km with a transfer time of about 40 minutes. 

   • Then, enjoy a walking tour around the Kolsai Lakes. The length and width of the lake here is about 1 km and 200 m, respectively. You will see the most beautiful landscapes, the game of colours and contrasts. Enjoy the murmur of a mountain river. The guide will provide the most exclusive viewpoint on the lake. And, of course, make your hot coffee/tea/chocolate. You will enjoy the views of wildlife. The general time to visit the lake will take around 1-2 hours, depending on the customer's wishes.

   • Travel to Kaindy Lake in a jeep. The road will be less comfortable but be sure to enjoy the beauty of the mountains. The mileage to Kaindy Lake is about 15 km. By 11:30, you will arrive here.

   • Leave the Jeep in the parking area and then hike around the lake. The guide will provide the most lovely spots for taking photos. Explore the lake region.

   • Get transferred to a guest house in Satty Village. Have lunch while you are here.

   • Continue to Almaty city by road. The drive will take about 4.5 hours (330 km), and you will arrive here at around 20:00 hours. The time range of the tour program may vary strongly, depending upon different conditions (weather, season).