On Day 3 of our 3-days trip to the Kazakh Hinterlands, we had breakfast at our homestay in Saty village and set out to go witness these beautiful gems of lakes.
Kolsai Lake – The Pearls of Tien Shan
The Kolsai lake is part of a much larger Kolsai Lake National Park which is located on the northern slope of the Tien Shan mountains, and it’s not one but three different lakes known as the lower, middle and upper Kolsai. They’re also referred to as the pearls of the Tien Shan, such is the gorgeousness of these waterbodies.
It was about a 5 km drive from our homestay in Saty till the Kolsai Lake National Park entrance. The drive is beautiful with slightly winding roads and green vistas.
The lower Kolsai Lake is the first to be seen and is reachable via a short walk downhill from the parking area, about a 500 meter descent. On a clear day, the water appears to be shades of deep turquoise and emerald blues, borrowing some of the shine from the sun, and reflections from the adjacent alpines.
The track further takes you along the periphery of the lake, with the hill on the one side and trees jutting out into the lake on the other. It’s a nice pleasant walk all the way till the boating point, which is where the walkway ends.
Although known as the lower lake, it sits at an elevation of 1800m. And since this is the most easily accessible compared to the other two lakes, it’s a very popular spot amongst locals for picnics on holidays.
The Middle and Upper Kolsai are at heights of 2280 m and 2650 m (respectively) above sea level. The total distance is 13 km and one can either hike up to the points or opt for horse ride.
Unfortunately, we did not have enough time for the hike and could only accommodate walking around the lower Kolsai lake and half an hour of boating. It was a paddleboard catamaran, and turned out to be a good abs exercise. Post which, we just sat by the lake soaking in the warmth of the sun and the lush green scape surrounding the beautiful waterbody. It was getting quite hot so we retreated towards the parking area where our guide was waiting for us and then we headed towards Kaindy Lake.
While returning, instead of taking the paved walking track, we walked up this dirt stretch.
And then treated ourselves to some chocolate soft-serve, at a stall perched in the parking area. It was a long wait though, thanks to it being a weekend and all locals thronging the place. But all worth it!
Kaindy Lake – Kazakhstan’s Hidden Underwater Forest
After the beautiful Kolsai Lake, it was time to head to Kaindy Lake. First things first, if you’re a tourist, it’s best to not self-drive here. The road is rough and requires a four-wheel drive. As per our guide, the locals are quite adept at it but even they wouldn’t dare go the route without a 4*4 car or at least a car with a good ground clearance. It’s quite simple to get taxis from Saty till the Kaindy Lake parking point.
It was one of the roughest rides I’ve experienced (most parts of it). And in my opinion, it’s actually quite similar to doing a road trip in Ladakh with the many river crossings and large boulders. But not all was rough as there were patches of forests in between with beautiful birch tress lining the roads. Overall, it takes about an hour to go just 10 km, before one can reach the parking spot.
From the parking area, one can hike up or avail the services of the vintage soviet jeep shuttle service, at just about 2500 tenge per person. The soviet jeep ride is quite an experience, as it’s all off-roading again. And if you’re not careful, it’s possible to keep bumping your head against the roof or your knees against the front seat.
Once the soviet jeep has dropped you off at it’s designated point, it’s another 15 minutes of a downhill hike through pine forests to reach the lake and plus 10 more minutes if you wanna go till the panoramic view-point (the extra 10 mins being totally worth it coz the views are amazing!)
The Kaindy lake, also known as Kazakhstan’s sunken forest and hidden underwater forest is a natural wonder that emerged quite unexpectedly. It was created when a massive earthquake which struck the region in the year 1911, caused a landslide, blocking the gorge leading to the natural formation of a dam which filled up with crystal clear mountain water. The tree trunks remained inside the water but the temperature being 6 degrees actually preserved the trees, instead of the natural progression of rotting. It’s a very unusual sight with pine trees covered mountains rising from the shores of the blue lake.
The water glittered in the sun and was quite clear except for of course the usual slippery moss at the edges.
We stayed there for about an hour, and then returned to our guesthouse for lunch. The Kaindy Lake is magnificent, specially when you think of how it came into being, but I’d prefer to go back to Kolsai lake to spend more time, or probably just laze around. But first to also hike up to the middle and upper Kolsai.
These two beauties was the last of our 3-days trip to the Kazakh Hinterland, and we returned to Almaty that evening.
Read about my complete experience to the Kazakh Hinterland in this post linked below:
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