Kolsai Lakes
Kazakhstan · Almaty Region · 1818 m
Description
The Kolsai lakes are three spruce-ringed lakes stepping up a valley of the Kungey Alatau, the lowest at about eighteen hundred metres and the highest above twenty-eight hundred. Almost everyone stops at the first, where there are rowing boats and horses and a short shoreline walk. The second is a three hour climb through forest and is the reason to stay the night in Saty, the village that feeds and beds the whole valley. The third sits below the pass into Kyrgyzstan, which is walkable but is not a legal crossing. Snowmelt turns the tracks to mud in spring.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 1 to 3 days (optimal 2 days)
Travel season
Best time to visit: June – September
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Lower Kolsai lake and its rowing boats
- Horse riding from the lower lake
- Forest climb to the second lake
- Saty village homestays
- Spruce forest of the Kungey Alatau
- Third lake below the Kyrgyz pass(Multi-day trip)
- Kayaking on the lower lake
- Frozen lakes in deep winter
- Night sky above the valley
- Chilik valley viewpoints on the approach