Charyn, Kolsai & Kaindy Lakes 4-Day Trip from Almaty

An early start, around 06:00, for a long day of about 14 hours, much of it on the road. Descend into Charyn Canyon and walk the “Valley of Castles”, the best-known section of a canyon that stretches for 154 km, a 2–3 km trail where the midday sun turns the cliffs copper. The path runs between serrated towers along the river. Later in the morning, look into Moon Canyon, a neighboring valley with gray and bluish rock formations and an almost lunar feel. Closer to lunch, visit Black Canyon with volcanic walls and narrow passages, a dark counterpoint after red Charyn. After lunch, walk around the first Kolsai Lake (1818 m), surrounded by century-old Tien Shan spruces, with trout visible in the shallows. In the late afternoon, visit Kaindy Lake, formed by the 1911 earthquake. Spruce trunks rise from the water like the masts of a sunken fleet; the turquoise surface between them makes this one of Kazakhstan’s most recognizable scenes. Return to Almaty late in the evening.

Start at the Medeu rink, at 1691 meters the highest-altitude skating stadium in the world. In winter the ice is perfectly smooth; in summer the rink becomes a cool mountain amphitheater, with a walk along the dam and views of the gorge. In the first half of the day, ride up to Shymbulak mountain resort (2260 m) on a three-stage cable car; the 25-minute ride ends at 3200 meters with a full panorama of the Ile Alatau. Winter here means skiing and snowboarding; in summer there are hiking trails and cafés with views. Closer to lunch, stroll along pedestrian Zhibek Zholy, Almaty’s “Arbat”, with street artists, stalls selling local handicrafts, and cafés where you can catch your breath after an active morning.

A walk through Panfilov Park, a shaded green area in the city center with the memorial to the 28 Panfilov Heroes who fell near Moscow in 1941. Old oaks, quiet alleys and the occasional chime of bells give it the feel of old Alma-Ata inside the modern city. In the first half of the day, see the Zenkov Cathedral from 1907, one of the tallest wooden churches in the world, built without a single nail and standing through the earthquake that leveled half the city. Inside is an iconostasis from the late 19th century; outside, the cathedral rises 56 meters under golden domes. Closer to lunch, a photo stop at the Kazakhstan Hotel, a 25-story building from the late 1970s with a huge smalt mosaic on the facade, a classic example of Almaty Soviet modernism. In the second half of the day, visit the Green Bazaar, operating since 1875, a true Eastern market with piles of dried apricots and raisins, rows of kazy and shuzhuk (horse sausage), barrels of mountain honey from the jailyau, and friendly vendors who let you taste everything before buying.