3-Day Active Tour
Around Almaty

Fuel up on a hearty village breakfast before heading out across the remote Kazakh steppe toward the day’s first wonder – the Singing Dunes. Keep your eyes open on the way: black-tailed gazelles and Asian wild asses are occasionally spotted making their way down to the Ili River for a drink. At the dunes, your guide will unravel the fascinating mystery behind them – how a massive sand formation appeared in the middle of open steppe, and why, despite the winds, it has never shifted from its place in hundreds of years. Climb to the top, take in the sweeping panoramic views of the Ili River valley, and let the scale of it all sink in.

Then the canyon. From the singing sands of the steppe to the ancient sculpted walls of Charyn – two completely different worlds in a single day. We make a gentle descent into the Valley of Castles, where towering formations of sand and clay rise around you, giving way to ancient basalt layers deeper toward the river. The Charyn River glitters below, quietly going about the work it has been doing for 12 million years. After around three hours exploring the canyon floor, we make the short scramble back to the surface and hit the road again.

Sturdy shoes with a good sole are essential for both the dunes and the canyon trails.

Next stop: Satty village, the gateway to Kolsay Lakes – about 2.5 hours from the canyon. The road is brand new and the scenery along the way is well worth the drive.

Arrival at Satty, dinner with a local family, and an overnight homestay – simple, warm, and genuinely memorable.

Overnight at a local family homestay in Satty village.

Wake up in the heart of the Northern Tian Shan mountains. Fuel up on breakfast at the guesthouse – you’ll want the energy for what’s ahead.

Today is all about the hike from the first Kolsay Lake to the second, and it’s a day you won’t forget. The trail winds through ancient spruce forest in a wonderful rhythm of ascents and descents, with the mountains revealing themselves at every turn. The full hike takes around 6–7 hours return (16 km, with around 500 metres of elevation between the two lakes) — a proper adventure that rewards every step.

In the afternoon, a well-earned picnic awaits on the shore of the second lake — arguably the most beautiful spot of the entire trip. Take your time here. Breathe it in.

Don’t forget to bring comfortable hiking clothes and sturdy footwear. And an important practical note: please carry your original passport (not a copy) on the hike – the Kyrgyzstan border lies around 10 km from the second lake, and border soldiers may ask to see it.

As the afternoon light softens, we make our way back down to the first Kolsay Lake, take one last look, and begin the drive back to Almaty – around 5 hours with comfort stops along the way (approximately 288 km / 179 miles). Your driver will drop you at your hotel, or at the airport if your journey continues that same evening.

Prefer a different kind of magic? Skip the hike and visit Kaindy Lake instead – a place that genuinely defies description. Born from a massive landslide triggered by the 1911 earthquake, this extraordinary lake is filled with the silver trunks of Tien Shan fir trees, their needles perfectly preserved beneath the ice-cold, crystal-clear water, their bare stems reaching above the surface like something out of a dream.

A heads up: the second Kolsay Lake and Kaindy Lake are both unmissable — but the day simply doesn’t stretch far enough to do both justice. You’ll need to pick one. Whichever you choose, you won’t regret it.