Explore Kazakhstan: Charyn & the Kolsai Lakes in 5 Days
Overview
The two things everyone comes to Almaty for — Charyn Canyon and the Kolsai lakes — in a five-day loop with two nights in a Saty guesthouse. Works as a stand-alone short break or as the start of a longer Central Asia trip.
Highlights
Is this trip for you?
- Travellers with five days in Almaty
- Anyone starting a Central Asia trip from Kazakhstan
- You want the Singing Dune and Aktau (take the 7-day route)
Our honest opinion
- Two nights in Saty, so the lakes are not rushed
- Runs all year — Kolsai in snow is beautiful
- Charyn is a 3-hour drive each way
- Guesthouse comfort is simple
Combine with our Kyrgyzstan tours — Bishkek is four hours from Almaty.
The trip in numbers
Your route
Line style shows how you travel each leg: solid = train, dotted = car, dashed = flight.
Day by day
Airport pickup and a city walk: the Green bazaar, Zenkov cathedral and Panfilov park.
The canyon walk down to the river, then on to Saty.
Both lakes with a picnic and time to walk.
Return; Kok-Tobe hill at sunset.
Airport transfer.
What’s included
What’s not included
Where you’ll stay
Or equivalent, depending on season. Hotels are inside or beside the historic centres wherever the town has one.
Traveller reviews
What guests wrote
“Five days from Almaty — city, Charyn, Kolsai, Kaindy. Perfectly organised, excellent English-speaking guide, comfortable 4×4. Ideal if you are combining Kazakhstan with Kyrgyzstan or Uzbekistan.”
Good to know
Most nationalities enter Uzbekistan visa-free for 30–90 days. If your passport needs an e-visa, it takes 2–3 working days online — we check your case and guide you at booking.
The local currency is the Uzbek som (UZS). Visa and Mastercard work in city hotels, restaurants and supermarkets; keep some cash for bazaars, taxis and tips. ATMs dispense som and sometimes USD.
April–June and September–November are warm and clear — ideal for walking the old cities. July–August afternoons exceed 35°C; winter departures run at reduced prices.
Uzbekistan uses European plug types C and F, 220V. Travellers from the UK, US and Asia need a standard Euro adapter — one per device is enough, hotels have plenty of sockets.
Everyday dress is relaxed across all four cities. Inside mosques and madrasas, shoulders and knees should be covered; headscarves for women are only needed in a few active mosques — your guide will tell you when.
Your included eSIM is activated on arrival, so you’re online from the airport. Hotel Wi-Fi is reliable in all four cities; your coordinator stays reachable on WhatsApp or Telegram throughout.
Free cancellation up to 30 days before departure. 50% refund up to 15 days before; after that the booking is non-refundable, but you can move to another date once for free.
Medical insurance for the tour days is included. We still recommend personal travel insurance covering cancellation and baggage — we can suggest trusted providers.
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