Kolsai Lake and it's surroundings is like a dreamland. The lake is surrounded by high mountains. The reflection of the trees and mountains in the blue water of the lake is an added attraction. The trip to the lake is usually combined with the Charyn canyon. A day trip from Almaty will take more than 12 hours. Alternatively one can stay overnight in the Saty village near the lake.

Peace and tranquility! Those are the only words to describe the feelings when visiting Kolsai Lakes. Too far from the Almaty City, but is worth visiting. They have boat ride and few other activities to enjoy the prestin waters & serene mountain around. For us, it was just the fresh snow of the season and we enjoyed it a lot. However, start very early so to get a good time at the spot. It takes around 4+ hrs one-way.

I did the hike from Kolsai 1 to 2. The trail is around 17 KM round trip with an altitude gain of over 700 meters. The trail starts all fairly easy and very nice along the first lake. After 4.5 KM into the hike, it gets much steeper and will continue to be like that until last 500 meters. The biggest problem is that at most points hikers share the same trail with horses that take people all the way up there, making the trip extremely muddy and hard to walk, which you can get really bad after or during a rain. So definitely be prepared for a lot of mud even during the summer times. Also be prepared for changes in weather, which seems to happen often in the area. Alternatively, you can also take a horse up there, but I am not sure of the cost, but I expect it to be pretty expensive. Kolsai 2 is very nice and much quieter. Despite all these challenges, it is one of my favorite hikes.

Fantastic view of the lake and mountains. There were some water activities like canoeing and catamaran rides . We also hiked a little. The only set back was the lack of hygienic restrooms. The trip was long and tiring but well worth it.

The lakes are incredible to visit. The scenery is so picturesque that it's hard to believe it's real. The lower lake is easy to access and there are restaurants and other amenities nearby. The upper lake is more challenging, you can ride a horse or make the trek on foot.

We had a fantastic couple of days in and around Saty exploring the Kolsai Lakes National Park. A 4WD is essential, ours was arranged and hired from Saty. The Sunken Forest was the highlight, a hauntingly beautiful and serene place. But the other Lakes were well worth a visit too. We saw a lot of people doing the trails on one side of the lake on horseback, but we used a mixture of 4WD and hiking on foot. A very special area this, well worth incorporating into your itinerary if you are doing Charyn Canyon or crossing to or from Kyrgyzstan.