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Kolsai Lakes & Almaty

Kolsai Lakes, Almaty
Duration

6 Days 5 Nights

Tour Type

Customized

Tour Category

Asia, International Tours

The Trans-Ili Alatau Mountains surround Almaty in the south. As a result this part of the Northern Tien-Shan Mountains is the most accessible for tourism. You needn’t waste a lot of time to get from the center of the city to the start point of hiking path. Almaty is known for its stunning natural beauty, and there are plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy. Some of the best options include hiking in the Tien Shan Mountains, skiing at Shymbulak Ski Resort, and exploring the beautiful Big Almaty Lake. One of the things that make Big Almaty Lake unique is that it is forbidden to swim in the lake, as it is the main water source for the residents of Almaty. Pipes carry the water from the reservoir down the mountains to the city. This orthodox cathedral is deservingly considered as one of the most interesting architectural monuments in Almaty. If you’re a lover of the outdoors and thrive in nature, then Almaty is for you. There are so many sights and places to visit near Almaty as the city is located close to some of Kazakhstan’s best and most beautiful national parks. The canyon features a dramatic landscape with beautiful red sand and formidable rock formations. Kazakhstan’s Charyn Canyon is a spectacular sight sitting at the backdrop of flat steppe lands near Almaty. The multi-coloured gorges display millions of years of history.

Highlights

On the territory of the park, there are several historical buildings built in the early and middle of the 20th century, such as the Zenkov Cathedral, the Museum of Folk Musical Instruments, and the Officers' House. Currently, the park is a popular destination for both locals and tourists.This orthodox cathedral is deservingly considered as one of the most interesting architectural monuments in Almaty. The wooden building, towering at a height of 56 meters, was constructed in the beginning of the XXth century. Built under the guidance of engineer Andre Zenkov, without the use of a single nail, it was one of the few pre-Soviet buildings to survive the earthquakes of 1910 with nothing more than a bent spire.The cathedral has six spires made of iron, and its internal fresco was created by the artist, Nikolay Khlydov. The cathedral is in the centre of Panfilov Park, named after the 28th Panfilov Battalion, including the guardsmen of the 316th shooting division, all of whom served with distinction during the defense of Moscow in 1941/1942. Shymbulak Ski Resort is located in a picturesque clove of Ile Alatau at the height of 2510 meters. It is famous for its mild climate with the majority of sunny days, persistent snow coverage and the magnificent surrounding views. Shymbulak is covered by snow from December to April. The canyon features a dramatic landscape with beautiful red sand and formidable rock formations. Kazakhstan's Charyn Canyon is a spectacular sight sitting at the backdrop of flat steppe lands near Almaty. The multi-coloured gorges display millions of years of history. Lake Kaindy is one of the unique lakes that one can see in Kazakhstan. The lake is famous for its sunken forests that one can still see existing in the lake.


Day 1 : Welcome to Almaty, Kazakhstan!

Welcome to Almaty – City of a thousand colours! After clearing custom & immigration procedures followed by baggage collection, you will be met by your English-speaking guide in the arrival’s hall. You will be escorted to your vehicle. Chocolates & refreshing napkins will be served on board your vehicle. Enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi on board your vehicle. Please ask your guide for login details. Welcome to your hotel & check-in to your room. Dinner as per your choice of cuisine or restaurant. Hotel drop-off and good night sleep.

Day 2 : Shymbulak Ski Resort

Breakfast at the hotel. Visit the Shymbulak Ski resort – Level 3 via Gondola In just 1 hour, you can get from Almaty city center to its highest point (3200 meters) and drink coffee in the highest bar in the CIS using 3 tier world-class Gondola. On Shymbulak, you can have a great time even if you can’t ski or snowboard. All-day entertainment for the whole family is provided by cafes and restaurants with excellent cuisine, an observation deck with powerful binoculars that rotate 360 degrees and a playground. For those who want to enjoy the mountain silence and admire the snowy slopes, the resort offers high-class hotels and various kinds of adventure activities such as Zip Lining, Paragliding, Horse riding etc. Enjoy lunch in Shymbulak or a choice of your restaurant in the city. Proceed to your hotel for some relaxation. Panfilov & Arbat walking tour Evening walk around Panfilov promenade. The promenade which overlooks the Kazakh Opera & Ballet theatre is lined with small shops, eateries, and cafes & beautiful lights. You will enjoy hearing many local musicians singing songs & playing local musical instruments. The tour will end on Arbat street with lots of shopping outlets and street entertainment. Dinner as per your choice of cuisine or restaurant. Hotel drop-off and good night sleep.

Day 3 : Kolsai Lakes (285 kms/4 hours)

Breakfast at your hotel. Proceed for Kolsai National Park! The “Pearl of the Tien Shan”, Kolsai Lakes, are located 300 km from Almaty, in the spurs of the Kungei-Alatau ridge. It is also called Kazakh Switzerland. These are one of the most beautiful mountain lakes surrounded by steep mountain slopes. Arrive at check-in to your boutique resort. Enjoy lunch at your resort or any small cafes in the area (on own) Bask in the beauty of the nature. Enjoy a boat ride on Lake Kolsai or ride a horse to explore the area. (On own) Dinner as per your choice of cuisine or restaurant. Overnight at your hotel.

Day 4 : Kaindy Lake & Charyn Canyon

Breakfast at your hotel. Visit Kaindy Lake – Ghostly Underwater Forest! You've seen forests, and you've seen lakes. But when you see one inside the other, things start to feel eerie. That's the essence of Kaindy Lake. A landslide a century ago created the lake atop a spruce forest — leading to some breath-taking scenery. Lunch in a local café before proceeding to Charyn Canyon. Visit Charyn – A 12-million-year-old Canyon! It is often compared to the American Grand Canyon, to which Charyn is only slightly inferior in size and not at all in beauty. The total length of the canyon is 154 kilometres, and its age is about 12 million years. The river of the same name Charyn flows at the bottom of the canyon, the total length of which exceeds 360 kilometres. The beauty of the canyon brings forth thoughts about Martian landscapes. If you want to feel like you’re on another planet, make sure to come to the space Charyn! Thousands of tourists visit this magical place annually, taking unforgettable impressions, delightful emotions and beautiful photos of the wild, unbridled beauty of Kazakhstan’s nature with them. The «Valley of Castles» is one of the most beautiful canyon gorges. Its steep, vertical cliffs truly resemble the walls of royal houses. You can walk through the valley for 1.5 hours, completing a walk at a crystal-clear mountain river. Also there are other places that are of great interest for tourists, like the «Witch Gorge», «Dragon Gorge» and many other scenic parts of this natural wonder. Procced to Almaty city Arrive & check-in to your hotel for relaxation. Dinner Hotel drop-off.

Day 5: Green Bazaar + Rakhat Chocolate Shop

Breakfast at the hotel. Green Bazaar + Rakhat Chocolate Shop If you are among these, who don’t like to go to a mall and prefer the outdoor market among fresh air and belong to the old-school shopping type, then without wasting any time, head straight towards the Zelyony Bazaar located close to the Panfilov Park in Almaty. Also, known as the Green Market, this market is your typical local market where you can purchase everything starting from meat to spices to fruits to even clothes and furniture. The key to shopping here is that you should have a flair for bargaining, and you can get everything at a very reasonable rate. You will be delighted to see the colourful atmosphere and the variety of goods available. Right next door is the famous Rakhat Chocolate shop. Rakhat which means pleasure in Kazakh is the oldest manufactures of chocolates dating back to almost 70 years. Around 3500 workers work in basically 2 factories, one located in Almaty and one in Shymkent city. They also make chocolates for people suffering from diabetes and their low-calorie products like candies, cookies and waffles are a range among the people and tourists. Lunch at an Indian restaurant. Shopping Almaty is a paradise for all your shopping, so you can head to some of the swankiest malls the city has to offer. We recommend Dostyk Plaza, Esentai Mall & Mega Mall for high-end quality shopping. Sunset in Kok Tobe Kok Tobe is the highest point in the city of Almaty standing on a 1100 m hill at the south-east edge of the city. It is worth a visit to Kok Tobe because of its panoramic view of the city from all directions. To reach the Kok Tobe hill, one should take a cable car ride which starts near Hotel Novotel and goes over some of the oldest parts of Almaty and the magnificent fruit growing gardens. Once you reach the Kok Tobe hill, you would see the famous 372 m high TV Tower which is visible from far and offers great views of the mountains and the city plus many attractions at the top including many restaurants serving cuisines from across the globe. Dinner as per your choice of cuisine or restaurant. Hotel drop-off and good night sleep.

Day 6 : Return Home

Packed breakfast & check-out from the hotel. It’s time to say good-bye to this beautiful city. Our driver will pick you up from the hotel and transfer you to the airport for your flight home or to an onward destination.

Almaty & Overnight Kolsai

Holiday Inn Express Or Similar

  • Inclusions

  • Airport meet & greet.
  • Chocolates & refreshing napkins served on board your vehicle.
  • Complimentary Wi-Fi on board all our vehicles.
  • 4 nights stay as per choice of hotels mentioned above.
  • 1 night stay in Kolsai @ Kolsai Nomad resort – Lake View room.
  • Daily breakfast.
  • Dedicated English speaking guide throughout the trip.
  • Souvenir upon departure courtesy Kazin Dmc.
  • Dedicated private vehicle with driver throughout the trip.
  • Vehicle & guide at disposal daily for 12 hours (1000 hrs – 2200 hrs)
  • Sightseeing as outlined in the itinerary above.
  • Gondola tickets to Shymbulak – Level 3
  • Gondola tickets to Kok Tobe.
  • Kolsai Lake, Kaindy Lake & Charyn Canyon
  • 2 bottles of water daily per person.
  • Hotel taxes.
  • Exclusions

  • 5% Bed tax payable to the hotel at the time of check-in.
  • Flights
  • Expenses of personal nature
  • Meals (unless or otherwise specified)
  • GST & TCS (For India only)
  • For those who require visa to enter KZ, U$ 85 per person will apply.

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Kolsai Lakes, Almaty
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admin_tat

Member Since 2023

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