Kolsai Kaindy Lakes with Charyn Canyons Day Tour (lunch included)

I joined the **Kolsai & Kaindy Lakes with Charyn Canyons Day Tour (lunch included)**, and overall it was a great experience. One thing I really liked was that they offer **three pickup locations**, which made it very convenient. They were also very punctual—we arrived about 15 minutes early, but the driver was already there waiting for us. Our tour guide, **Juldyz**, was fluent in English, kind, and soft-spoken. She shared interesting historical information about each destination throughout the trip and even organized a fun game during the drive, which made the long journey more enjoyable. Our first stop was **Charyn Canyon**, where we had about **1 hour** to explore. The tour only takes you to the upper viewpoint, so you won't hike down into the canyon. However, I still think it's worth visiting, and our guide mentioned that the views from the top are actually the best. We then visited **Black Canyon** and **Moon Canyon**, with approximately **20 minutes** at each stop. These locations were much less crowded, which made them even more enjoyable for taking photos and enjoying the scenery. Lunch was included and consisted of **soup, bread, rice, and meat**. It was enough to recharge after the morning activities, but if you have a bigger appetite like I do, I recommend bringing some extra snacks or food. Next was **Kolsai Lake**, which is absolutely beautiful. However, the **1-hour stop is simply not enough**. It takes around **20 minutes to walk from the parking area to the cafés near the lake**, leaving very little time to enjoy the area or try activities like boating or horseback riding. This stop is really more for sightseeing and taking photos. Our final destination was **Kaindy Lake**, where we had **2 hours**, which I found to be enough. I highly recommend the **horseback ride**, which costs **8,000 KZT for a round trip**. It was a fun experience and a great way to reach the lake while enjoying the scenery. Overall, I really enjoyed the tour. The transportation was well organized, the guide was excellent, and the destinations were breathtaking. My only suggestion would be to **allocate more time at Kolsai Lake**, as it deserves a longer visit.

We recently booked a private tour of the Kolsai and Kaindy Lakes, including the Charyn Canyon, and the entire experience was outstanding from start to finish. The Company Experience The communication from the company was top-notch. A full day before the tour, we received comprehensive pickup details, which included our guide’s name, specific vehicle information, a weather forecast, and recommendations on appropriate attire. Having all this information upfront allowed us to prepare perfectly and know exactly what to expect, making the start of our day stress-free. Our Guide: Zhenis It was an absolute joy to have Zhenis as our guide for Day 1. Arriving from Singapore after a long-haul flight, we were tired, but Zhenis’s youthful energy and ability to match our vibes immediately set a positive tone for the trip. He is incredibly well-versed in the history and culture of Kazakhstan, sharing fascinating insights throughout the day. What impressed us most was his genuine care for our well-being and safety. Our group consisted of siblings and siblings-in-law with varying levels of physical fitness, but Zhenis was the ultimate "all-rounder." He paced the tour perfectly so everyone could keep up, and he was even hands-on, helping guide our horses during the excursion. Beyond his professional guiding, he went the extra mile—his photography skills using our own phones were excellent (we have some amazing memories now!), and he gave us fantastic recommendations for authentic Kazakh cuisine that we absolutely loved. We would definitely recommend Kazakhstan Guided Tours to our family and friends who are considering a nature trip to Kazakhstan! Thank you for such an incredible kick-start to our holiday.

Great experience overall and Axultan - our guide was the best guide in the region. Good job!

Excellent time control, with a perfect pace that we spent enough time on each spot but managed to stay a teeny bit ahead of schedule. The tour guide Zhenis is very attentive, good English, and communication skills, we didn't even asked any questions, he told us all we need to know at right times. The trip was very cost and time effective, food at guest house was good and homey. The driver did an excellent job, we managed to return to city like an hour ahead of schedule, highly recommended for ppl all ages.

Wonderful tour. One of the best I have had till date. Our guide Zhuldyz was so warm and made the journey seamless. A value for money one-day tour to the beautiful Kaindy lake, and the lunch was out of the world. Definitely recommend it.

Jules did a great job in managing the time for our best experiences. Good time great company on a beautiful day!

Our tour on 29 May 2026 with Kazakhstan Guided Tours and guide Zhenis was unfortunately a very disappointing experience. The issues started even before the tour began. The day before the tour, we still had not received proper pickup details. We contacted the operator via WhatsApp simply to confirm the pickup time at our hotel. Instead of providing assistance, we were told it was past working hours and advised to call instead. Unsurprisingly, nobody answered the call. Someone briefly replied on WhatsApp telling us to “check email” and then completely stopped responding. Our question was extremely simple: what time was the scheduled pickup at the hotel we were staying at? Despite repeated attempts, we received absolutely no response. The reply finally came at 7:20 AM — when we were already on the tour. That level of communication is completely unacceptable and highly unprofessional. Unfortunately, the guiding itself was equally underwhelming. Zhenis did the absolute bare minimum throughout the day. he barely spoke on the bus and most of his “explanations” at the sites consisted of stating the name of the location and its meaning in Kazakh — information anyone could easily search online within seconds and the size of the landform. There was no meaningful history, cultural insight, storytelling, or engaging commentary provided during the trip. What stood out more was his constant promotion of his drone photography services at nearly every attraction. It genuinely felt as though we had booked a driver rather than a professional guide, as no valuable or insightful explanations were given about the places we visited. In addition, despite this being a full-day tour, no proper time was allocated for dinner. By the time we returned to the city, it was already around 9 PM and everyone was exhausted. Proper planning for meals should have been considered, especially on such a long itinerary. What made the experience even more frustrating was the expectation of receiving a 5-star review despite the very low standard of service provided. The guiding quality was extremely basic and lacked professionalism, preparation, and effort. Honestly, a 12-year-old could have repeated the same information with minimal preparation. Overall, we do not recommend Kazakhstan Guided Tours or the guide, Zhenis, to travellers expecting anything more than the bare minimum. The poor communication, lack of professionalism, uninspired guiding, and weak tour planning made this a disappointing and frustrating experience.

We signed up for this tour due to limited time in Almaty. It is very good value for money for those who don’t spend too much time around. It is a very long tour, pick up time in between 5:30-5:50. It covers three canyons and two lakes. We got back to the city around 9pm. Zhenis was our tour guide and he did his best given the diversity of the group in terms of age and backgrounds. The canyons are easy walk. The other two lakes require a bit of up and down but they are totally manageable.

Absolutely beyond expectation. The itinerary is well arranged, our guide Naz is super helpful, and the driver, although I don't know his name, is experienced and drives safely. Perfect season, perfect weather. You would not regret joining this tour.

the tour was amazing. There is a 2 day trip tour to lakes and canyons, but personally I think a 1 day tour would be enough as we have limited time in the country. Our tour guide Zhennis was super helpful, made sure everyone feels comfortable and get along with one another. He also offered to take videos with his drone, which will definitely capture the best shots of your trip.