Charyn canyon, Kaindy lake, Kolsai lake and Assy plateau, Issyk lake tour that lasts for 3 days and 2 nights

Itinerary

Included:

2 nights guest house accommodation with breakfast
vehicle
guide
tickets
shuttle service by off-road vehicle from Saty village to the parking lot of Kaindy lake
shuttle service by off-road vehicle from Batan village to Assy plateau
water

Excluded:

Notes:

Kaindy lake is 280+ km away from Almaty city center
Kaindy lake is 12+ km away from Saty village
road from Saty village to the parking lot of Kaindy lake is bumpy and requires 30-40 min of off-road driving (subject to motion sickness): its condition depends on weather and can be dry, dusty, muddy, icy, snowy, etc.
regular local shuttle service operates along this road using off-road vehicles (old Soviet-Russian Uazik, old Mitsubishi Delica or similar): usually they are dirty and have problems with AC/heater
from the parking lot, a trail leads to the lake: its condition also depends on weather and can be dry, dusty, muddy, icy, snowy, etc.
there are 3 main ways to get from the parking lot to the lake:

hiking (30-40 min): the most reliable option
horse riding (20-30 min): feasible but risky
(extra) off-road driving (10-20 min): off-road vehicles are available on-and-off and often crowded

Kolsai lake consists of 3 lakes: lower lake, middle lake and upper lake
distance between the lower lake and the middle lake (Kolsai 2) is around 8 km
Kolsai 2 is risky for hiking: the trail is narrow and off the main area
trail is like a zigzag, up and down, full of tall trees; small rivers, stones, dust, mud, etc. are also present
travelers must be fit and strong: no children, no elders, no sick people
travelers must be prepared to face such outcomes as fatigue, stonefall, treefall, insect bite, etc.
Kolsai 2 is not accessible for vehicles: only on foot or on a horse
in case of some urgent issue, a helicopter is not likely to land there
when there is snow, the trail is almost blocked: no need to risk to reach
not every guide is able to serve a tour of Kolsai 2, so there will be additional charge to hire an experienced guide
travelers can skip Kolsai 2 and hike around the lower lake, visit a small cave located a few kilometers away, enjoy easy walking around the lake, etc.
local cowboys rent out horses to travelers: they are not 100% reliable

Charyn canyon (roughly 154 km in length) lies partly along the route between Almaty and the lake(s)

Charyn canyon's Valley of Castles is 200+ km away from Almaty city center
on-and-off shuttle service (often crowded) operates within the site
as time is limited in this tour, the river at the bottom of the valley is usually skipped
instead, you will follow the upper route for panoramic view of the canyon

Assy plateau is 105+ km away from Almaty city center
Assy plateau is 15+ km away from Batan village
road from Batan village to Assy plateau is bumpy and requires 40-60 min of off-road driving (subject to motion sickness): its condition depends on weather and can be dry, dusty, muddy, icy, snowy, etc.
shuttle service operates along this road using off-road vehicles
travelers must be prepared for challanges such as fatigue, stonefalls, etc.

there is no guarantee that the vehicle will not break down
provincial infrastructure is less developed compared to the city
do not expect mobile internet, Wi-Fi, F&B in the province to be as good as in city
exploring natural sites carries a risk of insect bites
halal, vegetarian food is available

Saty village:

What to bring:

Remarks:

Standard tour

Price per person (based on 10 people group size)

from 200 usd

Different group sizes

Price per person depends on the size of the group: for example, different rates are applied for 2, 4, 5, 7, 20 people and so on

from N usd

3 days 2 nights tour of Charyn canyon, Kaindy lake, Kolsai lake, Kolsai 2nd lake and Assy plateau, Issyk lake