Kolsai: three lakes

The Kolsai lakes are located in the Kulsay (Kolsai) gorge between the Trans-Ili Alatau and Kungei Alatau ridges. Kolsay lakes are located on the territory of the Raiymbek district of the Almaty region and are located 10 km north of the border with Kyrgyzstan, 300 km from Almaty.There are 3 lakes in total, they are located at an altitude of about 1000 m, 2500 m, 2700 m above sea level. The Kolsai lakes are surrounded by a picturesque forest of Tien Shan spruce . The depth of the lakes reaches 50 m in which you can find splashing rainbow trout .Our path will run from the first (lower) Kolsai lake to the middle and upper, wilder and less crowded.

The distance from Almaty to the Kolsai Lakes is about 300 km and takes about 4-4.5 hours. The distance from Almaty to the village of Saty is about 280 km.

This is a fairly simple hike, with the main part of the walking taking place on the second day. From the first to the second Kolsai lake, the journey takes approximately 4-5 hours, which, in principle, is feasible for any person with average physical shape, but you need to take into account that you will have a heavy backpack. If you have never had trekking experience, then in order to be more confident in your abilities, first go on a one-day hike, so you will better understand what kind of activity awaits you.
Distance: from lower to middle lake 7.2 km; middle to upper - 3.8km.
Elevation: 596m to middle lake and 430m from middle to upper

1-2 day tours: If the cancellation is made at least 72 hours in advance, a full refund (100%) will be provided. If the cancellation is made less than 72 hours in advance, a 70% refund will be provided. If the cancellation is made less than 48 hours in advance, a 50% refund will be provided. No refund will be given for cancellations made on the day of the service.
Multiday tours: If the cancellation is made at least 15 calendar days in advance, a full refund (100%) will be provided. If the cancellation is made less than 15 calendar days in advance, the refund will be issued minus actual expenses incurred (such as advance payments for transfers, hotel reservations, food purchases, tickets, etc.), but not exceeding 70% of the tour price. If the cancellation is made less than 7 calendar days in advance, a 50% refund of the tour price will be provided.

Food prepared during a hike is different from food in the city. We usually bring grains to cook on gas stoves. Typically, in the morning we prepare porridge: oatmeal, grain porridge, rice porridge, and we add cookies and tea.
Lunch depends on where we are eating and how much free time we have. In trekking tours, lunch often takes place on the go, so we usually make sandwiches with bread, cheese, and sausage, along with tea and a piece of candy.
For dinner, we usually have enough time to cook, so we typically prepare a side dish of buckwheat or pasta along with sliced beef. Tea and sweets are always included. We only bring vegetables on two-day hikes because they are perishable.
If you have any dietary restrictions or preferences, please inform your guide, and we will make sure to consider them when planning the menu.