Out of TownOut of TownPhoto: Jonas Satkauskas, свободная лицензия (Attribution) · source
Kaindy looks like a film set: dry spruce tops jut out from turquoise water, and beneath the surface, preserved branches and needles remain visible. The lake is younger than it appears—the forest literally drowned rather than decayed over centuries. In summer, you can kayak between the trunks, while in winter the same location transforms completely—frozen beneath ice and covered in frost. Access is via the settlement of Saty: first asphalt road, then a checkpoint with an entrance fee, followed by a parking area and a one-and-a-half kilometer walk. After that, you'll need an all-terrain vehicle or a local UAZ—the road crosses a mountain river twice by fording. Unlike some other locations in the border zone, special permits are not required here. The best time to visit is from June to September, while conditions are dry and roads are passable.
The lake formed in January 1911 during the same period of intense seismic activity beneath Almaty that also damaged the Ascension Cathedral in the city. A powerful earthquake then collapsed rocks into the gorge. The rockfall blocked the river, and the valley with its spruce forest was submerged underwater. The spruces didn't have time to rot—the cold water essentially preserved them. The lake sits at an elevation of approximately 1,900 meters. It is quite small: about 486 meters long, 115 meters wide, and reaching depths of up to 30 meters.
Kaindy is one of the most unusual diving locations in the Northern Tian Shan. The water here doesn't warm above +6 degrees Celsius even in hot weather, and diving is only permitted with special authorization and your own equipment. Underwater, a fantastic landscape unfolds: the lower branches of the submerged spruces have been overgrown with algae over the century but remain recognizable. The lake is part of the Kolsay National Park, established in 2007—the Kolsay Lakes themselves are only 12 kilometers to the west, and many tourists visit both locations in a single trip. Scenic hiking trails wind around the water's edge. In winter, the lake freezes, and the frost-covered dead spruces transform it into an almost fairytale, almost surreal place.