Out of TownOut of TownPhoto: PictureRost, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Kolsay Lakes is not a single lake but three lakes arranged in a cascade, each at a higher elevation than the one below. An asphalt road leads almost all the way to the Lower Lake, passing through the settlements of Shelek and Zhalanash. The Lower Lake sits at 1,818 meters above sea level, stretches for just over a kilometer, and reaches depths of several tens of meters. The Middle Lake, called Mynzhylky, lies at 2,252 meters and is considered the largest of the three. It can be reached by a hiking trail that takes several hours from the Lower Lake. The Upper Lake, situated at 2,850 meters, is the smallest at just 330 by 450 meters, and is so cold that even trout cannot survive in it. Few visitors make it to the Upper Lake: the area near the Kyrgyzstan border has been restricted since 2017 and requires a special permit to visit. Entrance to the park costs 945 tenge per person, plus 200 tenge for parking. The distinctive landscape—coniferous forests of Tian Shan spruce, snow-capped peaks, and mirror-like water—has earned the area the nickname "Switzerland of Kazakhstan."
The name "Kolsay" literally means "lake in a gorge" in Kazakh, and all three lakes indeed lie within a single scenic gorge on the eastern slope of the Kungey Alatau, near the border with Kyrgyzstan. Some researchers attribute the formation of the lakes to seismic activity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which repeatedly reshaped the terrain in this region. The nearby Kaindy Lake was formed in a similar manner, though later and much more thoroughly documented. In 1911, a powerful earthquake caused a rock collapse in a neighboring gorge, blocking the river and creating a lake with a submerged spruce forest inside—now one of the most recognizable images in the region. Both locations are part of the Kolsay Lakes State National Park, covering more than 242,000 hectares. The park was established on February 7, 2007, and on September 15, 2021, it became part of UNESCO's World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
The route connecting the three lakes has been popular for decades. During the Soviet era, tourists trekked here along a 25-kilometer trail that led across a mountain pass toward the Kyrgyz Issyk-Kul Lake. Today, visitors typically hike from the Lower to the Middle Lake, taking three to four hours, or can ride horses available for rent starting at 5,000 tenge per hour. Reaching the Upper Lake from the Lower Lake with an overnight stay takes two full days. The forests surrounding the lakes are home to Tian Shan brown bears, snow leopards, and Turkestan lynxes—spotting them is difficult, but their presence speaks volumes about the pristine nature of this place. In spring and early summer, the slopes are covered with edelweiss and Greig's tulips, rare species even by the reserve's standards. The Lower Lake has full tourist infrastructure, including guesthouses, yurts from 15,000 tenge, cafes, and boat and catamaran rentals. The Middle and especially the Upper Lakes have almost no facilities: just forest, water, and silence.
That silence may be temporary, however. By the end of 2027, authorities plan to build a cable car approximately 8 km long between the Lower and Middle Lakes, at a cost of 15 billion tenge, with construction expected to begin in 2026. Designers promise to build the route without felling trees, but the hiking experience will inevitably change. While the cable car is not yet built, hiking or horseback riding remains the only way to experience Kolsay as the first tourists saw it—another good reason not to delay your visit. Fishing in the lakes is permitted, by the way: rainbow trout inhabit these waters.
It is best to visit from late spring through early autumn. Winters see temperatures drop to –20 °C in the evenings, and high-altitude mountain passes and dirt roads become snow-covered. In summer, from May to September, camping with tents is allowed at the Lower and Middle Lakes—the most affordable way to spend several days rather than just one. Many tourists combine a trip to Kolsay with visits to Kaindy Lake and Charyn Canyon—all three locations lie in the eastern part of Almaty Region, turning a day trip into a proper two- or three-day journey.