Charyn Canyon & Lake Kaindy Tour
Valley of Castles and the sunken forest in a day
The perfect one-day option: the sunken forest of Lake Kaindy and the famous Valley of Castles in Charyn Canyon.
Program
- 5:00–6:00Departure from Almaty
Departure for Lake Kaindy (~300 km, ~4.5 h), with a stop at the market in Baiseit.
- KaindyLake Kaindy
A ~1.5 h walk, 1–3 km trek, viewpoint over the sunken forest.
- LunchGuest house
Lunch at a cosy guest house along the way.
- CharynValley of Castles
A stop at the Black Canyon, a ~3 km trek along the canyon floor to the Charyn River. Back on foot or by eco-taxi.
- EveningReturn
The drive to Almaty (~220 km, ~2.5 h).
Price by group size
Price per vehicle
Price for the whole 4x4, up to 6 people. The table shows the per-person cost by group size.
| People | ₸/person |
|---|---|
| 1 | from 140,000 ₸ |
| 2 | from 70,000 ₸ |
| 3 | from 46,667 ₸ |
| 4 | from 35,000 ₸ |
| 5 | from 28,000 ₸ |
| 6 | from 23,333 ₸ |
- ✓Driver-guide
- ✓Comfortable 4x4
Route
What to bring
Passport or ID card. Some locations are in the border zone — documents may be checked.
Sneakers or boots comfortable for walking in the mountains; ideally waterproof.
It can be cold in the mountains — bring warm but non-restrictive clothing.
Sunglasses, a cap or hat and sunscreen.
Rain is frequent in the mountains and forecasts are unreliable — bring rain protection.
There's no internet in the mountains — you can't pay by card or transfer.
Calculate price
Calculate price
from 70,000 ₸/person · 2 people