Kolsay Lake National Park is on top of everyone’s list for their Kazakhstan travel. With its proximity to Almaty, there are hundreds of operators offering tours to the lakes, but the majority are overpriced.
When my volunteer host proposed to me the idea of hiking Kolsay Lake with a tour group organized by his friend, there’s no doubt I’ll say yes The idea is even more sweetened by the tender price of the day tour at 15,000 KZT or $31, and that the departure is in two hours. I wouldn’t back down to this challenge.
Kazakstan Travel: Kolsay Hike Fast Facts
Hike date:
September 14, 2024
Distance:
12 km going up and another 12 km down. An estimated 2600 MASL from drop-off point.
Duration:
Our group started the hike at 4:40 am and I finished at 6:20 pm. More experienced hikers finished earlier than me.
Difficulty level:
– Lake 1 – Easy: Ideal for beginners, offering a gentle introduction to hiking.
– Lake 2 – Moderate to Difficult: Features steeper terrain and requires basic hiking skills.
– Lake 3 – Moderate to Difficult: Involves steep climbs and muddy paths, challenging but rewarding.
Things to Bring:
✅bring passport + IDs
✅bring two full meals + lots of snacks
✅bring warm clothes + extra socks for river crossings
✅bring swimsuit for lake swimming
✅hiking boots/trail runners are both ok (at least in mid-September)
What I wore:
Upper layers
– Heat-tech from Uniqlo
– UV protection long sleeves
– Cashmere pullover
– Waterproof jacket
Bottom layers
– Uniqlo Heat-tech leggings
– Decathlon breathable hike pants
Shoes
– Salomon Speedcross 6
– Naturehike merino wool socks
Bag
– Waterproof + lightweight day bag from Adidas
Kazakhstan Tours to Kolsay Lake
Our scheduled departure is at 11:00 pm at the Kazakh State Museum in Almaty. I arrived at 10:30 pm and other joiners trickled in at the same time. By 11:00 pm, the big van has been filled with 20 and we left on time. Very impressive. Apparently, they don’t know the concept of ‘Filipino time’ here *wink*.
They told us that the journey will take between 4-5 hours depending on the traffic. But traffic is almost non-existent at this time of the day, so I’d say it will all depend on the driver’s mood. We had a flat tire three hours into the drive which was handled well by the organizer.
Starting the Hike
After the long drive from Almaty which we mostly slept at, we reached Kolsay Lake National Park’s embarkation point at 3:30 am. This gave us ample time to do our pre-hike preparations. Some of the hikers used the time to layer as much clothes as they can and do light stretches, while I used it to sleep more – classic me.
I tracked time for the sake of accuracy in this blog, and we officially started the hike at 4:40 am. The road to the first lake is a combination of flat and downhill. Needless to say, it was a good warm-up at the start. After around 15 minutes of walking, we reached the first lake. We did do a full stop here because it was still dark and we still have a long way to go.
Getting to the Second Lake: A Challenge
The journey to the second lake is 7 km in total. If I am being completely honest with you, I found it to be on another level of hard, especially for someone like me who has never hiked above 2000 masl before. It took me a good five hours to get to the second lake. Many of our hike buddies, who are experienced hikers, got there earlier.
Aside from my personal struggle about the constant ascent, there was really nothing to complain about. The weather condition was GREAT when we visited and the organizer gave us two hours to enjoy ourselves in the lake. Some of them took a dip while I took the time to sleep, meditate, and enjoy the surroundings.
I would also like to mention that the view in the second lake is spectacular. As someone who has grown up in a tropical country, I have never seen something of this view before — it’s so beautiful! It reminds me of some scenes of The Lord of the Rings.
Third Lake: I Almost Gave Up!
Before I knew it, it’s time to get to the third lake. We are the first group to attempt to get into the third lake this year. This is what made me appreciate the tour organizer more as they gave us a very SOLID hike experience. Not the regular touristy hike tours you’ll book on hostels. They are called Atlas Tour KZ and you can contact them on Instagram and WhatsApp (+7 777 666 6145).
The hike from the second to the third lake is another 5 km. It was initially chill and I knew conditions like these are always a prelude to a difficult road that follows. And boy was I right. It involves two river crossings that will most likely get your feet wet. (My advise is to new pair of socks ready or wear some hiking sandals if you’re not wearing waterproof shoes.) And although this trail is shorter by distance than getting to the second lake, it was steeper, muddier, and a lot more challenging overall. I remember saying “are we there yet?” and “how much longer?” maybe a hundred times.
Getting Past the Border Patrol
You’ll also be passing by a border patrol station on the way to the third lake and it is required to leave your passport or valid ID with the officers. The third lake is very close to the Kyrgyz border, thus this is a standard operating procedure. One thing I am not sure is if foreigners are allowed to leave just a regular ID since, in my experience, I left a passport.
If you’re worried, as my German co-volunteer was, there was to worry about. They returned the passport unscathed when we came back. They are also very friendly and gave us a cup of hot tea for a pit stop.
First Group to Reach Kolsay Lake 3 in 2024!
After six hours of constant trudge, I made it to the third lake! Just the thought that we are officially the first group that made it here in 2024 was comforting, aside from knowing that I just summited my first 2600 masl.
We did not have much time to stay on the third lake as we still have a 12 km journey going down. But it was enough to relax a bit, fill up some water, hang our wet socks, and enjoy nature.
We went down and had a brief pit stop to refuel our energy on the second lake. After almost 15 hours of hiking and a total of 24 kilometers in distance, I finished the hike at 6:20 pm.
Beautiful Hike and Experience
Hiking the three Kolsay Lakes is a beautiful experience. The nature is incredible and September hiking conditions were great, just before everything gets funky, wet, and muddy in fall. I would definitely do it 100 times again! 🎉
Aside from the beautiful views and challenge, I also really appreciated having the opportunity to hike with locals. Despite the language barrier, they shared their food with me and looked after me a lot during the hike.
I am grateful for your beauty and hospitality, Kazakhstan! Rakhmet!