Charyn Canyon and Lakes: Kazakhstan's Natural Wonders

Embark on a breathtaking one-day private tour to Charyn Canyon, Kaindy and Kolsay Lakes in Kazakhstan. Experience the awe-inspiring beauty of these natural wonders and be captivated by the mystery and uniqueness of these extraordinary landscapes.

Duration: 14 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Charyn Canyon - From Almaty to Charyn Canyon 2,5 hours by private car.
    The Canyon has been described as the Grand Canyon’s little brother. The Canyon itself is approximately 150 km long, and, in places up to 300 meters deep. We will visit “Valley of Castles”, the length is 2,5 km, the depth is 20-80 meters.
    The story of the Canyon is that it was…
What's Included
  • Private transportation
  • Bottled water
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
  • All fees and/or taxes
  • Lunch
What's Not Included
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Dinner
  • Breakfast
  • Boating/16 usd, horse riding /23usd per person half an hour
Additional Information

In one day you can visit the most beautiful places with Spectacular nature Charyn Canyon ‘little brother of Grand Canyon’, Kolsay lake- pearl of Tyan Shan mountain and Kaindy lake- flooded forest. Incredible view,the most unusual, mysterious and inexplicable natural phenomena won’t leave you indifferent.
Inspire yourself with the beauty of Kazakhstan nature.

Location
Charyn Canyon
Charyn National Park, Charyn River
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(17 Ratings)
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Ssandts
Jan 1, 2026
Highly recommended! - 4 of us went on a private day trip with Almaty Inspiration Tour to Charyn Canyon. Would highly recommend their services - prompt responses, on time-pick up, clean and comfortable vehicle and a friendly, English speaking guide who kept us engaged with tidbits about not just Charyn but also about Kazakhstan's cultural history.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
667timothyj
Oct 29, 2025
Amazing day trip from Almaty - Hello, this was a long but excellent day trip from Almaty. We got to see three beautiful places. Our guide Alina was amazing. She made sure all of our needs were met and I would highly recommend booking with her. Thank you Tim & Steph,
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Khidhir_a
Oct 18, 2025
The BEST Tour in Almaty – Unforgettable Views and the Best Guide! - This tour was the absolute highlight of our trip to Almaty, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. We did the full-day journey to Charyn Canyon, Kaindy Lake, and Kolsay Lakes, and every moment was spectacular. The natural beauty is simply surreal—the views are breathtaking, especially the sunken forest of Kaindy and the dramatic scale of Charyn Canyon. It’s a lot of ground to cover in one day, which means you have to start early (we started at 5 AM), and there is a decent amount of walking involved to properly explore the lakes and the canyon floor. However, what truly made this experience a perfect 5-star day was our guide, Assel. From the moment she picked us up, Assel was warm, welcoming, and incredibly knowledgeable. We instantly felt a connection with her, like we were traveling with an old friend. She did a fantastic job of managing the long day, offering us flexibility and options to accommodate our needs. Assel went above and beyond in every way. It was one of our friend’s birthdays, and she actually went out of her way to get him a thoughtful gift, which was such a kind and unexpected gesture that we truly appreciated. She is the perfect guide—caring, professional, and knowledgeable. If you are looking for a comprehensive and breathtaking tour outside of Almaty, book this one! We can't thank Assel enough for the unforgettable day.
Review provided by Viator
Abundancelifecoach
Sep 3, 2025
Perfect trip!! - Assel is one of the best guides I’ve ever met! She’s caring, witty and has amazing attention to detail. She made us feel safe and happy, I would highly recommend her!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sampath
Aug 23, 2025
Fantastic Almaty Experience – Thanks to Almaty Inspiration tour - We went to Almaty with fairly modest expectations, but our experience with Almaty Inspiration Tour turned the trip into something truly memorable. From the start, Alina, coordinated everything for us, was prompt, clear, and extremely helpful in planning our 3-day tours. On the ground, our guide Assel made the entire journey smooth, comfortable, and fun. • Day 1: Stunning views at Big Almaty Lake and a refreshing walk through Ayusai Gorge. • Day 2: A perfect city and mountain mix with Shymbulak, Kok Tobe, and a city tour that showed us the heart of Almaty. • Day 3: The highlight was the spectacular Kolsai Lake and the breathtaking Charyn Canyon – absolutely beyond what we imagined. The itinerary was well thought out, the car was clean and comfortable, and Assel’s knowledge, warmth, and flexibility made us feel completely at ease. Thanks to Assel’s guiding, what we expected to be a simple trip became one of our best travel memories. We would highly recommend Almaty Inspiration Tour, Alina, and Assel to anyone visiting Almaty – they will show you the city and nature in ways that far exceed expectations. P.S: Travelled as a young family of 3, (9 year old child)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gups100
Aug 8, 2025
Professional your company, awesome private tour experience - Prompt response and very well organised private tour. Driver was excellent and didn’t rush us at any spot. Lake, waterfall and hot spring/gorge sites were very beautiful. Reasonably priced and no hassle.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Olgaob8763hc
Apr 28, 2025
A Perfect Day! - We had a wonderful day with Almaty Inspiration Tours seeing the beautiful Kolsay Lake and Charyn Canyon. We booked our trip on a very short notice and no guides were available, but we were offered a transfer to all locations + dinner, and that was exactly what we needed. Our driver Azat was great, very careful and knowledgeable. The car itself was very comfortable, which is important on a long trip like this. Also, watching the driver respectfully navigating horses, cows and sheep crossing the road is an experience of its own :). The meal in the guest house was delicious, and the ambience there was nice and friendly. I'd also like to thank AIT for being flexible and proactive. Assel reached out to us on the evening before our planned trip to warn us about the upcoming rain and offered pushing the trip to the next day. I'm glad we did that and fully enjoyed all the beauty of all locations. I highly recommend Almaty Inspiration Tour. The price is on the higher end, but it's totally worth it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Geni1964
May 26, 2024
Charyn Canyon and Kolsay Lakes - The trip was organized by Alina, a great staff, attentive and very professional. Highly recommended, his friendliness and good character make your trip fabulous. I would hire their services again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Shuhidz
Apr 30, 2024
Amazing Almaty experience 🙌🏻 - Well we spent 3 days tour with Almaty Inspiration Tour: day 1 at Almaty City / Shymbulak Ski Resort, Day 2 at Charyn Canyon / Kolsay Lake and Day 3 at Kaindy Lake. Amazing amazing amazing experience, our Guide Assel is very good at her job, very knowledgeable, very kind and thoughtful too, and she always ensure we have the best experience. Highly recommended to choose their tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Virandersirohi
Apr 16, 2024
Unforgettable Adventure: Exploring Charyn Canyon, Kaindy, and Kolsay Lakes with Almaty Inspiration Tour - Our one-day private tour to Charyn Canyon, Kaindy, and Kolsay Lakes with Almaty Inspiration Tour was absolutely amazing! Our guide was knowledgeable, friendly, and accommodating, making sure we had a great experience throughout the day. The landscapes were breathtaking, and we were able to take in the beauty of each location at our own pace. The trip was well organized, and we felt safe and well taken care of the entire time. Overall, it was a fantastic experience and we highly recommend Almaty Inspiration Tour for anyone looking to explore the natural beauty of Kazakhstan.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $90
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).