Two-Day Tour of Almaty (Part 1)

Arrived at the meeting point at 5 AM and boarded the bus. Since the attractions were hundreds of kilometers outside the city, a day tour was the only option. I booked with JoinMe, while another group went with KKTour. At 9 AM, we reached the first stop: Charyn Canyon. We had 1.5 hours to explore. Walking to the midpoint—a large rock about 2 kilometers away—took around 40 minutes, leaving little time before heading back. The real highlights, like the Sharyn River, were in the latter half. Later, I learned from the guide that cars could pick up/drop off only at the start and end points, with no stops in between. Thankfully, my drone captured the breathtaking views, so I didn’t miss much. Overall, it couldn’t compare to China’s Tianshan Grand Canyon or Yulin’s "Chinese Antelope Canyon." (Photos 1-3) At 11:10 AM, we arrived at the second stop: Black Canyon. This was just a quick roadside attraction with only 15 minutes to take photos. Overlooking the canyon from the horizon, the rushing river below contrasted with Charyn—here, the rocks were black, hence the name. There was a spot where you could slip past the railing to stand on a large rock for photos. (Photo 4) By 1 PM, we reached the vicinity of Kolsai Lakes. Due to traffic, we had to walk 20 minutes to get there. The area has three lakes (upper, middle, and lower), though I’m unsure which one we visited (elevation: 1,800 meters). As for the scenery? Let’s just say lakes of this caliber are a dime a dozen in China. We had 1.5 hours to explore, with the option to take a boat ride at a reasonable price. (Photo 5) At 3 PM, everyone returned to the bus. It started raining, and after 30 minutes, we arrived at Saty Village for lunch at a simple restaurant. The options were limited, overpriced, and—most importantly—terrible! (Photo 6) At 4 PM, we switched to UAZ vehicles for the fourth stop: Kaindy Lake. How bad was the road? Rain had turned the potholes into pools of muddy water. Then came the wild part: The road ahead was completely flooded, with flowing water at least dozens of centimeters deep—like a river. Just as I wondered how the car would cross, the driver floored it and plowed right through! Is this Kazakhstan’s version of the Yangwang U8? Despite the shabby interior, the UAZ was decked out with a bar-style sound system blasting DJ hits at full volume, hyping up all the foreigners onboard. (Photo 7) The bumpy ride lasted half an hour before reaching the parking area (which doubled as a horse stable). Adventurous folks could hike, but most opted to pay for horseback riding—far more affordable than Indonesia’s Mount Bromo. Unlike the leather saddles I’d used on grasslands before, these were just cloth pads that turned into waterlogged sponges after the rain, soaking my underwear. After 20+ minutes on horseback, we still had to hike a few hundred meters to witness the tour’s crown jewel: the world’s one-of-a-kind underwater forest! Formed by a 1911 earthquake that created a landslide dam, the submerged birch trees now stand half-drowned, with only their tops visible above the water—paired with the lake’s mirror-like reflections, the sight was utterly magical. (Photos 8-9) At 7 PM, we boarded the bus back to Almaty, a grueling 5-hour journey.