Day 1. Almaty - Saty Settlement - Kaindy Lake
This day youwill cross over 300 km from Almaty to Saty settlement (5-6 hours). On the way you will have an opportunity to stop in a village to feel the atmosphere of a local market.Upon arrival to Saty, you will check-in at the guest house, where you will spend next two nights.After lunch, you will change the vehicleto one ofAWDlocal cars, such as "UAZ" or "PAZ" (Russian car models), as they are fully capable to cover uneven mountain road (12 km) to Kaindy Lake. After walking around the lake you will return to Saty settlement to take a shower, have dinner and rest.
Meals: L, D
Day 2. Saty Settlement - Kolsay Lakes - Saty Settlement
This day starts with breakfast and departure to Kolsai Lakes at 8:00am. For the day you will be provided with bottled water and lunch-boxes. Please take care of your own backpack to carry the lunch.
Having arrived to Kolsay-1 Lakeand gota brief instruction, you will start the trekking. The route lies on the bank of the lake and continues with the path through the pine forest, alpine meadows along pure mountain river flowing all the way down from Kolsai-2 Lake. The total walking distance between two lakes isabout 7 km and usually takes 3-3,5 hours one way. An altitude rises up more than 400 m, from 1818 m above sea level at the first lake to 2250 m at the second lake. There is no category of difficulty and route is available for healthy, average-trained people.
Enjoying your lunch in front of the cold and pure-clean lake - home for the rainbow trout-fishes, in surroundings of magnificent mountain peaks is priceless after active trekking. Afternoon walk back to Kolsai-1 and driving back to Saty settlement. Arrival to the village between 6:00 and 7:00pm. Evening dinner and rest in the guest house.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 3. Saty Settlement - Charyn Canyon - Almaty
This dayyou departs from Saty to Charyn Canyon at 8:00am. It will take about 2 hours to reach the canyon. Upon arrival, you will admire the grand panorama and go down stairs to the bottom of the canyon, then walk around 2 km through the maze of the Castles Valley with its walls of bizarre shapes overhanging you. The bottom of the Canyon has slight descend to the end of the walk, where you will get to the fresh oasis on the bank of icy cold Charyn River, where also located eco-park with several yurts (traditional dwellings) and a small open air caf□, working in the summer time. After some rest walking backand driving to one of the observation points for another breathtaking panoramic view. After 3-4 hours spent in the canyon you will depart to Almaty. The lunch will be served in a local caf□ in a village in 1-hourdriving distance after the canyon. Approximatearrival to Almaty is between 6:00 and 7:00pm.
Meals: B, L