Kolsai alpine lakes are located 300 kilometers away from Almaty city in the spurs of Kungei-Alatau ridge.
First Kolsai Lake or Upper Kolsai is located at an altitude of 2,850 meters. Middle (second) Kolsai Lake (Mynzhylgy) is located at an altitude of 2,252 meters; it is the biggest out of three lakes. The third lake (Saty) is located at an altitude of 1,818 meters; it is 1 kilometer long, 400 meters wide and 80 meters deep.
Water in lakes is crystal clear; there is a royal fish, trout. Surrounding forests are rich in mushrooms; there are a lot of raspberries and strawberries.
Kaiyndy Lake is lost among pine forests at an altitude of 1,867 meters above sea level; it impresses with indescribable beauty. It has formed after strong earthquake in the year 1911, when stone landslide blocked the gorge and created this lake.
The lake is 400 meters long and reaches a depth of 30 meters. Water is crystal clear.
Services and prices on ecological sight of Saty
| Populated area (village) | Saty |
 | 5 guest houses, in each 2-6 places |
 | Almaty (airport, train station – 280 km), Saty (minibus, taxi from Almaty) |
| Season of stay | 1-12, 6-9 months |
 | 3500 - 4000 KZT, all facilities are outside the house |
 | Kolsay Lakes, Kayindy Lake, valley of the river Shelek, Charyn Canyon, Bartogay reservoir |
 | Museum of national hunting “Zhety Kazyna” in Nura village |
 | Saty |
 | Hicking and horse trails, fishing, rafting |
 | +7 72777 27730 Temirkhan
+7 27727 718 (Еlchebay Umbetaliev)
+7 72777 27782 Sarsenbek
+7 72777 27792 Tolepbek
+7 72777 27717 Dilda
+7 72777 27745 Venera
8 777-029-97-02, 8 7277727668 - Bakkeldy
The contacts drivers:
Talgat +7 777 4928129
Hamza +7 777 2053695
|
How to get there
From Almaty to Kolsai – 275 kilometers.
If you decided to travel by your own car, you have to drive along Kuldzhynskyi highway. There is a junction after Malovodnoye village. The road goes straight to Chilik village, which is 1 kilometer away.
Turn to the right, bypass Chilik village, cross the bridge over Chilik River and after that turn to the right on the main road. Pass Baiseit village; then drive to the junction.
Road to the left goes to Chundzha, we have to go straight. From here, asphalt road sometimes is replaced by gravel.
After passing through Toraigyr pass turn to the right, to Zhalanash village. Pass Malyi Zhalanash and Karabulak villages, and drive to Saty village. From here it is almost the same distance (about 14 kilometers) to Kolsai and Kaiyndy lakes.
You can get to Saty by intercity busses and by taxi. Transport departs from city bus station according to the schedule.
You can plan and book your trip to Saty in advance through ecotourism Informational resource center: ecocentre.kz@gmail.com.
