Category Tour Reviews

Kazakhstan · TOUR REVIEWS

The 15 Best Tours in Kazakhstan

162 tours

Almost every tour in this country sells out of Almaty, and the good ones leave before sunrise. Below are the 15 that stand above the rest right now, with what each costs, how long the driving really takes, and who it suits, and the full catalogue underneath if none of them fits your dates.

Almaty: Charyn Canyon, Kolsay, and Kaindy Lakes Day Trip

Almaty: Charyn Canyon, Kolsay, and Kaindy Lakes Day Trip - Kolsai Lake: the calmer pause and the lunch you pay for

1.Charyn Canyon, Kolsay, and Kaindy Lakes Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,522 reviews · 17 hours · from $58Our pick

Almaty day trip to Charyn and Black Canyons, Kolsai and Kaindy Lakes, plus Moon Canyon, with early pickup and optional horse ride.

“It was amazing. Our guides Nous and Karina were super fun, patient and helpful. The time was well managed, we were guided really well throughout all the spots. It was not rushed although we had to cover 3 spots along with one bonus spot. The vehicles were amazing. You get to experience the luxury Mercedes minibus and also the classic vintage soviet era buses. I would 100% recommend this tour.”

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Kolsai, Kaindy Lakes and Charyn Canyon Small-Group Tour

Kolsai, Kaindy Lakes and Charyn Canyon Small-Group Tour - Charyn Canyon National Park, Valley of the Castles in the morning

Almaty: Kolsai-Kaindy Lakes and Charyn Canyons Day Trip

Almaty: Kolsai-Kaindy Lakes and Charyn Canyons Day Trip - Picking the right route: 1 day with Kaindy, 1 day without off-road, or a full lakes day

3.Kolsai-Kaindy Lakes and Charyn Canyons Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 505 reviews · 16 hours · from $43

One long day from Almaty for **Charyn Canyon** and the **Kolsai and Kaindy Lakes**, with a guide, park entry, and optional boat rides.

“I really enjoyed everything. Kazakhstan is beautiful and the walks were really wonderful and it's great to be out in nature and then get a nap on the bus 😍 I had a lot of fun and the guides were really interesting, friendly and informative. I learned a lot and had a brilliant day!!! I highly recommend anyone visiting kazakhstan book this trip, you won't regret it!!!!”

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Almaty: Kolsai Kaindy Lakes & Charyn Canyons 2-Day Tour

Almaty: Kolsai Kaindy Lakes & Charyn Canyons 2-Day Tour - Day one: Kolsai Lakes plus Charyn Canyon time that actually lets you look

4.Kolsai Kaindy Lakes & Charyn Canyons 2-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 432 reviews · 2 days · from $130

2 days in Kazakhstan’s Almaty region: Kolsai and Kaindy lakes, Charyn canyons, a real yurt night, and Kazakh cuisine.

“The tour was amazing! Our tour guide, Luba, was also wonderful. She shared interesting stories about the places we visited and gave us plenty of time to explore the main attractions. I think we could spend a bit more time at Moon Canyon compared to Black Canyon.”

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Kolsai Kaindy Lakes with Charyn Canyons 2-day tour

Kolsai Kaindy Lakes with Charyn Canyons 2-day tour - Day 1 in Charyn National Park: Moon Canyon viewpoints and a quick Black Canyon stop

5.Kolsai Kaindy Lakes with Charyn Canyons 2-day tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 392 reviews · from $130

2 days from Almaty to Kolsai and Kaindy lakes plus Charyn Canyons, with A/C transport, yurt camp, and meals included.

“Wonderful trip! Our tour guide, Zhenis, was well organized, personable, knowledgeable and fun. He even serenaded us with karaoke's after our evening meal. The rooms were comfortable, quiet and clean (we chose the optionally priced rooRead more”

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From Almaty: Kolsay, Kaindy Lakes and Charyn Canyon Day Trip

From Almaty: Kolsay, Kaindy Lakes and Charyn Canyon Day Trip - Kaindy Lake: the Soviet-era UAZ ride and the forest that looks underwater

6.Kolsay, Kaindy Lakes and Charyn Canyon Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 326 reviews · from $46

Early morning guided day trip from Almaty to Kolsay, Kaindy, and Charyn, with optional horseback rides and Soviet UAZ transfers.

“Such a lovely tour. Definitely book this tour you won’t regret it!! The tour guides were brilliant and super friendly, our tour guide was Ice who handled everything so well despite having a challenging group! It was a brilliant day :)”

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Kolsai Kaindy Lakes with Charyn Canyons Day Tour (lunch included)

Kolsai Kaindy Lakes with Charyn Canyons Day Tour (lunch included) - Charyn Canyon stops: walks, Moon Canyon, and the Black Canyon viewpoint

7.Kolsai Kaindy Lakes with Charyn Canyons Day Tour (lunch included)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 292 reviews · from $57

Charyn Canyon, Kolsai and Kaindy Lakes in one long day, with included lunch, park fees, and off-road Soviet van ride.

“The tour was amazing — we covered all the main places, and our guide, Luba, was excellent and very informative. The only drawback was the car’s speed on the way there; even though the road was empty, the driver was going very slowly, Read more”

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Almaty: Esik Lake and Turgen Waterfall Day Trip

Almaty: Esik Lake and Turgen Waterfall Day Trip - Turgen Waterfall: A Short Hike with Big Reward (and Some Caution)

8.Esik Lake and Turgen Waterfall Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 203 reviews · 10 hours · from $28Best value

Hike Turgen Waterfall, visit a trout farm, and picnic at Issyk Lake on a 10-hour Almaty day trip with Joinme Asia.

“It was an excellent day trip to turgen waterfall and esik lake. Trip was well organised, our guide was really knowledgeable and explained everything in detail. She waited patiently and helped us in trekking. We really appreciate her genuine effort. Destination and journey both were fantastic. Would recommend to everyone who visit Kazakhstan.”

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Almaty: Kolsai & Kaindy Lakes with Charyn Canyon Day Tour

Almaty: Kolsai & Kaindy Lakes with Charyn Canyon Day Tour - Getting Out of Almaty Early, and Why Comfort Matters

9.Kolsai & Kaindy Lakes with Charyn Canyon Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 198 reviews · 17 hours · from $57

Day trip from Almaty to Charyn Canyon, Black and Moon Canyons, plus Kolsai and Kaindy Lakes, with lunch and an English guide.

“Had an amazing day despite the weather because of our guide, Muhta. I’ve been on many tours in my life and met many guides but she’s definitely one to remember. She felt like an old friend the entire time and made sure we were all comfortable and having fun. Good music taste too 😉 She made sure the tour was well organised and kept everyone updated at all times through Whatsapp— so that’s much appreciated. Very punctual too, so don’t be late for pickup! Don’t make the same mistake as us and not carry cash on you. You’ll need it for bathroom breaks and if you want to opt for…”

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Almaty: 2-Day Tour to Kolsai-Kaindy Lakes and Charyn Canyon

Almaty: 2-Day Tour to Kolsai-Kaindy Lakes and Charyn Canyon - Getting there the fun way: The Soviet UAZ ride to Kaindy

10.2-Day Tour to Kolsai-Kaindy Lakes and Charyn Canyon

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 196 reviews · 2 days · from $105

See Kaindy and Kolsai Lakes, then Charyn Canyon plus Black and Moon Canyons, with an off-road UAZ ride and a village homestay.

“Zhanna made my first solo trip very memorable, from the arranngement of the tour until the end, she's very accomodating and would always make sure that you enjoyed the trip and every destination you've visited. Joinme asia is highly recommended. Thank you again 🙏”

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Treasures of Almaty lakes Kaindy and Kolsai,Charyn Canyon VIP car

Treasures of Almaty lakes Kaindy and Kolsai,Charyn Canyon VIP car - VIP car comfort: chargers, heat control, and small touches that matter

11.Treasures of Almaty lakes Kaindy and Kolsai,Charyn Canyon VIP car

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 165 reviews · from $49

Charyn Canyon plus Kaindy and Kolsai lakes on a VIP car tour from Almaty, with UAZ transport and national park entry included.

“Group tour BTS: it's a party!!!😝😂 Best tour guide (Rostam), best tour company based in Kazakhstan (Panda Tours), best tour group ever! We just clicked! Made some serious core memories with the absolute best people. We understood the assignment. Best time, period. Don't talk to me about any other tour; this one set the bar and then vaulted over it. Thank you for the laughs, the memories, and the epic photo ops!❤💛🥳”

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Almaty: City tour and Medeu, Shymbulak and Kok-Tobe

Almaty: City tour and Medeu, Shymbulak and Kok-Tobe - Cable car up to Shymbulak: the easy route to huge panoramas

12.City tour and Medeu, Shymbulak and Kok-Tobe

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 163 reviews · 11 hours · from $49

Almaty day tour with Medeu ice rink, Shymbulak cable car, Panfilov Park, Green Bazaar, and Kok Tobe views for $49.

“Overall trip was good. We had a nice time in Shymbulak which was the highlight of the trip. Our guide, Zhibek was lovely, she was helpful and kept us informed the whole trip. I was just a bit disappointed on the meet up. The instruction was not helpful, no logo on the bus and we started a bit late from the scheduled time”

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Almaty: Lake Issyk with Turgen Waterfall Day Tour

Almaty: Lake Issyk with Turgen Waterfall Day Tour - Turgen Waterfall hike: your morning workout with a cool reward

Almaty City: Big Almaty Lake Roundtrip Transfer and Tour

Almaty City: Big Almaty Lake Roundtrip Transfer and Tour - Weather-proofing your day: how to plan for fog, snow, and cold

14.Big Almaty Lake Roundtrip Transfer and Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 110 reviews · 4 hours · from $69

Big Almaty Lake half-day transfer tour from Almaty City. Zero-hike style with an eco taxi ride, expert guide stories, 4 hours, $69.

“Our guide Ais was well informed and thoughtful. The driver Bibi made sure we had a smooth ride. All in all, an excellent experience.”

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Big Almaty Lake Tour with Optional Hike

Big Almaty Lake Tour with Optional Hike - Pickup near Abay Opera Fountain, and what the morning feels like

15.Big Almaty Lake Tour with Optional Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 109 reviews · from $69

Morning Big Almaty Lake trip with a drive option or a tough 6 km hike, guide-led history, and national park tickets from $69.

“All good. Picked up right infront of your doorsteps. Only had to walk a little bit then picked up by car to go to a higher viewpoint. just wished that I could've spend time longer up there and really breathe in the view. The time limit is a bit short.. overall im still happy with what i get. thank u!”

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