Travel guide & blog
Practical tips for planning your trip to Almaty and the mountains of Kazakhstan.
The Golden Man, Esik Lake and Turgen Waterfalls: A Day Trip into Kazakhstan's History and Mountains
Who the Golden Man was, where to see the Esik burial mounds, the alpine Esik Lake and the Turgen waterfalls — and how to do all three in one day from Almaty.
Read more →Big Almaty Lake: How to Visit Kazakhstan's Turquoise Mountain Lake
Where Big Almaty Lake is, how to get there from Almaty, why you can't swim in it, the best time to go, and how to arrange a private trip.
Read more →Shymbulak: Almaty's Mountain Resort — Skiing, Gondolas and Summer Views
A guide to Shymbulak above Almaty — how to get there, the cable cars up to Talgar Pass, winter skiing vs. summer hiking, and combining it with Medeu.
Read more →Medeu: The World's Highest Skating Rink, Just Above Almaty
What Medeu is, how to get there from Almaty, the famous dam steps, when to skate, and how to combine it with the Shymbulak mountain resort.
Read more →Kolsay Lakes from Almaty: A Complete Guide to the Pearls of the Tien Shan
Where the Kolsay Lakes are, the difference between the three lakes (and Lake Kaindy), how to get there from Almaty, how hard the hike is, and how to see them on a private day tour.
Read more →Charyn Canyon Day Trip from Almaty: The Complete 2026 Guide
How to plan a Charyn Canyon trip from Almaty — where it is, what to see in the Valley of Castles, how long you need, self-drive vs. private tour, and how to combine it with the Kolsay and Kaindy Lakes in one day.
Read more →The Best Time to Visit Charyn Canyon and the Kolsay Lakes
When to go, what the weather is like by season, and how to combine Charyn Canyon with the Kolsay and Kaindy Lakes in one trip.
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