Kolsai, Kaindy lakes & Charyn canyon with Yurt stay and Campfire

The trip was really good. We were not rushing at all and we could make small hikes at the locations it turned out to be more outdoorsy then i had expected. Taxi/horse/option are also available. Our guide Didi was really great: funny, informative, well organised and very friendly.

It It was an incredible trip, everything went perfectly. I highly appreciate our guide, Didi, whose expertise and deep knowledge of Kazakhstan stories made the experience even more memorable.

Amazing trip, worth it We did the 1 night stay at saty. Didi was amazing m, she guided us made us laugh and help us all the way through the trip.

This was a great experience, beautiful sights and Dinara (Didi) is such a great guide!

Backend admin process leaves much to be desired. We enquired in Mar 2026 for our tour in June. Confirmed with operator on the departure days before making a 30% deposit. Operator confirmed our booking on the same day. The day before tour, we texted operator on pick-up time. They replied that it was 5am and would provide more details later in the day. When we did not receive any update at 8pm+, we texted operator again and to our horror, they informed us that there was no 2D group tour the next day. They offered alternatives: change to 1D day trip or push back the dates, all of which did not work because we had other tours booked and we did not book accommodation for the 2D tour. In the end, we swopped the dates with the other Altyn Emel tour booked with operator. About the tour, we selected yurt stay. The yurt was in the backyard of the homestay, not quite the picture we had in mind ie located on open pasture. Then, we were told that we would have enough time to walk from lake 1 to lake 2 but on the day itself, the guide said there wasn't enough time. The guide was nice and tried her best at service recovery - she upgraded our group of 4 to a house with attached toilet. She was also engaging and friendly during the tour. We booked with Kazakhstan Very Nice due to its good reviews but were let down by their backend service. If you plan to book tour with Kazakhstan Very Nice, make sure you double & triple confirm with them and pray for the best.

I had a great experience on this 2-day tour. The scenery was beautiful, and I was lucky to have good weather throughout the trip. Our guide, Didi, was the highlight of the tour. She was friendly, professional, and genuinely cared about everyone in the group. She created a welcoming atmosphere by playing a traditional Kazakh instrument (sorry, I forgot the name!), organizing games, and making everyone feel included. She also handled unexpected situations quickly and thoughtfully. At the end of the tour, my hotel was different from the original drop-off point. Although I was planning to take a taxi myself, she kindly arranged a Yandex taxi for me at the company’s expense, which I really appreciated. A few suggestions for improvement: communication before the tour could be more organized. Combining the pre-tour questions into one message, replying a little faster when guests have questions, and sending a quick confirmation after receiving their responses would give travelers more confidence before the tour and improve the overall experience. It would also be helpful to provide a little more guidance about additional cash expenses. While these costs are mentioned in advance, letting travelers know approximately how much cash they are likely to need would make planning easier, especially for international visitors who usually carry only a small amount of local currency. Overall, I really enjoyed the tour and would happily recommend it to anyone visiting Almaty.

The tour was excellent. Didi (our guide) was truly amazing. Super fun and made the tour very interesting, providing lots of insights and information. The food was great and everything was organised very well. The accomodation was also of a high quality. Didi took us to more quiet spots away from the crowds. We even had a bonfire in the evening. Overall, it was a great experience.

I had an amazing experience on this two-day tour! Everything was organized so well, from the transportation to the accommodation and meals. Our guide (Dinara - Didi) was incredibly kind, attentive and always made sure everyone felt comfortable and taken care of. Even when I forgot to pack some essentials, I never had to worry because the team was always ready to help. The itinerary was beautiful and I finally had the chance to visit Kolsai Lake, Kaindy Lake, Black Canyon for the first time, even though I’ve lived in Almaty my whole life. I also loved our international group, it was so much fun meeting people from different countries and sharing this adventure together. Thank you for such a memorable trip. I highly recommend this tour to anyone who wants to discover the incredible beauty of Kazakhstan!

A rare experience full of adventure and excitement, with a rich and solid itinerary including hiking, climbing, horseback riding, and taking a boat, all while riding in a bumpy Soviet van from the 1980s...

Great food, great organization, great care. Thank you Dinara