Kazakhstan Travel Guide: Almaty, Shymbulak and the Lakes

Trip overview

If you want mountain cable cars, dramatic canyon scenery and lakes that make you stop and stare, my Kazakhstan trip gives you plenty to look forward to. I based this part of my journey around Almaty, combining time in the city with trips into the surrounding landscapes.

The biggest planning challenge is deciding how much to fit into each day. Some experiences are easy to combine: I visited Shymbulak and returned to Almaty for Central Park. The canyon and lakes circuit was a different story. I squeezed it into one day, but I recommend giving it two if you want to enjoy the scenery without feeling rushed.

My journey began at Delhi airport with a flight to Almaty. After a straightforward immigration experience, I started working out the practical details: getting connected, booking transport and exchanging money. Those arrival steps matter, especially because accessing airport Wi-Fi was not straightforward.

Tree trunks rising from Kaindy Lake. · Photo by Anatolii Shcherbyna on Unsplash

The highlights were wonderfully varied: an open chairlift above Shymbulak’s valley, the river at the end of my Charyn Canyon walk, coffee overlooking Kolsai Lake and an adventurous approach to Kaindy Lake. That last lake, with bare tree trunks standing in the water, was the perfect finale!

Route & itinerary

I explored Almaty and its nearby mountains first, then joined a group trip farther out to the canyon and lakes. This was my travel order:

• Delhi to Almaty, followed by airport arrival and immigration.
• Shymbulak, ascending through Combi One and Combi Two.
• Back to Almaty for Central Park.
• An early group departure for Charyn Canyon and a short viewpoint stop.
• Kolsai Lake for views and a café break.
• Kaindy Lake by off-road vehicles and on foot, before returning toward Almaty.

Shymbulak: cable cars into the mountains

I set out around 8 a.m. for Shymbulak, about 20 km (12.4 miles) from the main city. The approach was full of different colours, and the first enclosed gondola gave me views of the valley, river, roads and distant snowy peaks. After roughly 10–15 minutes, I reached the first stage, called Combi One.

This area had attractive cafés and restaurants, but I continued higher. The next lift had open seats, which made the experience even better for me: fresh air all around and the valley spread below my feet. At Combi Two, I could see back toward Almaty, with snow-covered mountains nearby. I watched cyclists riding downhill, although I did not attempt that adventure myself. You can continue farther up, but this mountain outing took me about half a day.

Central Park: a lively return to the city

After coming back to Almaty, I visited Central Park. It was much more happening than the word “park” had led me to expect. There were colourful gardens, locals walking around and plenty of amusement rides. I went on a ride myself and spotted larger rides and water slides too. If you are travelling with family or children, this was a stop I felt you could enjoy together.

Charyn Canyon: a walk worth finishing

On the next excursion, I was getting ready around 5 a.m. to leave with a group in a minivan. At Charyn National Park, I walked roughly 3 km (1.9 miles) through the canyon toward the river. The route was mostly level, but it felt hot.

The walking route through Charyn Canyon. · Photo by Tim Broadbent on Unsplash

My guide explained that the landscape had developed over millions of years, describing an ancient lake that dried out and the river that once flowed through the area where I was walking. The rocks had all kinds of natural shapes. I also noticed small stone constructions, a custom that reminded me of making little stone houses in India.

After about 45 minutes of walking, I reached the river. I had wondered along the way whether the effort would be worthwhile, but the green reflections in the water completely changed my mind. After leaving the canyon, the group made another viewpoint stop of about 10 minutes before continuing to Kolsai.

Kolsai Lake: time to sit and look

From the parking area, I caught my first glimpse of Kolsai Lake after only about two minutes on foot. It became more beautiful as I approached. My first impression reminded me of Nainital, imagined without the surrounding houses and population, although the atmosphere felt very different.

I had considered boating, but reaching it meant walking farther, and I wanted a rest. Instead, I bought a coffee at a lakeside café and spent my available hour taking in the view. Other visitors were walking, taking photographs and heading out on boats. You can choose your own pace here, provided your tour schedule allows it.

Kaindy Lake: an adventurous finale

To reach Kaindy, I switched from the minivan to another vehicle for the rough road. That ride brought a whole new burst of energy to the day! At a parking point, I took another paid vehicle transfer to save time, followed by a walk of around 1 km (0.6 miles) through beautiful surroundings.

The lake itself was unlike anything I had seen before. Bare trunks stood upright in the water, with the submerged parts described locally as an upside-down forest. The explanation given was that an earthquake in 1911 caused rocks to fall into the valley, creating a natural dam. Rainwater then flooded the forest, forming the lake. For me, this was the strongest finish the trip could have had.

Highlights

The open chairlift at Shymbulak

I enjoyed the enclosed gondola, but the open lift was even better. With the valley below and snowy mountains ahead, I felt much closer to the landscape. It reminded me of a similar lift I had taken near Sochi in Russia, although I found the greenery here different and especially beautiful. This is one experience I would not skip when visiting Kazakhstan.

The river at the end of Charyn Canyon

An open chairlift above Shymbulak’s valley. · Photo by Muhammet Cengiz on Unsplash

I was not completely convinced during the walk. The heat and effort made me question whether I should keep going. Reaching the river settled that immediately: the colours, trees and reflections were gorgeous. My honest advice is that the endpoint made the walk worthwhile for me, even though the approach was not effortless.

A quiet pause at Kolsai

Sometimes the best activity is simply sitting down. I chose coffee and a view over boating because I was tired and wanted to absorb the surroundings. That break also made me realise how much better this circuit would feel with more time.

Green reflections beside the Charyn River. · Photo by GWANGJIN GO on Unsplash

Kaindy’s flooded forest

Kaindy was the heart of the whole lakes excursion for me. The off-road approach was exciting, but the lake itself was the real reward. Seeing those trunks rising from the water felt like entering an entirely different world. Saving it until last gave the day a memorable climax.

Practical tips

Check entry rules before you travel. My immigration experience was simple: my passport was stamped, and I was not asked questions. I travelled under the visa-free arrangement described in the video, without a visa fee. Still, I recommend checking Kazakhstan’s immigration website and recent updates before you go rather than assuming the same rules will apply.

Sort out connectivity at the airport. I could not use airport Wi-Fi without a local number, so I recommend getting a SIM after immigration. Once connected, you can download Yandex Go and arrange your ride into the city.

Be careful with airport taxis. I described Almaty airport as roughly 10–12 km (6.2–7.5 miles) from the main city. I recommended an app-booked cab and warned against the outside metered taxis because of incorrect meter readings and prices. At the time of my visit, I reported no airport-to-city bus or metro option; treat that as a detail from my trip rather than a current guarantee.

Arrival at Almaty airport. · Photo by Dana Sarsenbekova on Unsplash

Bring layers for Shymbulak. I visited in September, when the lower area did not feel especially cold, but the upper mountain was a different story. Carry a jacket and warm clothing. I also recommend a raincoat or umbrella because the weather can change. I noted that snow can be found around Combi One in November and that the coming autumn and winter months would be colder below as well.

Plan your currency exchange around opening hours. I carried dollars to exchange locally and found a good rate around Almaty railway station. I pointed out exchange counters roughly 0.5 km (0.3 miles) from the station. Shops generally opened around 9 a.m. and closed around 8 p.m., so I recommend exchanging some money at the airport if you arrive at night.

Allow two days for the canyon and lakes if possible. My group circuit involved approximately 500 km (311 miles) of transport. Although I did it in one day, I found that schedule hectic and expected to get back to Almaty around 9–10 p.m. A two-day version includes a village overnight stop and gives you more time to rest.

Almaty railway station, near my currency-exchange stop. · Photo by Dmitrii Filatov on Unsplash

Expect some communication difficulties. Kazakh and Russian were the main languages I encountered, and relatively few people understood English. Language was a genuine challenge during my visit.

Be aware of the rough approach to Kaindy. I loved the off-road ride, but I also noted that the final vehicle had no seat belt. That was part of my experience, not a reason to assume every transfer has the same setup.

Where they stayed

My actual hotel and overnight stay are not mentioned in this video.

Where they ate

I stopped at an unnamed café overlooking Kolsai Lake and bought a coffee for around ₹300. I did not find that especially expensive for the setting, and sitting there with the view was exactly the break I wanted.

At Shymbulak’s Combi One, I saw several attractive cafés and restaurants and was tempted to sit down, but I continued up the mountain instead. I did not name a restaurant or describe a meal there.

The lakeside setting for my coffee at Kolsai. · Photo by Evgeny Matveev on Unsplash

One difficulty on the canyon and lakes excursion was finding Indian food. If you are planning the same trip, I recommend taking fruit and snacks with you, as I advised in the video, rather than counting on finding Indian food along the route.

Cafés around Shymbulak’s first lift stage. · Photo by Daniyar Orazov on Unsplash

Costs

These are the clearly stated prices from my trip, not guaranteed current rates. Rupee amounts below are in Indian rupees.

• Delhi–Almaty return flight: I paid ₹16,000 in an offer. I suggested that booking ahead could normally bring a return fare to around ₹20,000–₹25,000.
• Airport SIM: packages started at around ₹900 for 10 GB.
• Visa fee: I paid none under the visa-free arrangement in place for my visit.
• Coffee at Kolsai Lake: approximately ₹300.
• Additional Kaindy transfer: 500 tenge one way from the parking point.
• Exchange rate: I quoted approximately 5.7 Kazakhstani tenge to ₹1.

I booked the group canyon and lakes excursion through Banana Tour. Entry tickets and the main transport were included, but the total tour price is not clear in the transcript. Several other quoted amounts, including lift tickets and accommodation options, are also incomplete, so I cannot give you a reliable total trip budget from this video.

Our takeaway

What stayed with me was the variety: mountain air above Shymbulak, a lively city park, a canyon walk ending beside a beautiful river and two lakes with very different personalities. I found the mountain excursion excellent value, and Kaindy made the longer group trip feel especially worthwhile.

My main recommendation is to resist squeezing too much into the lakes day. I did the one-day version and loved the places, but I would choose two days for a more relaxed experience. You should also carry warm layers for Shymbulak, bring snacks for the longer excursion and sort out your SIM and transport on arrival. Give yourself enough time to enjoy the views—not just reach them.