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Pale, bare tree trunks standing in the turquoise water of Kaindy Lake below a cliff and spruce forest

Saty, Kazakhstan

Kaindy Lake

A turquoise mountain lake where the bleached trunks of a drowned spruce forest still rise straight out of the water.

Nature & scenery

About Kaindy Lake

Kaindy Lake was formed when an earthquake in 1911 set off a landslide that dammed a gorge and flooded the forest growing in it. More than a century later, the trunks of the drowned spruce trees still stand upright in the clear, cold water, their bare tops poking above the surface.

The lake is reached from Saty village by 4x4 along a rough mountain track, followed by a short, fairly steep walk down to the shore. It is at its most striking on a still morning, when the trees are reflected in the turquoise water.

The track is bumpy, so it is not ideal for anyone with back problems. Wear sturdy shoes, bring a warm layer and combine the visit with the Kolsai Lakes the same day.

More in Kazakhstan

Other things to see in Kazakhstan

Aerial view of turquoise Big Almaty Lake in a valley of snow-capped peaks and dark spruce forest
Nature & scenery

Big Almaty Lake

Ile-Alatau National Park

A glacier-fed turquoise lake high in the mountains above Almaty, framed by snowy peaks and spruce forest, about an hour and a half from the city.

Discover : Big Almaty Lake
Aerial view of Shymbulak ski resort, its lodges and pistes set in a snowy valley below jagged mountain peaks
Adventure

Shymbulak Mountain Resort

Almaty

Almaty’s ski resort, reached by a long gondola ride from Medeu, with snow in winter and cool mountain walks and views in summer.

Discover : Shymbulak Mountain Resort
Drone view of the Medeu stadium in a wooded mountain valley, its hillsides turning gold in autumn
Landmark

Medeu Ice Rink

Almaty

A huge open-air ice rink in a mountain valley above Almaty, where you can skate in the sunshine with forested peaks all around.

Discover : Medeu Ice Rink
Layered red and ochre rock formations of Charyn Canyon stretching towards distant hills under a pale sky
Nature & scenery

Charyn Canyon

Almaty Region

Red rock walls and wind-carved towers in a canyon east of Almaty, best known for the Valley of Castles walk down to the Charyn River.

Discover : Charyn Canyon
The first Kolsai lake winding between steep slopes covered in spruce, with mountains fading into the distance
Nature & scenery

Kolsai Lakes

Kolsai Lakes National Park

A chain of three mountain lakes in spruce forest near the Kyrgyz border, with boating, horse riding and walks along the shore.

Discover : Kolsai Lakes
The yellow and white Ascension Cathedral with gilded domes among snow-covered trees in Panfilov Park
Culture & heritage

Ascension Cathedral Almaty

Almaty

A colourful wooden Russian Orthodox cathedral in leafy Panfilov Park, built in the early 1900s and still standing after the earthquake of 1911.

Discover : Ascension Cathedral Almaty
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