Kungei Mirrors Tour (10 Days)

Route: Almaty Region (Kazakhstan)
Season: January - December
Best Period: June - October

Kungei Alatau ridge stretched in the latitudinal direction from east to west and has a length of 275 km in a straight line. It surrounds from the north the basin, which is Issyk-Kul lake. Like many other mountain ranges in Kazakhstan, Kungei Alatau is very rich in scenic mountain lakes. And you can visit the most beautiful of them: Kaindy lake and a system of three lakes called Kolsay.

Kaindy lake means "Birch Lake" and is located at an altitude of 1867 meters above sea level. According to the last measurements, its deepest point is 21 meters. The lake was formed as a result of the earthquake that occurred in the area in 1911.

In the 1980s, the lake area was significantly reduced due to the mudflow, but its beauty and mystery of it were not lost. Only in 12 km in a straight line from Kaindy lake, at an altitude of 1818 meters above sea level, the third (lower) Kolsai lake is located. It stretches for 1 km in length and is approximately 500 meters wide with a maximum depth of about 80 meters.

The middle (second) Kolsai lake, located at an altitude of 2252 meters above sea level, is the largest of the three. The upper (first) Kolsai lake is situated at an altitude of 2850 meters above sea level. From its shores, it will take just a few hours to reach Sary-Bulak pass with a magnificent view of Issyk-Kul lake.

DAY BY DAY ITINERARY

Day 1. Almaty - Kaindy Lake

Group meeting and departure from Almaty at 07:00. Lunch in a cafe or a picnic on the way. Arrived at Kaindy lake, set a camp, walked, and photographed the sunset. Return to the camp, have dinner and prepare for the next day. Free time. Overnight in the tent camp at the lake.
Total automobile mileage on this day approx. 300 km

Days 2-3. Kaindy Lake

Early woke up at 05:30 for photographing the dawn at Kaindy lake. Return to the camp, breakfast, free time. Lunch in the camp. Closer to the evening, hiking to a mountain with the lake and Kungei Alatau ridge panorama. Waiting for the sunset, photographing. Return to the camp, have dinner and prepare for the next day. Free time. Optional - photographing of the night sky. Overnight in the tent camp at the lake.

Total daily walking distance approx. 4-10 km

Day 4. Kaindy Lake - Saty Settlement

Early wake up at 05:30 for photographing the dawn at the lake. Return to the camp, breakfast. Disassembling of the camp and transfer to Saty settlement. Arrival at a guest house, accommodation, lunch. Walking in the settlement, photographing. Return to the guest house, sauna, dinner, and free time. Overnight in the guest house.

Day 5. Saty Settlement - Lower Kolsai Lake

Early woke up at 05:30 for photographing the dawn in the village valley of Chilik river. Return to the guest house, for breakfast. After breakfast, transfer to Kolsai lake. Arrive at the lake and trek to its south shore. Setting a camp, lunch, rest. Photographing the sunset at the lake, dinner, and preparation for the next day. Free time. Overnight in the tent camp at Kolsai lake at an altitude 2000 meters above sea level.

Total walking distance on this day approx. 2 km

Day 6. Lower Kolsai Lake - Middle Kolsai Lake

Early woke up at 06:30 for photographing the dawn at the lake. Breakfast, disassembling of the camp, and trekking to the middle Kolsai lake. On arrival, rest and set a camp. Lunch at the shore of the lake. In the afternoon, walking and photographing. Return to the camp, have dinner and prepare for the next day. Overnight in the tent camp on the lake shore.

Total walking distance on this day approx. 7 km

Day 7. Middle Kolsai Lake

Early woke up at 06:30 for photographing the dawn at the lake. Breakfast and trekking to the lake overlook point. Lunch (picnic) during the trekking. Return to the camp, have dinner and prepare for the next day. Overnight in the tent camp on the lake shore. bank of the Ili River at an altitude of 2300 meters above sea level.

Total walking distance on this day approx. 5 km

Day 8. Middle Kolsai Lake - Upper Kolsai Lake - Middle Kolsai Lake

Early woke up at 06:30 for photographing the dawn at the lake. Breakfast and trekking to the upper Kolsai lake. On arrival, rest and lunch (picnic) at the lake. In the afternoon, walking and photographing. Return to the camp, have dinner and prepare for the next day. Overnight in the tent camp at the lake shore.

Total walking distance on this day approx. 12 km

Day 9. Middle Kolsai Lake - Saty Settlement

Early woke up at 06:30 for photographing the dawn at the lake. Breakfast, disassembling of the camp, and trekking to the lower Kolsai lake. Rest on arrival to the lake. Lunch at the lake shore. In the afternoon, transfer to Saty settlement. Accommodation in a guest house. Photographing the sunset in the village valley of the Chilik river. Return to the guest house, sauna, dinner, and free time. Overnight in the guest house.

Total walking distance on this day approx. 8 km

Day 10. Saty Settlement - Almaty

Early wake up at 05:30 for photographing the dawn in the village valley of Chilik river. Return to the guest house, for breakfast. Transfer to Almaty after breakfast. Lunch on the way. Arrival to Almaty approx. at 19:00.

TOUR FEATURES:

The tour program is very intensive, almost all camp-to-camp transfers will be off-roads. You will need to get up very early and walk a lot in search of the best shots. All of this - in the mountains, where not an accustomed person can feel a lack of oxygen. That is why it is strongly recommended to refrain from the use of alcohol.

TOUR PRICE: On request

TOUR PRICE INCLUSIONS:

1. Transport services on the entire route
2. English-speaking guide and photographer service
3. Camping equipment for common use (camping tent, table, chairs, cooking utensils)
4. Food for cooking in field conditions
5. Accommodation and meals in Saty guest house
6. Permits to visit the specially protected natural areas, all environmental fees
7. Rent pack horses for the group

TOUR PRICE EXCLUSIONS:

1. Accommodation in Almaty before/after the tour, if required
2. Airport transfer, if required
3. Meals not indicated in the program and/or not included into the tour price
4. Rent of personal camping outfit (tent, sleeping bag, сaremat, personal utensils, etc.)
5. Medical insurance
6. Visa support and registration on the territory of Kazakhstan, if required
7. Personal expenses and other expenses not indicated in the program

RECOMMENDATIONS ON CLOTHING & EQUIPMENT:

Taking into account that in the evenings and at night can be quite cold, be sure to take with you:

1. Waterproof membrane Gore-Tex jacket and pants
2. Warm fleece jacket or Polartec jacket
3. Windproof jacket
4. Several sets of underwear, several pairs of socks, and a pair of warm socks
5. Several T-shirts with short sleeves, shorts
6. Appropriate hiking boots, and shoes for camp (lightweight sneakers)
7. Sunglasses and sunscreen
8. Head torch with adjustable brightness and beam distance, several sets of batteries
9. Thermos for 1-1.5 liters, or another water container
10. Personal hygiene items, a personal first aid kit (for chronic diseases is obligatory)
11. Camera, waterproof carrying case, a neutral filter with variable density, tripod, remote control, wide-angle and telephoto lenses
12. Anti-acarid remedy
13. Tent, sleeping bag, carat, utensils for personal use