Lan Wandered

“Kandy Lake trekking experience was undoubtedly one of my best moments in my trip to Almaty, Kazakhstan.”

Oh! If there is one activity in Almaty, Kazakhstan, that I always look forward to, it was the hiking experienced in the Kandy Lake. Everything felt magical as I wandered in the forest with snow; it’s like I am in the movie “Narnia.” I still cannot believe I was able to try this thrilling and adventurous light hike. The forest and mountain peaks were simply stunning, pure nature, with many Pine Trees covered with snow during winter. I really felt in love with this forest; it is one of my best light trekking experiences that I’ve done so far. The trail going to the lake is easy, and the whole trail is fantastic, and the lake itself is a manifestation of true natural beauty hidden deep in the forest.

So, if you want to feel the magic, thrill and adventurous vibe, I strongly suggest joining this hiking activity when you visit Almaty, Kazakhstan.

About Kandy Lake

Kandy Lake is a popular tourist destination with a distinctive lake feature located in the south Kazakhstan and is 2000 meters above sea level. The lake has a 400-meter-long surrounding area and a maximum depth of 30 meters. It is formed as a result of a major limestone landslide triggered by an earthquake in 1911; hence, it is called a birch tree lake or landslide lake. It is famous due to its trunk tree of Picea schrenkiana that is submerged in the water and rises above the surface of the lake. The uniqueness of the lake attracts many tourists around the world, especially in summer and winter.

How to get to Kandy Lake?

Kandy Lake is about 285 kilometers away from Almaty and took almost 4 hours before reaching this place. Consequently, I highly suggest of joining a group tour when visiting this place, since it is difficult to reach. Moreover, I believe, tour guide is also required when visiting this area as this is also close to Kyrgyzstan border.

Tours with transfer: For convenience, join a day trip from Almaty available at any travel agency offering this experience to reduce your cost. You can check Trip Advisor (viator.com), get your guide website. I believed the cost is around 60 to 80 USD package, depending on the date and tour agency.

If you are curious, in my case, I booked on viator.com, catered by a Kazakhstan tour agency. I usually read reviews first before booking; hence, I found their customer comments positive. After I experience this, I can also attest that their tour was amazing, with a tour guide who is very thoughtful to the needs of the tourists in the group. Local food was also great, which is included in the tour. The package tour includes charyn Canyon, Black Canyon, kandy and kolsai Lake.

My Experience

During my trip in Almaty, Kazakhstan last December 12, 2024, I joined a group hiking tour in Charyn Canyon, Kolsai & Kandy Lake. The tour started around 5:30 am from Almaty and travelled for about 4 hours before reaching Kandy lake. The first tourist attraction we visited was Charyn Canyon, then travel for 30 minutes to reach Black Canyon. From this location we travelled for 1 hour going to the village near Kandy lake, then transfer to a 4X4 Car service going to the starting point of the trekking activity.

From the starting point of the hike, we are asked to choose an option if we want to walk, ride a car or horseback riding. In my case, I choose to take the car first since it’s already afternoon, then do light trekking in reaching the lake, afterward, horseback riding going back to the base. The trekking experience in the forest with snow was amazing, and it felt like the movie Narnia. Just look at the photo. You can also feel the Christmas as you can see a lot of pine trees covered with snow.

Upon reaching the lake, we stop over for a bout 15 minutes to take some photos. It was an amazing moment, as you can wander in the unique beauty of the lake and forest. I was also amazed to see the lake frozen during our visit. The mountain is stunning, and the overall experience is great.

After the tour, we had a great meal in the village in the local house near the lake. The food is delicious. By the way, I also want to mention that we have an excellent tour guide during the tour. She was thoughtful and always cared about us. 

When is the best time to visit Kandy Lake?

Depending on your chosen dates, I believed, kandy Lake is exceptional either in spring, summer, autumn or winter. However, it is most visited during the summer from June to August, when the lake is clear and has a turquoise color. But take note that it is also the time when many tourists flock to this area. So, if you like meeting new people, this is a great time to experience the beautiful lake of Kazakhstan.

In my case, I visited this lake during winter at the second week of December. Expect frozen lakes during this season. During my hike, the weather was nice but very cold and sunny, with temperatures reaching about -8 Degree Celsius. The forest looks magical to me, like in the movie Narnia. There are many pine trees, so you can feel the presence of Christmas during this time, as these trees are also covered with snow.

If you want to see the lake with halfway snow on the top of the mountain. Visit in springtime. This time, the flowers start to bloom, and trees start to regain their natural green beauty again. I believed, it was also one of the amazing seasons to visit this lake.

For colorful vibes, visit in autumn from September to October. At this time, few tourists are visiting this place, so you would have a great time exploring this place. The lake is also beautiful at this time, as the color is greenish blue and the water is clear.

Below are the months of season in Almaty for reference:

• Spring: End of March to End of May
• Summer: June to August
• Autumn: September to early November
• Winter: December to February

How many days required to visit Kandy Lake?

A day trip from Almaty is plenty enough to explore and experience the hiking in kandy lake. Usually, the tour starts at 5:30 am in Almaty and return back at 9pm. Don’t worry, they pick you up and will drop you in your hotel accommodation.

But if you like to experience exploring this place without rush, I suggest booking a 2-day tour to charyn, black canyon, kandy & kolsai lake available in viator or get your guide website.

Where to stay?

If you are planning to join this tour, staying in Almaty city is recommended as the tour will return you back in Almaty in the evening. But if you join a 2-day tour, usually, the accommodation is in the local village near the Kandy lake area.

Travel Tips when planning to visit Kandy Lake

Below are some tips you should consider when visiting to this unique and beautiful lake.

• Please wear with many layers suitable for winter as the temperature here reach below –20 Degree Celsius. A good winter shoes is also recommended.
• Don’t forget to wear thermal cloth, I did 4 layers by the way for my winter outfit to protect me from extreme cold weather.
• Wake up early in the morning as the tour starts at 5:30 am
• Remember that weekends are the busiest day in the resort, so if you are coming as a tourist, better to avoid this day and schedule your tour in weekdays instead.
• Remember to bring small bill/coins to be used for paying in Comfort Room/Washroom just in case required.
• If you are traveling solo, bring your own selfie stick stand to capture solo video and photos. I was alone in this tour, so, I know how difficult it was to capture good photos and videos including myself.
• If you like horseback riding, take note that is option when going to the lake. The price is around 4000 Kazakstan Tenge for 1 way and 6000 Kazakhstan Tenge for back & forth.
• You also have option of taking a taxi from the starting point costing around 1000 tenge one way if you prefer not to do hiking or horseback riding, for winter it is recommendable, but in summer, I suggest trying the horseback riding or the walking.
• Be updated of the weather forecast before traveling to this place.
• Be a responsible traveler and keep Shymbulak Mountain Resort clean.
• Take only memories, leave only footprints. 

Budget when travelling to Kandy Lake

Overall, I spent around 80 USD for joining this hiking tour. This includes the tour in charyn canyon, black canyon, kolsai and kandy lake.

What to bring.

• Money in Cash (Kazakhstan tenge) or credit card (note that in Almaty, Kazakhstan online payment is common, only in small store or in rural area you are required to use cash.
• Comfortable shoes depends on the season you will visit
• Please wear winter shoes if you are traveling in the month of December to February
• For foreigners always bring your passport and kept it in safe bag.
• Sunscreen for skin protection
• Bottle of water, always stay hydrated during your travel.
• Sun glass
• Light Snacks
• Cap for head & face sun protection
• Jacket applicable for summer or winter depends on season
• Power bank for your phone

So, have you been to Kandy Lake? Please share your thoughts, I would like to know your experience.

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