Kolsai Lakes Trip from Almaty by Private Minibus
To a turquoise chain of three mountain lakes in the Kungey Alatau — with your own group, without changing vehicles or joining a crowded shared group tour. A private 13-seat Toyota Hiace with a driver who knows the road through Saty and gets you to the trailheads rested.
from 100,000 ₸ for the whole Toyota Hiace minibus, round trip
Not a scheduled bus or a taxi: the whole minibus for up to 13 people — just your group · a driver with 20+ years of experience
The same terms for every destination — price per vehicle, not per seat
Pickup at your door in Almaty
You choose the address and time: home, office, hotel or airport. No bus station and no meeting the group “at the bus stop”.
The whole minibus — just your group
The 13-seat Toyota Hiace takes no other passengers. One person or 13 — the price is the same; we don’t sell individual seats or tickets. More than 13 people — we’ll find a partner minibus for your date; on short routes two runs in a row also work.
Driver, fuel and road included
Our regular driver with 20+ years of experience, fuel, toll sections and pickup in Almaty are all in the quoted price; you don’t pay extra per passenger. National park entrance fees, ski passes and a local off-road vehicle, if your route needs them, are not included.
Round trip
The round trip is one price. The driver waits for your group on site for as long as you said when booking; if you stay longer, you pay only for the extra hours.
Luggage: 13 traveling light, up to 9 with suitcases
Bags and gear go in a separate compartment. If everyone has a large suitcase or a stroller, we take up to 9 people; with skis and snowboards, 9–10. Tell us what you’re bringing when you book.
Payment: cash, Kaspi or invoice
Trips in the city and nearby are paid after the trip. Long intercity trips and trips of several days need a partial prepayment to hold the date, the rest before departure. Companies get an invoice, a contract and closing documents.
We take groups from Almaty to the Kolsai Lakes in a 13-seat Toyota Hiace with a driver, from 100,000 ₸ for the whole minibus, round trip. We leave early in the morning, pick everyone up at one convenient point, wait at the lake while you walk and drive you back — no shared group, no one else’s schedule.
The Kolsai Lakes are a chain of three mountain lakes in the Kungey Alatau range, within Kolsai Koldery National Park. Clear turquoise water, slopes covered in Tian Shan spruce and the quiet at about 1,800 meters draw travelers from all over Kazakhstan every summer — as do the other lakes in the same area. The drive from Almaty takes about 5 hours through the foothills, the Shelek River valley and the village of Saty, so the easiest way to go is in your own minibus — no changing vehicles, stops for photos, and no luggage on your lap.
Five hours each way means a day that starts in the dark, so we leave at dawn: you reach the lakes in daylight, and in the minibus, with air conditioning, a media system and reclining seats, you can catch up on sleep on the way. There is one price for the whole vehicle, no matter how many passengers; the route and stops are set around your group, not around a shared tour’s schedule.
The road from Almaty to Kolsai: what to know
The route heads east from Almaty — through Shelek, the scenic Kokpek Gorge and the valley to the village of Zhalanash, then turns off to Saty, the last village before the lakes; for the first half of the way you follow the same road as the minibus to Charyn Canyon. The distance is about 300 km, roughly 5 hours on the road. Almost all of it is paved, so the ride is smooth; along the way there are cafés and gas stations for a break and a bite to eat — the driver knows the reliable places.
From Saty to the lower lake it is about 12 km on asphalt, with a long climb at the end — the minibus takes the group to the parking lot right by the water. The road from Saty to Kaindy Lake is a dirt track with a ford: that stretch is done in a local off-road vehicle, and the last kilometer and a half on foot. We will agree in advance how far we go in the Hiace and help arrange the off-road transfer if you need it.
What to see at Kolsai
There really are three lakes, and each is different. The first (lower) lake is the most accessible: the road ends right at the water at about 1,800 meters, and you can rent a boat or a horse and walk along the shore. The second lake lies higher, about 5–6 km up a trail through spruce forest; the climb takes several hours, but its views are the ones that most often end up on postcards. The third, upper lake is right by the border with Kyrgyzstan; experienced hikers go there with an overnight stay.
About an hour from Saty lies Kaindy Lake with its sunken spruce forest: bare trunks rise straight out of the turquoise water. The lake formed after the 1911 earthquake, when a landslide dammed the gorge. Many people combine Kolsai and Kaindy in one trip, with the village of Saty and its guesthouses as a base for both. Keep in mind that the area lies in the border zone near Kyrgyzstan, so bring an ID, and the long hike to the third lake requires a permit that is arranged in advance.
Minibus or shared group tour to Kolsai
The road to Kolsai is long and mountainous, and what you travel in directly affects the shape you arrive in. Shared group tours run on a fixed schedule and fill the vehicle with strangers; your own Toyota Hiace leaves when it suits your group — usually early in the morning, to cover most of the way while it is cool and be at the lakes before noon.
For a group of 8–13 people, hiring the whole minibus costs less than individual seats on a tour, and on the road you have air conditioning, music or movies and seats you can rest in before the trek. The driver knows the mountain stretch and waits for you in Saty or at the lake while you walk — you head back when you have had enough, not on someone else’s schedule.
Kolsai: how the trip works
An early start for the mountains
Pickup at your door in Almaty at dawn, so you reach the lakes in daylight and don’t lose the day on the road.
One vehicle all the way
From your door in the city to the village of Saty and the trailheads — no bus stations, no hitching rides, no waiting by the highway.
Luggage and gear
The roomy luggage space takes backpacks, warm clothes, trekking poles and food, so the cabin stays uncluttered.
Price per vehicle
You pay for the whole Hiace to the lakes and back — no per-head counting and no extra charge per passenger.
Kolsai: trip price
from 100,000 ₸ — for the whole Toyota Hiace minibus, round trip
The driver, fuel, toll roads and pickup in Almaty are included. Not included: national park entrance fees, ski passes, a local off-road vehicle, paid parking and pickup outside the city. We quote the total before departure; it only goes up if you decide to extend the waiting time.
This is the price for the minibus, not per seat as on shared group tours: the minibus is only for your group, with no other passengers and no one else’s schedule.
All day trips from Almaty →Customer reviews on 2GIS
“Efficient and fast — a clean bus with a driver arrived on time.”
“Excellent — they provided a minibus with a driver very quickly.”
Real photos — not a manufacturer’s catalog
All photos
- Driver with 20+ years of experience
- Air conditioning and heating
- DVD · TV · MP3
- Soft reclining seats
- Electric door
- Luggage compartment
These photos show our own 13-seat Toyota Hiace with a high roof and a wide aisle between the seats. We took them ourselves: the cabin, seats and luggage compartment of this very vehicle. We have one minibus: this is the one that will come for you, with its own driver at the wheel.
13-seat cabin
Luggage compartment
Kolsai: frequently asked questions
How much is a trip from Almaty to the Kolsai Lakes?
From about 100,000 ₸ for the whole Toyota Hiace minibus, round trip. The exact price depends on the route, the number of days and whether you also go to Kaindy Lake — we will work it out for your plan and let you know when you call or message us on WhatsApp.
How long does it take to get to Kolsai?
About 5 hours each way (roughly 300 km), with short stops for rest and fuel. That is why it is best to leave early in the morning.
How many people can the minibus take to Kolsai?
The Toyota Hiace seats up to 13 people, and backpacks and trekking gear ride in the luggage space. A large group or several families get to the lakes together in one minibus. All 13 can travel light; if everyone has a large suitcase or bulky gear, we take up to 9 passengers — tell us what you are bringing when you book.
Can we combine Kolsai with Kaindy Lake?
Yes, the two are close together and are often visited on one trip. Keep in mind that the road to Kaindy is a dirt track with a ford: the final stretch is done in a local off-road vehicle and on foot — we will help you plan the route as a day trip or with an overnight stay in Saty.
When is the best time to go, and what should we bring?
The best season is late May to September, when the trails are open and the road is dry. Even in summer it is cool up high, so bring warm clothes, comfortable shoes for the trek, an ID (the area is in the border zone) and cash for the national park entrance fee.
Tell us where and when
We’ll bring a Toyota Hiace minibus with a driver to any address in Almaty at the time you need. Available 24/7.