Rows of bare grey spruce trunks rising from bright turquoise water below a forested slope

Nature · Kegen District, Almaty Region

Kaindy Lake

A turquoise mountain lake formed by a 1911 earthquake landslide, where bare spruce trunks rise straight out of the water

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Ambient sound · similar settingChinese bush warbler calling in Gorkhi-Terelj forest

Photo: GWANGJIN GO (@chocolate_milk_denmark) / Unsplash

Discover Kaindy Lake

Lake Kaindy is only about 400 metres long, but it is one of the most distinctive sights in Kazakhstan. It lies at roughly 1,900 to 2,000 metres above sea level in a steep, forested gorge, and its water is coloured blue-green by limestone deposits. The name is usually translated from Kazakh as birch tree lake.

What makes it memorable are the trunks of Schrenk's spruce that rise from the surface. Above the water they have lost their bark and branches and turned white, like the masts of sunken ships, while below the surface the cold water has preserved branches and needles, now overgrown with algae and water plants. The lake reaches nearly 30 metres at its deepest point.

Don’t miss

01White spruce trunks standing upright in the turquoise water
02Views down onto the lake from the forested slopes of the gorge
03Branches and needles preserved beneath the surface
04Winter ice diving and trout fishing
05The changing colour of the water with the light

History & culture

The story of Kaindy Lake

The lake was created in January 1911, when the powerful Kebin earthquake set off a large limestone landslide that blocked the gorge. River water filled the valley behind the natural dam and drowned the spruce forest that grew there, and the cold water has kept the trunks standing for more than a century. The Kaindy river now enters the lake through a two-sided rock face about 20 metres high.

The lake lies within the Kolsai Lakes State National Nature Park, created in 2007, and in recent years it has become a popular international destination.

Local life & traditions

Saty, a small village at the foot of the Tian Shan, is the gateway for Lake Kaindy and the Kolsai lakes and the place where most visitors stay. The surrounding Kegen District is rural and mountainous, and the lake itself has no mobile or internet connection, so visitors arrange transport and accommodation in Saty before heading up.

Things to do

Experience it like a local

Visitors walk down through the forest to the shore to see the drowned trees up close and to photograph the lake from different angles; the reflections are best when the water is still. Despite the low water temperature the lake is known among divers, and in winter it is used for ice diving and trout fishing. Many people combine a visit with the Kolsai lakes in the same national park, using the village of Saty as a base.

When to go

The park's main season for hiking and camping runs from April to late September, when the road and trails are easiest. Winter brings a quieter scene and the chance of ice diving, but conditions are cold and access should be checked locally.

Plan your visit

Verified information

Altitude: About 1,900 m above sea level according to the national tourism portal (Wikipedia gives about 2,000 m). Source: kazakhstan.travel ↗
Mobile coverage: No mobile or internet connection is listed at the lake. Source: kazakhstan.travel ↗
Nearest village: Saty, the main gateway to the Kolsai Lakes National Park and Lake Kaindy. Source: kazakhstan.travel ↗
Size: About 400 m long and nearly 30 m deep. Source: en.wikipedia.org ↗

Checked against the sources on 31 October 2026. Opening times and fees can change — confirm before you go.

Travel tips

Stay overnight in Saty so you can reach the lake early, before most day visitors.
Download maps and arrange a return lift in advance, as there is no mobile signal at the lake.
Visit the Kolsai lakes on the same trip; they are in the same national park, about 11 km to the west.
Bring warm layers: the lake lies around 2,000 m and mountain nights are cold.
Leave the submerged trees alone; their preservation is what makes the lake special.

General guidance from our specialists, not official information.

Around Kaindy Lake: food, markets & places to stay

The Kolsai lakes, about 11 kilometres to the west, are the obvious companion visit, and the village of Saty lies below both. The Charyn State National Nature Park and the Moon Canyon are among the other sights of the Almaty Region listed by the national tourism portal.

Kaindy Lake & what’s nearby

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A boat floating on Kolsai Lake, with the surrounding forest reflected in the still water

Nature

Kegen District, Almaty Region · 12 km away

Kaindy Lake in pictures

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Sources & verification

This guide was researched from the sources below and reviewed by our team on 31 October 2026. Facts under “Verified information” link to the page they were checked on; travel tips are general guidance. Photos are credited on each image. The ambient recording’s author and licence are shown in the sound player.

Lake Kaindy — Kazakhstan.travel
Saty Village — Kazakhstan.travel
Lake Kaindy — Wikipedia
Kolsay Lakes National Park — Wikipedia

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