Treasures of Almaty : Charyn canyon, Kolsai and Kaindy lake

The day tour was super well organized and absolutely worth it. We visited the breathtaking Kolsai Lake, Kaindy Lake, and Charyn Canyon, every place looked unreal in person. It was definitely an eventful day with lots of walking and adventure, but completely worth it for the views and experience. Huge shoutout to our guide Rustam who kept the energy high throughout the trip and made the whole experience even more fun and smooth. Highly recommend this tour if you’re visiting Kazakhstan!

amazing tour, lovely nature and beautifully organised. Rustam is a great guide!

Value for money! Funny and knowledgeable guides! Smooth transfers and great driver. I am glad I booked this tour. I had an amazing experience. Thank you, Panda Travel. Well done!

I had an absolutely amazing time with my tour guide! Not only was he incredibly knowledgeable about the history of every spot I visited, but he was also extremely helpful in giving me the best transit options and directions to get to my destinations smoothly. The best part? He brought such a fun vibe to the trip! He even put on great music for me to dance and groove along to during the journey. If you want a guide who is both informative and an absolute blast to be around, look no further!

Amani was amazing—friendly, approachable, and made the tour enjoyable! Since it was my first time traveling solo, I experienced a bit of travel anxiety during the long drive/flight. Although it was anxiety rather than nausea, I really appreciated that she help by asking the other tourists if we could switch seats. That small gesture meant a lot and made me feel more comfortable. Overall, I had a wonderful experience. The return drive felt a little fast for my comfort, but everything else was well organized and enjoyable. Thank you, Panda travel, & Amani for making my first trip to Kazakhstan a memorable one! Would definitely book again with you.

This is a great trip for a very good price.

It would have been easier to find the vehicle if you had provided a photo of it before departure, but other than that, it was a top-notch tour.

everything exceeded my expectations

First, some of the sightseeing spots had short viewing times, and the guide's role felt more like providing a general overview of the location rather than a detailed explanation. We were simply instructed to return at a designated time, which made us feel that the inconvenience of time constraints outweighed the benefits of having a guide. In particular, the first canyon we visited allowed only about 15 minutes, so I believe those who want to explore thoroughly should opt for a tour focused on specific locations. Charyn Canyon was breathtaking, but other spots were overcrowded with tour participants relative to the capacity of the observation decks, making it difficult to relax. Second, a significant amount of cash was required. We were initially told to prepare cash for optional activities and stopped at a gas station. I estimate that 10,000 tenge per person would barely be enough. We didn't have enough cash prepared. Almost all restrooms at various locations required cash payment, despite being poorly maintained. At the next lake, I questioned why the cost of getting to the lake, which offered only two options (taxi or horseback riding), was not included in the tour fee. At least 3,000 tenge per person was needed there, and horseback riding would be even more expensive. Additionally, lunch, which was not included in the tour price, required choosing from a menu ranging from 3,000 to 6,000 tenge, and the food was not particularly good. Furthermore, if you wanted to descend to the river at Charyn Canyon, a taxi was essential to return within the allotted time, and some walking routes seemed to incur additional costs. The guide was on one of the three buses, so detailed explanations during transit were not possible. While it was a necessary tour given that it handled the difficult aspects of travel, I feel it's crucial for the tour operator to clearly indicate the costs of optional activities at the time of booking. For those who want more than just information available online and prefer a guide who utilizes the actual sites, the amount of information provided was insufficient, making this tour unsuitable. This tour was operated by Panda Travel, so I recommend searching for and evaluating the tour organizer.