Top 10 nature destinations in Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan is huge, and “going into nature” here can mean anything from a canyon walk three hours from Almaty to a week in the Altai. This list picks ten places that between them cover nearly every landscape the country has: a canyon, mountain lakes, desert, the granite hills of the north, the chalk badlands of the west, the Altai and a big steppe lake. It is not a beauty contest — the order simply runs from the southeast around Almaty to the north, west and east. Each entry gives the season, the road and a link to our full guide.

How we chose

• Variety. No two places that look alike. Altyn-Emel stands in for the whole desert southeast because it holds both the Singing Dune and the Aktau hills; Burabay and Bayanaul both made it because one is a resort near the capital and the other is granite rising out of empty steppe.
• Access. You can get to every place on your own. Where you need a 4x4, a permit or prior approval, we say so.
• Season. Each place peaks at a different time of year, so the card shows the comfortable months. Seasonal lists: spring, summer, autumn, winter.

1. Charyn Canyon — red walls near Almaty

The most accessible of the big landscapes: about 195 km along the Almaty–Narynkol road, or 200 km and 3–4 hours each way according to Tengrinews. The main sight is the Valley of Castles, a gorge of sheer red walls. Spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) are the comfortable windows; summer has almost no shade on the canyon floor, and winter is empty and striking but short on daylight. It works as one long day, but an overnight lets you add the ash grove. Directions are in how to get to Charyn.

2. Kaindy Lake — the drowned forest

A lake about 400 m long, created by the 1911 earthquake: a landslide dammed the gorge and the water drowned a stand of Tian Shan spruce, whose trunks still rise from the surface. It is about 284 km from Almaty; the last 9 km from Saty village is a rough dirt track with a ford, then about 1.5 km on foot. Go in summer or early autumn in dry weather — rain washes out the track. The water stays around +6 °C even in summer. Almost everyone pairs it with Kolsai. Full guide: Kaindy Lake.

3. Kolsai Lakes — three lakes in one valley

A chain of three lakes: lower at 1818 m, middle at 2252 m, upper at 2850–2900 m depending on the source. Tarmac reaches the lower lake; the middle one is a 7.35–7.8 km trail with about 470 m of climbing — a full day. The trail is considered open April to October, and July–September is the comfortable hiking window. Swimming is banned. Saty village, which had 90 guesthouses and 30 hotels in 2023, is the base. At 280–320 km from Almaty, plan at least two days. See Kolsai Lakes.

4. Big Almaty Lake — turquoise above the city

A lake at 2511 m, about 15 km south of Almaty as the crow flies. Since spring 2026 it is walk-in only: about 15 km up the road each way, over a kilometre of climbing, 4–6 hours up. No swimming — it supplies the city’s drinking water. The colour peaks in July and August; September–October is quieter but the water level drops, and from November to April the road is snowbound with avalanche risk. Full guide: Big Almaty Lake.

5. Altyn-Emel — dune, desert and striped hills

A desert park in the Ili valley: the Singing Dune (120–150 m high), the white, red and orange bands of the Aktau clay hills, the volcanic Katutau and about 3,600 kulans counted in 2025. Basshi, the park office, is about 250 km from Almaty. A permit covers one day on one route, so allow 2–3 days for the park. Go April–June or August–October: July afternoons hit +33…+43 °C. See Altyn-Emel and the Singing Dune.

6. Burabay — granite and pine near Astana

About 257 km north of Astana, around three hours by car; express trains reach Kurort-Borovoe station in Shchuchinsk in 2 h 28 min – 2 h 45 min. The signature view is Zhumbaktas, a rock island rising about 20 m from Lake Borovoe, facing Okzhetpes. The high point, Kokshe (947 m), has a marked hiking route. The park’s own tariff act treats 1 May – 30 September as high season, with higher weekend vehicle fees, so weekdays are calmer. See Burabay.

7. Bayanaul — hills in the steppe

Kazakhstan’s first national park, founded in 1985: granite hills up to 1027 m in the Pavlodar steppe and four freshwater lakes. Most people swim at Zhasybay, the clearest lake in the park and up to 14.7 m deep. From Pavlodar via Ekibastuz the drive took 3–4 hours in 2017 reporting. Swimming is a summer thing; off-season you get the rocks to yourself, but the climate is harsh — the annual mean is about 3.2 °C. See Bayanaul.

8. Mangystau — Bozzhyra and the chalk west

A different country altogether: Bozzhyra’s white chalk spires on the Ustyurt escarpment about 300 km from Aktau, plus Sherkala, the stone balls of Torysh and the Karagiye depression, 132 m below sea level. Only 4x4s drive the tract; there is no signal, and fuel is only in Aktau, Zhanaozen and Shetpe. Come mid-April to late May or in the second half of September — summer tops +40 °C. Bozzhyra alone is a full day from Aktau; a loop of the main sights takes about five. See Bozzhyra and Mangystau.

9. Katon-Karagay — the Altai and Belukha

The largest national park in the country, 643,477 ha of Altai mountains on the Russian and Chinese borders. People come for views of Belukha (4506 m), the Kokkol and Arasan waterfalls and the Rakhmanov hot springs. Katon-Karagay village is about 380 km and five hours from Ust-Kamenogorsk. May–June brings meadows in bloom and full waterfalls, July–August long hikes, September autumn colour and cold nights. Allow several days and read up on the border zone. See Katon-Karagay.

10. Alakol — a steppe lake with beaches

A 2,696 km² lake on the border of the Zhetysu and Abai regions. Swimming happens at the resort villages of Akshi, Koktuma and Kabanbay, which are outside the reserve. The Alakol reserve itself protects the Tentek delta and the Araltobe islands, where the relict gull nests — the islands are closed May to September. From Almaty it is 9–10 hours by car or bus. Go in summer. See Alakol.

At a glance

Figures come from our place guides, where each one is sourced.

How to choose

• A day from Almaty: Charyn, or the hike to Big Almaty Lake. Fifteen more ideas in nature near Almaty.
• A weekend from Almaty: Kolsai and Kaindy, or Altyn-Emel.
• A weekend from Astana: Burabay; from Pavlodar, Bayanaul.
• A week: Katon-Karagay or a Mangystau loop.
• A beach: Alakol, Zhasybay or Burabay.

Practical tips

• Park fees are set in MCI units and change every January — use the fee calculator.
• Mountains and desert mean patchy signal: download offline maps.
• Run through our pre-departure checklist.
• Fires and tents only where permitted; strict reserves (Alakol, Aksu-Zhabagly, Markakol) need prior approval.