Road
Approximate — may differ on site
~16 h
Road openFrom Tashkent → via Almaty, with border
Asphalt ≈ 1114 km
- AlmatyEast via the Khorgos highway
- Shelek → Kokpek≈ 210 km paved
- Zhalanash → Saty≈ 70 km paved, mountain road
- Saty → Kolsai≈ 15 km paved, national park post
- First Kolsai LakeLakeside parking
On foot
Approximate — depends on trail conditions and season
Moderate
Difficulty
15 km
Round trip
+470 m
Elevation gain
5–6 h
From the first lake to the second
First lake, parking© OpenFreeMap · OpenStreetMap
When to go
You can go until the end of May
Best time: from June.
- NowOctober – MayPossible
- NextJune – SeptemberBest
Next 7 days · at the place itself
Good to know
Entry fee
865 tenge per person + 2,595 tenge per car (2026)
Border zone
Bring your original passport; the third lake needs a separate permit
Mobile signal
Weak at the first lake (Kcell, Beeline 3G), none higher up
Take care
No swimming, water 6–10°C; muddy trail, bears about
About
Three mountain lakes on the northern slope of the Tian Shan, the “Pearls of the Tian Shan.” Ringed by conifer forest, within a national park.
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