Lake Kaindy (Қайыңды көлі, Qaıyńdy kóli) is a stunning and surreal alpine lake located in the Tian Shan mountains of southeastern Kazakhstan. Its name translates to “landslide” or “birch tree lake,” a nod to its dramatic origin. The lake was formed in 1911 after a massive earthquake triggered a limestone landslide, creating a natural dam that blocked a gorge and allowed rainwater to flood the valley. The result is a breathtakingly beautiful lake, famous for its otherworldly “sunken forest”—a stand of Schrenk’s spruce trees that were submerged by the rising waters and now stand like ghostly masts rising from the lake’s impossibly turquoise surface.

Name and Address

• Name: Lake Kaindy.
• Address: Located within the Kolsai Lakes National Park, in the Almaty Region of Kazakhstan, approximately 280 kilometers (175 miles) by road east of Almaty, near the border with Kyrgyzstan.

How to Get There

Reaching Lake Kaindy is an adventure, as it is remote and requires navigating rough terrain.

• Starting Point: The village of Saty is the main gateway to both Lake Kaindy and the nearby Kolsai Lakes. The drive from Almaty to Saty takes about 4-6 hours.
• By 4×4 Vehicle (Essential): From Saty, the final 12-kilometer journey to Lake Kaindy is on a very rough, unpaved mountain road that crosses rivers. A high-clearance 4×4 vehicle, often a rugged Soviet-era UAZ van hired from the village, is absolutely necessary.
• By Guided Tour: This is the easiest and most common option. Tour operators in Almaty offer multi-day tours that combine a visit to Kaindy with the Kolsai Lakes and Charyn Canyon, handling all transportation and accommodation.
• Visitor Tip: The lake is at an altitude of 2,000 meters (6,600 feet). Be prepared for cool weather, even in summer. There are no facilities at the lake itself, so bring all necessary food and water.

Landscape and Architecture

The “architecture” of Lake Kaindy is its unique and haunting natural landscape, a product of a sudden geological event.

• The Sunken Forest: The most iconic feature is the forest of bleached, skeletal spruce tree trunks that rise eerily from the surface of the lake. These are the tops of the trees that were flooded over a century ago.
• The Underwater Forest: The view beneath the surface is even more surreal. The lake’s icy cold water (never rising above 6°C) has perfectly preserved the submerged parts of the trees, including their branches and even some needles, which are now covered in algae. This creates the magical and haunting spectacle of a preserved underwater forest.
• Turquoise Water: The lake is famous for its vibrant, turquoise-green color. This is due to limestone deposits and other minerals in the water, which change hue depending on the light.
• Mountain Setting: The lake is nestled in a beautiful gorge within the Tian Shan mountains, surrounded by dense coniferous forests and rugged peaks, creating a pristine and dramatic alpine setting.

What Makes It Famous

Lake Kaindy is famous for its unique and hauntingly beautiful “sunken forest.”

• The Sunken Forest: Its primary claim to fame is the surreal, unforgettable image of the dead spruce trees rising from the turquoise water. It is a one-of-a-kind landscape that is a dream for photographers.
• A Geological Marvel: The lake is a powerful and beautiful example of how a sudden natural disaster—an earthquake and landslide—can create a unique and stunning new landscape.
• An Ice Diver’s Paradise: In winter, the lake freezes over, and its crystal-clear water and preserved underwater forest make it a popular, though extreme, destination for ice diving.

Differences from Other Wonders

Lake Kaindy offers a completely different experience from the other natural wonders in the region.

• A Sunken Forest vs. a Red Canyon: While Charyn Canyon is a vast, arid landscape of red rock carved by erosion over millions of years, Lake Kaindy is a young, intimate, and water-based wonder created by a single, catastrophic event. Its beauty is lush, green, and aquatic.
• A Haunting, Static Beauty vs. a Living Nomadic Culture: Unlike Song-Kul Lake in Kyrgyzstan, which is defined by the vast, open pastures and the living, breathing culture of the nomads who inhabit its shores, Lake Kaindy is a place of still, haunting beauty. Its story is one of nature’s dramatic interruption and preservation, not of continuous human tradition.
• A Unique Anomaly vs. a Classic Alpine Lake: While the nearby Kolsai Lakes are classic, stunningly beautiful alpine lakes, they do not have the unique and bizarre feature of a submerged forest. It is this surreal, almost eerie, quality that makes Lake Kaindy a truly one-of-a-kind destination.