Kaindy is somewhat of a young lake located in Kazakhstan, with turquoise water and trees that seemed to have grown into it. It was formed during a landslide of limestone that occurred as a result of the Kemin earthquake in 1911.

The name of the lake can be translated from Kazakh as "abundant in birch trees", because just 5 kilometers from the place there is a huge birch grove.

Kaindy is located at an altitude of 1667 meters above sea level in the mountains, so the temperature there is low all year round. The pond is located in the Kungei Alatau gorge. Its stretches out for 400 meters. The average depth is 20 meters, in some places it reaches 30 meters. Around the lake are stony mountains, covered with fir trees. The landscape is simply breathtaking, and it’s for the beauty of the lake that people come not only from Kazakhstan, but from around the world.

The pond is blue or turquoise in color, which varies depending on the weather. After rains it can turn to brown. This is due to limestone and mineral impurities. When the place was flooded in 1911, spruce trees were growing there, and their pillars remained in the lake. Under the water, the branches haven’t rotted and have been preserved, because of the cold temperature year round. Due to this, the lake has another name - “sunken forest”. It’s because of these miraculously preserved branches that the place attracts divers.

In 2007, it became a national park. And not without reason, many tourists consider Kaindy in Kazakhstan to be the most beautiful sight.

Weather in Kaindy Lake

There is no heat on Kaindy, as it is a highland area, almost 2,000 meters above sea level. Even in summer, the air temperature usually doesn’t exceed 23 ° C, and the water temperature is at most 6 ° C.

In the winter, the pond often freezes, but this doesn’t stop divers, because it’s at winter that the water is the most clear, and with good equipment, even diving in ice water isn’t terrible.

Other beautiful sights around Kaindy Lake

Kolsai lakes consist of 3 reservoirs located in the Kolsai gorge at an altitude of 1000, 2500 and 3000 meters above sea level. The depth reaches 80 meters. This is a tourist site with a walking route of about 25 kilometers.

Charyn canyon with the length of 154 kilometers along the Charyn River. Included in the territory of the Charyn National Park, established in 2004. The height of the mountains varies from 150 to 300 meters, and their age is about 12 million years. The most visited place of the canyon is the valley of castles which in length is about 2 kilometers. On the territory of the national park there grows a relict species of Sogdian ash and Asian poplar, as well as 1,500 other plant species.

Temirlik canyons are located near the river of the same name, their length is 11 kilometers, and their width is 160–200 meters. Multi-colored gorges: yellow, brown, white, red layers go one into another, creating incredible landscapes.

Altyn-Emel is a national park in the Ili river valley, founded in 1996. It has an area of ​​520 thousand hectares. It contains 56 species of unique animals. There are also 1,800 plant species, 60 of which are rare. On the territory there are such notable objects: the mounds of Bes-Shatyr, the dune "Singing Dune", the chalk mountains of Aktau.