Trip to Kaindy gorge.

“It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change”

Charles Darwin.

Walk to Kaindy gorge in Kungey Alatau.

Kayindy gorge (translated from Kazakh - Birch), is located on the northern slope of the Kungey Alatau ridge, on the territory of the Kolsai Kolderi natural park in the Kegen district of the Almaty region. The length of the gorge, from the main ridge of the Kungey Alatau ridge to the mouth of the Kaynda River, is 21 kilometers.
The highest point of the gorge is a nodal, unnamed peak, 3787.9 meters above sea level, located 3 kilometers east of the Kayinda river bed. The mountain is located in a watershed ridge, in the eastern part of which is the Shet-Merke gorge.
The northern slopes of the middle part of the gorge are covered with dense spruce forest. In the gorge at an altitude of 1867 meters above sea level there is a flowing lake of the same name (translated from Kazakh - Berezovoe).
The length of the lake from the south-west to the north-east is 485 meters, the greatest width in the central part is 114 meters, and the depth is up to 30 meters. The perimeter of the lake is 1036 meters, the area is 43469 square meters.
The eastern shores of the lake are steep, the western shore is gentle, in the southern part of the lake at the mouth of the Kaindy River there is a small bay. Lake Maloe Kaindy is located at an altitude of 1920 meters above sea level, the lake is located on the left bank of the river of the same name, 534 meters north-west of Lake Kayindy.
The length of the lake from the south-west to the north-east is 115 meters, the greatest width in the central part is 58 meters. The perimeter of Lake Maloe Kayindy is 269 meters, the area is 4004 square meters. 20 meters below, there is another small lake with a perimeter of 230 meters and an area of ​​2916 square meters.
The lakes are connected by a small stream. In the southwestern part, a small unnamed stream flows into the lake, there is no obvious runoff from the lower lake, most likely the water from the lakes leaves through underground streams.
Until 2019, there was a parking lot in the southeastern part of the lake. At this time, the car parking is located 2 kilometers in front of the Maloe Kayindy lake. To the lake from the highway Saty - Zhalanash there is a motor road 12 kilometers long, the road is in very poor condition and only 2-drive vehicles can do it.
There is a large birch grove in the gorge at an altitude of 1729 meters above sea level, which gave its name to the gorge. Above the forest zone, the gorge is covered with alpine meadows up to the foot of the ridge. There is no glaciation in the gorge, and there are also no moraine lakes.
The gorge is popular with tourists.
Geographic coordinates of the Kayindy gorge: N43 ° 00'43.92 "E78 ° 26'30.91"

Authority and photos
Alexander Petrov.