Kazakhstan's Pink Lake
Pink Lake Kobeituz
The Pink Lake Kobeituz is located in the Akmola region and it turns to pink color every few years. It is believed that the pink color of the water is created by the salt resistant microalga called “Dunaliella salina” as the same microalgae produces this famous pink color in several other lakes that are located in Australia and Canada. Kobeituz is a tiny lake lying next to the Ereimentau town in about 160 km away from Astana.
In the Kazakh language, “Kobei” translates as multiply, and “tuz” is a salt, which can give you a clue about the properties of the lake. Since the lake turns pink only every few years, nobody knows for sure when the next phenomenon occurs. The Kazakh pink lake is shallow and therefore also very sensitive for human activities. The water is so salty that if you put your hand or any object into the water, a white cover appears on top of it in a moment.
Visiting responsibly — please do not take the salt
In the summer of 2020, Kobeytuz went viral on social media and thousands of visitors arrived at once. Cars were driven onto the fragile lakebed, litter was left behind, and people carried away buckets of salt and mud in the belief it had healing properties. The damage was severe enough that the authorities closed the lake entirely, and specialists estimated the lakebed would need 10 to 15 years to recover.
When you visit, stay on the marked paths and viewing areas, keep vehicles well away from the shore, take nothing away with you, and carry your rubbish out.
Is Kobeytuz open, and when is it pink?
The lake was closed to visitors after 2020 for ecological restoration and reopened in the summer of 2025. Visitor numbers are far lower than during the 2020 rush, which makes for a calmer visit. The Akmola regional authorities are now moving to give the lake formal protected status, together with a proper viewing platform and parking area so the lake can be seen and photographed without anyone walking on the vulnerable ground.
Because access rules are still being formalised, check the current situation before you travel — we are happy to confirm the latest position for anyone booking a tour with us.
The pink colour is not permanent. It depends on salinity and weather, and appears strongly only in some years, usually in the hottest part of summer. Nobody can promise you a pink lake on a given date.
Travel to Kazakh Pink Lake
The nearest settlement in the Kobeituz lake area is Ereimentau town, which is located about 35 km southeast from the sight. Since no road signs are leading to the lake, most travelers take a long time to get there. If you are driving from Astana, the road to the lake will take you more than two hours. The first choice for a road is the Astana-Pavlodar highway as the road condition is best there.
On the way, there will be two junctions to Yereymentau, which you must skip and keep going straight. At the 177 km marker there will be a road sign saying “Korzhynkul Stations”. This is a spot from where the search for the lake begins as you have to leave the main road and there are no further signs to the pink lake. After leaving the main road towards Korzhynkul, you must drive along the main road to the opposite direction until you see a tunnel and pass the tunnel under the highway to the other side of the main road. There you will find a roadside complex called “Akzhol”. It is a cafe and a hotel where you can overnight if you wish. From here onwards it is just about 2-3 km to the lake.
Other sights & destinations near pink lake
Page updated 16.8.2026