Lake Kopa sits at the northern edge of Kokshetau, and the promenade along its shore is the city's best place to walk. The lake covers several square kilometres and is shallow — at most 6 metres deep — with reed beds at its margins and a view toward the wooded Bukpa Hill beyond. The renovated embankment stretches for several kilometres and is used throughout the day by joggers, families, and the elderly couples who are the backbone of any former Soviet city's public life.
From the promenade you can see the "Kokshetau" sign on the slope of Bukpa Hill, the Russian Orthodox Church of the Resurrection at the water's edge, and the forested hills that give the city its name (kök shetau means "blue hills" in Kazakh). In summer, small boats are available for hire. The promenade cafés are a good place for tea in the afternoon.