Natural and historical attractions in Altyn-Emel Park -
Eco tours and ecological tourism in nature reserves of Kazakhstan -
Altyn-Emel is a state national nature park and nature reserve located on the right bank of the Ili River at the southern foothills of the Zhetysu Alatau. "Altyn-Emel" is translated from the Turkic-Mongolian language as "Golden Saddle". This place seems to have emerged from ancient legends about the vast expanses of the steppe, about the majestic mountains, about the heart of the park, its singing sands, where you can meet rare animals, see the blooming steppes and hear the breath of eternity. The Altyn-Emel mountain range passes through the reserve, which is the heart of the park of the same name. Animals such as Kerkulans (Prizhevalsky's horse) and Kulans (wild donkeys) can be observed in the reserve.
The Park was founded in 1996 with the aim of protecting the unique nature, flora, fauna and historical and cultural heritage of the region. Its area is more than 300 thousand hectares. This is a whole world where semi-deserts, steppes, mountains, salt marshes and oases are side by side. The territory of Altyn-Emel stretches between the mountain range of the Zhongarsky Alatau (in the east) and the Ili River (in the west), and in the center stretches the famous Altyn-Emel Valley – spacious, hot, windy.
The way to the Altyn-Emel Nature Reserve starts from the village of Basshi, where the park's visitor center is located and where you must register before visiting the reserve. The heart of the park and the most visited place in it is the famous "Singing Dune" (Singing Sands), a mysterious dune about 150 meters high that emits a vibrating hum similar to organ music when sand comes down it and a strong wind blows. You can climb the dune and it offers a beautiful panorama of the entire park and the Ili River.
The second most famous attraction of the Altyn-Emel Park is the complex of ancient Saka burial mounds of Besshatyr, which contains over 30 mounds. These are ancient Saka burials dating back more than 2.5 thousand years, which are traces of ancient civilizations that lived here long before us. There are also Beshatyr stone menhirs (stone steles made of rough stone) and the "Largest Beshatyr Mound". There is also a place on the territory of the park called the Oshaktas steles, an ancient place of power and a place of pilgrimage, in which stone steles made of rough stone stand in the middle of the steppe. There are also the famous petroglyphs of Terekty in the reserve, where ancient rock carvings from the Bronze Age can be seen on the stones. The petroglyphs are located in the Terekty gorge.
The third most famous attraction of the park is the Aktau Mountains or (White Mountains) – these are chalk cliffs, white, pink and bluish, like frozen waves of another planet. This place is very popular. People come here to make a video as if you are on another planet or to take a picture of yourself in an incredible place against a background of several flowers at sunset or sunrise. Other equally interesting shapes and formations are the Katutau Mountains, where you will find the most alien landscapes in the Kazakh desert. The mountains were formed when an ancient volcano erupted here, and all the mountains are made of solidified lava.
The famous "Willow Tree", which is over 700 years old, grows here in the reserve, the tree grows next to the house of a local forester. There is also a small unnamed lake here, the place is a desert oasis. There is also the famous Chokan Valikhanov water spring in the park, whose waters are considered sacred and cure various ailments. Other less significant, but equally interesting and attractive sights of the park are the Degeres Mountains, the Matai Mountains, the Sholak Mountains, the Kysty-Kalkan Mountains and the Ulken-Kalkan Mountains.
How to get there and visit -
Altyn-Emel Park is located in the southwestern part of the mountain spurs of the Dzungarian Alatau on the right bank of the Ili and Kapchagai reservoir, Kerbulak district, Panfilovsky district, Zhetysu region, Republic of Kazakhstan.
GPS coordinates: 43°58'50"N 78°37'14"E
Information -
Altyn-Emel Nature Reserve is a kingdom of vastness. Here, the horizons have no edge, the sky seems closer, and the earth itself seems to have absorbed the spirit of its ancestors. The nature of these places is truly pristine: untouched by man, harsh in places, but great in its severity. Desert plains, gentle hills, mountain ranges, gravelly riverbeds and flashes of spring greenery – all this creates a landscape in which the boundaries between the real and the eternal are lost. Those who know how to live in silence live here: jeyran, kulan, argali, birds of prey. You won't see them right away – they disappear into the landscape like the spirits of the steppe. The nature of Altyn-Emel does not catch the eye – it is revealed only to those who know how to look not with their eyes, but with their hearts. In spring, this land comes to life: everything is covered with a carpet of wildflowers, wild tulips burn with scarlet tongues, birds sing, the grass rustles in the wind. In summer, it's hot and silent. In autumn, there is a haze over the plains and a soft light. In winter, there is an icy calm and crystal clear sky.
The elders of the Kazakh clans said that the land of Altyn-Emel "hears the footsteps of the ancestors." There is a story in every stone, a whisper of the past in every gust of wind. Nomads walked along these trails, and caravans of the Great Silk Road passed through. The banners of the ancient Saka tribes were raised here, and the horsemen of the warrior Genghis Khan rested here. And everyone who enters this land becomes a part of this endless chronicle. Local legends say that the spirits of the steppe, guardians of balance, live in the local mountains. Those who come with an open heart will receive peace. Those who come with pride will hear only the howling of the wind. One of the ancient legends says that if you lie down on the ground at night and listen, you can hear her breathing – this is history itself sleeping.
Traveling along Altyn-Emel is not just a road. It's a rite of passage. There is no need to hurry here. They don't look for sights here, they feel them. Every step is like a dialogue with the earth. Every stop is like a meditation. You walk, and there's silence all around. Not empty, but filled. The wind speaks, the stones are silent, the sun illuminates the way. And at some point you realize: You are not a guest, you are a part of this world. This is an ideal place for those who are tired of the hustle and bustle. For those who are not looking for photos, but for an experience. For those who want to get away from the outside and return to the inside. Altyn-Emel does not require words. He demands attention, respect, and silence. And when you leave here, a part of you stays here. In the wind, in the footprints on the ground, in the evening sky over the valley. Because Altyn-Emel is not just a point on the map. It's a state of mind.
Altyn-Emel does not know how to speak the language of modern travel brochures. He speaks with the rustle of a hobble, the creak of sand underfoot, and the silence of ancient petroglyphs. And if you're ready to listen to him, he'll tell you a story that makes your blood run cold. The history of the earth, which has survived dozens of civilizations and remained as wild and beautiful as on the first day of creation. And I almost forgot... there are no paved roads to the sights, there are no souvenir shops with plastic crafts. Only you and the endless steppe, where every stone remembers the times when caravans with silks marched along the Great Silk Road, and warlike Saks buried their leaders in the mountains.
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