Guest houses and hotels in Basshi village -
Rent a guest house in Basshi village -
The village of Basshi (Baschi) – located in the Zhetysu region, the former name of the village of Kalinino (Kalinin) – is the main starting point for everyone who is going on a trip to the Altyn-Emel National Park. Small, cozy, surrounded by the expanses of the steppes and the silhouettes of distant mountains, Basshi has become a kind of "gate" to the world of nature, silence and antiquity. Here is the central administration of the park, the information center and the rangers' base. It is from here that the routes to the "Singing Dune", the Aktau Mountains, the Katutau Mountains, the Besshatyr mounds and other natural and historical attractions of the park begin. The village lives in close connection with the park. The locals are descendants of nomads and cattle breeders, hospitable, friendly, and happy to help tourists. Many of them work as guides, provide accommodation, and organize tours and excursions. Basshi is not only a logistics hub, but also a place where you can feel the spirit of Zhetysu: simplicity, space, and serenity. In the morning, the sun rises over the village, painting the peaks of the Altyn-Emel ridge crimson, and at night the starry sky stretches over the roofs - clear as in childhood. If you are traveling through Altyn-Emel, the village of Basshi is the first and last place on your way. Here you can gain strength, relax, get acquainted with the culture of the region, and go on one of the most exciting adventures in the steppe land of Kazakhstan.
How to get there and visit -
The village of Basshi is located 257 kilometers from the city of Almaty in the Altyn-Emel National Park, Zhetysu region, Republic of Kazakhstan.
GPS coordinates: 44°09'30"N 78°45'09"E
Information and history -
The village of Basshi is located in the steppe and foothill zone, where the plains gradually turn into mountain ranges. In the vicinity there are small groves of wild apple trees, poplars and willows, and in the spring the steppes are covered with a carpet of tulips and poppies. Closer to the mountains, the vegetation becomes richer - juniper forests grow there, and in the gorges you can find thickets of barberry and rose hips. Animals here include marmots, hares, foxes, and in the mountains – mountain goats (tau-teke) and argali. Steppe eagles, golden eagles and other birds of prey can often be seen in the sky.
These lands have been part of a nomadic culture since ancient times. The routes of the Great Silk Road passed through Zhetysu (Semirechye), and somewhere in these steppes the tribes of the Saks, Usuns, and later – the Turks and Kazakhs roamed. In the 19th century, after Kazakhstan became part of the Russian Empire, the first settled settlements began to appear here. The name "Basshi" (or "Bashy") may be associated with the Kazakh word "bas" (head, beginning) – perhaps the village stands at the source of the river or was the first to be founded in this area. In Soviet times, agriculture developed here, especially sheep and horse breeding. Today, Basshi is a quiet rural settlement where people breed cattle, grow grain and vegetables. Due to the proximity to the mountains and steppes, life here is closely connected with nature. Local residents preserve traditions, including horse breeding and national crafts. In recent years, these places have attracted ecotourism enthusiasts - here you can see untouched steppes, mountain landscapes and feel the spirit of nomadic culture. If you go further south, you can get to the Altyn-Emel National Park with its famous sand dunes and ancient burial mounds.
Basshi is a place where history, nature and traditional way of life intertwine, creating a unique atmosphere of the Kazakh village.
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