River Trips in Kazakhstan -
Fishing on the Rivers of Kazakhstan -
The Kapal River is a quiet but living thread of water that begins in the gorges of the Dzungarian Alatau and flows through the village of Kapal before flowing into the Kyzylagash River, one of the main watercourses of the Aksu District of the Zhetysu Region. The total length of the river is about 42 km, and taking into account the tributaries - up to 204 km; its catchment area is almost 398 km², and the average annual water flow is about 2 m³/s. The upper reaches of the river are fed by springs from the northern slope of the Karatau Mountains - the southwestern spur of the Dzungarian Mountains. It is here that its pure, glacial water, crystal and transparent, originates. Along its banks you can see willows, mosses, thickets of steppe flowers and even mountain trout - a local rarity for such waters, sometimes reaching 30-40 cm in length.
Along the Kapal River there is a village of the same name - Kapal - the center of the Kapalsky rural district. This village, founded in the middle of the 19th century as a fortification, has maintained a connection with the river: here they even built a sanatorium "Kapal-Arasan" right on its banks, using local healing waters. The river is used to irrigate fields and pastures, giving life to rural lands and crops of Zhetysu. This village is famous for the fact that in front of the village there is a road that leads high into the mountains to the pass "Kapalsky Vzvoz" through which you can descend into the Korinsky gorge (Kora). The Kora River flows through this gorge, along which there is a mountain road that takes you to the highest waterfall Burkhan-Bulak and then up to the upper reaches of the gorge.
How to get there and visit -
The Kapal River is located in the Dzungarian Alatau Mountains near the village of Kapal, Aksu district, Zhetysu region, Republic of Kazakhstan.
GPS coordinates: 45.279°N 78.835°E
Information -
Kapal River is not just a stream of water. It is a natural symbol of life in the village of Kapal, where farming, history and spirituality are associated with its quiet flow. Local residents collect water from the river for domestic use, and some note its mild taste and light beneficial properties. Springs are often found along the riverbed - and all this in a landscape where mountains, valleys and steppes live in harmony. The riverbed itself is partly steep, passes through narrow valleys, gorges and then open steppes. The main tributaries - Kungirt, Shynbulak, Kishkene Shynbulak and Ulken Shynbulak - supplement the waters of the Kapal, filling it during the spring melt and after rains.
In summer, the Kapal River becomes shallow, revealing amazing natural "baths" - round depressions in the stone, where the water swirls, creating mini-whirlpools. Local children love to dive here from the high bank, although the water is icy even in the July heat - it immediately reduces your temples. And if you walk a couple of kilometers upstream, you will find a "singing riffle" - a place where the water, flowing over a ridge of stones, makes strange melodic sounds, especially audible on quiet evenings. Old people from the nearest village will tell you that somewhere on these banks there still lies the "golden bar of the khan" - supposedly during one of the raids it was dropped into the water and never found. But the main wealth of Kapal is not the mythical gold, but its living water, which, passing through the thickness of the rocks, is saturated with minerals. After a sip of such water, you feel as if you are being charged with the energy of these places - the same one that once inspired nomadic tribes, Cossack scouts and Soviet geologists.
Today, small rural tourism routes pass along the Kapal River: walks to the sanatorium, picnics by the water, fishing and photo walks. This is a calm and peaceful place where you can hear the whisper of the mountains, the viewing silence of the valley and breathe life into Zhetysu.
Attractions nearby:
Zhongar-Alatau National Park
Zhetysu region
Taldykorgan city
Karatal River
Koksu River
Tamshybulak Spring
Sievers Apple tree in Zhongar-Alatau Park
Semenov-Tyan-Shansky Peak
Tekeli Stupa (suburgan)
Lake Miketovo
Kalakai Sanctuary
Bayan Zhurek settlement
Uygentas kurgan (stone hill)
Medieval town of Almalyk
Talapty Settlement
Maly Koytas settlement
Tasbas Settlement
Balpyk Bi Mausoleum
