Tours and Journeys in the Deserts of the Kyzylorda Region -
Journey to the Aral Karakum Desert -
The Aral Karakum Desert is a sandy desert located northeast of the Aral Sea. The desert occupies the area between the Aral Sea and the Turgay Plateau, part of the Aktobe, Karaganda, and Kyzylorda regions. It covers an area of approximately 35,000 square kilometers.
Geography
The desert was formed by the erosion of Cretaceous and Paleogene rocks. Currently, it is joined by wind-blown sand deposits from the Aral Sea. The desert surface gradually narrows from north to south and joins the coastal sand strip near the Aral Sea.
The Aral Karakum Desert is divided into separate parts by a depression running from northwest to southeast. Higher up are the Kolkudukkum, Zhinishkekum, Alaigyrkum, and Ulkenkum sands. The Aral Karakum Desert is rich in groundwater. Freshwater occurs at a depth of 2–3 meters underground, while artesian waters are found in Cretaceous and Paleogene rock layers, at a depth of 100–200 meters.
Climate
The soils of the Aral Karakum Desert have varying degrees of mineralization (fresh, hard, and bitter). The climate of the Aral Karakum Desert is continental and arid. The average January temperature is -12–14°C, and July temperatures are 25–26°C. Annual precipitation is 100–150 mm, with evaporation of 1,400–1,600 mm. In winter, snowfall is thin (no more than 5–6 cm).
On dry sandy plains and lowlands, sorrel is found in dark soils. Low-lying sandy plains are home to sagebrush, wormwood, mugwort, oat grass, and sedge; hollows are home to shea buttercup, wormwood, reed, sarsaparilla, wormwood, and wormwood. Small rodents include squirrels and squirrels; predators include lizards, snakes, and turtles; wolves and corsac foxes are among the predators.
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