Travel to Betpak-Dala desert from Almaty city.
Betpakdala is a desert region or desert that occupies a vast territory in the central part of Kazakhstan.
Betpak-Dala desert - how to get there.
The desert is located in the Karaganda, Zhambyl and Turkestan regions. It borders on the west with the lower reaches of the Sarysu River, in the east with Lake Balkhash, in the south with the Shu River Valley, and in the north with Saryarka. It stretches 500 km from west to east and 300 km from north to south. The area is about 75 thousand km2. The average absolute height of the Betpakdala plateau desert is 300-350 m. The south-western part of the volume with an absolute height of 200-300 meters is flat, and the northeastern part with an absolute height of 400-700 meters is flat.
Betpak-Dala desert - land.
Paleozoic rocks (granite, porphyry, limestone) are deep, covered by sedimentary rocks of the Mesozoic and Paleogene (sandstone, clay, pebbles, sand). The highest point is Mount Zhambyl (974 m). This part is a continuation of the Caledonian structure of Saryarka.
Betpak-Dala desert - water reserves.
On the ravine-cut Betpakdala Plain, there are brackish, barren and salty lakes that dry up in summer. There are small rivers such as Karkaraly, Karasu, Taldyespe, which are filled with rainwater in spring and dry up in summer.
Betpak-Dala desert - climate.
The climate is too continental. Summers are hot and dry and winters are cold. The average temperature in January is -12 -140C, in July - 24-260C. Annual precipitation is 100-150 mm. The thickness of the snow does not exceed 10-15 cm. Although there are no permanent sources of water, groundwater (artesian) water is abundant. Pastures are irrigated with artesian wells 10-30 m deep.
Betpak-Dala desert - flora and fauna.
The soils of the Betpakdala Desert are brown, gray-brown. Wormwood predominates in the north, in the rocky deserts of the hills in the east, wormwood, ephedra, rhubarb, saxaul, dry channels in the sandy hills and ridges near the Shu River in the south. Argali, deer, wolves and foxes live in the northeast of the highlands; The plains are inhabited by saigas, squirrels, hawks, snakes, lizards. Betpakdala is a spring-autumn pasture. Reserves, reserves (Andasai, etc.) Created to preserve the fauna of the south of Saryarka and Betpakdala.
Betpak-Dala desert - history, meaning of the name "Betpakdala"
The mysterious steppe between the Chu River and Saryarka has long been known as the Betpak-Dala steppe and desert: it is known that it was called the Betpak steppe, despite the hot summer, severe winters and dry nature. In Kazakh there is an ancient word "betpak". This means facelessness. Shameless, faceless people, especially women, are still called "faceless" in the village. It is based on two words: "face" and "garden". "Face" is an ordinary face, "garden" is care, concern. The word "face" should come from the concepts of "unhappy disobedient" or "faceless cold, faceless hot". However, nomadic people studied the nature in which they lived and used it for economic purposes. At first glance, the Betpak steppe looks like a steppe without grass, but the small bushes that grow there are useful for livestock. The cattle meat that was grazed here and ate grass was very tasty.
Betpak-Dala desert.
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