Rent a boat or catamaran on Lake Borovoe (Auliekol) -
Boat ride to the rocky island of Zhumbaktas on Lake Auliekol (Borovoe) -
Zhumbaktas is a granite rock island located in Lake Borovoe, is one of the mysteries of the lake, its place of mystery and place of power. Here in these secret places nature whispers its ancient legends and fairy tales. Zhumbaktas in translation from the Kazakh language means "mysterious stone". And for good reason: if you stand on the shore of the lake and look at the rock for a long time, it will begin to change right before your eyes. On one side, it is a gentle profile of a young girl with flowing hair. On the other, it is the stern face of a wise old man. The third side resembles a warrior eternally guarding these sacred lands. Some people see this rocky island as a fantastic spaceship that has frozen in the lake for centuries. Everyone who comes here sees something of their own - the rock seems to reflect our thoughts, our soul. The rock is one of the main attractions of the Burabay (Borovoe) National Park. Near the lake there are other natural attractions such as: the Okzhetpes rock, to the top of which you can climb, and a little further is the Kokshetau Upland, to which there is also a tourist walking route. In the pine forest nearby is the Abylay-Khan glade square. If desired, you can walk to the Zhumbaktas rock on a boat or a catamaran that can be rented on the lake.
How to get there and visit -
The rocky island of Zhumbaktas is located in Lake Borovoe (Auliekol) near the village of Borovoe, Burabay district, Akmola region, Republic of Kazakhstan.
GPS coordinates: 53°05'14"N 70°15'07"E
Legend -
In the very heart of the Kazakh land, where pines whisper with the winds, and lakes keep reflections of clouds, the stone giant Zhumbaktas rises. This is not just a rock - it is the keeper of ancient secrets, a silent witness of centuries, whose granite sides remember both the shamanic rituals of nomads and the first tourist trails of modern times. Its bizarre outlines, changing depending on the angle of view and time of day, seem to embody the very soul of these places - multifaceted, mysterious, eternally changeable and at the same time unchanging in its majestic essence. Local elders say that Zhumbaktas is a petrified batyr (warrior), turned into a rock for his pride. Once he challenged Tengri himself, claiming that his power knew no equal. The angry gods punished him, but left him with the ability to change his appearance - so that he would remember his arrogance. On a full moon, if you put your ear to the cold granite, you can hear a barely audible groan - as if the spirit imprisoned in the stone is still trying to free itself from its shackles.
A special place in the legends is occupied by the "Heart of Zhumbaktas" - a natural depression in the shape of a heart on the southern side of the rock. They say that if you stand there at dawn, when the first rays of the sun touch the stone, and make a wish, it will definitely come true. But there is a condition - the wish must be pure, without a shadow of self-interest. Many generations of lovers came here to swear eternal fidelity to each other in the face of this ancient guardian.
The area around Zhumbaktas is a real natural cathedral in the open air. In spring, the slopes are covered with a multi-colored carpet of alpine flowers: golden St. John's wort neighbors delicate bells, and bright carnations seem to have been scattered by someone's generous hand. The air here is special - it is filled with the aroma of pine resin, steppe grasses and something elusive that can be called simply "the smell of antiquity".
Zhumbaktas is not just a point on a tourist map. This is a place of power, where time flows differently, where every stone, every tree, every stream tells its own story. Here the line between the past and the present, between legend and reality is erased. And whoever can hear the whisper of centuries may find answers to questions that he did not even dare to ask.
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