Booking guest houses and hotels in Burabay -
Tours and excursions from Almaty to Borovoe -
Among the endless Kazakh steppes, where the magical land of lakes, rocks and pine forests begins, is the cozy village of Borovoe, or, as it is called in Kazakh, Burabay. Until 2005, the village was called Borovoe. This is not just a settlement - this is a place where every house, every street is filled with the spirit of nature and ancient stories. The village is part of the Burabay National Park and is located right on the shore of the magical Lake Borovoe (Auliekol). The village serves as a starting point throughout the park to all its natural attractions such as Lake Bolshoe Chebachye, which the village also borders. Not far away is another beautiful lake, Maloe Chebachye. In the village you can rent a boat for a walk on Lake Borovoe. Near the village there is the island-rock Zhumbaktas and the rock-mountain Okzhetpes. Other attractions in the area of the village are the "Dancing Birch Grove", the cave of Kenesary Khan and the square-glade of Abylay Khan. In the village itself you can rent hotels or guest houses for rest. From the village there is a hiking route along which you can climb Mount Kokshetau (Kokshetau Upland).
How to get there and visit -
The village of Burabay (Borovoe) is located 65 kilometers from the city of Kokshetau, in the Burabay National Nature Park, on the shore of Lake Borovoe (Auliekol), Burabay district, Akmola region, Republic of Kazakhstan.
GPS coordinates: 53°04'57"N 70°18'35"E
Information -
The village of Burabay (Borovoe) is not just a settlement on the map - it is a living organism, where every house breathes history, and the streets remember the clatter of hooves of caravans traveling along the Great Silk Road. The air here is special - it smells of smoke from clay ovens, freshly baked baursaks and something elusively ancient. They say that when the first Cossack settlers came here in 1849, they stood in a daze for a week, inhaling this aroma and not daring to disturb the harmony of the place. The main street of the village is an open-air museum. Old houses with carved window frames here are adjacent to Soviet buildings, creating a bizarre architectural mix. In one such house, where there was once a merchant's shop, there is now a museum.
The Church of St. Panteleimon in Burabay is a separate story. Built in 1897, it survived the revolution, the war, and the Soviet years. Its blue domes are visible from anywhere in the village, and the old icons that locals hid in attics are now back in their places. It is especially beautiful here at Christmas, when the snow sparkles under the light of the lanterns, and the frost draws patterns on the glass that repeat the ornaments of the ancient Saks. But real life is in full swing at the local market. Every morning, farmers from the surrounding villages come here, and the sale of goods and souvenirs begins.
Modern Borovoe is a place where the past and the present exist in harmony. Here you can see an old man in a felt hat fixing a satellite dish, and schoolgirls in national dresses dashing around on electric scooters.
History -
The village of Borovoe (Burabay) traces its history back to the end of the 19th century, when the first settlers began to flock here. At the same time, the area became famous as a health resort: people came here to be treated with fresh air, mineral water and pine aromas. The name "Burabay" is associated with Kazakh legends about the sacred batyr camel, who, according to legend, protected these lands from enemies. Over time, a settlement grew up around it, which became a natural gateway to the amazing beauty of Borovoe. The climate in the village of Burabay is mild continental. It is warm in summer, but there is no stifling heat thanks to the coniferous forests and lakes. The average temperature in July is about +22 ... +25 °C. Winters are snowy, but not too harsh - a real snow-white fairy tale. The village is buried in the greenery of pines and birches, and the rich aroma of resin, pine needles and purity always hover in the air. Lakes spread out around – Shchuchye, Borovoye, Maloye and Bolshoe Chebachye, and behind them rise rocky ridges and secluded paths. Today the village is actively developing as a tourist center. New hotels, sanatoriums, tourist complexes are being built here. Recreation areas, bike paths appear, excursions, boat trips along the lakes are organized. But, despite this, Borovoye retains its main wealth – harmony with nature. The people here are friendly, kind, able to tell the traveler about ancient legends and paths hidden from view.
The village of Borovoye is the beginning of the path to the magical world of Kazakhstani nature. Here you feel how the heart becomes lighter, thoughts – purer, and a dream of big roads, freedom and peace awakens inside. This is a place where you want to return – again and again.
Photogallery:
