Journey Through the Natural Attractions of Altyn-Emel -
Information About Kosbastau and the Forester's Lodge -
The Seven-Century Willow is an ancient, mighty, almost fairy-tale tree that grows in the Altyn-Emel Nature Reserve. The tree is believed to be 700 years old. This willow has seen the change of eras, remembers the footsteps of nomads, felt the heat of fires and heard the whispers of shamans. It is a local natural attraction and even a place of pilgrimage. Today it grows near the Kosbastau spring in a place where time seems to have stopped. The local forester's house is located next to the tree. This place is also known as Kosbastau (checkpoint). The tree is incredibly large, the locals consider it sacred, they say it is the ancient spirit of the steppe in the flesh of a tree. It is gigantic, with a thick, crooked trunk, covered with wrinkles of centuries. Its branches spread out in different directions, as if they want to embrace everyone who comes to it with an open heart. Someone calls it the wise grandmother of Altyn-Emel, someone - the gate to other worlds. But everyone agrees on one thing: here you feel something more. The journey to the willow begins from the village of Basshi, where the visitor center of the reserve is located and where you need to apply for permission to enter the reserve.
How to get there and visit -
The 700-year-old Willow is located in the Altyn-Emel reserve next to the "Singing Dune", in the village of Kosbastau, where the forester's house is located, Almaty region, Republic of Kazakhstan.
GPS coordinates: 43°55'18"N 78°47'28"E
Information -
The 700-year-old willow in the town of Kosbastau is very popular, the place is a desert oasis with a spring and a small freshwater lake. The Kosbastau water spring is framed by shady trees, which feeds life in the area. Near the tree there is a small village with several houses, if you go along the road to the south you will soon arrive at the Ili River. The nature around is mesmerizing: the powerful Katutau rocks on the horizon, the invisible heat of the dunes behind, and a green ribbon of trees breaking through the dry steppe, as if in spite of everything. In the spring, everything here is covered with a carpet of grass and flowers, and in autumn the air thickens with the aroma of wormwood. This place is not just beautiful - it is deep. It speaks to you. You just have to shut up. You can get to Kosbastau by SUV from the south of the Altyn-Emel National Park. Tours here usually include other wonders - the "Singing Dune", the Aktau Mountains, the Oshaktas steles, etc. But the willow is a special stop. Some people kiss its trunk, some make wishes, some just sit next to it and look at the sky through its gray foliage.
A 700-year-old willow tree is no joke. It is not a monument, it is a living creature. And if you are looking for not only landscapes but also a soul on your journey, come to Kosbastau. Touch the willow, feel how the breath of centuries flows through it. And perhaps it will reveal something about yourself to you.
Attractions nearby:
Terekty Gorge
Terekty petroglyphs (rock carvings)
Chokan Valikhanov Spring
Besshatyr Mounds
Big Besshatyr Mound
Besshatyr Menhirs (stone steles)
Altynemel Mountain Range
Sholak Mountains
Ulken-Kalkan Mountains
Kysty-Kalkan Mountains
Matai Mountains
Degeres Mountains
Kerkulans (Przewalsky horse)
Kulans (wild donkeys)
Sights of Altyn-Emel Park
History of Besshatyr Mounds
Legend of the Singing Dunes
History of the Przewalski horse
Fauna of Altyn-Emel Park
Flora of Altyn-Emel Park
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