The main tourist attractions of the Altyn-Emel Nature Reserve -
Where to get water in Altyn-Emel -
The Chokan Valikhanov Water Spring – located in the Alty-Emel Nature Reserve, is a natural and historical landmark of the park. This is not just a spring, it is named after Chokan Valikhanov, an educator, traveler and scientist who explored these lands in the 19th century and left invaluable evidence about them. Crystal clear water runs in the spring, which is filled with minerals, is considered healing and cures many diseases. Therefore, the spring is also sacred and is a place of pilgrimage. They say that it was here that Chokan Chingisovich Valikhanov stopped during his expedition to get water, rest and make notes about his journey. This spring became more than just a source for him – it was a symbol of life and inspiration in a deserted land, a place where you could take a deep breath and connect with nature. Since then, locals and travelers have called it "Chokan Spring" with respect and warmth. The path to the spring starts from the village of Basshi, where you need to register your stay in the park. Next to the spring is the famous "Singing Dune" and a little further is the Ili River.
How to get there and visit -
The Chokan Valikhanov Spring is located on the road to the "Singing Dune" in the Altyn-Emel National Nature Park and Reserve, Kerbulak District, Almaty Region, Republic of Kazakhstan.
GPS coordinates: 43°53'39"N 78°33'28"E
Who is Chokan Valikhanov? -
Chokan Chingisovich Valikhanov (1835–1865) was an outstanding Kazakh scientist, traveler, historian, ethnographer, orientalist, and officer in the Russian Imperial Army. He was born into a family of descendants of khans, into the clan of Genghis Khan, but chose the path of knowledge and education. From a young age, he was drawn to the mysteries of the steppes, to the culture of his people and the peoples inhabiting Central Asia. Educated at the Omsk Cadet Corps, he became the first Kazakh to receive a European education and recognition in Russian scientific circles. Valikhanov made large-scale expeditions to Semirechye, Kashgar, Tien Shan, and East Turkestan. He wrote down legends, observed the way of life of peoples, studied ancient monuments, and systematized knowledge that had almost never existed in European science before him. His works on the history, ethnography, folklore of the Kazakhs, Uyghurs, and Kyrgyz have become invaluable.
Chokan was not just a scientist — he was a man with the heart of the steppe and the mind of an educator, connecting two worlds: the East and the West. He dreamed of the development of his people, of an enlightened, strong nation. His life was short — only 29 years, but so rich that the name of Chokan Valikhanov still sounds with respect and pride. And it is places like this spring in Altyn-Emel that keep his living memory — not in bronze, but in the breath of nature.
The water from the Chokan Valikhanov spring is amazingly tasty and cool even in the hottest weather. They say it has healing powers, and many tourists, travelers, and locals not only drink it, but also take it with them as a piece of something big, kind, ancient. The nature around the spring is a true steppe idyll. Low bushes, saxaul thickets, flowering grasses in the spring, and in the hot summer – a golden-silver palette of the earth. Here you can meet saigas, hear the singing of larks and see eagles circling in the sky. This place seems to be outside of time – nothing is in a hurry, nothing demands, everything simply is.
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