Historical and ancient monuments in the Altyn-Emel reserve -
One-day and multi-day tours and excursions in Altyn-Emel -
Oshaktas is a group of ancient stone steles located in the Altyn-Emel National Park and reserve. These monuments are an important archaeological and historical site associated with the nomadic cultures of antiquity. The steles are vertically installed stones, some of which have anthropomorphic (human-like) features or carved ornaments. Presumably, they date back to the Bronze Age or early Iron Age (1 millennium BC), although the exact dating requires further research. They may be associated with the Saka-Scythian tribes or more ancient peoples who inhabited this region. Perhaps the steles were used as burial monuments or cult objects. Some researchers associate them with astronomical observations of ancient nomads. Next to the steles is the Mynbulak (Thousand Springs) tract, where there is a small guest house and a place to relax under the trees. Then the road from the tract leads further through the park to the famous "Singing Dune" (Ringing Dune, or Singing Dune). You can also get to the Saka burial mounds of Besshatyr from the tract.
How to get there and visit -
The stone steles of Oshaktas are located 250 kilometers from the city of Almaty in the Altyn-Emel National Nature Park on an open plain near the Kalkan Mountains, Zhetysu Region, Republic of Kazakhstan.
GPS coordinates: 43°55'43"N 78°29'10"E
Information -
Oshaktas is not just a pile of stones. This is a place of power, a place where the earth speaks to the sky, and silence thunders louder than any sound. The word "Oshak-Tas" is translated as "stone hearth" - and this is not accidental. According to one legend, it was here that Genghis Khan stayed with his endless army. In order to feed the army, he ordered a giant hearth to be built, a symbol of power and fire. Since then, these stones have stood here, having absorbed the echoes of that era, the smell of smoke, the tramp of thousands of horses and the breath of great history. Around the complex there is a deserted valley, tinted in soft ochre-gold shades. In the distance, like mirages, the mysterious Katutau Mountains and Aktau Chalk Mountains smoke - petrified fire and chalk giants, silent witnesses of an ancient geological drama. The air here is dry, dense, filled with the aromas of wormwood and steppe grasses, and the sky is endless, deep, like space. Each trip here is a small pilgrimage. The road here runs through the steppe expanses, past singing dunes, past rocks and rare saxaul bushes, and with each kilometer there is an increasing feeling that you are approaching something important, almost mystical. This is not just tourism - it is a touch of mystery.
Many who travel to the Oshaktas steles feel an unusual energy in this place. There is no city noise or voices here - only the wind. It seems to tell its ancient, dusty tale, addressing not the ears, but directly to the soul. People come here not only for the sake of photos, but also to be silent, to be with themselves and with something much greater. This is one of those places where the line between reality and legend is erased. Here, in stone and dust, live the shadows of ancient priests, nomads, warriors. And maybe the Great Khan himself is still somewhere nearby, watching those who dared to approach these steles. If you seek a journey not only on the earth, but also within yourself – Oshaktas awaits. Silent, but speaking. Lonely, but full of meaning. Stone, but alive.
Attractions nearby:
Terekty Gorge
Terekty petroglyphs (rock carvings)
700-year-old willow
Chokan Valikhanov Spring
Big Besshatyr Mound
Besshatyr Menhirs (stone steles)
Altynemel Mountain Range
Sholak Mountains
Ulken-Kalkan Mountains
Kysty-Kalkan Mountains
Matai Mountains
Degeres Mountains
Basshi Village
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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