Jeep tour to the Chulaktau Mountains in the Almaty region -
Observation of the Ivaschenko tulip in the Chulak Mountains -
The Sholak Mountains (Chulaktau, Chulak) are beautiful, picturesque, low mountains located in the Altyn-Emel Nature Reserve and are part of it, and the northern part of these mountains adjoins the Kapchagay Reservoir where the Ili River flows into it. The difference in altitude in these mountains varies from 700 to 160 meters above sea level. This is a real bastion of wild nature - a place where time seems to have stopped, and nature has been preserved in its pristine beauty. The name "Sholak" from the Kazakh language can be translated as "short", "cut off" - perhaps due to their shape: the peaks of the ridge are truncated, flat, but powerful and inaccessible. But don't be fooled - these "short" mountains can give you real adventures and impressions. There are many wild animals here: argali, mountain goats (teke), kulans, foxes, steppe eagles and vultures. The flora is rich in endemics - in spring the slopes are painted with bright colors of wild flowers and tulips. In the gorges you can find rare trees and shrubs, and in the crevices - springs with the purest water.
How to get there and visit -
The Sholak Mountains are located on the northern coast of the Kapchagay Reservoir and in the Altyn-Emel Nature Reserve, Panfilov District, Zhetysu Region, Almaty Region, Republic of Kazakhstan.
GPS coordinates: 43°57'26"N 77°53'45"E
Information -
The geological history of the Sholak Mountains goes back millions of years - these mountains were formed as a result of powerful tectonic processes when the ancient sea retreated, revealing bizarre limestone formations. Today, their slopes, cut by wind and rain, resemble skillfully carved sculptures. Particularly impressive are the "stone mushrooms" - unique formations on the slopes, where massive stone "hats" balance on thin "legs" of soft rocks. Historians claim that traces of ancient nomadic camps have been preserved in the Sholak Mountains, and local legends say that the treasures of the Dzungar khans are hidden somewhere in these rocks. Archaeologists have indeed found rock paintings and fragments of ancient ceramics here. The play of light gives these places a special charm - at dawn and sunset the rocks are painted in fantastic shades: from soft pink to purple. The best time to visit is spring (April-May) and autumn (September-October), when there is no sweltering heat.
Sholak Mountains remain one of the most mysterious corners of Altyn-Emel. They are not as famous as the "Singing Dune" or the Besshatyr burial mounds, but it is here that the spirit of real wild nature is especially keenly felt - untouched, majestic and a little mysterious. This is a place where time slows down, and the landscapes seem to have come from the pages of a science fiction novel.
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