Altyn-Emel National Park
Altyn-Emel National Park is the largest and most famous nature conservation area in Kazakhstan, where the famous Singing Barkhan, majestic Sak mounds and picturesque mountains of Aktau and Katutau are located. Tourists are attracted to these places by the cleanest air, amazingly beautiful mountain landscapes and unique monuments of ancient cultures. The Altyn-Emel Park occupies 523,053 hectares and is located in the valley of the Ili River in the Almaty region. It received the protection status in 1996 and since then it has been open for fans of ecological tourism.
Video: Altyn-Emel National Park
ContentsHighlights
Altyn-Emel lies in the desert and mountain zones, home to about 1,800 plant species. The park’s boundaries are home to 78 species of mammals and 260 species of birds. On the spacious plains and mountain slopes gazelles, kulans and argali do well. In addition, the park staff is working hard to restore the endangered species of Przewalski’s horse.
.In Altyn-Emel National Park there are radon springs, the warm waters of which are considered curative. In one of these tracts – Kosbastau – there is a huge willow tree, which is over 700 years old. Locals consider this tree sacred, and there is a legend among Kazakhs that Genghis Khan himself rested under it.
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Another legend associated with the great conqueror tells of a giant cauldron in which food was cooked for his army. According to legend, this cauldron stood on the stone pillars of Oshaktas. Be that as it may, ancient steles up to 2 meters high still rise to this day on the stony plain near the Kalkani Mountains.
.Singing Barkhan
In the Altyn-Emel National Park you can see a real miracle of nature. There are two sandy hills between the peaks of Big and Small Kalkan. The southern barchan rises 150 meters and the northern one 100 meters. Both of them occupy an area of 240 hectares.
.The sand mountains have steep slopes that are impossible to climb up. Thanks to the winds and the special structure of the sand, the barchans produce a rumble that resembles the sounds of an organ, and during sharp gusts of wind, the tops of the barchans “smoke” with sandy pozemka.
.Beshatyr
On the territory of Altyn-Emel National Park there is a unique necropolis Besshatyr, consisting of more than 30 burial mounds. Its name translates as “Five tents.” The largest of the mounds rises 17 meters and has a diameter of 104 m.
.The necropolis is the resting place of the Sak Tigrahuda chiefs and their retainers, who lived in the 8th and 3rd centuries BC. Archaeologists believe that rulers were buried in the large mounds and warriors in the smaller ones. In the graves were found daggers, gilded horse harnesses, swords, ancient utensils and quivers with arrows. In large barrows there were log cabins made of trunks of Tien Shan spruce, which were dragged to the Iliya Basin from the slopes of the Zailiyskiy Alatau.
.Aktau
In ancient times, the Iliya Basin was filled by the sea. When it receded, beautiful mountains were formed from the chalky bottom sediments. The gorges of Aktau are striking with sheer walls that are made up of multi-colored bands. Green and red colors dominate at the base of the canyons, and at the top you can see shades of beige, yellow, brown and blue.
.The height of the chalk outcrops within Altyn-Emel National Park reaches 1 km, and their length exceeds 5 km. Scientists have found many remains of prehistoric animals and plants in the mountains of Aktau.
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Security regime and passes
Altyn-Emel National Park is closely guarded. In order to see the local sights, tourists must apply for a pass at the park’s central estate in the village of Bashy in Kerbulak district or at the head office in Almaty. Travelers coming to the park by their own car move around Altyn-Emel accompanied by an employee of the national park.
.For those who want to stay here for a few days or just overnight, a hotel is open in Basshi. Small hotels also welcome tourists in the cordons of Altyn-Emel Park.
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How to get there
The administration of the Altyn-Emel National Park is located in the village of Bashy, on Askarbek Street, 73. From Almaty the distance to this village is 280 km, and from the Kazakh city of Taldykorgan – 190 km. From Basshi there are dirt roads with a total length of 450 km through the territory of the park. The head office of the national park is located in Alma-Ata, at 132 Panfilov Street.
.The easiest way to get to Altyn-Emel is to buy a tour in any of the travel agencies in Almaty or Taldykorgan. During the one-day tour, tourists are picked up in the city, taken by bus to the national park and brought back.
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Independent travelers can enter the territory of Altyn-Emel from two sides. The road from the side of the village of Basshi allows you to see the mountains of Aktau, Katutau and Singing Mound. Driving from Shengeldy, one can reach the Sak necropolis of Besshatyr.
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