| Ãëàâíàÿ ñòðàíèöà | | | Òóðû âûõîäíîãî äíÿ | | | Êóëüòóðà | | | Èíôîðìàöèÿ | | | Êîíòàêòû | | |
| Èíôîðìàöèÿ |
| Southern Kazakhstan |
|
Southern Kazakhstan includes Almaty, Zhambil, South Kazakhstani and Kzilorda Oblasts. The region occupies a vast territory from the Aral sea in the west to the Zhungarian Gates in the east and from Lake Balhash and a waste plateau of Betpak-Dala in the north to the borders of the Republic in the south, including the northern part of the Kizilkum Desert, the western and northern spurs of the Tien-Shan and the ridges of the Zhungarian Alatau. From the west to the east the area extends almost for 2,000 km, and from the north to the south about 700 km. The main rivers are the Sirdarya, the Chu, the Ili, the Karatal, the Aksu, the Lepsi. The largest lakes are the Aral sea, Balhash, Alakol, Sasikol.
Almaty Oblast occupies a territory a bit less than that of Great Britain. This territory has a great diversity of relief. Within one day tourists can visit all the landscapes and climatic zones present on the earth - from sand deserts and steppes to eternal glaciers and highest peaks. Unique flora and fauna of the deserts and semi-deserts may undoubtedly draw attention of the tourists. Charin Canyon and the connate Ashen Grove, petroglyphs of the Ili bank and the Tamgali Tract, Large Almaty and Kolsay Lakes, and also the mountains of Zaili Alatau, Zhungaria and Central Tien-Shan play an important touristic role for Almaty Oblast. It is a land of ancient culture and history glorified in ancient mausoleums of Hoja Ahmet Yassawi in Turkestan, Aisha Bibi, Karahan and Babaji Hatun in Taraz, unique Scythian mounds in Semirechye. Southern region is the birth place of the Baikonur Space Centre. Aksu-Zhabagly In 1987 Aksu-Jabagly, the oldest reserve of Central Asia and Kazakhstan marked its 60th anniversary.
Luxuriant meadows in dry valleys give place to thick brushwoods of creeping junipers. The variegated mosaic of multicolored Alpine flowers adorns the foots of rigorous peaks with dazzling snow and bluish tongues of ¡±hanging¡° glaciers.
Altin-Emel On the western spurs of the Zhungarian Alatau the Altin-Emel National Park, the largest reserve of Kazakhstan, is situated.
The area of 460,000 hectares is intended for preservation of endangered species of animals and plants. Here one can drink in the peerless beauty of multi-coloured mountains of Aktau and sand mountains of Katutau. On the territory of the Park some historical monuments, like Scythian burial mounds of Bes-Shatir dated the 1st century BC and Tamgali-Tas with ancient rock drawings the earliest of which can be attributed to XVI-XIV centuries BC. Here, on the right bank of the Ili River, the famous Singing Dune is situated.
On a safari trip, you will meet many animals: the Siberian mountain goats (teke), desert deer (jeran), kulan, mountain rams, wolves, foxes, birds such as a golden eagle, mountain partridge (keklik) and many others, the majority of which are included in the World and Kazakhstani Red Books of endangered spieces. Burial Mounds of Bes-Shatir The necropolis of Bes-Shatir (Five Tents) used to be a place of worship for the ancient Scythians dwelling on the territory of the nowadays Kazakhstan in the 1st century BC.
Here, on the territory of 2 sq. km, 18 imperial mounds of about 9m in diameter and about 2.5m in altitude are situated. Under the mounds one can see crypts made of logs of the Tien-Shan fur-tree. This unique monument of the early nomads is in Semirechye, in the head waters of the Ili River.
To the west of the imperial mounds, the circuit of 45 stone stoves with pictures of animals carved on them extends from the north to the south. Scientists consider this place the ritual part of the necropolis. Tamgaly Tas In the late of 1950s a unique sanctuary with rock drawings was found at Tamgaly in the Anrakhai mountains, which is 170-km northwest of Almaty. Tamgaly is truly a gallery of ancient art. It reflects several periods of history. Over 4,000 drawings have been discovered, dating back to the Bronze Age, the early nomadic era and the Turk period. There are low slate cliffs and both sides of the gorge. These sheer, flat surfaces are decorated with individual animals and entire scenes, carved with a metal chisel. The petroglyphs include both single and group images of mountain sheep, goats, Przhevalsky¡¯s horses, deer, and steppe antelope, as well as domestic animals ¨C camels, horses, bulls, dogs. There are also sun-headed dogs; scenes depicting hunting, religious rituals and animal sacrifices; compositions of people and animals, female forms, arches and so on. Not far from the gorge and burial grounds, dating back to the Bronze Age and early nomadic period is an early nomadic settlement.
The Tamgaly gallery of petroglyphs is one of the world¡¯s treasures and is protected by UNESCO. The name Tamgaly derives from Kazakh ¡°Clan sign¡± which is called tamga. Singing Dunes Another unique wonder of nature is the Singing Dunes, 182-km northeast of Almaty, on the right bank of the Ili river. In dry weather this sand dune emits a sound like an organ playing. The Singing Dunes make an unforgettable impression.
The scarcely perceptible movement of sand sliding down the slope causes the humming and vibration. The friction caused by the movement of dry grains of sand, combined with the dry air, electrifies them, causing the vibration. Because of the surrounding favorable resonant conditions, powerful sound waves are produced which bouncing off the solid ground also cause the dune to vibrate. The sound can be heard from several kilometers away. Turgen Gorge Turgen Gorge (90 km from Almaty) is an ideal place to enjoy the beauty of the nature. The gorge has hot springs, a trout farm, waterfalls and lots of woods. Rich in coniferous and mixed forests, alpine and sub-alpine meadows, lakes and springs, medicinal herbs and berries, he gorge plunges 44 km to the vast Assy plateau (2,560 m). The Turgen gorge is famous for its seven waterfalls.
The Medvezhy (Bear) Falls drop 30 meters in a beautiful setting amidst overhanging cliffs and green fir trees, while the Bozgul Falls are known for the force of the water, which has worn away an entire tunnel in the rock. The earthquake-damaged cliffs in the gorge still preserve traces of the pre-Ice Age vegetation. Another notable feature of the gorge is the relict Chin-Turgen mossy fir forests, which cover the ground and form a thick carpet of trees. The most popular stop in the Turgen Gorge is Botan, the hunting base. Here, where three rivers meet, the gorge is at its deepest ¨C 920 meters. There is an observatory on the plateau. Ancient burial mounds and rock drawings are dotted along the Asy River.There are quite a few Sacae and Usun graves in the gorge dating back to 500¨C3 BC. The small mountain lakes above the Sinegorye are wonderful for bathing and fishing, while lower down is a trout farm where you can fish and to cook the delicious fish-meal po-tsarski for supper. Issyk Burial Mound Issyk Burial Mound is regarded as a major archaeological discovery from the Scythian-Sacae period.
The burial mound dates back to the 4th century BC. The young man buried there belong to the Sacae rulers; perhaps, he was a representative of the ruling Great Kushan Empire. The Golden Warrior was dressed in an arrow-shaped headdress and chain mail armor richly decorated with platelets. His belt and weapons were of pure gold. The costume consists from 4,000 gold ornaments in the animal style typical of Sacae craftsmen. His dagger (akinak) is a masterpiece of the ¡°Animal¡± style, with 21 golden beasts worked on the both gold-plated sides of the dagger; Replicas of the Golden Man are on display at museums in Almay and Satan. Charyn Canyon The Charyn Canyon is one of the most exotic places you could visit. The strange forms left by erosion and weathering created an unreal fairyland of weird sandstone sculptures ¨C the Valley of Castles, Witches¡¯ Gorge, and so on.
The canyon extends for 154 km NE-SW along the Charyn River, one of the deepest rivers of the northern Tien-Shan (193 km east of Almaty). The steep canyon slopes, columns and arches rise to heights of 150-300 m.
The depth of the canyon has preserved a rare ash tree that has survived the Ice Age. Nowadays is also grows in some rare areas. Ili River At 1.439 km, the Ili is the longest river in Zhetisy. Its source is in Almaty region; on the way back from China it forms the Kapchagai reservoir, eventually plunging into Balkhash Lake.
Some call Kapchagai a sea. In the warm weather it is one of the loveliest places for city-dwellers for the rest. It is 22 km at its widest point, 45 m deep and covers an area of 1,847 sq. km.
Along its shores are health spas, guest-houses, beaches and fishing boats. There is a small aqua park in the town. Kapchagais waters teem with pike perch, bream, wild carp, chub and sheat-fish. Just a short journey from Kapchagai, on the bank of the Ili, is a place that will transport you far back in time. For centuries, an image of Budda has gazed into the sky from an enormous rock on the right bank. This is Tamgaly Tas (Written stones). The sun-blackened cliff-faces have preserved many petroglyphs (rock paintings), images of mysterious deities and late Buddhist inscriptions whose meaning has yet to be unraveled.
There are many different drawings dated back to the 12th century. Nearby is another rock with writings in an ancient Turkic runic script dating back to the 8-9th centuries. Big Almaty Lake Big Almaty Lake is set high up in a gorge of the Bolshaya Almatinka river, 2,511 meters above sea level and 28,5 km south of Almaty.
It lies in a hollow like a gleaming mirror, surrounded on all sides by majestic peaks. Three main peaks tower above the lake and can be seen from the northern end of the dam: Sovetov (4,317 m) to the south-east, Ozyorny (4,110 m) to the south, further up the river valley, and the forested slopes of Turist (3,954 m) to the south-west. West of Turist is the crest of Bolshoi Almatinski Peak, a 3,681-m-high pyramid, which is visible from the city center.
Fed by glacier water, the lake is 1.6 km long, almost a kilometer wide and 40 m deep. Higher up above the pale blue chalice of the lake is the domed Tien-Shan Astronomical Observatory, in a very ancient glacier valley 2 km from the lake and at an altitude of 2,700 m.
Walk another 8 km and you will reach the Cosmic Rays Research Station at 3,300 m, near the Zhosylkezen pass. Kolsai Lakes Kolsai lakes are one of the treasures of the Northern Tien-Shan. These three mountain lakes, set among steep pine-clad slopes, nestle in a spur of the Kungei Alatau.
This is a wonderful place for hiking, camping and mountain biking. The lowest height, at of 1,818m, stretches for 1 km. It is accessible by road and there are comfortable guesthouses and campsites.
The middle Kolsai lake (2,252 m) is the largest and the most beautiful, is 5 km from the first lake. The highest of the Kolsais is 4 km further and 600 m higher up. After another 6 km you reach the Sary-Bulak Pass (3,278-m) on the Kyrgyzstan border, with superb views over the blue Lake Issyk-Kul.
The whole 25-km trail can be covered in a day by horseback or three days on foot.
Kaindy Lake is set in a forest of conifers 2,000 m above sea level. The lake was created as the result of the enormous limestone landslide.
The embankment partitioned the gorge with a natural dam. The 400m long lake is almost 30m deep. There are fine views over the Saty Gorge, the Chilik river valley and the Kaindy gorge.
The dried-out trunks of submerged fir trees rise above the surface of the water like the masts of a sunken ship. Kan-Tengri Kan-Tengri ("Lord of the Spirits") is considered one of the most beautiful peaks of the central Tien-Shan.
A picture-perfect pointed pyramid, it can be seen from almost everywhere. The mountain has long been steeped in legend. It is still called Tengritau (God¡¯s mountain) and Kantau (the bloody mountain), from the glow of the peak at sunset.
This famous peak is the highest point in Kazakhstan (7,010 m) and the most northerly 7,000¡¯er in the world. The mountain sits on the border of three states ¨C China, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.
The summit of Kan-Tengri is difficult to reach and therefore extremely interesting to both mountaineers and lovers of adventure holidays. The northern part of the mountain is situated in Kazakhstan. The dream of many mountaineers is to climb the north face of Kan-Tengri. "Golden Ring" of Southern Kazakhstan The fertile oasis of the steppes near the Syr-Darya River is known as the world¡¯s most ancient towns, where nomadic and settled civilizations met.For centuries a system of age-old caravan routes, leading from China to the Middle East and Europe, passed through this land. The towns located on the Great Silk Road ¨C Turkestan, Taraz, Otrar, Sairam were major trading centers in ancient and medieval times. The Silk Road (Zhibek Zholy in Kazakh) emerged as a trade route in the 3rd century BC and endured until the 16th century. A considerable part of the route (1,700 km) lies in Kazakhstan. Turkestan Turkestan (Yassy) was regarded as the spiritual and political center of the Turkic-speaking people and was the origin capital of the Kazakh khans.
Turkestan is 1 500 years old. Sheikh Hodja Akhmet Yassaui a Sufi mystic, poet and philosopher was the spiritual leader of the Turk people. The Hodja Akhmet Yassaui Mausoleum is an unsurpassed masterpiece of the medieval architecture and amazing complex of palaces and temples.
The elegant d¨¦cor, patterned ceiling vaults and colorful majolica tiling capture the imagination. Arystan-Bab Mausoleum
According to popular belief, the road to Turkestan must cross the Arystan-Bab Mausoleum erected over the tomb of Akhmet Yassaui¡¯s teacher, famous religious mystic who lived in the 12 century.
Otrar The ancient town of Otrar (4th century BC) was an important trade center.
It was known for its mint and extensive library, which equaled the greatest libraries of antiquity. The world-famous medieval thinker Al-Farabi was born lived and worked here. The Mongols razed this unique town to the ground in the late 13th century.
Sauran
The mighty fortress of Sauran (10-18th centuries) is famous for its unique water system, thanks to which the town could withstand a siege of several months.
The Tomb of Domalak-Ana (early 20th century) was erected in the steppe not far from Turkestan in honor of a holy woman and clairvoyant named Domalak-Ana.
A modern memorial in white marble was built on the site of the old tomb in 1998. Two stones, which formerly stood on the grave, are considered holy, and pilgrims will assure you that only righteous person can pass between them. Taraz The town of Taraz (Talas) (¡°City of Merchants¡±) is more than 2 000 years old. It reached its zenith in the 10-12th centuries, when it was famous as the capital of the Karakhan State.You can step into the past at the Karakhan and Dautbek Mausoleums, ruler¡¯s castles and many ancient burial places. Just outside modern-day Taraz (15-18 km away) are the Babaji-Khatun Mausoleum (10-11th centuries) and Aisha-Bibi Mausoleum (11-12th centuries), masterpieces of ancient architecture that are listed as the world architectural rarities by UNESCO. Aisha-Bibi Mausoleum As the legend says, the Mausoleum was created by one of the Karalhanid Dynasty King under the tomb of Aisha-Bibi - his pretty bride the daughter of Hakim-Ata Sufi the poet.
As the legend says, an insidious snake killed the life of the young lover. The building is decorated by terracotta stones, plant and geometrical patterns.
The mausoleum looks incredibly light and elegant. Aisha-Bibi Mausoleum is a bright masterpiece of ancient architectures. |
