Northern Kazakhstan includes Northern-Kazakhstani, Pavlodar, Akmola and Kostanay regions. Unique landscape of Kokshetau mountains, forests and lakes, exotic rocks of Bayanaul, wealth of flora and fauna of Korgalzhyn reserve give you a real chance to feel yourself a part of untouched nature.

Major rivers are Irtysh and its two left tributaries, Yesil and Tobol. The biggest lakes are Kusmuryn and Sary Kopa, Tengiz and Korgalzhyn, Shagala, Shortan and Burabay; and also Moiyldy and Maybalik, lakes with therapeutic mineral salts and mud.

Climate is sharply continental, but differs from other regions of the republic in more moderate summer and lower winter temperatures.

Burabay (Borovoye)

“Kazakh Switzerland” is the unofficial name of the Borovoye (Burabay) region among local guides. Lots of lakes are scattered in between the mountains: Pike (Shuchye), Big and Small Chebache lakes, Kotyrkol. Blue Bay of the Lake named after this place is a business card of Burabay. Right from the water, in the center of the bay, stands a “Zhumbaktas” rock (translated as: “mysterious stone”), reminding sphinx; there is also Ok-Zhetpes rock (“arrow will not reach”), with peak in the shape of an elephant, rising against the backdrop of the wooded slopes.

Combination of mountains, pine forest and lakes creates special therapeutic climate. There are a lot of sanatoriums, tourist centers and boarding houses.

Bayanaul

Bayanaul national park is located one hundred kilometers away from Ekibastuz, city with developed industry. There are four kinds of vegetation present on the territory of the park: forest, forest-steppe, steppe and meadow.

In the place, named “Goose flight”, paleontologists have found about one thousand kinds of prehistoric animal remains; they lived from 7 to 10 million years ago.

Naurzum reserve

Unique Naurzum forest takes major part of last tract. These are old pine forests, as they almost did not change since tertiary or quaternary periods. There is a specific kind of birch, growing in Naurzum, called Kyrgyz, endemic of Northern Kazakhstan, which is not met anywhere else in the world.

Flora and Fauna of Nauruzum reserve is very reach: mute swan, eagle, crane-belladonna, steppe eagle, golden eagle, pink pelicans, roe, elk, boars are decorations of Naurzum forest. There are 44 mammalian species, 10 fish species. 23 bird species are recorded in the international Red Book.

Korgalzhyn reserve

This is a realm of low-growing herbs and shrubs, which are typical for steppe. Lakes of reserve are rich with fish, including commercial species: golden and silver crucians, ide, pike, tench, perch, roach. The biggest lake is Tengiz, which, translated from Kazakh, means sea.

Flamingos also make it a unique place. There is the northernmost breeding colony of these wonderful birds in the world here. Lucky traveler can meet black Stork and whooping swan; there are wild boars hiding in dens among the reeds; forest dwellers, such as lynx, roe and elk come to the territory of the reserve.

Cities of northern Kazakhstan

Akmola, Petropavlovsk, Pavlodar, Kostanai.