There is hardly any person who has not heard about the Dead Sea – very salty lake in Israel.

But few people know that there is a similar lake in Almaty region, approximately 310 km from Almaty city. Its name “Tuzkol” is translated as “Salt Lake.” Photo by Nikolai Zinoviev

Tags: Almaty oblast · landscapes

Kaindy is a mountain lake located in one of the gorges of Kungei Alatau to the east of Almaty. It is a popular tourist destination.

In 1910, landslides blocked the gorge and soon it was filled with mountain river water. Coniferous forest that grew here was flooded and since then this place is called “sunken forest.”

very scenic lake

Tags: Almaty oblast

What a beautiful landscape! It is a real dreamland located in East Kazakhstan oblast. Photo by Constantine Kikvidze

Tags: East Kazakhstan oblast · landscapes

The Ustyurt Plateau is located between the Aral Sea and the Caspian Sea on the territory of Kazakhstan (Mangystau region) and Uzbekistan.

With an average elevation of 150 meters, it consists primarily of stony desert but there are some exceptions like this one. Photo by Ne Horoshiy

Tags: landscapes · Mangystau oblast

Issyk is a lake located at an altitude of 1756 meters in Issyk gorge of Trans-Ili Alatau, about 70 km east of Almaty. The lake was formed about 8-10 thousand years ago in a landslide.

Originally, Issyk length was 1850 meters, width – 500 meters, depth – 50-79 meters. In 1959, the park with hotel and restaurant was opened here. Lake Issyk on Google Maps. Photos by Denis Frantsouzov

picturesque mountain lake

Tags: Almaty oblast · landscapes

Trans-Ili Alatau is a mountain range in the north-west of Tien Shan (on the border between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan) extending for 360 km with the prevailing heights – 4000-4600 meters.

Almaty, also known as the southern capital of Kazakhstan, is located in the northern foothills of Trans-Ili Alatau. Here you can find famous sports complex Medeo and alpine ski resort Chimbulak. Photos by SkorovS

beautiful winter scenery

Tags: Almaty oblast · landscapes

Beautiful photos of Southern Kazakhstan (Almaty region) taken by Denis Frantsouzov

picturesque nature views

Tags: Almaty oblast · landscapes

Kazakhstan nature is rich in picturesque scenery. Just look at these wonderful pictures taken by Constantine Kikvidze

amazing scenery

Tags: landscapes

A lot of people think that Kazakhstan is one huge flat steppe, but there are places in the country that are true natural wonders, for example, the tract of Boszhira, a mountain range located on the Ustyurt plateau in south-western Kazakhstan.

So far, this place is little known and inaccessible to tourists. Everything is white here – canyons, peaks, mountains. Distance from Zhanaozen to Boszhira – 148 km, from Aktau to Boszhira – 298 km. Boszhira location on Google Maps. Photos by Ilia Afanasieff

great nature views

Tags: landscapes · Mangystau oblast

Charyn Canyon is a beautiful natural monument located in Almaty region, to the east of Almaty. It is often compared to the Grand Canyon in Arizona, USA. Surprisingly, from all the sides the canyon is surrounded by the usual steppe.

The most interesting place to visit is the Castle Valley (about 2 km length, width – 20-80 meters). Bizarre shapes of the rocks resembling castles attract tourists from all over the world. Photos by Denis Frantsouzov

amazing scenery

Tags: Almaty oblast · landscapes