The vast territory south of Lake Balkhash is called Semirechye (“the region of seven rivers”) because of seven large rivers that flow into Balkhash, one of the largest lakes in Central Asia.

The soils in this region are mostly desert and rich in various minerals. In spring, numerous lakes are formed on the salt marshes, which are of a seasonal nature; by the end of summer they dry up. As a result, minerals form very bizarre patterns on the surface of these formations. Photos by: Grigory Bedenko.

amazing unearthly landscapes

Tags: Almaty oblast

The Tekes is a 438 km long river, of which about 100 km flows through the territory of Kazakhstan, including 40 km inside the territory of Kazakhstan and about 60 km along the border of Kazakhstan and China.

The river originates on the northern slope of the Terskey Alatau Range. In Kazakhstan, the river flows mainly in a picturesque wide intermountain valley, which separates the Eastern Tien Shan from the Ketmen Ridge. This is one of the most beautiful places in Almaty Oblast, which, however, is little known to tourists. The Tekes River on Google Maps. Photos by: Sergey Terekhov.

picturesque river valley

Tags: Almaty oblast

Karkaraly State National Natural Park is an amazing natural attraction located in Karaganda Oblast, about 220 km southeast of the city of Karaganda. It is one of the specially protected natural areas of Kazakhstan.

The nature conservation value of this region in Central Kazakhstan is due to its unique landscape diversity. There are several hiking trails that pass through the main sights of the park. Karkaraly National Park on Google Maps. Photos by: Evgeniy Drobotenko.

beautiful natural scenery

Tags: Karaganda oblast

Trans-Ili Alatau is a mountain range located in the northwest of the Tien Shan mountain system, on the border of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. The city of Almaty, the former capital of Kazakhstan, is located in its northern foothills, as well as the famous Medeo sports complex, Assy-Turgen Observatory, and the alpine ski resort Chimbulak.

The name “Trans-Ili Alatau” was adopted in 1865, when the famous traveler and geographer P.P. Semenov stopped at the crossing of the Ili River and saw a grand ridge that stretched behind the river. Trans-Ili Alatau on Google Maps. Photos by: Grigory Bedenko.

picturesque mountain scenery

Tags: Almaty oblast

The Fayzulins family houses are located in the microdistrict of Podgora from where the city of Petropavl originates. The terrain here has a large slope.

The head of the family, Anvar Galimovich Fayzulin, explains how he came up with such an unusual idea – to build castles literally in the air. He says: “I just did not want to live in a garbage dump.” Photos by: Vitaly Rezunov for voxpopuli.kz

beautiful miniature castles

Tags: North Kazakhstan oblast · Petropavl city

Cape Dzhigalgan (“collapsed land” in the Kazakh language) is the main attraction of the Tub-Karagan peninsula located on the Mangyshlak peninsula on the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea in the west of the Mangystau region.

This is a mountain range with a giant hollow of almost perfect round shape littered with numerous rocks. Some boulders reach the size of a small village house. The rocks are scattered so chaotically that there is a feeling that the collapse has occurred recently. Cape Dzhigalgan on Google Maps. Photos by: Roman Smirnov.

very picturesque place

Tags: Aktau city · Mangystau oblast

Aktau Mountains (translated as “white mountains”) are chalk mountains of different colors, mostly white, located in the territory of the national park of Altyn-Emel in the central part of Almaty Oblast. It will take you about 5-7 hours to get here from Almaty. Aktau Mountains on Google Maps. Photos by: Sergey Terekhov.

beautiful colorful landscapes

Tags: Almaty oblast

The Ascension Cathedral (1904-1907), also known as Zenkov’s Cathedral (in honor its architect Andrei Zenkov), is located on the territory of the Park of 28 Panfilov Guardsmen in Almaty. It is included in the list of historical and cultural monuments of Kazakhstan of republican significance.

This church is a unique architectural structure – one of the tallest wooden buildings in the world and the tallest Orthodox wooden church. The highest point at the upper end of the cross on the main dome is 39.64 meters, at the top of the bell tower – 46 meters. Zenkov’s Cathedral on Google Maps. Photos by: Sergio.

beautiful wooden church

Tags: Almaty city

Asy (Assy), a mountain plateau located at an altitude of 2,560 meters above sea level about 100 kilometers east of Almaty, is one of the largest intermountain valleys of the Northern Tien Shan. The length of the plateau is more than 20 km, the width – up to 15 km.

In summer, this area is used as a huge pasture. The best time to visit the plateau is the end of May – the beginning of June, when numerous herbs bloom here. Asy Plateau on Google Maps. Photos by: Sergey Terekhov.

amazing place

Tags: Almaty oblast

Out with the old, in with the new! Sending Happy New Year best wishes to you!

On the mountain skating rink of Medeu (1955) by Abylkhan Kasteev.

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