The Ili River is the largest and one of the longest rivers in Central Asia (1,430 km). The river originates in the Chinese part of the Tien Shan and flows into Lake Balkhash located in southeastern Kazakhstan.

The delta of the river is known for its unique microclimate. Here you can find some relict plant species. Autumn in the delta of the Ili River is very picturesque. Photos by: Grigory Bedenko.

fly over the Ili River

Tags: Almaty oblast

Nursultan Peak (until 1935 – Malyy Almaty, until 1998 – Komsomol) is a mountain peak (4,330 meters) located on the northern slopes of the Tien Shan mountain range.

This is one of the most popular peaks located near Almaty, the largest city of Kazakhstan. It was named after the first President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev. Photos by: Anna Gornostayeva.

go hiking in the mountains

Tags: Almaty oblast

Chilik (Shelek) is one of the largest and longest rivers of the Northern Tien Shan separating the mountain ranges of Ile Alatau and Kungey Alatau.

This river is located in the Almaty region, in the vicinity of the Kazakh-Kyrgyz border. Recently Shelek has become a popular destination for adventure tourism. Photos by: Grigory Bedenko.

fly over the river

Tags: Almaty oblast

Kazakhstan, known as the land of steppes, has in reality a quite diverse nature that also includes deserts, semi-deserts, mountains, forest-steppes, etc.

The border of the country passes through the natural landscapes of the Caspian Sea, the Volga steppe, the southern foothills of the Ural Mountains, the West Siberian Plain, the Altai Mountains, the Tian Shan Mountains. Photos by: Alexandr Kuznetsov.

beautiful scenery

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You can see the following stunning views while climbing Molodezhnyy (Youth) Peak (4,147 m) in the Ile Alatau (Trans-Ili Alatau) – a mountain range located in the northwest of the Tien Shan, on the border of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

Almaty, the former capital of Kazakhstan, is located in the northern foothills of this mountain system. The famous sports complex Medeo, the observatory of Assy-Turgen and the alpine ski resort Shimbulak can also be found here. Molodezhnyy Peak on Google Maps. Photos by: Olga Kulakova.

let’s go hiking in the mountains

Tags: Almaty oblast

Borovoe is one of the lakes of Burabay group of lakes located in the north of Kazakhstan, in the Burabay district of the Akmola region.

The entire shore of the lake is covered with pine forests, hence the name – Borovoe (“bor” means a coniferous forest in Russian). The historical name of the lake is Auliekol, which means “Holy Lake”.

very picturesque lake

Tags: Akmola oblast

The so-called “Singing dune”, a popular tourist sight of Kazakhstan, is located in the national park Altyn Emel, 182 km north-east of Almaty.

The dune is composed of light-colored sand and has a length of about 3 km and a height of 150 m. In dry weather sands emit a sound similar to an organ melody. Photos by: Sergey Terekhov.

amazing natural wonder

Tags: Almaty oblast

Big Almaty Lake is a mountain reservoir located in the Trans-Ili Alatau at an altitude of 2,511 meters above sea level, 15 km south from the center of Almaty.

The lake, which is part of the Ile-Alatau National Park, as well as the vast majority of lakes in the Tien Shan mountains, appeared as a result of earthquakes.

very scenic lake

Tags: Almaty oblast

Kolsai (Kulsai) lakes is a system of three lakes located in the northern Tien Shan in Kolsai Gorge, in Raiymbek district of the Almaty region, 10 km north of the border with Kyrgyzstan and 330 km south-east of Almaty, at an altitude of about 1,800 m, 2,200 m and 2,800 m above sea level.

The lakes, surrounded by pine forests, are known as “the pearl of the Northern Tien Shan.” The depth of the lakes can reach 50 meters.

the beauty of pristine nature

Tags: Almaty oblast

The beach in Golubaya (Blue) Bay is located on the Mangyshlak Peninsula, in the Mangistau region of Kazakhstan. The beaches of this bay are considered one of the most beautiful places on the peninsula.

You can get here, after leaving the city of Aktau in the direction of the town of Fort-Shevchenko located to the north-west. Golubaya Bay is a perfect combination of clean golden beaches and azure turquoise sea.

beautiful wild beach

Tags: Mangystau oblast