Kazakhstan travel and tourism blog
Kazakhstan features, attractions, places of interest

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Oct/12

30

Unearthly beauty of Bektau-Ata landscapes

Bektau-Ata is one of the most beautiful places in Kazakhstan and at the same time, this place remains obscure and little-known.

This is a mountainous area about 5-7 km radius located in the middle of the Kazakh steppe about 70 kilometers north of the town of Balkhash, and in close proximity to the Astana-Almaty (M36) highway (Google Maps location).

Bektau-Ata, Kazakhstan landscape photo 1

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Picturesque Ushkonyr plateau is located about 45 km west of Almaty. The average height above sea level is about 2000 meters. Ushkonyr is one of the main hang-gliding places near Almaty.

There is a gravel road leading to the plateau. Soon it will become paved. The entrance to Ushkonyr is not free (the fee is 2000 tenge or about 15 USD per each car), because the land is privately owned. And here is the map location of Ushkonyr plateau. Photos by Aidar Ayazbayev

Ushkonyr plateau, Almaty, Kazakhstan landscape photo 1

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Sep/12

7

Large wildfire at the “Medeo”

In late August, large wildfire occurred in the Ile-Alatau National Park located near Almaty in the close proximity to the “Medeo” sports complex. The flames swept over twenty hectares of mountain slopes.

Large wildfire in the natural park was predicted a year ago – then the environmentalists, the rescuers and the authorities were deciding what to do with the trees felled by storm.

Recently, the works to dispose dead trees were carried out in these places but unfortunately not all the fallen trees were removed. Photos by Grigoriy Bedenko.

Large wildfire, Medeo, Almaty, Kazakhstan photo 1

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July 6, 2012 the largest mosque in Kazakhstan and Central Asia “Hazrat Sultan” was opened in the capital city of the country Astana.

The building is constructed in the classic Islamic style using traditional Kazakh ornaments. The mosque standing on the right bank of the Yesil River is located near the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation, and a monument “Kazakh Eli”. Photos by voxpopuli.kz

Hazrat Sultan Mosque, Astana, Kazakhstan photo 1

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Kazakhstan is usually associated with the endless steppes and semi-deserts but the south-eastern part of the country is bordered by Tien-Shan mountain range.

This region is known for its breathtaking landscapes, beautiful flora and fauna. Photos by Gregory Bedenko

South-eastern Kazakhstan landscape photo 1

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Almaty (Russian spelling – Alma-Ata) is Kazakhstan’s largest city. It is also known as the “Southern Capital” of the country. According to officials the population of Almaty is about 1.4 million people.

Unofficially (with the migrant workers) the population of the city is more than 2 million people (about 13% of the total population of Kazakhstan).

Almaty city, Kazakhstan night view 1

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Jul/12

10

High-altitude summer pastures Taban-Karagai

Taban-Karagai is an area of summer pastures, located south of the Assy plateau in Almaty region of Kazakhstan.

This area has majestic nature with almost no traces of human presence. The pastures are at altitude over 2,000 meters above sea level. Due to the fact that it rains here almost every day, the meadows are covered with succulent grasses. Photos by Constantine Kikvidze

Summer pastures Taban-Karagai, Kazakhstan view 1

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Jun/12

27

Picturesque sceneries of Bektau-Ata

Bektau-Ata is a picturesque mountainous area, located in the middle of the Kazakhstan steppe, about 70 kilometers north of the town of Balkhash (Karaganda region).

The area has a radius of about 5-7 km, and its flora is very different from the surrounding steppe. Photos by Ilia Afanasieff

Picturesque sceneries of Bektau-Ata, Kazakhstan 1

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Jun/12

10

The landscapes of Southern Kazakhstan

Southern Kazakhstan is an economic-geographical region in the Republic of Kazakhstan, the most populated region of the country (about 6 million people on the territory of 711,500 sq. km.). The major cities of Kazakhstan – Almaty and Shymkent – are located here.

Landscapes of the southern region of the country are a combination of dry, rather cold in winter and hot in summer sparsely populated steppes and deserts, high snow-capped mountains. Special natural areas appeared along the banks of rivers and large lakes: Lake Balkhash and the Aral Sea. Photos by Gregory Bedenko

Southern Kazakhstan landscape 1

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Jun/12

2

Picturesque views of Zhambyl oblast

Zhambyl region located in southern Kazakhstan is named after Kazakh poet Zhambyl Dzhabayev (1846-1945).

The southern part of the region includes the northern slopes of Kyrgyz and Karatau mountains and, in their foothills, a narrow strip of fertile irrigated land. The center of the oblast is the sandy Muyun-Kum Desert, which is separated by Chu River from the clay desert of Betpak-Dala in the northern part of the region.

Picturesque view of Zhambyl oblast, Kazakhstan 1

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