Ushkonyr is a picturesque plateau located in the western part of the mountain system of Trans-Ili Alatau, between the gorges Chemolgan and Uzun-Kargaly (Almaty region).

This area of Trans-Ili Alatau differs from other parts of the mountain system because of the absence of the forest zone, but subalpine and alpine zones are presented in all their glory, with an abundance of all kinds of mountain flowers. Photos by: Sergey Terekhov.

tranquil landscapes

Tags: Almaty oblast · landscapes

Maloulbinskoe reservoir, located about 20 km to the south-east of Ridder city (East Kazakhstan region), was built by prisoners of war and convicts in 1938.

Today, this place is a historical landmark in the field of engineering and technology. To some extent, the reservoir is an open-air museum. Maloulbinskoe reservoir on Google Maps. Photo by: Alexey Maznicin.

Tags: East Kazakhstan oblast · Ridder city

Lake Dubygalinskoe (also known as Lake Okun’ki) is located in Ulansky district of East Kazakhstan region. It is situated at the foot of the northern slopes of Mount Dubygaly.

Besides the fact that this lake is a great place for fishing, it attracts travelers for its giant boulders picturesquely scattered along the shores. Lake Okun’ki on Google Maps. The photos were taken by Alexey Maznicin.

really huge rocks

Tags: East Kazakhstan oblast · landscapes

Saryesik-Atyrau is a sandy desert located in Almaty region, to the south of Lake Balkhash, between the Ili and Karatal rivers.

The climate in the desert is sharply continental. Summer temperature can reach plus 40 degrees Celsius, in winter, the temperature can drop to minus 40.

snow-covered wilderness

Tags: Almaty oblast · landscapes

Akkergeshen plateau is located 56 kilometers to the north-east of Kulsary village, Atyrau region. Fantastic landscape of this place is fascinating.

Unique beauty of the plateau was formed in the Jurassic period, the time of dinosaurs. Shark teeth, dinosaur fossils, footprints on rocks can still be found here. Akkergeshen plateau on Google Maps. The photos were taken by Eduard Kutygin.

picturesque chalk rocks

Tags: Atyrau oblast · landscapes

Lake Kaindy is a popular tourist destination located in one of the gorges of Kungei Alatau in Almaty region, at an altitude of 2000 meters. Despite the low temperature of the water, the lake is popular among divers.

The maximum depth of the lake was 21 meters in 2014. In Kazakh “Kaindy” means “a lot of birches.” There is a large birch grove located nearby. The lake was formed by an earthquake in 1910. Photo by Sergey Terekhov

Tags: Almaty oblast · landscapes

The Assy observatory is an astronomical observatory standing on a mountain plateau Assy-Turgen located at an altitude of 2750 meters above sea level, 75 km east of Almaty.

This is the only observatory in Kazakhstan with the ideal astro-climate. Main area of research: observation of details of the apparent surface of the giant planets of the solar system. The observatory on Google Maps. Photo by Eduard Kim

Tags: Almaty oblast · landscapes

A well-known Kazakhstan photographer and an aviation lover Gregory Bedenko continues to delight us with beautiful pictures of the mountains, Balkhash Lake area and the Ili River delta (Almaty region) taken from unusual angles. Photos from voxpopuli.kz

magnificent nature

Tags: Almaty oblast

Tekes is a relatively small village (population – about 4,000 people) located in Raiymbek district of Almaty region of Kazakhstan.

The village is standing at an altitude of 1766 meters above sea level, close to the border with China. What a stunningly beautiful place! Photos by Sergey Terekhov

beautiful nature views

Tags: Almaty oblast · landscapes

Zaysan is a relatively large lake (length – 105 km, width – 22-48 km) located in eastern Kazakhstan (East Kazakhstan oblast), about 60 km from the border with China.

Shekelmes Bay has almost perfect semicircular shape. There is a belief that the bizarre metamorphosis of sand that you can see in this place is a result of the fall of a meteorite on the shore of the lake. Lake Zaysan on Google Maps. Photos by Ilia Afanasieff

magnificent place

Tags: East Kazakhstan oblast · landscapes