We would like to wish you a Happy New Year 2014!

In the coming year, we wish you a lot of happy days and good luck in all your endeavors!

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Before the adoption of Islam, Christianity and Buddhism, medieval Turkic peoples, ancestors of Kazakhs, had their ancient religion – Tengrism. It is a religion based on a belief in the Creator, presumably originated in the late 2nd – early 1st millennium BC.

The cult of Tengri is the cult of blue sky – the Eternal Sky, a place of permanent habitation of the Creator. Blue color of Kazakhstan flag meaning infinite sky over the earth and the people is the reference to this religion.

This video can help you to become imbued with the idea of the Eternal Sky that inspired the ancestors of Kazakhs.

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Kazakhstan has an amazing and unique pristine nature area – the land of blue mountains and lakes known as Borovoe (Burabai) nature resort located in Akmola region.

After two hundred kilometers trip across boundless steppes, suddenly you can see majestic mountains, forests and rock piles. These beautiful places are a favorite destination for tourists. Photos by Dmitry Chistoprudov

unusual nature views

Tags: Akmola oblast · landscapes

In October 2013, the Kazakh Geographic Society organized a historical and archaeological, ethnographic expedition to Kyzylorda region located in the southern part of the country. During the six-day expedition, the participants drove about 3.5 thousand kilometers.

The region has a vast historical and cultural heritage, beautiful nature. Here are some photos taken during the expedition by Damir Otegen and Vasily Mihailin, voxpopuli.kz.

picturesque landscapes

Tags: Kzyl-Orda oblast · landscapes

Yazovoe Lake is located in the East Kazakhstan region, near the border with Russia.

The area around the lake is extremely picturesque: waterfalls, mists, distant mountains and primeval forests. Yazovoe Lake location on Google Maps. Photos by Ilia Afanasieff

beautiful views

Tags: East Kazakhstan oblast · landscapes

This summer (July 6), Astana celebrated the Day of the City. 15 years ago, the city officially became the capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

At this festive day, people living in the city and numerous guests enjoyed two main shows. Photos by Petr Ushanov

more colorful photos

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In this short movie you can see some fragments of the Kazakh national game “Kokpar”. It was the training of mounted warriors that helped to improve fighting skills in a real fight.

The shooting took place in southern Kazakhstan, near the cities of Turkestan and Sauran. The latter was destroyed in the 14th century by the armies of Genghis Khan and Kokands. Sauran was the largest center of its time, with the water supply system, paved streets, architecture.

Tags: South Kazakhstan oblast · Turkestan city

These wonderful autumn photos were taken in the mountainous part of the East Kazakhstan region – the western part of the mountain range of the South Altai.

Up to a height of 1400-1500 meters you can see steppe landscapes; larch forests reach a height of 2100-2200 meters; in the highlands – subalpine and alpine meadows. Also, there are more than 180 glaciers. Photos by Grigoriy Bedenko for voxpopuli.kz

fairy tale pictures

Tags: East Kazakhstan oblast · landscapes

Charyn Canyon is a canyon along the Charyn River located about 200 km east of Almaty, close to the border with China. It is the part of the Charyn National Park.

This canyon is a natural monument composed of sedimentary rocks that are about 12 million years old. The height of the steep canyon walls is about 150-300 meters. Most interesting place for tourists is the so-called Castle Valley. Photos by Dmitry Chistoprudov

picturesque mountainous landscapes

Tags: Almaty oblast · landscapes

Borovoe (Burabai on Kazakh language) is a year-round climatic resort opened in Akmola region in 1910. The resort is situated 250 km north of Astana. This beautiful place attracts a lot of locals and tourists.

The resort is located at an altitude of about 480 meters, in a pine forest. Burabai is called “the pearl of Kazakhstan” and “Kazakhstan’s Switzerland”. Borovoe location on Google Maps. Photos by Petr Ushanov

more picturesque landscapes

Tags: Akmola oblast · landscapes