Ustyurt is a huge desert and a plateau with an area of more than 200,000 kilometers located in the west of Central Asia (in Kazakhstan (Mangystau oblast), Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan), between Mangyshlak and Kara-Bogaz-Gol in the west, the Aral Sea and the Amudarya delta in the east. Ustyurt National Preserve is located on this territory. The Ustyurt Plateau on Google Maps. Photos by: Vladimir Mulder.

beautiful scenery

Tags: Mangystau oblast

Karaganda is a city with a population of about half a million people, the capital of the Karaganda region of Kazakhstan.

Today, it is one of the largest industrial, economic, scientific, and cultural centers of the country. Let’s see how the center of Karaganda looks like in the evening. Photos by: Alexandr Kuznetsov.

Karaganda in the evening

Tags: Karaganda city

The picturesque Butakovskoe gorge, located at an altitude of 1,700-2,900 meters above sea level in the mountains of Zailiysky Alatau, within the limits of Almaty, is a great place for hiking.

The total length of the gorge is 14 km. At the bottom of the gorge the Butakovka River flows, which is the right tributary of the Malaya Almatinka River. Butakovskoe gorge on Google Maps. Photos by: A. Gornostayeva and Ilya Gornostayev.

explore the gorge

Tags: Almaty city

Bektau-Ata is a rock massif located 70 kilometers to the north of the town of Balkhash in the Karaganda region. This mountain area with an approximate height of 1,200 meters above sea level is known for numerous bizarre rocks, caves and small lakes.

Located in the middle of the Kazakh steppe, Bektau-Ata has its own unique flora. These photos were taken while climbing one of the peaks of Bektau-Ata – Mount Pik (1,214 meters). Bektau-Ata on Google Maps. Photos by: Alexandr Kuznetsov.

climb the mountain

Tags: Karaganda oblast

The so-called “singing barkhan”, consisting of sand of light tones, has a length of up to 3 km and a height of 150 m. It is located in the Altyn-Emel National Park in the Almaty region, 182 km north-east of Almaty.

This monument of nature is famous for the fact that in dry weather the sands emit sounds similar to the melody of the organ. Singing Barkhan on Google Maps. Photos by: Sergey Terekhov.

legendary place

Tags: Almaty oblast

Boszhira mountain range is located in the western part of the Ustyurt Plateau on the Mangyshlak Peninsula in the Mangistau region.

The mountains occupy a huge area, it takes more than one day to visit all the places. The journey through Bozhira usually consists of two parts: foot and road trips.

amazing chalky kingdom

Tags: Mangystau oblast

Between the ridges of Bayan-Zhurek and the Dzungarian Alatau, in the Almaty region, there is a wide valley of Kaskarau. Its beginning lies at the foot of the Dzungarian Alatau, at an altitude of 1,800-1,900 meters above sea level.

In the valley, a significant number of monuments of archeology of different epochs have been found, including ancient petroglyphs – carved or painted images on stones. Photos by: Sergey Terekhov.

traces of ancient people

Tags: Almaty oblast

Talan Towers, an architectural complex of two towers located in the very center of Astana, was opened in November 2016.

The complex includes a hotel and a business center with offices of the largest Kazakhstan and foreign companies. From here you can enjoy probably the best views of the capital of Kazakhstan. Photos by: Alexandr Kuznetsov.

Astana from above

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Ulytau is a complex of low mountains located in the southwest of Kazakh Upland (Sary Arka) – a steppe in Central Kazakhstan, in the northwest of the Karaganda region.

It is one of the oldest mountain ranges of Sary Arka that stretches from north to south for 200 km. The highest point is Akmeshit Peak (1,131 m).

scenic yellow, red and orange mountains

Tags: Karaganda oblast

The Dzungarian or Semirechensky Alatau is a mountain system located in the north-east of the Almaty region, between the Ili River and Lake Alakol.

This region is a place with pristine nature because it is located in the border zone with China. There are no roads and settlements here. Some areas can be reached only on horseback or by helicopter. Photos by: Grigory Bedenko.

amazing mountain scenery

Tags: Almaty oblast