Altyn-Emel National Park

Welcome to our website! Here you will find the most engaging, detailed, and up-to-date information about the Altyn-Emel State National Nature Park, as well as useful tips for tourists and travel companies.

Please note: This website is managed by a private company and is not the official platform of the national park. For official government information, please visit altynemel-park.kz.

We wish you a wonderful journey!

The Altyn-Emel National Park is mostly famous for its unique natural sites attracting thousands of tourists from all over the world. These are the Singing Dune and the multicolored Aktau Mountains.

The most ancient historical artifacts in Altyn-Emel dating back to 1 thousand BC are the Besshatyr Burial Mounds and the Tanbaly Tas Petroglyphs.

The Singing Dune is a massive sand dune that emits a loud sound when dry sand shifts. It is a unique natural phenomenon with only a few counterparts worldwide.

The Aktau Geopark is a natural museum revealing Earth’s geological history through colorful layers of sedimentary rock. The Aktau Mountains are the bed of an ancient body of water — according to one theory, the Tethys Ocean.

The Katutau are the most extensive mountains in Altyn-Emel, where remnants of frozen Permian lava have been preserved in the form of bizarre and intricate formations.

Nurtured by underground radon springs, Kosbastau serves as a lush botanical haven. The warm, mineralized water supports an ecosystem of giant, long-lived trees.

The Besshatyr Burial Mounds are a royal necropolis of the Saka era —nomadic tribes who inhabited the entire territory of modern Kazakhstan and far beyond during the 1st millennium BC.

Tanbaly Tas in Altyn-Emel features a vast collection of petroglyphs spanning the Bronze, Iron, and Middle Ages. These rock carvings were central to local rituals, a craft passed down through the generations.

The Dzhungar Alatau, Zhetysu's most extensive mountain range, is home to therapeutic springs, monumental petroglyphs, and picturesque gorges named after the region's diverse nature.

Altyn-Emel National Park features a diverse range of ecosystems, including mountain, meadow, steppe, desert, floodplain, and riverine environments. Over 850 plant species thrive here, including many rare and endemic varieties.

Altyn-Emel is home to 40% of Kazakhstan's total fauna, including rare species listed in the Red Data Book of Kazakhstan and the Red List of Threatened Species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Altyn-Emel is open to visitors daily, all year round. Please check the weather forecast and inquire about current road conditions before your trip.

Important information about roads in the park, car rental in Almaty, and recommendations for drivers.

You can only reach Altyn-Emel by driving your own or a rented vehicle, as public transport services to Basshi are unavailable.

You can buy your Altyn-Emel entry permit on-site at the national park office in Basshi village, payable in cash (KZT only).

Available tourist routes: Singing Dune (#1), Besshatyr Mounds (#2), Aktau and Katutau Mountains (#3).

Travel information for self-drive trips to the Besshatyr Mounds, Singing Dune, and the Aktau Mountains.

Off-road transport services from Basshi to the Singing Dune and Aktau Mountains (with driver).

Off-road bus rental in Basshi for group trips around the Altyn-Emel National Park.

Our guide in Basshi (RUS/ENG) will provide expert guidance for your journey in the park.

Spacious and cozy Caravansarai guest house in Basshi village with all amenities.

"Hotel on wheels" in static caravans at Caravansarai Campsite in Basshi.

Authentic traditional yurts with all amenities at Caravansarai Campsite in Basshi.