The Singing Dune and the Aktau mountains are the most remarkable natural phenomena in Altyn-Emel, places of pilgrimage for thousands of tourists from all over the world.
In 2 days you can visit the most popular locations of the Altyn-Emel National Park, the singing sands of Aigaikum and the colorful mountains of Aktau.
Route
Tourist Route 1 (Singing Dune), marked in yellow on the map, and Route 3 (Aktau mountains), marked in red.
Basshi village → 6 km → Shygan post → 30 km – Mynbulak post → 10.5 km → Singing Dune → 2 km → Valikhanov's spring → 7 km → Oshaktas steles → 37.5 km → Basshi village → 28 km → Kosbastau post → 10 km → Zhagalbaily post → 34 km → Aktau mountains → 25 km → Katutau mountains → 47 km → Basshi village.
Distance
Distance from Almaty to the beginning of the route (Basshi village): about 250 km one way.
Distance inside the park: total about 250 km along two routes (including the Katutau mountains).
Duration of the trip: 2 days (only during daylight hours).
Permit
The permit is issued either remotely, in advance through the online cashiers of the national park and payment through the Kaspi Bank mobile application, or at the national park office in the village of Basshi.
Online Cashier (permit issue):
+77079390039, +77778019670 (daily, from 9:00 till 6:00 pm)
There is almost no mobile phone service and Internet in the park. In the Basshi village, there is good mobile communication and 4G mobile Internet.
Route 1 (Singing Dune) is open to visitors only in the daytime, during daylight hours.
Route 3 (Aktau mountains) - you can stop for the night in your tents at the foot of the Aktau mountains.
Passage through the park to the Besshatyr mounds is prohibited.
Road from Almaty
The road from Almaty to the Basshi village is asphalted. The main part of the road is a toll highway.
The roads in the Altyn-Emel Park are gravelly soil (chatter bumps), causing strong vibration; it is recommended to have a strong and reliable 4x4. The road is dusty. The section of the road to the Katutau mountains is the worst and is rarely graded.
Find below services for booking economical and reliable cars for travel around the region.
You can leave your car in Basshi and use the transfer services around the park.
The road from Almaty to the Basshi village takes 3-4 hours (250 km). Before Saryozek you need to turn right towards the Zharkent road and drive to the Altyn-Emel mountain pass, then to the turn towards the village of Basshi. There you can buy a permit in the central office of the national park.
Road from Zharkent
If you want to visit Altyn-Emel after Kolsai Lakes and Charyn Canyon, your route will be as follows: Saty village (Kolsai Lakes) - Charyn Canyon - Chundzha (Shonzhy) village (you can stop by hot springs 50 km from the village) - Koktal village (you can stop by the town of Zharkent 17 km from Koktal) - Basshi village.
The total distance from the Saty village to the Basshi village is about 330 km (approximately 4.5 hours drive). The road is asphalted.
Self-drive trip to Jetysu: Altyn-Emel, Charyn, Kolsai, Assy >>>
Gas Stations
There are good gas stations in the Saryozek village and in the Chundzha (Shonzhy) village (accepting payment by card).
Near the village of Basshi, there is one gas station, which sometimes does not have fuel, and prices are too high there.
Recommended Program
Day 1:
Departure from Almaty at 8-9 am.
Arrive in Basshi around 12 noon in order to have time to buy passes at the national park office before lunch break.
Trip to the Singing Dune (4-5 hours).
Overnight in the village of Basshi.
Day 2:
Departure to the Aktau mountains at 8 am.
Trip to the Aktau and Katutau mountains (5-7 hours).
Return to Almaty.
Places to See
Day 1:
On the way from Almaty:
You will pass through the city of Kapchagai (now Konaev), the Ili river in its widest place, where it flows into the Kapchagai reservoir, the town of Saryozek, the picturesque passes of Arkharly and Altyn-Emel.
In the Altyn-Emel Park:
The road to the Singing Dune - about 50 km from the village of Basshi. The road passes through the steppe, surrounded by the Dzhungarian mountains, the mountains of Katutau and Kalkans, via the Shygan and Mynbulak posts.
You can stop on the way at Shokan Valikhanov's spring, the Oshaktas steles, "dinosaurs' trail" (infoboards).
The Singing Dune “sings” only in dry weather, when dry sand moves from the wind or under your feet. From the top of the dune there is a view of the mountains on all sides and the Ili river. The climb is not difficult.
Day 2:
The road to the Aktau mountains - 72 km from the Basshi village. The road passes through the steppe, via the villages of Nurym and Aktobe, and the Zhagalbaily post in the steppe.
In the Aktau mountains there is a main tourist trail. It is a long canyon. You can also climb to accessible places.
The road to the Katutau mountains - about 25 km from the Aktau mountains.
A visit to the lava mountains of Katutau will not take much time.
On the way to the Aktau mountains or back, you can stop by the 700-year-old willow in the Kosbastau oasis with a warm radon source.
The most commonly seen animals are gazelles and camels. At the Shygan post, you can ask for permission to see the Przewalski’s horses.
Places of Interest:
The Singing Dune and the Aktau cretaceous mountains are the main places that tourists usually want to see in the Altyn-Emel National Park. Visiting the Katutau volcanic mountains and the 700-year-old willow, which are off the main route, is optional.
The Singing Dune, or Aigaikum ("singing sands"), is the main attraction of the Altyn-Emel National Park.
Monument of nature of republican significance. It is considered one of the 7 natural wonders of Kazakhstan and entered the list of nominees for the world competition "7 new wonders of nature", held in 2007-2011.
Singing DuneThe cretaceous mountains of Aktau ("white mountains") are one of the main attractions of Altyn-Emel.
This is a unique natural open-air geological museum about 400 million years old, thick sedimentary deposits of an ancient ocean in the form of banded rocks of various colors: green, red, blue and white.
Aktau MountainsThe volcanic mountains of Katutau ("severe mountains", "frozen mountains") are the most extensive and highest desert mountains of Altyn-Emel.
There is a large extinct volcano here. The products of its powerful eruptions occupied a large area and subsequently eroded, taking on bizarre shapes. You can still see the remains of the frozen lava here.
Katutau MountainsThe sacred 700-year-old willow, 20 meters high and 15 meters girth of the trunk, is the main attraction of the Kosbastau post, a green oasis in the middle of the Altyn-Emel desert.
The longevity of the willow and other old-timers is explained by warm underground springs with healing radon water, which, according to medical indicators, is in no way inferior to the famous Saryagash water in the south of Kazakhstan.
700-Year-Old WillowThe Oshaktas steles ("stone hearth") is a cultural and historical monument of the era of Genghis Khan (13th century), according to the official version.
It is believed that the steles were installed by Mongol warriors, for a cauldron or for a signal fire. However, they are more similar to the menhirs of the Saka era (I millennium BC), since there are similar structures in the western part of Altyn-Emel, near the Saka necropolis of Besshatyr.
Oshaktas StelesThe spring of Shokan Valikhanov, not far from the Singing Dune, is one of the historical places of Altyn-Emel.
Here in 1856, the famous Kashgar expedition headed by Shokan Valikhanov, the great Kazakh scientist, educator and traveler, stopped to rest.
Since then, the spring has been revered as sacred by the local people.
Valikhanov's SpringLodging & Dining
There are toilets, gazebos with benches and tables near the Singing Dune. Overnight stays and camping near the Singing Dune are prohibited. The nearest camping site is the Mynbulak post, 10 km from the dune.
In the Aktau mountains you can spend the night and camp in your tents (you must notify the national park officials about this when purchasing a pass). There are toilets and gazebos nearby.
Please note that there are no water sources in this place.
You can stop for the night in the village of Basshi.
There is no cafe in Basshi; tourists usually take food with them from the city. Or they have food at the hotel where they stay overnight.
Helpful Information
- Passport
- Small handy backpack for personal items
- Personal hygiene items: a toothbrush, toothpaste, a towel, etc. in case of overnight stay in a hotel or a campsite
- Antibacterial wet wipes
- Paper tissues and toilet paper (plain, white, non-perfumed brands)
- Sunscreen cream
- Cream or spray against blood-sucking insects
- Smartphone / camera + chargers
- Personal medikit
- Drinking water (in the hot arid climate of the Altyn-Emel Park, you may need a lot of drinking water)
Wear comfortable nonstainable outdoor clothing: pants, a T-shirt or a long-sleeved shirt, a sweatshirt and a raingear. Summer outfit should be suitable for a very sunny, hot, as well as windy and dusty weather.
A headdress that protects from the sun and wind is a must.
Shoes should be lightweight, with good grip soles designed for hiking. Don't wear slippers.
Bring a set of clothes for the evening and flip-flops in case of overnight stay at a hotel or campsite (keep in mind that nights can be cold).
For the cold season, you will need warm hiking clothes and shoes, as well as thermal underwear.
The distances in the Altyn-Emel Park are large, so clothes, shoes and headgear should be as comfortable as possible for long hikes.
Be careful in the mountains and near the cliffs. Keep to the elaborate tourist routes.
Wear a sun hat and drink enough clean water to prevent dehydration in the desert climate.
Use an anti-tick spray on all clothing during the active period (May-June). Take care also of mosquito and midge repellents.
Do not touch animals, lizards and rodents, which can be infection carriers.
With normal wildlife safety and hygiene practices, you will enjoy your vacation and your exciting journey through the national park.
Tourism in the Altyn-Emel National Park is pro-environmental.
Garbage. Wherever you are, do not leave garbage (including organic) behind you, such as plastic, glass, metal, food waste, cigarette butts, napkins, tampons, pads, etc. Pack the garbage carefully in bags and take them out to specially designated places. Bring drawstring trash bags. Do not burn any kind of garbage.
Toilet. If you are away from a toilet, find a spot that is away from paths and water sources, and be sure that human feces do not contaminate water. In a hot desert, human waste does not biodegrade easily because there is little organic soil to help break it down. Do not bury them, but lightly cover them with soil so that the heat of the sun and light can speed up the decay process. Used toilet paper should also be sprinkled with soil. Use only plain, white, non-perfumed brands.
Car Rental
There is no public transport to Altyn-Emel. You can only get to the national park by your own or rented car.
You can rent a car in Kazakhstan using the Economy Bookings and Rentalcars services which unite the largest brands of the car rental industry around the world. Many of them have their locations in Kazakhstan, so you can choose a suitable car for your trips at the best prices. It is easy, convenient and reliable.
NB: Please book a car in advance, then you will have more choice than in the high season. Also please note that car rental prices are constantly increasing.
