Alert
We kindly ask you to book a tour to Altyn-Emel in advance, at least a few days before the planned trip.
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.
We offer you a 2-day express tour along the most popular routes of the Altyn-Emel National Park, to the singing sands of Aigaikum and the ancient mountains of Aktau.
Tour Programme
Day 1:
Transfer from Almaty to the Basshi village - about 250 km (Almaty-Basshi road takes about 4 hours, excluding stops). The road passes through the city of Kapchagai (now Konaev), the Ili river in its widest place, where it flows from the Kapchagai reservoir, the village of Saryozek, the picturesque passes of Arkharly and Altyn-Emel.
Transfer 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.
Climbing the sand dune, photo shooting.
Stopping at Shokan Valikhanov's spring, "Dinosaur Trail".
Visiting the Oshaktas steles.
Return to Basshi. Accommodation at the Caravansarai campsite.
Day 2:
Transfer to the Aktau mountains - about 70 km from the Basshi village. The road passes through the steppe, via the villages of Nurym and Aktobe, and the Zhagalbaily post.
Walking along the canyons of the Aktau mountains, photo shooting.
Transfer to the Katutau mountains - about 25 km from the Aktau mountains (optional).
Walking around the lava gorge of Katutau, photo shooting.
Transfer to the 700-year-old willow in the Kosbastau oasis with a warm radon source - about 20 km from the Katutau mountains.
Walking, photo shooting.
Return to Almaty.
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, at the discretion of tourists, as the tour is short in time.
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 open-air geological museum about 145 million years old. The Aktau mountains are massive sedimentary deposits of an ancient ocean of the Cretaceous period in the form of ribbon 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 radon water.
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.
Valikhanov's SpringHelpful 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.
