All three main routes in Altyn-Emel in 3 days! We offer you a complete sightseeing tour of the national park: the Besshatyr Saka burial mounds, the Aktau cretaceous mountains and the Singing Dune.
You will see the sacred part of Altyn-Emel in a narrow protected valley between the Ili river and the Dzhungarian mountains, and the main part of the national park with "singing dunes" and striped canyons of the Aktau mountains.
Tour Programme
Day 1:
Transfer from Almaty to Checkpoint 1 of the Altyn-Emel National Park - about 150 km (Almaty-Checkpoint 1 road takes about 2 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 Shengeldy, further along the bank of the Kapchagai reservoir.
Transfer to the petroglyphs of Tanbaly Tas in the Terekty gorge of the Sholak mountains - about 17 km from Checkpoint 1. The road passes through a picturesque valley between the Dzhungarian mountains and the Kapchagai reservoir.
Walking along the gorge with rock paintings, photo shooting.
Stopping at the Kapchagai reservoir - about 3 km from Tanbaly Tas (optional).
Transfer to the Besshatyr Saka mounds at the foot of the Degeres mountains - about 15 km along the delta of the Ili river, via the Zhantogai post.
Visiting the Besshatyr necropolis, photo shooting.
Transfer to the Basshi village - about 200 km. The road passes through the village of Saryozek, the picturesque passes of Arkharly and Altyn-Emel.
Accommodation in the guest house of 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.
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 Basshi.
Day 3:
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 Chokan Valikhanov's spring, "Dinosaur Trail".
Visiting the Oshaktas steles.
Return to Almaty.
Places of Interest:
The Besshatyr mounds, the Singing Dune and the Aktau mountains are the largest sights of the Altyn-Emel National Park. The volcanic mountains of Katutau, the 700-year-old willow, as well as historical monuments (petroglyphs of Tanbaly Tas, stone steles of Oshaktas and the spring of Shokan Valikhanov) are optional.
Petroglyphs of Tanbaly Tas ("stone with signs") on the territory of Altyn-Emel is part of one of the world's largest centers of rock art, which stretches along the belt of mountains and foothills from Sayans and Altai to Tien Shan and Pamirs.
Carved on stone, drawings of people, animals, sun-headed deities, etc., belong to the era of bronze, iron and the Middle Ages.
Mounds of Besshatyr ("five tents"), dating back to the 1st millennium BC is the main historical and cultural attraction of Altyn-Emel.
Large, medium and small tombs were erected for leaders, commanders and nobility of the nomadic tribe of Saka Tigrakhauda who lived on the territory of Semirechye (Jetysu, "Seven Rivers") about 2.5 thousand years ago. The Besshatyr necropolis also served as a place for religious ceremonies.
The place where the Ili river flows into the artificially created Kapchagai reservoir, forming a vast fore-delta, is located in the protected part of the Altyn-Emel Park.
This is a quiet and picturesque place with the the Kapchagai lake, on the one hand, and the south-end of Dzhungarian Alatau (the Sholak mountains), on the other.
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.
The 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.
The 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.
The 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.
The 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.
The spring of Chokan 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 Chokan Valikhanov, the great Kazakh scientist, educator and traveler, stopped to rest.
Since then, the spring has been revered as sacred by the local people.
Notes:
The three-day full tour to the Altyn-Emel National Park is an opportunity to see all its main attractions in the shortest possible time.
Passage through Altyn-Emel is prohibited, its central part (between the Besshatyr necropolis and the Singing Dune) is a protected area, therefore you enter the national park twice, via Checkpoint 1 (to the protected area) and via the Basshi village (to the main territory).
The routes of the Altyn-Emel park are long, and the roads are unpaved, a part of the road to Checkpoint 1 is very hilly, a part of the Saryozek-Basshi road is under reconstruction, so it takes more time to travel than you can expect.
The tour program is variable: you can visit the Singing Dune on the second day, with an overnight stay in Basshi or in Mynbulak.
However, we recommend visiting the Aktau mountains on the second day (in the middle of the tour) as it is a big tourist site that requires a full day for sightseeing and walking through the canyons.
The trip to the Altyn-Emel National Park is long (about 8 hours only on the road from Almaty to the village of Basshi and back, apart from the visit of the protected area and transfer through the park), so it is recommended to leave Almaty on the first day and go to the Aktau mountains on the second day early in the morning.
The tour takes 3 full days on the go, so visiting the Katutau mountains and the 700-year-old willow, located off the main road, is not always possible, since the main objects (the Singing Dune and the Aktau Mountains) usually take quite a lot of time.
Options:
If you want to stay overnight at the foot of the Aktau mountains and see these multi-coloured mountains at sunset and sunrise, then it is better to choose a camping tour.
Learn more:
Singing Dune and Aktau Mountains: Three-Day Camping Tour >>>
Prices
Prices are valid for 2023.
The cost of a 3-day tour to Altyn-Emel is shown for a 4-seater and a 7-seater car (for the total number of tourists and for 1 tourist).
The price includes:
- Transfer from Almaty to Checkpoint 1, to the Basshi village and back
- Transfer within the park
- Driver's service
- Park fees
- Accommodation at the guest house of the Caravansarai campsite in Basshi
Meals are not included in the tour. You can order national meals in Basshi. Also, at the Caravansarai campsite, you can cook any meal at any time (the campsite is equipped with kitchens with all the equipment, there is a summer kitchen, outdoor grill). To do this, you need to bring food and drinks with you. There is a small shop on the campsite where you can buy basic foodstuff but it is better to buy food in Almaty.
In the city of Kapchagai (now Konaev) there is a cafe of national and European cuisine on the way.
Helpful Information
- Passport
- Small handy backpack for personal items
- Personal hygiene items: a toothbrush, toothpaste, a towel, etc. if you plan to stay overnight 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
- Swimsuit / swimming trunks if you go to Kapchagai and the Kosbastau post with a warm radon spring
- 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, (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 if you plan to stay overnight at a hotel or campsite (remember 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. Remember that the rocks in the Aktau and Katutau mountains are very fragile.
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.
See also:
Besshatyr Mounds and Tanbaly Tas Petroglyphs: One-Day Tour >>>
Singing Dune and 700-Year-Old Willow: Two-Day Tour >>>
Aktau Mountains and 700-Year-Old Willow: Two-Day Tour >>>
Singing Dune and Aktau Mountains: Two-Day Express Tour >>>
Singing Dune and Aktau Mountains: Three-Day Tour >>>
Singing Dune and Aktau Mountains: Three-Day Camping Tour >>>
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