Distance
Distance of the tourist route: 46.5 km one way (Basshi village - Singing Dune, the route is marked in yellow on the map).
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.
Singing Dune and Legends of Genghis Khan
The most popular excursion route is traditionally associated with the name of the great conqueror Genghis Khan, who passed through these places in 1219 during his campaign to Central Asia.
The fast-moving army of the nomadic Mongols did not leave any significant traces here, but the historical Mongolian name of Altyn-Emel ("Golden Saddle") and the geographical location of this territory on the way to the cities of Semirechye, which were the Genghis Khan's ultimate goal, prove that Altyn-Emel was one of the first silent eyewitnesses of this military campaign.
Some folk legends have preserved the memory of this event. One of them says that Genghis Khan himself is buried under the sands of the Singing Dune, and the second legend is related to the mysterious menhirs of Oshaktas which are considered to be a large hearth for cooking put up by the warriors.
Among the lands conquered by Genghis Khan on the territory of present-day Kazakhstan, Altyn-Emel is one of the few that has preserved the primevalness of these places to this day, the way they looked during the Mongol invasion in the 13th century.
Places to Visit
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 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 SpringThe 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 StelesAlert
- The park is open for visiting only during the daytime, during daylight hours.
- The permit is issued either remotely or at the national park office in the village of Basshi.
- There is almost no mobile communication in the park and the Internet does not work.
- The road along Route 1 is gravely soil (chatter bumps), causing strong vibration. The road is dusty.
- Overnight stays and camping at the Singing Dune are prohibited. The nearest camping place is the Mynbulak ranger's post, 10 km from the dune.
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.
