Travel Advisory
GO TO ALTYN-EMEL- 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)
- Plastic bags for garbage
- Sunscreen cream
- Cream or spray against blood-sucking insects
- Smartphone / camera + chargers
- Personal medikit
- Drinking water in sufficient quantity
- Wear comfortable nonstainable outdoor clothing: pants, a T-shirt, a sweatshirt and a raingear. Summer outfit should be suitable for very sunny, hot and windy weather. Wear loose-fitting, light-colored clothing and a wide-brimmed hat. Apply sunscreen to all exposed skin. You can wear shorts if you are not afraid of getting burned, scratching your legs, or getting bitten by insects. Otherwise, it is better to wear pants and a long-sleeved shirt.
- Shoes should be lightweight, with good grip soles designed for hiking. When climbing the Singing Dune, you can take off your shoes if the sand is not very hot, or wear light shoes, from which you can easily shake out the sand.
- A headdress that protects from the sun and wind is a must. You may also need sunglasses.
- Keep in mind that you will get dusty so choose your clothes and shoes accordingly.
- Bring a set of clothes for the evening and flip-flops if you plan to stay overnight at a hotel or camp (remember that nights can be cold).
- For the cold season, you will need warm hiking clothes and shoes, as well as thermal underwear.
- The Altyn-Emel Park is very big, so make sure that your clothes, shoes and hat are comfortable for long hiking trips.
- Be careful near cliff edges. Avoid loose rock when traversing slopes, and remember that slickrock is much easier to climb up than down. 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.
- On the territory of the Altyn-Emel Park, there are two types of poisonous snakes, the viper and the Halys viper, as well as dangerous insects, such as karakurt spiders, camel spiders, scorpions, and ticks.
- The territory of the national park is also inhabited by a number of animal species, carriers of diseases of domestic animals and humans - plague, tularemia, anthrax, brucellosis, listeriosis, tick-borne encephalitis. So be extremely careful, especially when descending from well-trodden paths, stay away from trees, bushes, thickets of tall grass, burrows and crevices in the ground. Do not touch animals, lizards and rodents, which could be infection carriers.
- Use tick repellent spray on all clothing during tick activity periods (May-June, August-September). Also, bring a mosquito repellent.
- If you are bitten by a venomous insect or reptile, seek immediate medical attention.
- With normal wildlife safety and hygiene practices, you will enjoy your vacation and your exciting journey through the Altyn-Emel National Park.
- 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.
Do not burn any kind of garbage.
- 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.
- If you are camping outdoors, use biodegradable soap and dishwashing liquid. Do not allow detergents to enter water sources, collect water into a container and use it as far as possible from the water source.
