|
Almaty city tour
Almaty(Kazakh: Алматы, Almatı; formerly known as Alma-Ata, Verniy (Верный)) is the largest city in Kazakhstan, with a population of 1,348,500 (as of 1 September 2008), which represents 9% of the population of the country.
It was the capital of Kazakhstan (and its predecessor, the Kazakh SSR) from 1929 to 1997. Despite losing its status as the capital to Astana, Almaty remains the major commercial center of Kazakhstan.
The name "Almaty" derives from the Kazakh word for "apple" (алма), and thus is often translated as "full of apples". The older Soviet-era Russian version of its name, Alma-Ata, originates from the saint's tomb, buried in an apple orchard, whence the name, "Saint of the Apple (orchard)" or "Father of Apples". "Ata" standing for father in Kazakh and many other Turkic languages, also stands for a saint or a priest, as the term "padre" in the Romance languages. The old name for the new capital of Kazakhstan, Astana was Akmolinsk/Akmola--, "White Shrine/Mausoleum", a reference to another saint's burial ground.
In fact, in the region surrounding Almaty, there is a great genetic diversity among the wild apples; the region is thought to be the ancestral home of the apple, and the wild Malus sieversii, is considered a likely candidate for the ancestor of the modern domestic apple. The area is often visited by researchers and scientists from around the world in order to learn more about the complex systems of genetics, and also to discover the true beginnings of the domestic apple.
During 1000-900 BCE in the Bronze Age the first farmers and cattle-breeders established settlements on the territory of Almaty.
During the Saka’s period (from 700 BCE to the beginning of the Common Era), these lands were chosen for residence by Saka tribes and later Uisun tribes inhabiting the territory north of the Tian Shan mountain range. The evidences of these times are numerous burial tumuli and ancient settlements, especially giant burial mounds of Saka tsars ...more
|
Medeo skating rink
The Medeu (Kazakh Медеу, which would be more properly spelled Medew), or Medeo (traditional Russian: Медео), outdoor speed skating and bandy rink is one of the most famous ice rinks in the world. It is located in a mountain valley (Medeu Valley, or the valley of Malaya Alma-Atinka River) on the south-eastern outskirts of Almaty, Kazakhstan. It sits 1,691 metres above sea level and utilizes a sophisticated freezing and watering system to ensure the quality of the ice.
The Medeu Dam, built in the late 1960s, stands immediately south of the skating rink, protecting it - and the city of Almaty itself - from potentially devastating mud flows. Viewpoints on top of the dam provide great views of the stadium.
Medeu has seen many world records in all the speed skating distances from 1951 through the 1980s: 500 m, 1000 m, 1500 m, 3000 m, 5000 m and the 10000 m. In 1972 the rink made a very successful transition from natural ice rink to artificial icerink. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the costs to uphold the arena as a top speed skating rink have proved too costly for the independent Republic of Kazakhstan. The last great championship event on this ice rink was held in 1988 -- the Men's World Speed Skating Championship -- which was won by the American skater Eric Flaim.
The bandy team Dynamo Almaty, as the city was called in the Soviet era, won the Soviet Championships in 1977 and 1990.
In the early 2000s, Medeo's future status as a competition rink is uncertain ...more
|
Chimbulak ski resort
Chimbulak (Kazakh: Шымбұлақ), also known as Chimbulak (Russian: Чимбулак) is a ski resort near Almaty, the largest city of Kazakhstan. It is located in the upper part of the Medeu Valley in the Zaiilisky Alatau mountain range, at the elevation of 2200 meters above sea level. The resort area is about 25 km south of Almaty city by the Medeo road. It is popular for its mild climate, large quantity of sunny days and great amount of snow through the winter (from November till May).
Almaty is hosting the 2011 Asian Winter Games and is considering a bid for the 2018 Winter Olympics; Chimbulak is a venue for both events. There are three ski lifts, which cumulatively reach Talgar pass (3200 meters above the sea level), the highest point of the ski resort. The total length of the lifts is 3620 meters. There are 3 stations of them; the first one is Intersection Station (2260 meters above the sea level) (9 minute trip), then 20th Prop Station (2630 meters above the see level) (16.5 minutes) and Talgar pass Station (3200 meters above the see level). There is also Snow-Park for the fans of snowboarding.
The resort offers a ski and snowboard school. There is also Chimbulak hotel (4 stars) and ski, snowboard and sleigh rentals.
The weather varies from +20°C in summer to -7°C in winter and the snow base is about 1.5 to 1.8 meters ...more
|
Charyn canyon
Charyn canyon (kaz. "sharyn") situated in Kazakhstan along the Charyn river is 154 km long. The river flows through Carboniferous-period sedimentation and rock. This unusually picturesque section has a very varied relief. The canyon is 195 km away from Almaty city not far from the Chinese frontier. The canyon is a part of the Charyn natural national park. The park was formed in 2004.
Charyn canyon is a natural monument formed by the rocks and clay of approximately 12 million years old. The vertical canyon walls are about 150 – 300 meters high. The landscape is broken up with numerous gullies and ravines here and there. The most interesting place for tourists there is the so-called Valley of Castles which is 2 km long and 20 – 80 meters wide. In the heart of the canyon the ancient ash tree fossils survived the Ice age period were found; the Sogdian ash was very common 25 million years ago.Something similar can be found nowadays just in the North America. Since 1964 the place is called natural monument. The Charyn canyon landscape difference means rich flora and fauna. There are more than 1500 plants and 17 of them are registered in the Red Book. There are 62 kinds of mammals, 103 kinds of nestling birds and 25 kinds of reptiles. The Charyn canyon in Kazakhstan reminds the Colorado Crand Canyon. In spite of the fact it’s smaller but not less beautiful and absolutely amazing.
The Charyn Canyon is one of the most exotic places you could visit. The strange forms left by erosion and weathering create an unreal fairyland of weird sandstone sculptures - the Valley of Castles, Witches` Gorge, and so on.
|
Tanbaly petroglyphs
There are about fifty places in Zhetysu (seven rivers land) where you can find rock carvings, or petroglyphs, most dating back to the Bronze Age. The best-known petroglyphs are at Tanbaly. Near the ancient drawings are archaelogical finds such as settlements, burial grounds, religious structures and altars. In the late 1950s the unique sanctuary with rock drawings was found at Tanbaly (185 km north-west of Almaty city). Tanbaly is truly a gallery of ancient art. It reflects several historical periods, possibly more than twenty centuries. Over 4.000 rock petroglyphs have been discovered dating back to the Bronze Age, the early namadic era and the Turkic period. There are low slate cliffs on both sides of the gorge and these sheer, flat surfaces are decorated with individual animals and entire scenes carved with a metal chisel. The petroglyphs include both single and group images of mountain sheep, goats, horses, deer, aurochs and steppe antelope as well as some domestic animals like camels, horses, bulls, dogs. There are solar-headed gods, scenes dipicting hunting, religious rituals and animal sacrifices, compositions of people and animals, female forms, bowmen, prayer inscriptions and images of discs, chariots and tamgas (local Kazakh for "clan sign" from which the place name Tanbaly derives). Not far from the gorge are burial grounds dating back to the Bronze Age (11-10th centuries BC) and the early nomadic period (3rd century BC - 2nd century AD) and an early nomadic settlement. The Tanbaly gallery of petroglyphs is one of the world's treasures and is the world heritage protected by UNESCO ...more
|
Lake Issyk
Issyk Lake — is a mountain lake situated in the emerald Tien-Shan Mountains in Kazakhstan approximately 70 km from Almaty city. The Issyk Lake is 1756 m above the sea level. According to the scholars the lake appeared on the planet about 8-10 thousand years ago as a result of a strong earthquake which formed a natural 300 m high dyke on the way of the river. Initially the Issyk Lake was 1850 m long and 500 m wide. Its maximum depth was 50-80 m. The water was green-blue and there was no fish. In 1939 a sport resort was opened on its shore. Later in 1959 the natural park was organized. The Soviet engineers built a hotel with a restaurant up there. The same year an asphalted highway was built and a small bus station operated as well. Thousands of tourists from different places visited the Issyk Lake each year. The photos taken on the Issyk Lake were used on postcards and published in guide books. On 7 July 1963 a huge mud slide destroyed the major part of the lake’s natural dike and killed a plenty of people who had rest there that day. For sometime instead of a big lake there was just a small puddle. In 1990 the dyke and water pipe system reconstruction was finished.
|
Turgen waterfalls
The Turgen Gorge in the Ile-Alatau National Park (90 km from Almaty) is an ideal place to enjoy the beauty of nature. The gorge has hot springs, a trout farm,waterfalls and lots of woods. Rich in coniferous and mixed forests, alpine and sub-alpine meadows, lakes and springs, medicinal herds and berries, the gorge plunges 44 km to the vast Assy plateau (2,560 m). Long ago caravans from Europe passed through the "Royal Gates" on their way to the East - to China and India. The broad valley stretches east for 60 km. From here you can mountain-bike to the Charyn Canyon or the Kolsai Lakes.
The Turgen Gorge is famous for its seven waterfalls. The Medvezhy (Bear) Waterfalls drop 30 metres in a beautiful setting amidst overhanging cliffs and green fir trees.
Another notable feature of the gorge is the relict Chin-Turgen mossy fir forests which cover the ground and form a thick carpet of trees. The most popular spot in the Turgen Gorge is Botan, the hunting base. Here, where three rivers meet, the gorge is at its deepest - 920 metres. The Turgen river flows south-west, while the Kishi-Turgen runs south-east. There is an observatory on the plateau. Ancient burial mounds and rock drawings are dotted along the Asy river. There are quite a few Sacae and Usun graves in the gorge dating back to 500 BC-300 AD. Holiday homes such as Sinegorye and Tauturgen are located where the hot springs flow into the rapid Turgen river. The Sinegorye, situated 1,500 m above sea level in the scenic Mikushino gorge (70 km from Almaty), offers a wide choice of rooms. The small mountain lakes above the Sinegorye are wonderful for bathing and fishing, while lower down is a trout farm where you can catch your own fish and cook them for supper.
|
Big Almaty Lake
Big Almaty Lakу is set high up in a gorge of the Bolshaya Almatinka river, 2,500 metres above sea level and 28,5 km south of Almaty. It lies in a hollow like a gleaming mirror, surrounded on all sides by majestic peaks. Nearly all of the mountain lakes in the Tien-Shan are the results of earthquakes, and Big Almaty Lake is the largest of these. Three main peaks tower above the lake and can be seen from the northern end of the dam: Sovyetov (4,317 m) to the south-east, Ozyorny (4,110 m) to the south, further up the river valley, and the forested slopes of Turist (3,954 m) to the south-west. West of Turist is the crest of Bolshoi Almaty Peak, a 3,681-m-high pyramid which is visible from the city centre. The lake changes colour from light green to turquoise depending on the season. Fed by glacier water, the lake is 1.6 km long, almost a kilometre wide and 40 m deep.
High up above the pale blue chalice of the lake is the domed Tien-Shan Astronomical Observatory, in a very ancient glacier valley 2 km from the lake and at an altitude of 2,700 m. Walk another 8 km and you will reach the Cosmic Rays Research Station at 3,300 m, near the Zhosylkezen Pass. You can camp here for the night and gaze up at the stars.
The path forks after the dam at Big Almaty Lake, leading to many places that are perfect for hiking, skiing, bird-watching, picnicking or camping. The left-hand trail goes east to the Turist Pass and Left Talgar valley, while the righr-hand path crosses the river and climbs to the Ozyorny Pass.
The Ozyorny and Prokhodnoi Gorges stretch out like two ample sleeves of the Big Almaty Gorge, each beautiful and surprisingly different from the other. From the Almaty-Alagir Pass there is a stunning view of the snow-clad Zaili Alatau peaks. The pass is the starting - point for routes to Lake Issyk-Kul (in Kyrgyzstan) of varying length and complexity - the Ozyorny, Aksu, Prokhodnoi and Kok-Kairyk Passes. The season for trekking to Issyk-Kul is late July to August.
|
Kolsai Lakes
The Kolsai lakes are one of the treasures of the Northern Tien-Shan. These three mountain lakes, set among steep pine-clad slopes, nestle in a spur of the Kungei Alatau. This is a wonderful place for camping, hiking, pony-trekking and mountain biking. The nearest village is Saty (320 km from Almaty). The lowest lake, at a height of 1,818 m, stretches for 1 km. It is accessible by road and there are comfortable guesthouses and campsites. The middle Kolsai lake (2,252 m), the largest and most beautiful, is 5 km from the first lake. The highest of the Kolsais is 4 km further and 600 m higher up. After another 6 km you reach the Sary-Bulak Pass (3,278 m) on the Kyrgyzstan border, with superb views over the blue Lake Issyk-Kul. The whole 25-km trail can be covered in a day on horseback or three days on foot. The lakes are teeming with trout.
Strangely enough, although its name means "birch", Lake Kaindy is set in a forest of conifers 2,000 m above sea level. The lake was created about 100 years ago as the result of an enormous limestone landslide. The embankment partitioned the gorge with a natural dam. The 400-m-long lake is almost 30 m deep. There are fine views over the Saty Gorge, the Chilik river valley and the Kaindy gorge. The dried-out trunks of submerged fir-trees rise above the surface of the water like the masts of a sunken ship.
|
Aksu-Zhabagly Nature Reserve
Aksu-Zhabagly is the oldest and most famous nature reserve in Central Asia. It was founded in 1926, its territory was constantly increasing and now is 132.6 thousands hectares. It is located on the Ugam and Maidantal ridges of Talasskiy Alatau in Western part of Tien Shan. The name of nature reserve is formed from the name of its two biggest rivers – Aksu and Zhabagly, between which it was originally created. All the diversity of wildlife and abiocoen objects is carefully conserved in the nature reserve. Only catastrophic occurrences like fires assume human interference. That is why the scientists have a unique laboratory to research the nature in its original condition, and nature reserve visitors can observe and value the original beauty and diversity of West Tien Shan landscapes.
The most special and representative are landscapes that include Juniper forests. These forests or, to be more precise, sparse forests, are formed by two species of Juniper. Juniperus semigloboza and J. seravschanica are 6-7 (sometimes up to 12) meters in height. The oldest specimens reach 3 meters in girth. The third species - J. turkestanica – in the limits of nature reserve has a creeping form, its “tablets” are observed on the slopes of subalpine zone.
The visitors of nature reserve are stunned by the opportunity of wide view of amazing landscapes that are seen all the time in any part of the reserve’s territory: bright meadows among Junipers, deep and spacious river valleys, rocky ridges and snow tops, a lot of clean water streams. This water you can (and you should!) drink right out of the streams, because they are born here out of the melting snows ...more
|
Altyn-Emel
Ak-Tau-the White Mountains
Nature-lovers will find an unexpected paradise in the Altyn-Emel National Park. The park covers 90 sq. km between the Ili River and the Ak-Tau mountain range. It is mysterious, beautiful country with a long history and a unique natural environment. Nowhere can you find more amazing remains of the Sacae culture: ancient burial mounds and rock paintings of wild animals and hunting scenes.
The Singing Sands
Another unique wonder of nature is the Singing Sands, 182 km north-east of Almaty, on the right bank of the Ili River. In dry weather this sand-dune emits a sound like an organ playing. The Singing Sands make an unforgettable impression. The humming and vibration are caused by the scarcely perceptible movement of sand sliding down the slope. The friction caused by the movement of the dry grains of sand, combined with the dry air, electrifies them, causing the vibration ...more
|
Astana city tour
Astana (Kazakh: Астана,Astana, former names include Akmola, Akmolinsk and Tselinograd), is the capital and second largest city (after Almaty) of Kazakhstan, with an officially estimated population of 750,700 as of November 2008. It is located in the north-central portion of Kazakhstan, within Akmola Province, though politically separate from the rest of the province.
The current mayor of Astana is Imangali Tasmagambetov. He was appointed on April 4, 2008. The word Astana in Kazakh literally means Capital but the word itself originates from Persian (Astana, from the verb Istadan to stand (in respect)), and literally means "threshold"--royal or sacred, (where people stand in respect or awe), implying where the court is seated (the capital city) or the body of a sacred person in interred (a shrine town). The city of Turkistan in Kazakhstan that host the body of the saint Ahmad Yasavi is also called the "astana" as is the city of Mashhad in Iran that is the burial place of the 8th Shiite Imam Reza. In fact, long before becoming the new capital of Kazakhstan, was "an astana," namely, a burial ground of a saint, whence the old name of the city, Ak Mola (Ақмола), "white mausoleum".
In June 2008, a parliamentary proposal was put forward to change the city's name to "Nursultan", in honor of President Nursultan Nazarbayev. The idea was rejected by Nazarbayev himself, who said the decision of renaming the city will be for future generations. A unit of Siberian cossacks from Omsk founded a huge fortress on the upper Ishim in 1824, which later became the town of "Akmolinsk". During the early 20th Century, the town became a major railway junction, causing a major economic boom that lasted until the Russian Civil War ...more
|
Baikonur cosmodrome
Baikonur (Kazakh: Байқоңыр, Bayqoñır; Russian: Байконур, Baykonur), formerly known as Leninsk, is a city in Kyzylorda Province of Kazakhstan, rented and administered by Russia. It was constructed to service the Baikonur Cosmodrome and was officially renamed Baikonur by Boris Yeltsin on December 20, 1995.
The shape of the area rented is an ellipse, measuring 90 kilometres east to west, by 85 kilometres north to south, with the cosmodrome at the centre.
The original Baikonur is a mining town a few hundred kilometres northeast, near Dzhezkazgan in Kazakhstan's Karagandy Province. The launch site was given this name to cause confusion and keep the location secret. This town was specifically chosen because the flight path of the rockets that launched many Soviet satellites, including the first Sputnik, passed over its vicinity. The name Baikonur is Kazakh for "wealthy brown", i.e. "fertile land with many herbs". The railway station there, however, predates the base and keeps the old name - Tyuratam.
The fortunes of the city have varied according to those of the Soviet/Russian space program and its Baikonur Cosmodrome.
The Soviet government established the Nauchno-Issledovatel'skii Ispytatel'nyi Poligon N.5 (NIIIP-5), or Scientific-Research Test Range N.5 by its decree of 12 February 1955. The U-2 high-altitude reconnaissance plane found and photographed for the first time the Tyuratam missile test range (cosmodrome Baikonur) on 5 August 1957. See a composite satellite image of the early Tyuratam launch complex, the cosmodrome (30 May 1962).
The Baikonur Cosmodrome (Kazakh: Байқоңыр ғарыш айлағы, Bayqoñır ğarış aylağı; Russian: Космодром Байконур, Kosmodrom Baykonur), also called Tyuratam, is the world's first and largest operational space launch facility. It is located in the desert steppes of Kazakhstan, about 200 kilometers (124 mi) east of the Aral Sea, north of the Syr Darya river, near Tyuratam railway station, at 90 metres above sea level. The facility derives its name from a wider area known as Baikonur and is also traditionally linked with the town of Jezkazgan. It is leased by the Kazakh government to Russia (currently until 2050) and is managed jointly by the Russian Federal Space Agency and the Russian Space Forces. The shape of the area leased is an ellipse, measuring 90 kilometres east-west by 85 kilometres north-south, with the cosmodrome at the centre. It was originally built by the Soviet Union in the late 1950s as the base of operations for its ambitious space program.
|
Taraz city tour
Taraz (Kazakh: Тараз), formerly Talas, Jambyl and Aulie-Ata (Kazakh: Әулие́-Ата) is a city and a center of the Jambyl Province in Kazakhstan. It is located in the south of Kazakhstan, near the border with Kyrgyzstan, on the Talas River (Taraz River). It has a population of 330,100 (1999 census), up 9% from 1989, making it one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, after Astana and Türkistan.
One of the oldest cities in Kazakhstan and in Transoxania, Taraz celebrated its official 2000 anniversary (recognized by UNESCO) in 2001, dating from a fortress built in the area by a Hun (Ch. Xiongnu, Hsiung-nu, etc) chanyu named Zhizhi and was a site of the Battle of Zhizhi in 36 BCE. The city was first recorded under the name "Talas" in 568 CE by Menander Protector, the medieval city of Talas was a major trade centre along the Silk Road. Talas was later described by Xuanzang, who passed Talas in 629 and later wrote: Traveling westward from the Thousand Springs 140 or 150 li, we come to the city of Daluosi. The city is 8 or 9 li in diameter; and was settled by Hu ("barbarian") merchants from various nations. The products and the climate are about the same as Suyab. The Talas alphabet, a variant of the Turkic "runiform" Orkhon script, is named for the town. Talas secured a place in history by virtue of the Battle of Talas (751 CE), which was fought between forces of the Chinese Tang Dynasty and those of the Arab Abbasid Caliphate. The battle took place somewhere along the Talas River in the Talas valley. One of its indirect outcomes was the introduction of paper to the west, via the Arab capture of Chinese paper makers.
Numerous archaeological finds and monuments in the foothills of Karatau and in Talas-Assin oasis show the antiquity of settlements in the Talas River valley, supporting Taraz' claim to being the most ancient city in Kazakhstan. The history of the city is composed of several historical periods, interrupted by destruction and depopulation. The first reference historically recorded city linked with Taraz and the basis for the claim of 2000 year old history is the fortress of Zhizhi that briefly existed at the site of modern day Taraz in the first century BC. A city known as "Taraz" or "Talas" is then recorded in 568 CE and is known to exist until its destruction in 1209. The third historical period begins with the establishment of Aulie-Ata (later renamed Dzhambul and eventually Taraz again) on the same site and lasts till today.
Discovery of caves and ancient campsites during the investigation of the eastern part of the Talas-Assinsky Oasis, in the Karatau Ranges spur has confirmed Bernshtam's opinion (expressed in 1903) that the Talas Valley was settled before the 1st century BC ...more
|
Turkestan city tour
Turkestan is a city in the southern region of Kazakhstan, near the Syr Darya river. Turkestan is the Russian spelling; the proper transliteration of the Kazakh name is Türkistan (Kazakh: Түркістан), or simply Turkistan. It has a population of 85,600 and is situated 160 km (100 miles) north-west of Shymkent (Chimkent) on the Trans-Aral Railway between Kyzl Orda (Ak-Mechet, Perovsk) to the north and Tashkent to the south.
Türkistan is one of Kazakhstan's historic cities with an archaeological record dating back to the 4th century.It may even have been the capital of ancient Kangju and known to the Chinese as Beitian, before Zhe’she rose to prominence. Later it was known as Yasi or Shavgar and after the 16th century as Turkistan. It became a commercial centre after the final demise of Otrar, the medieval city whose ruins lie near the Syr Darya to the southeast ...more
|
|
|
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
(1).jpg)
(1).jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
1.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
6.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.png)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)