One of the favorite places for outdoor activities is Kazakhstan. Its mountains attract tourists. In winter, people go snowboarding and skiing here, and in summer they go for walks and enjoy nature and clean air.
Zaili Alatau
Zailiyskiy Alatau are high and famous mountains in Kazakhstan. This unique place is located in the south-east of the republic. It is located in the northern part of the Tien Shan mountain system.
A ski resort is located in the gorge of the Zailiyskiy Alatau. It pleases tourists all year round. Skiing is available from December to April. It is interesting that the organizers have thought out routes for experienced people and beginners, so everyone will find something to do. In addition, there are many other entertainments. For example, in the summer you can ride bicycles, horseback riding, play paintball, football, test your strength at the climbing wall. But the most important thing is that the nature of the Trans-Ili Alatau will not leave anyone indifferent.
Here is the Turgen gorge, which gives an extraordinary picturesque nature. It is full of lakes and springs. Tourists are attracted by the waterfalls that are located in the gorge. There are also mounds, burial grounds, drawings on the rocks, which were made thousands of years ago. History lovers go to this place to see these wonders with their own eyes.
Khan Tengri
In the center of the Tien Shan, where the borders of Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, the peak of Khan Tengri is located. This is the largest mountain in Kazakhstan, the highest point, its height reaches 6995 meters. In the republic, this place is considered one of the most beautiful. Almost every climber dreams of visiting here.
Khan-Tengri differs from other mountains in the unusual beauty of the peak. It has the shape of a pyramid. When the sun rises and sets, it takes on a bright red hue. Because of this, many legends were written about this place in ancient times.
Since 2000, a new tradition has emerged. Every year they began to hold the International Festival on Mount Khan Tengri. Marathons, competitions between athletes of different types of mountain tourism are held here.
Dzhungarskiy Alatau, Altai Mountains
Mountains of Kazakhstan amaze many tourists, their list is voluminous. For example, the mountains of the Dzungarian Alatau are located in the southwest. Here nature is untouched by man, and this is what it beckons to itself. This is a picturesque place where argali, mountain goats, gazelles live. From ancient times, there were drawings on the rocks, structures for rituals, burial mounds.
There are other mountains of Kazakhstan. Photos of the Altai Mountains amaze with their beauty. You can feel the clean air here. Sanatoriums and hospitals were built in this place. To improve yourhe alth, people come to this part of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The mountains are located in the east, and divide them into three regions.
Belukha Mountain is considered to be the symbol of Altai. Its height is 4506 meters. Of all the Altai and Siberia, this is the highest peak, which is constantly covered with glaciers and snows. Various legends have been told about this place since ancient times. For Buddhists in general, this mountain is sacred. They believe that the gods of Shambhala once lived here. And later the great Buddha came from here to India.
Low mountains of Kazakhstan
There are other areas that distinguish Kazakhstan. Its mountains, even of small height, delight with their beauty. These include:
- Saryarka small hills, located in the center of the country.
- Mangystau mountains, which are located near the Caspian Sea.
- The stone ridge of Mugodzhary, which is located in the west of the Ural Mountains.
By the way, Saryarka is considered a resort area. Many tourists come here to get a good rest. From other small hills can be distinguished:
- Karkaraly Mountains;
- Chingiztau;
- Axorgan;
- Try.
But in the Mangistau mountains is the lowest point in Kazakhstan. This is the Karagie depression, it is 132 meters below sea level.
Animals in the mountains of Kazakhstan
The animals of the mountains of Kazakhstan surprise with their diversity. Live here:
- 490 bird species;
- more100 kinds of fish;
- 172 mammals, 51 reptiles;
- 12 different types of amphibians.
There are also very rare life forms in Kazakhstan. This is the Danatin toad, the Alai gologlaz. Also:
- stone marten;
- argali;
- snow leopard;
- Turkestan lynx.
In order to preserve the fauna, a large number of protected areas were arranged. Their goal is to preserve nature, its life, to provide the best conditions for the development of animals and plants. Rare species have found a place to live here.
Plants
The plants of the mountains of Kazakhstan stand out for their beauty. There are many coniferous forests that occupy most of the mountainous area. There is also aspen, birch, juniper, apple tree. Alpine and subalpine meadows are located on high mountains. Many medicinal plants grow here. There are about 250 species of them. And in the south you can find a unique plant - wormwood.
Snow Sheep
Many animals live in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The mountains have their calling card - this is a bighorn sheep. He has large horns that are twisted into a ring. The ram lives in those rocky places that are hard to get to. He is very beautiful, eats vegetation. In addition, sheep eat dry mushrooms, in which insect larvae reproduce. Such food is a source of protein for this animal. Researchers who observed the animals did not notice a single fight between males, although they hadthere are strong horns.
Irbis
Irbis lives in the mountains of Central Asia. He is a rock climber, so he likes to live on the tops of mountains. It is also called the snow leopard. The animal is very beautiful, has a leopard coloration on a gray background. His skin is thick and his fur is long. Because of this, he is often hunted.
The animal belongs to the cat family. This animal is included in the Red Book list, as the number of snow leopards has decreased significantly. How this predator behaves, people have not yet studied well, since he lives in solitude. The animal is considered strong and proud.
Animal yak
Where the high mountains are, the yaks live. These animals are very strong, massive. They are also grown at home to carry goods. Yak gives milk. The animal has thick wool, which is used to make yarn. Some nomads use yaks in the highlands in these countries:
- Kazakhstan;
- Mongolia;
- India;
- Nepal;
- Uzbekistan;
- China.
Yaks also live in the wild, this species is not adapted to live near humans. Their number is decreasing every year. Such animals grow more massive than domestic yaks.
Saker Falcon
The saker falcon has been studied by professional hunters. They took them from nests and tamed them for hunting. Later used to catch birds.
Saker Falcon lives in the wild in Altai, Zailiyskiy Alatau.
Blue spruce
The mountain ranges of the Trans-Ili Alatau are decorated with blue fir trees. These are very tall trees that reach 40-50 meters. They lean over the abysses of the mountains. They are very hardy, as they are not afraid of even severe frosts. After the harsh alpine winters, they proudly continue to live near the rocks.
By the way, blue spruces are often planted in squares, city parks, although in their natural environment their place of residence is high in the mountains. Sometimes they are placed in an area that is 3000 meters above sea level.
Edelweiss
Many legends describe the edelweiss flower. It is considered a symbol of courage, good luck and love. This plant can be seen in the high mountains of Asia and Europe, including Kazakhstan. In such an area, the sun is very hot, but the flower has protective small villi. Thanks to this, moisture does not evaporate much. It used to be difficult to get to edelweiss, but now many people grow it near country houses.
So, many tourists are thinking about what mountains are in Kazakhstan. This republic is full of mountainous terrain, which gives extraordinary nature, amazing flora and fauna. Anyone who visits here will remember this beauty for a long time.