East Kazakhstan: Altai Landscapes and Cultural Heritage

East Kazakhstan can be explored through a wide range of travel interests: the landscapes of the Altai, archaeological remains and places connected with literature. When planning your trip, you can first consider whether nature, culture or a combination of both should be the main focus.

Mountain Landscapes and Nature

Kokkol Waterfall in Katon-Karagay District is about 80 metres high. It lies near tourist routes to Mount Belukha, which attracts mountaineers, tourists and trekking enthusiasts. Lake Yazevoye offers a different kind of experience: it is a high-altitude freshwater lake of glacial origin. Located in the mountainous part of the Southern Altai, in Katon-Karagay District, it is popular with tourists, mountaineers and trekking enthusiasts.

Protected areas also reveal different aspects of East Kazakhstan’s natural environment. The West Altai Nature Reserve, near Ridder, was established to protect the Altai mountain taiga ecosystems. Cedar, fir and spruce forests grow there, along with rare plant and animal species listed in the Red Book. Preliminary figures for Katon-Karagay National Park list more than 1,000 species of higher vascular plants, including 30 species listed in Kazakhstan’s Red Book.

Archaeology and Literature

At Berel, archaeological sites and museum work come together. An open-air museum has been established at the Berel burial mounds. The Berel burial site comprises more than 100 burials, as well as funerary and memorial structures. The Berel State Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve is a cultural and educational, scientific and tourist centre; its main monument is located in Katon-Karagay District.

In Chingistai, the Oralkhan Bokei House Museum is located in the writer’s home village, where he was born and spent his childhood. The exhibition features personal belongings, manuscripts, photographs and books. The Ak-Baur archaeological complex in Ulan District offers another perspective on the past: it includes numerous petroglyphs, megaliths and burial mounds from the Bronze Age and the Saka period. Thus, literary life stories and traces of distant eras stand side by side as distinct themes in different parts of East Kazakhstan.

Routes and Trip Planning

The Old Austrian Road is about 60 kilometres long and serves as an access route to Lake Markakol. It reaches the lake from Katon-Karagay or Kurchum. Road conditions can change, so check them before setting out. The “Literary East” tourist route passes through sacred sites in East Kazakhstan. Its operation may change, so check the current route before travelling.

Another point of interest is the Rakhmanov Springs mountain resort, known for its healing thermal springs. The range of travel interests therefore extends beyond mountain hikes to include the resort’s healing thermal springs, archaeological sites, the house museum and natural areas.

Find a Hotel That Suits Your Destinations

If you are looking for a hotel in East Kazakhstan, first decide which themes will shape your trip: mountain and trekking destinations, protected areas, archaeological sites, literature or the route to Lake Markakol. Then choose your accommodation location based on the specific destinations you plan to visit. This way, your search starts with your travel profile and the experiences that interest you locally.

Discover more destinations: Borodulikha District, Pervomayskiy, Akzhar, Kokkol', Semei, Vasil'yevskiy, Kabanbay, Aqsu, Öskemen, Petrova, Ridder.

See the main travel overview: Kazakhstan.