13 National Parks In Kazakhstan That Should Be On Every Nature Lover’s List

In this travel guide, you will get acquainted with the 13 most famous national parks in Kazakhstan that should be on every nature lover’s list.

Kazakhstan’s national parks have some of the most spectacular landscapes in the world. If we talk about huge range, expansiveness, and pure fun, no nation in Central Asia can beat Kazakhstan’s tourist sites and national parks.

They have no competition. So, even if animals aren’t your thing, you should still go to these parks to see some of the most beautiful views this country offers.

Kazakhstan has national parks to protect its beautiful natural areas. Nature reserves, on the other hand, are open to tourists, but only for ecotourism and people who care about the environment.

Are you in a hurry?

Let’s have a quick look at the most popular national parks in Kazakhstan with their location.

Book these must-do tours in Kazakhstan to make the most of your trip.

Amazing National Parks in Kazakhstan

So, here’s a list of Kazakhstan’s national parks, which you can use to plan your vacation. If you go to Kazakhstan, don’t forget to visit these 13 national Parks.

1. Sayram-Ugam National Park

Sayram-Ugam creates a conducive environment that is noticeably more peaceful compared to other areas in Kazakhstan.

There is a large amount of wildlife in this area, such as pigs, wolves, and mountain lions. There are also protected wild variants of common foods, such as apples, walnuts, plums, and grapes. 

As soon as winter is over and melting ice mass water enters the Sayram waterway, the water in the stream takes on a beautiful shade of turquoise.

The recreation center is located along the Sayram waterway. It is one of the best national parks in Kazakhstan.

• Place to visit:  the reserve, recreational area, and tourist area.
• Location: Kazygurt District, Kazakhstan
• Opening Hours: 9 AM to 7 PM every day

2. Katon-Karagay National Park

Katon-Karagay is a region in the high, eastern part of Kazakhstan. It has one of the most beautiful landscapes in any country.

The region’s quiet towns, which are known for the delicious food and sweet mountain nectar they make, are a great place to get away from it all and re-energize.

There are a few different places to stay, like yurts and lodges, which can be rented. Katon-Karagay is the best place to set up a base camp to look into the area.

It is mostly a residential area with many wooden houses and rock streets.

• Places to visit: Katon Karagay Valley, Crystal Lake Karakol, Belukha Mountain, Rachmaninov’s springs, and verifiable graves at Berel.
• Location: Southern Altai Mountains, East Kazakhstan Region, Kazakhstan
• Opening Hours: NA

3. Bayanaul National Park

In the summer, Bayanaul is a popular destination for locals from Pavlodar, which is located nearby. The park is known for its three lakes.

The shores of these lakes have a special beach party vibe that is hard to find in Central Kazakhstan. 

Climbing trails can be found far from the lakes. They lead through fields and slopes with rocks and trees that have been shaped in strange ways by the wind.

All of these things have been mentioned in stories about the area. There is a great choice of hotels for visitors to choose from. It’s one of the best national parks in Kazakhstan.

• Things to do: watersports in the lake, visiting the cave.
• Location: 140000, Kazakhstan
• Opening Hours: 9 AM to 7 PM, Closed On Saturdays and Sundays

4. Burabay National Park

The Burabay National Park is a natural park near Nur-Sultan that is in the Burabay District of the Aqmola Region in Kazakhstan.

The park was chosen as one of Kazakhstan’s top 10 places to visit. The President of Kazakhstan has full control over the park.

It has a well-known mountain that rises high above a lake with the same name as the mountain.

Even though there is still a lot of natural air to breathe in Burabay, it is hard to see any of the animals there because people have pushed them so deep into the forest.

Some of the best places to stay when visiting here are Hotel Complex Insar, Hotel Nurlytau, and Hotel Gloria.

• Things to do: Have a boat ride on the lake, walk or cycle by the lakeshore.
• Location: Aqmola Region, Kazakhstan
• Opening Hours: NA

5. Karkaraly National Park

The Karkaraly national park, which is also called Karkaralinsk in Russian, is in the middle of Kazakhstan, in the middle of the countless steppes that enclose Karaganda.

This place has a lot of beautiful, untouched natural scenery. 

You like how the rock shake structures protect the campground from the strong steppe winds, but birds are everywhere and are likely to steal your dinner.

Karkaraly is surrounded by mountains, and you can walk to a number of interesting places in the town.

• Things to do: Stone bouncing, Climbing, Photography.
• Location: Karkaraly, Karaganda Region, Kazakhstan
• Opening Hours: NA

6. Buiratau National Park

The Buiratau national stop opened in 2011, so it is very new and doesn’t have much in the way of visitor services. By building the recreation center, steppe lands, and unique plants are protected.

In addition to the level steppe, there is also timberland and rough edges. 

This help creates a diverse biological community that is home to more than 200 species of birds, 450 plant species, and a pack of wild sheep.

During the summer, the national park is at its most beautiful. There are no hotels like that near the park, so anyone who wants to go there must first go to the town.

• Place to visit: reserve, recreational area, and tourist area.
• Location: Akmola Region, Karaganda Region, Kazakhstan
• Opening Hours: NA

7. Kokshetau National Park

Some of Kazakhstan’s other national parks are more interesting than Kokshetau National Park. Still, it’s easy to get to and very safe, particularly when you’re coming from Astana.

When you visit Kokshetau, you’ll be in a typical Siberian landscape. It will have grassland pads that move around and pine forests and clear lakes all around them.

Common tropical rainforest animals like elk, lynx, marten, white rabbits and ermine live here with southern grasslands animals like gophers, polecats, and steppe marmots.

The Park Hotel Kokshetau is where most people say you should stay. There are also places where anyone can camp.

• Things to do: There are 14 wonderful trails for hiking. You can also go to the park by boat, which is another fun way to go on an adventure.
• Location: Aqmola Region, Karaganda Region, Kazakhstan
• Opening Hours: NA

8. Charyn National Park

The Charyn National Park is a famous place in southeast Kazakhstan, and people who stay in the Almaty area often go there for a day trip.

In addition to the trail, Charyn Ash Grove has guest houses and a “nation house” that can seat up to 100 people. The name of the area comes from the stone structures in the Valley of the Castles.

These structures are in a small side gorge that branches off the main Charyn River course and gives a view of the larger gulch. People can buy food and drinks at each of the two recreation tents and five rest yurts.

This Charyn Canyon tour is undoubtedly one of the most adventurous tours in Kazakhstan.

• Things to do: Graveyards and Burial Mounds: Found 12 km off the Chundzha-Almaty roadway is a zone of scattered archeological locales.
• Location: Charyn National Park, Charyn River, Kazakhstan
• Opening Hours: NA

9. Altyn-Emel National Park

Altyn-Emel National Park is a national park in Kazakhstan. It was made in the year 1996. The park is about 4,600 km2 and is near Lake Kapchagai.

It is between the Ili River and the Ak-Tau mountain range. Most of the park is desert and rocky terrain.

A significant national park located north of Almaty, Altyn Emel has a lot to offer visitors from around the world.

People who value their independence may find it inconvenient that they must be driven by one of Altyn-drivers Emel’s, but you will see some of the more unusual animal creatures, such as kulan. 

• Things to do: One must visit Singing dunes situated 300 km away from the park.
• Location: Ili River Valley, Kazakhstan
• Opening Hours: Open 24 hours

10. Ili-Alatau National Park

Ili-Alatau is a wonderful national park that never feels overrun by vacationers despite its location on the outskirts of Kazakhstan’s most populous city.

It reaches a considerable distance beyond the city and incorporates multiple locations, including Turgeon pig out, Big Almaty Lake, Kumble pinnacle, and Aksai pig out.

Considering everything, this is an excellent location to head in the opposite direction of the busy city to set up a free camp for the weekend.

Several pleasant hotels, such as the Shymbulak Resort Hotel, Tay House Hotel, and Optima Almaty, are located near the parking area.

• Things to do: The lake and the nearby nature reserve Almaty are a must-visit.
• Location: Abay Ave 64, Almaty, Kazakhstan
• Opening Hours: NA

11. Kolsay Lakes National Park

Kolsay Lakes National Park is in the southeast of Kazakhstan. It is on the north side of the Tian Shan Mountains.

The Kolsay Lakes, which are between the Raiymbek District and the Talgar District of the Almaty Region, are the park’s main attraction.

They are often called the “Pearls of Tien Shan.” Lake Kaindy, which is very pretty, is also in the park.

The view of the park is stunning because it is surrounded by three different mountain lakes. From Almaty to the Kolsay lakes is a long drive, and the water is never warm enough for a long swim.

Because of these things, there aren’t too many people who go to the Kolsay lakes.

• Things to do: Well-known exercises in the territory incorporate picnics, horse riding, and mountain biking.
• Location: Almaty Region, Kazakhstan
• Opening Hours: Open 24 Hours

This Kolsai and Kaindy lakes tour is our favorite.

12. Zhongar-Alatau National Park

An isolated, glaciated mountain range in Kazakhstan, on the country’s southern border with China, the Zhongar-Alatau National Park, also known as Jungar Alatau or Dzungurian, was established in 2010 to protect its unique ecosystem.

Because of the severe weather in the winter, this location is best visited in the summer.

Due to the essential exceptional permit, very few people choose to take their vacation here, despite the fact that it is possible for them to do so and even though there is an interesting ecotourism venture here.

Hotels such as Samal Resort and spa, Dobry Dom Almaty, and others like these are available for visitors to stay in while they are in Almaty. 

• Things to do: Forest tour is a must while visiting the park.
• Location: Almaty Region, Kazakhstan
• Opening Hours: NA

13. Aksu Zhabagly national park

Aksu-Zhabagly is the oldest nature park in Kazakhstan and the best-run ecotourism project in the country.

It’s a great place to go hiking and see wild animals like bears, ibex, and groups of large vultures. Greig’s Tulips are the park’s official flower and mascot. 

Their deep red color fills the fields of Aksu-Zhabagly in the spring. Other interesting places include the large Aksu Canyon, which is known for the many wildflowers that grow there at certain times of the year.

The park has a high entrance fee, but those on a tight budget will be happy to hear that nature doesn’t end at the nature reserve.

• Things to do: Forest tour is a must while visiting the park.
• Location: Almaty Region, Kazakhstan
• Opening Hours: NA

Conclusion

Kazakhstan’s most beautiful and interesting places are in its state’s national natural parks. It’s one of the best places to learn about nature in Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan has national parks to protect its beautiful natural areas. National parks, on the other hand, are open to tourists, but only for ecotourism and people who care about the environment.

Local authorities keep an eye on these natural areas to make sure they are safe and protected. To get into their region, you have to pay an environmental fee. If you go to Kazakhstan don’t forget to visit the national park.

Book these interesting tours in Kazakhstan.

FAQs – Kazakhstan’s National Parks

Further Read –

• If you are returning from Kazakhstan, you should definitely bring back these amazing things from there.
• If the lakes make you crazy, you should definitely explore the most beautiful lakes in Kazakhstan.
• On the trip to Kazakstan, you should definitely try the most famous foods of Kazakhstan.