Mountains of Kazakhstan

The mountains of Kazakhstan are an ideal place for the development of mountaineering and tourism; the mountains are loved not only by tourists from Kazakhstan, but also by tourists from all over the world. The mountains of Kazakhstan are divided into high-mountain and low-mountain regions. The vast territory of Kazakhstan borders on many regions of Central Asia; in the southeast and northeast Kazakhstan is surrounded by some of the largest mountain systems in the world, Altai and Tien Shan.

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The Kazakhstani part of Altai occupies almost a tenth of the territory of the entire republic. This is an unusually beautiful region, endowed with amazing natural contrasts, from deserted rocky peripheral mountains to rocky ridges covered with eternal snow. The Kazakh part of the Altai-Sayan mountain system includes Southern Altai, Western Altai and the Kalbinsky ridge.gory kazakhstan

Southern Altai is located between the Bukhtarma River in the north, Lake Zaysan and the Black Irtysh River in the south. The Ertys Valley divides it on the western side from the Kalbinsky ridge, and in the east, Southern Altai borders the Ukok Plateau. To the west and southwest of this place there are two chains of mountain ranges. At an altitude of 1449 m between the Azutau and Sarytau ridges there is the Markakol depression with a beautiful lake on its territory. The highest mountain peak of Altai is located on the border of Kazakhstan and Russia, this is Mount Belukha. The height of the mountain is 4509 m above sea level. Belukha has two peaks in the shape of irregular pyramids, the slopes of the peaks are steep and precipitous, and 300-500 meters below there is a saddle covered with snow. Belukha Peak is a powerful mountain range. It rises above the neighboring ridges by more than 200 meters, and it holds the palm in absolute height. The slopes of the mountain are covered with eternal snow and glaciers. Western Altai enters the borders of Kazakhstan with the western spurs of the Altai Mountains.252pic2

Western Altai consists of the Ulbinsky, Ivanovsky, Ubinsky mountain ranges, which are located in the north-west of Southern Altai. They extend from the Katun mountain range and the Ukok hills. The highest mountains are concentrated in the extreme east of the Kazakhstan Altai. Western Altai is also called Rudny because there are numerous minerals there. The Kalbinsky ridge is a continuation of the Altai Mountains, the highest point of the ridge is 1600 m. - Sary-shoki.1405100324imu3y

Dzungarian Alatau, another large mountain system of the Kazakh mountains. The length of the Dzhungar Alatau from east to west is 450 km, from north to south - 100-150 km. On the border of China and Kazakhstan, between the Dzungarian Alatau and the Bar-lyk ridge, there is a mountain pass - the Dzungarian Gate. It connects the depression of Lake Ebi-Nur (in China) with the basin of the Alakol Lakes. The Dzhungar Alatau consists of two parallel main ridges. They are separated by the Koksu River. The highest point of the northern mountain range is Besbakan (4622 m), and the southern ridge Muztau (4370 m).

The Tien Shan mountains are located in the southeast of Kazakhstan; the Kazakh part includes the northern, western and central Tien Shan. The length of the Tien Shan from west to east is 2500 km. The territory of Kazakhstan includes almost the entire Northern Tien Shan, parts of the Central and Western Tien Shan. The Central Tien Shan within Kazakhstan begins from the powerful mountain node Khan Tengri. Further it extends to the west along a series of ridges. The largest of them is Tersky Alatau. The border with Kyrgyzstan runs along its eastern branch.

The Central Tien Shan is one of the most popular centers of world mountaineering, with the highest point in Kazakhstan being the peak of Khan Tengri (Lord of Spirits). The mountain is considered one of the most beautiful peaks of the Central Tien Shan. During sunset, the mountain turns red, which gives it mystery and unique beauty. Because of the pink granite that covers the mountain and the reflection at sunset, the mountain has another name - Kantau (“Bloody Mountain”). Khan Tengri, a sacred mountain of the Turks and even today many legends are associated with it, is located on the remote border of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and China. Getting to it is not easy, so most climbers get to the foot of the ridge by helicopter. Conquering the peak, the dream of every climber in the world, is where skill and professionalism are tested, and climbing one of the most severe peaks in the world is a real test of courage. The peak was first conquered by the Ukrainian climber M.P. Pogrebetsky in 1931.f_29252985ddcad633

The Northern Tien Shan includes the following ranges: Ketmen, Kungey Alatau, Trans-Ili Alatau, Chu-Ili Mountains and Kyrgyz Alatau. The Trans-Ili Alatau is the northernmost high-mountain ridge of the Tien Shan, has a length of 350 km, a width of 30-40 km, an average height of 4000 m. The highest point of the Trans-Ili Alatau is Talgar peak 4973 m above sea level. Talgar Peak is located on the territory of the Almaty Nature Reserve. The peak can be seen from certain places in the southern capital of Almaty and it is clearly visible from the city of Talgar. Its slopes are steep, especially the western ones, covered with eternal glaciers, and the foot of the mountain with a blanket of snow. Talgar Peak rises above the Korzhenevsky glacier, which is 12 km long, and is the highest peak of the Northern Tien Shan. Talgar Peak looks like a dome, clouds float around the peak, and there is white snow all around. The coldest months at the peak are January and February, and the hottest months are July and August, so the average temperature in July is +3°C, strong winds are rare. The most dangerous periods for avalanches occur in March and April. From the history of climbing Talgar Peak it is known that the southwestern peak of the peak was first conquered by a group of climbers in 1935 under the leadership of V. Zimin.

The Western Tien Shan includes the Talas ridge and the Ugam and Korzhintau ridges extending from it in the southeast direction. Karatau is located entirely within Kazakhstan - the most extreme, heavily destroyed region of the Tien Shan. The low-mountain regions of Kazakhstan consist of the Kazakh small hills of Saryarka, the Mugadzhary mountains, and the Mangystau mountains.

Saryarka is a small hillock located in Central Kazakhstan, the length from west to east is 1200 km, the average height of the mountains is 500-600 m, in the west the width reaches 900 km, in the east - 350 km. In the north, Saryarka borders on the West Siberian Plain, in the south on Lake Balkhash and the Betpak-Dala desert, in the east on the Saur-Tarbagatai mountain system, in the west on the Turgai plateau. The highest point reaches 1565 m. Sary-Arka is considered a steppe, but there are many mountain peaks here. The highest of them are Aksorgan (1565 m) and Karkaraly Mountains (1403 m). Small blue lakes with clear water are scattered among the sands and mountains of Sary-Arka. A special feature of the small hills of Saryarka are the picturesque Kokshetau Mountains, these places are popularly called “Kazakh Switzerland”. The mountains are covered with pine forests, and the bizarre shapes of the rocks surprise and fascinate.

Mugodzhary is a low stone ridge, which is the southern spur of the Ural Mountains. The highest point Mugojar -
Mount Bolshoi Boktybay (657 m). The length of the ridge is 450 km from north to south. To the south of the stone ridge stretches the Big Barsuki sandy desert, separating Mugodzhary from the Aral Sea. Mugajars like
Saryarka ancient mountains. Birch groves mainly grow in the Mugajar Mountains.

The Mangystau Mountains are located on the Mangystau Peninsula Of the Caspian Sea. They include the western and eastern Karatau ranges, as well as the southern and northern Aktau ranges. The length of Karatau is 117 km, Aktau – 70 km. They are dissected by ravines, ravines and narrow gorges. The highest point of the Mangystau Mountains in the ridge is Karatau-Beshoky (556 m). In the southern part of the Mangystau Mountains there is the Karagiye, or Batyr, depression (- 132 m). This is the lowest point in Kazakhstan.

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