Not a very tourist region, the west of Kazakhstan, nevertheless, can offer fans of local history and the history of Central Asia several interesting places where amazing ancient monuments have been preserved. Natural reserves in this part of the country help to preserve traditional landscapes from active human activity and observe the life of numerous representatives of the local flora and fauna.
Cards on the table
The area of the region, called the west of Kazakhstan, is huge by European standards. On the territory of its four regions, France and Great Britain would freely fit. The region is washed by the Caspian Sea in the west, in the north it borders with Russia, and in the south - with Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.
Need attention
Once on a trip to the west of Kazakhstan, the traveler gets the opportunity to get acquainted with the most interesting sights of the region:
- The Ustyurt reserve is located in the Mangistau region. The purpose of its creation was to preserve in a natural form the complex of northern Kazakh deserts. Dozens of rare species of animals live on the Ustyurt plateau and unique plants grow. Five local plant species, eleven bird species and nine different mammals are listed in the Red Book. The most unique and rare are flamingos, peregrine falcon, steppe eagle, caracal, gazelle, mouflon and even a cheetah.
- The Karagiye Depression is one of the deepest and largest in Asia. Its length exceeds 85 km, and its width reaches 25 km. There are many caves, grottoes and niches under the surface of the depression, and at the bottom there is Lake Batyr. In the dry season, its water evaporates and Karagiye is covered with salt marshes.
- One of the largest trade centers of the Golden Horde, Saray-Dzhuk, was located at the crossroads of trade routes from China to Europe. It was founded in the 10th century and after four hundred years has become an important trade center. A city with a developed culture, Saray-Dzhuk had a water supply system made of ceramic pipes, minted its own coins, and its inhabitants were engaged in various crafts.
On the shores of the Caspian
The Kenderli resort complex on the shores of the Caspian Sea is a favorite vacation spot for residents of western Kazakhstan. Recreation centers have been built here, where you can comfortably rent a room for the weekend and devote them to beach relaxation. This resort cannot offer its guests any special infrastructure, but a vacation in the nostalgic style of the past Soviet times can be obtained here without any special material costs.
