Bayanaul National Park

The territory of the park is located within the Kazakh small hills , which, having emerged as a large mountainous country still in the Upper Paleozoic , survived a long history of continental destruction and therefore has relatively low altitudes (from 400 to 1027 m above sea level). The highest point of Bayanaul (1027 m) is Mount Akbet . According to legend, the mountain was named after the girl Akbet, who threw herself from her when she was given to marry the unloved ^[3] .

The park has four relatively large freshwater lakes - Sabyndykol , Zhasyby , Toraigyr and Birzhankol . In addition to them, there are many small lakes, some of which are significantly shallow during the dry season.

The largest lake is Sabyndykol ( Kaz. Sabyndykul , literally “soap lake”), on the banks of which is the village of Bayanaul . The lake is named so because of its special, soft water, as if soapy to the touch. According to legend, the beautiful Bayan washed her beautiful hair in the lake and dropped her soap into it ^[3] .

The most transparent and second largest is the Zhasybay lake, located in a hollow between the mountain ranges. Zhasybay is one of the most popular places for tourists to swim due to the beautiful view from the beach and its clear water. According to legend, the lake was named after the Kazakh batyr Zhasyby, who died on the shore in a battle with the invaders ^[3] .

Toraigyr is the third largest and highest located above sea level. Its water is not as clear as in Zhasybay, so it is less popular for swimming, but there are a lot of fish in it, in particular carp , which makes it an attractive place for fishermen. This lake was named after the Kazakh poet Sultanmakhmut Toraigyrov , whose childhood was spent in these parts (in the village of the same name, located near the lake and also called the museum of the poet in his honor).

Byrzhankol is the smallest lake of the four. Its diameter is about 800 meters. On its shore is the village of the same name, with a population of 56 people. This lake is, like Toraigyr, of interest to anglers. It contains common carp , carp , and crucian carp . The lake got its name from Kazakh words. Bir - alone, jean - soul, stake - lake. Translated, this means "Lake of one soul."

Flora

The park has four types of vegetation - forest , forest-steppe , steppe and meadow .

The floral diversity of the park has about 460 species, including Bayanaul pine and black alder . Bayanaul pine is characterized by the fact that it grows mainly on the rocks, creating a bizarre combination of stone and vegetation. Particularly surprising is the diversity of vegetation in the park, given that it is located among the semi-desert steppe with sparse vegetation. Along with birch , pine , alder and aspen , many shrubs grow in the park, including berry bushes - raspberries , rose hips , currants , hawthorn . In the meadows, thickets of strawberries are found in abundance. Forest thickets abound with mushrooms. The park has up to 50 species of relic plants, including relic black alder and relic stone currants.

Fauna

In Bayanaul, about 50 species of birds and 40 species of animals live, among which, as of great value, one can distinguish a group of upland game , as well as argali , roe deer , badger , and squirrel . A particular pride of the park is argali , listed in the Red Book , as a rare and endangered animal species that needs protection.

Of the birds in the park, one can find a crane , a swan , a heron , a bustard , and birds of prey - a golden eagle , a kestrel, and a kite .

Climate

The Bayanaul Mountains are located in the center of the Asian continent and therefore have a continental-type climate. The average annual temperature is 3.2 ° C. The average January temperature is −13.7 ° C, the minimum −17.8 ° C.

The average July temperature is 14.6 ° C, the maximum reaches 32.6 ° C. The average frost-free period is only 140 days. The annual rainfall is 340 mm with variations in individual years from 190 to 494 mm. The average annual wind speed in Bayanaul is 2.9 m / s.

Although the region has a sharply continental climate, there are no strong winds and sandstorms in Bayanaul, which are common in the steppe regions of Pavlodar region .

Bayanaul is one of the favorite places for tourists, mainly from the nearby cities of Central and Northern Kazakhstan. The park has a large number of houses and recreation areas. Most of these zones, however, are provided with only primitive infrastructure and living conditions close to Spartan ones. In particular, there is no sewage system, in the cottages there are no sources of drinking water and washbasins, and in order to get into the shower, as a rule, you need to wait in line.

All this, however, does not stop tourists attracted by the beauty of the local nature, as well as certain places that are considered sacred by religious people.

There are several types of recreation available in the park, including swimming, hiking in the mountains, rock climbing , mountain biking . In many recreation areas, tourist excursions operate, where by paying a relatively small fee (about 500 tenge as of 2007), you can see the main attractions of the park - the “sacred cave”, “stone head” (“Babu Yaga”), and the stone “male dignity ”and others. The main place for swimming is Zhasybay Lake, as the cleanest and most transparent among the other lakes. In addition, a picturesque view opens from its shores. It is on the shore of this lake that the largest number of recreation areas operates, and on the beach rental of catamarans and rowing boats are available . The recreation area near the four main lakes was created according to the project of the laureate of the State Prize of Kazakhstan Muratbek Zhandauletov ^[4] .

Attractions

Of particular interest to tourists in Bayanaul are individual rocks and stones, which, as a result of centuries-old wind and water treatment, have assumed fancy shapes and sometimes resemble animals, people, or even a truck descending from a mountain. Among the most famous is the Baba Yaga sculpture ( Kaz. Kempir Tas ). When viewed from a certain angle, it really remotely resembles the head of a bald toothless old woman with an insidious grin. Another no less well-known creation of the local nature is the stone “manhood”, which speaks its name for itself. Among other bizarre-shaped stones are camel , mammoth and gorilla heads, profile, flying saucer , dinosaur , dove , horse head and many others.

Mount Nayzatas, which is translated from Kazakh as “stone spear” and Peak of the Bold, as well as Mount Akbet as the highest, is popular among climbers. At the top of Mount Nayzatas, there are six lakes that dry out during the dry season.

One of the local attractions is the “sacred cave” ( Kaz. Kқңyr Guliye ). According to legends, it is believed that for everyone who enters the cave and makes a wish, touching his wall with his palm and then exits without turning his head to the exit, the made desire will come true. There is also a belief that the cave helps infertile parents have a baby, for which a special ritual is performed in it. Like it or not, but the flow of tourists to the cave in those days when it is open for visiting does not stop. It is located on a rather significant elevation, and the climb of more than a kilometer in length has to be overcome on foot. In recent years, on a particularly steep, last stretch of the track, a special wooden staircase was built for these purposes.

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  Winter view of Zhasyby

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  Island on Toraigyr Lake (right)

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  Zhasyby Lake

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  Lake Toraigyr

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  Thickets of black alder near Toraigyr Lake

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  Landscape of Bayanaul with typical flat stones

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  View of Bayanaul from the side of the Holy Cave

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  Landscape of Bayanaul

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  Mount Nizatas (right)

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  The Brave Peak near Toraigyr Lake

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  Winter Zhasybay

• Kadenova A. B. et al. Flora and vegetation of Bayanaul State National Natural Park . - Pavlodar, 2008.

• State National Park “Bayan-Aul”.
• Our region is Bayanaul reserved. (unopened) (inaccessible link) . Archived on October 20, 2007.
• Tourism in Kazakhstan
• Kazakhstan: the Seven Wonders of Nature
• Traveling in Kazakhstan: Bayan Aul
• Attractions Bayan Aul