The singing Dune

is  rightfully considered one of the most mysterious marks on the map of tourist places of Kazakhstan, not for nothing that he entered the world short list «7 New Wonders of the World». Why is this place covered in a mysterious veil and attracts tourists from all over the world?

It’s all about its sands, which are capable of making sounds of such a wide range that it seems as if an entire orchestra is playing underfoot. How is this possible we will explain at the end, but for now we are reading the route to this natural attraction.

The Singing Dune, on the Kazakh «Ak-Kalkan», is located in the Altyn-Emel National Park, which is 182 km away. from the city of Almaty. To get to the national park, first of all, you need to purchase a pass (!). For the pass, we go to the Zhetysu hotel at 55 Abylay Khan Ave.

Take the Almaty-Kapchagay highway to the village of Sary-Ozek. Next, turn right along the ring, towards Zharkent, go through the Altyn-Emel pass to turn from the highway. We turn right there and move to the village of Basshi, here is the Central Estate of the national park. You can’t go round it. Here you must provide a pass, pay the fare (about 800 tenge per person) and get a huntsman to accompany you. Do not neglect this rule of the national park. The area of ​​Altyn-Emel over 300,000 hectares of wilderness and the huntsman is absolutely necessary here. Next, just move along the road to the dune.

Singing Dune is a mountain formed by the Shilik wind, which walks in this area almost constantly. Shilik raised the sands for thousands of years on the banks of Ili and carried in one direction, but hitting the ridges of the Dzungarian Alatau, he dropped them on the site of the current dune. The height of the Singing Dune is about 150 m, and the length is 3 km. Despite its size, climbing a dune is not an easy task. The angle of inclination is about 45 degrees, and the legs fall into soft sand every now and then, but those who get to the top, Singing Barkhan gives stunning views of the endless Ili Valley and the majestic ridges of the Dzungarian Alatau.

Now let’s talk about what secrets these sands hold in themselves. It is not uncommon to hear the rumble of an airplane here when the airplane is not even close, and even the sound of musical instruments. However, when a scientific explanation appears, all secrets and mysteries immediately disappear. In dry weather, grains of sand rub against each other, creating vibrations. It is they who are the source of various sounds and despite the absence of any secret in their origin, they collect millions of curious tourists on their territory.

The Singing Dune is a must! Enjoy the grandeur of the scenery of the national park, witness one of the most amazing natural phenomena and spend your best weekend with COOLTOUR!