Trip to Besshatyr Burial Mounds
Trip to Besshatyr Burial Mounds and Singing Sands
Duration - 12 hours Season - April - October Pax - 1 - 15
The necropolis of Bes-Shatyr (Five Tents) used to be a place of worship for the ancient Scythians dwelling on the territory of the nowadays Kazakhstan in the 1st century BC. Here, on the territory of 2 sq. km, 18 imperial mounds of about 9 m. in diameter and about 2.5 m. in altitude are situated. Under the mounds one can see crypts made of logs of the Tyan-Shan fur-tree. This unique monument of the early nomads is in Semirechye, in the head waters of the Ili River. To the west of the imperial mounds, the circuit of 45 stone stoves with pictures of animals carved on them extends from the north to the south. Scientists consider this place the ritual part of the necropolis.
On the right bank of the Ili river to the North-East from Almaty there is an unusual sound-dune, called "Singing", another miracle of nature. While you are walking, the sand out of your feet streams down the steep slope and a buzz, reminding the noise of flying airplane, is heard out of the very depth of sand-dune. Sand hills have the height more than 120m and stretched over 4 km. No one knows how this paramount mountain of sand appeared in the windy steppe that lies between the mountain-ridges of Ulken-Kalkan. What is particularly curious is that sand-dune does not move along the plain, but stays on the same place for several thousands of years already. Ski-lover will appreciate the exotic descent from the steep outstanding peaks of sand-dune.
Itinerary: Transfer Almaty – Kapchagay – Chengeldy village – Besshatyr Burial Mounds (175 km, 3,5 hours). Excursion to Besshatyr Burial Mounds ( burial places of saks tsars of VII-III B.C.) . Transfer to Singing Dune (45 km, 1,5 hour). Excursion to Singing Dune ( the natural phenomen is that the sand dunes can produce sounds resembling an organ melody. Lunch. Return to Almaty (220 km, 5 hours).
The cost includes: transport, lunch, guide services, excursions, ecological taxes, permit for visit to Altyn-Emel nature park.
