Fauna and Flora

Altyn Emel National Park is the largest and most famous nature conservation area in Kazakhstan, where the famous Singing Barkhan, the majestic Sak kurgans and the picturesque mountains of Aktau and Katutau are located. The park covers 523053 hectares and is located in the valley of the Ili River, 300 km away from the city of Almaty. Altyn Emel lies in the desert and mountain zones, where 1,800 species of plants grow. Within the park there are 78 species of mammals and 260 species of birds. On the spacious plains and mountain slopes gazelles, kulans and argali feel great.

Uch Choku is a small summer jailoo in the village of Dashman, nestled between Arslanbob and the Kara-Unkur Valley, at the edge of the majestic original walnut forests. This pasture offers a pleasant stop during a two-day hike, on foot or horseback, connecting the two valleys via a ridge peaking at 2,876 meters. Behind this ridge stands Bobash Ata, the highest point in the region with an altitude of 4,427 meters.

Orphan Camp is a unique place for mountaineers and hikers looking for real adventure in the mountains. The hut, built entirely of wood, reflects the spirit of the wilderness and serves as a refuge for those who prefer unspoilt conditions and closeness to nature. But to experience this seclusion, our guests sleep in tents as the hut lacks modern amenities.

Sarychat-Ertash Nature Reserve was founded in 1995 for the protection of high altitude ecosystems and its fauna, in particular the snow leopard and its prey. 

The total area is 1341 km² (518 mi²), making it one of the most important parks in Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia. It is located in the southeast of the Terskey Alatoo mountain range. Most of the park is made up of the Ak-Shirak massif and its high tundra.

Authorization to visit the park is difficult because access is only allowed to teams of scientists coming to study the flora and fauna of the park.

Salkyn-Tor National Park is located on the forested northern slope of the Naryn Too mountain range about 18 km east of the town of Naryn. The park was established in May 2001 and has an area of 104 km². It can be reached easily by the road up the Naryn River. The entrance fee to the park costs $ 1 per person.
One of the objectives of the park is to increase the local population of Maral, which has declined sharply since independence. Other animals inhabit the forests of the Naryn Range include roe deer, Eurasian lynx, and brown bear.

The Sarkent National Natural Park is located in the Bakten region, about 140 kilometers from the regional center - the city of Batken. The park covers an area of ​​40,000 hectares. "Sarkent" is the ancient name of the settlement where nomadic Kyrgyz lived. But over time, people migrated to the plain, and the name "Sarkent" remained.
"Sarkent" is one of the newest state parks, it was opened in 2009.
This park is inhabited by animals listed in the Red Book: brown bear, snow leopard, lynx, golden eagle and others.

The State Nature Reserve of Sary-Chelek was created in 1959, a biosphere located between the Chatkal and At-Oynok ridges in the Jalal-Abad region, from 1200 to 4247 meters altitude. In 1978 it was declared as a World Biosphere reserve by UNESCO.

The largest lake named also Sary-Chelek is situated at 1874 meters above the sea level, with an area of 470 hectares and a depth of 234 meters.

Naryn Nature Reserve is located 40 km east of the town of the same name. It was established in 1983 and covers an area of 1080 km2. The reserve stretches along the northern flank of the Naryn Kyrka Toosuu Range, south of the Chong Naryn River. The altitude rises from 2000 meters to 4500 meters. The flora and fauna has become very rich, there are snow leopards, gray wolves, red foxes, Siberian ibex and argali, deer, Tien Shan brown bears and much more. 48 bird species have also been listed.

The Padysha-Ata Nature Reserve is located on the south-eastern slope of the Chatkal Range, about 30 km southwest of the Sary-Chelek Nature Reserve. The reserve has an area of 306 square km along the Padysha-Ata river and was established in 2003. Access to the reserve is through the town of Kerben in Aksy province of Jalalabad.