National parks of Kazakhstan are attracting more and more tourists. In this regard, the country’s Ministry of Culture and Sports predicts that the number of visitors may increase to two million in 2022. This figure is quite achievable. According to the relevant ministry, in the first half of the year, 550,000 people visited the Burabai National Park, 240,000 – the Shymbulak mountain resort, and nearly 35,000 – the Sharyn Canyon. The latter is included in the list of the 26 most famous canyons of the world. Tourists who visit Sharyn for the first time are really impressed and delighted with its unique landscapes. They did not even imagine that it looks so fantastic.
“It is a beautiful country with friendly, open-minded people, modern cities and unique landscapes. In one day, I kind of visited both Switzerland and the Sahara Desert. And now, I feel like I am in America. There are three different landscapes and it's all in one region. I am amazed. You live in a unique country indeed,” said tourist from Mexico Antonio Llanos.
“French people are big connoisseurs of ecotourism. That's why I like everything here. I’d like to note how carefully you treat your national parks. It feels like we are in the wild. Only the fountains and benches remind us of comfort. If such a canyon was in France, it would be fully commercialized by now. Souvenir shops and stuff would be set up there. And you don't have that, which I really like,” shared tourist from France Florian Maheo.
Tourism infrastructure continues to be developed in the Sharyn Canyon. All the necessary facilities that practically do not affect the environment were installed to make visitors feel more comfortable. At present it has a high-quality connection, the Internet, and even an automated weather station. Warning signs and specifically equipped rest areas were set along the entire route.
“In addition to installing infrastructure facilities, we are now also planning to install glamping and camping sites. For example, camping pallets have already been installed in Altyn-Emel Park so that tourists can rest there,” Aizhan Moldybayeva, Information Support Manager at the Qazaq Geography Public Association, noted.
The Altyn-Emel National Park also sees a growing number of visitors. Over 10,000 tourists have been there since the beginning of the year. Travelers come there to see red-listed snow leopards, rare mountain sheep, black-tailed gazelle and Turkmen kulan, experts say. The singing dunes of Aigaikum, the mounds of Besshatyr, the spring of Shokan Ualikhanov and an 800-year-old tree are very popular among tourists as well.
“This year we drove from Nur-Sultan to Alakol through Pavlodar and Semei, and then we went to Almaty to see the Kolsai Lakes and Sharyn. We also visited Altyn-Emel. There are very beautiful views. Actually we met a lot of foreigners there. In fact, our resorts and our sights attract many travelers from Europe. We have much to be proud of,” commented tourist Timur Duissekeyev.
