Ulytau region

Ulytau region

Traveling around the region will be of interest primarily to those who are fond of studying the history of the Kazakh people. After all, it was in Ulytau that the khans were raised on a white felt mat, alliances were concluded, the troops of three zhuzes gathered here.

Выдающиеся исторические личности такие, как Жошы-хан, Тамерлан, Алаша-хан, эмир Едыге, хан Тохтамыш, Кенесары-хан[3] , Алькей Маргулан, Шокан Валиханов, Каныш Сатпаев, в разное время сыгравшие важную роль, как в истории Казахстана, так и в целом в мире, напрямую связаны с Улытау. Безусловно, Улытау – это эпицентр кочевой цивилизации.

Moreover, the Ulytau mountains are located in the geographical center of Kazakhstan, which certainly makes this place very symbolic, significant even today. So, not far from the village and mountains of Ulytau, back in 1992, the Monument to the Unity and Cohesion of the People of Kazakhstan was erected.

However, the region is interesting not only from a historical point of view, but also from a natural one.

Most recently, in 2021, the national natural park of the same name was created on the territory of the Ulytau region. It was organized not from scratch. First, in 1990, the Ulytau National Historical and Cultural Nature Reserve-Museum was opened here. The main purpose of which was: the protection of monuments and the historical landscape. In 2012, specialists developed a natural-scientific justification for the creation of the Ulytau National Nature Reserve and the adjacent Ulytau-Arganata nature reserve. Further progress was delayed. Until 2016, when in Ulytau, in yurts at the foot of the sacred Aulietau, an off-site meeting of the Kazakh Geographical Society (QazacGeographi) was organized, with the participation of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan. After this event, work on the creation of a national park intensified. It was also decided to build a visitor center here.

Later, the International Tourism Forum "Ulytau-2019" was held near the sacred mountains, chaired by the President of the country K.K. Tokaev.

Ethnographic and historical monuments of the Ulytau region

●     Mount Aulie is the highest point of Ulytau (1133 meters). The climb is about 500 meters. On the slopes of the mountain there are ancient burial places of seven Sufi saints, as well as a cave, which, according to rumors, has magical properties. Someone says that the legendary Asan-Kaigy, a Kazakh philosopher and poet who lived in the 15th century, is buried on the top of Mount Aulie.

●     Mausoleums of Zhoshykhan, Alash Khan and Dombauyl, as well as many others.

●     Petroglyphs of Zangyrtas, opening the veil of the history of the Bronze Age

●     Petroglyphs of Terekty-Aulie, the age of which is more than three thousand years (the era of bronze and early iron). Drawings are strewn with flat stone granite remnants of great length. There are plots dedicated to hunting, wild animals, and also talking about the cult of worshiping the Sun.

●     Baskamyr settlement, dating from the late Middle Ages.

The best time to travel is the warm season. And since many historical and cultural monuments will have to be reached off-road, it is better to avoid rainy weather.