National Nature Park Burabay
Kazakhstan nature reserves. Kazakhstan recreation zones

Although the Burabay Park does not have any artifacts in its territory, every rock here has its own legend.

Nature generously scattered precious gifts from its mineral treasury in the Burabay surroundings. Among them is picture of Okzhetpes cliff ("Inaccessible by Arrow") with the peak resembling an elephant calf, and the creek of the Bun with Zhumbaktas cliff ("Riddle-stone") resembling a mysterious sphinx with stiff fearless patterns.

There are 14 lakes on the territory of the park, each of them has a square of more than 1 km and there are great many of smaller lakes. The river net is poorly developed and consists only of small rivers, springs and temporary water flows. The largest lakes are Bolshoye Chebachye and Maloye Chebachye, Shchuchye and Borovoye.

The plants of the park territory are represented by forest, steppe, meadow, marsh and salt marsh species. The flora comprises about 800 plant species. There are 305 vertebrate animal species.

On the territory of SNNP "Burabay" there are 35 stationary rest institutions. The modern structure of the landscape of the park is represented by steppe, lake, forest and forest and steppe and lowlands landscape.

Borovoye (Burabay) Lake is situated in the territory of the Shuchinsky district of Kokshetau oblast on the eastern foothills of Kokshe mountain. The territory is 10,5 sq. km, the length is 4,5 km, the width is 3,9 km; average depth is 4,5 m, and the max depth is 7 m. The shore line is 13,6 km, the area of the water is 164 sq. km. The hollow of the lake is almost round, the bottom is level with bias to the north-west; the south shores are granite, and the east shores are sandy.
The water in the lake is soft, limpid, and one can see the deepest bottom of the lake. Borovoye Lake is separated with the ranges from the closest lakes (Big and Small Chebiache, Shuche, Kotyrkol, Zhukei, etc.). Not so big island "Zhumbaktas" is situated in the north-western part of the lake and at a height of 20 m above water. The cliffs and capes of the north-western and southern coasts (Kyzyltas, Gorky, etc.) create the unique landscape. The coast is overgrown with pine and birch forest.
The combination of mountains, pine forest and the lakes makes a special climate conditions in the natural boundary. The climate kumys medicinal health resort complexes (sanatorium "Borovoye", "Okzhetpes"; rest house "Blue Gulf", etc.) are one of the best in the country and built on the eastern coast between Sarybulak and Gromotukha rivers. There are medicinal mud and mineral springs. The beauty of the nature of Borovoye is sung in Seifulin's poem "Kokshetau" and in Mukanov's novel "Botagoz".

The legend about Borovoye. There are many legends and stories about Borovoye. "When the God was creating the world one of the nations got the lands rich of forests, another got the fertile fields with a large rivers, and the third got the beautiful mountains and blue lakes. But Kazakh got just feather-grass steppe... It offended him and he asked the God to endow him with a part of natural beauty. The God took the mountains, rocks, beautiful pine and deciduous forests, blue lakes with pure water, emerald fields covered by grasses and flowers from his korzhyn and spread them with a bountiful hand to boundless steppes. It was the appearance of Borovoye of one of the most picturesque places of Kazakhstan, which for its beauty and rarely harmonically combination of mountains, forests, lakes, and unique flora and fauna got the poetic name "The pearl of Kazakhstan"."

Borovoye is the climate kumys health resort, which is situated in Shuchinsky district of Kokshetau oblast, in 20 km of the station Borovoye Resort (Shuchinsk town). From the north it is surrounded by the Kokshetau mountains with height of 974 m above sea level, covered by the birch forests. In the neighboring of the resort there are interesting rocks and cliffs as: "Okzhetpes", "Sfinks", "Cow", "Sleeping knight", and "Knight". The first private kumys health resort was opened in 1910. Average temperature in January is -16'C, in July is +19'C. Atmospheric precipitation is to 400 mm. About 2000 sunshining hours per year. The main medicinal factors are kumys, fresh air and picturesque place.

The Borovoye lake is the beauty and pride of this a area featuring a variety of sanitariums, camping sites and resort with crowded shores and all attributes of resort life: restaurants. beaches , stores and dancing halls. Across the small mountainous isthmus you can get from the Borovoye lake to the Bolshoe Chebach lake. It is perfect for the lovers of unhurried and "wild" rest who prefer camping and twosome contact with nature. From the top of Mt. Sinyukha ("Kokchetau", 961 m), the highest one in the vicinity opens a panoramic view of the lake, as big as a sea, stretching almost to the end of the visible area. The Burabai National Park system also contains big Lake Shchuchye and many smaller lakes.

When the God created the world, - as a legend has it, - one people was bestowed large woods, green fields and wide rivers, another people got beautiful mountains and blue lakes. But the Kazakh people got only steppes. It hurt the Kazakh feelings and they began to ask the creator to give them a particle of the wonderful nature.

And the God scratched from the bottom of his bag and threw in the middle of lifeless steppe the remnants of the picturesque mounting cliffs and lakes with crystal-clear bluish water, distributed with his generous hand emerald meadows covered with flowers, springs with icy-cold water and merrily murmuring brooks. He covered the mountains with a colorful carpet of different trees and bushes abounded the forests with animals and birds, lakes with fish and meadows with insects and butterflies, which cannot be found in the steppes one hundred miles around. Thus Borovoye came to light.

In the north of Kazakhstan, between Astana and Kokchetav cities there is a wonderful district, a real oasis - Borovoye. Geographically this nook is called as Kokchetau highs and the local guides gave it a name of Kazakhstani Switzerland.

The highs of Borovoye are very low: 500-600 m at the marks of the cuts in the waters, in the lakes are 300-400 m and the Kokchetau Cliff riches 947 m. The highest point of Kokchetau mountain (Blue Mountain). To the south is situated Burabai Mountain (690 m) a fine panoramic point. Burabai is a camel. Still to the south there are Shychinskiye deeps, the largest of them is called Zheke-Batur - a lonesome fighter (826 m)

One can not be help mentioning about the lakes of Borovoye. There are many. Lakes Shychie, Borovoye, Big and Small Chebachie, Koturkul glitter on the green atlas of the forest.

Small lakes Svetloye, Karasye, Gornoye, Lebedinoye can be seen from Kokchetau Cliff. The visiting card of Borovoye is the Blue Bay on the same named lake. Right from the waters of the bay Mount Zhumbaktas (Mystery, Sphinx) soars.

Every name here has its own legend. For example Sphinx is interesting when one looks at him from different points, for then one can see the face of young lady with waving hair, then that of a woman and in the end that of an old woman.

Borovoye is more beautiful than a fairy tale. The harmony of the mountains and the woods and lakes creates not only unique beauty of the landscape, but also a special medical climate.

Joint project of OrexCA.com and KTA & KAGIR. Information is taken from CD "All about tourism in Kazakhstan"