A reservoir is an artificial reservoir built for the accumulation and storage of water. It is usually used in the national economy by local residents. But some of them are so picturesque that they are suitable not only for irrigation of fields, but also as a location for family holidays. In this article we will tell you about seven reservoirs of Kazakhstan, where you can come not only in summer.
Paradise for fishing lovers – Shardarinsky reservoir
The Shardara reservoir is the third largest in Kazakhstan. The reservoir opens 40 kilometers of sandy shore for tourists. Lake Shardara (or, as the locals call it, the Shardara Sea) is located in a desert area, which is why this place is also popularly called the “golden beach”.
“I dreamed of seeing the desert. This is not the desert itself, but it originates here. And there are waves on the sand, sand dunes. And at night different bugs, bears, jerboa, snakes and lizards come out. The sky here is simply cosmic! And at sunset everything is flooded with golden light. Camels travel in caravans here, and the water in the lake is very clean and warm. The impressions are unforgettable, especially when you get to these places by yourself by car. It feels like we’ve been to Texas,” one of the travelers boasts on her page.
There are various offers for tourists: recreation centers with restaurants and a sauna, guest houses, as well as cottages with all amenities. In addition to the usual areas with gazebos, cabins and sun loungers, you can book a fishing tour here.
Ecotourism at the Koksarai reservoir
Right there, in Turkestan region, 160 kilometers from Shardara, the Koksarai reservoir opens its expanses. Many people come to this place for a weekend to enjoy the untouched wild landscapes. The local surroundings are ideal for ecotourism lovers: cool nights in a tent, cooking on a campfire, chatting with locals and leisurely walks along the coast, during which you can meet rare species of birds.
Lake Koksarai is a rich ornithological site that attracts naturalists from all over the world. It is home to migratory and waterfowl: ibis, pink and curly pelicans, cormorants and herons, peregrine falcons, white-tailed eagles, larks and others.
Kapchagai reservoir. There is entertainment for everyone here
One of the largest water reservoirs in Kazakhstan: its length is 180 kilometers, and its width is 22. At the moment, this is the most visited place for summer holidays in the Almaty region. And it is well deserved. Recreation on Kapshagai will appeal to everyone: surfers, bikers, lovers of other outdoor activities, passive loungers with a cocktail by the pool, fishermen and even adherents of hotel recreation.
The shores of this reservoir are called “golden sands”, and this is not accidental, because the lake is located in a semi-desert zone, among rifts, rocks, hills overgrown with white saxaul and weeping willows, between the Almaty Nature Reserve and the national nature Park “Altyn-Emel”.
Prices for holidays start from 3,000 to 20,000 tenge per person. It can be a bunk in a barrack, a tent in a camp or a room in a hotel with a huge territory. The bathing season at the Kapchagai reservoir comes in May, when it gets hot. The water temperature reaches its maximum in July-August and rises to 28 degrees. The water is warm and clear. In the winter season, the temperature drops to minus 2 degrees, and the reservoir freezes. During this period, you can also have a great time here: ice skating, snowmobiling, skiing and fishing.
Rest from the hustle and bustle of the capital at the Vyacheslav reservoir
The reservoir is considered one of the most beautiful places near Nursultan, in the upper reaches of the Ishim River. The wild surroundings of this place will help you escape from the hustle and bustle of the capital and enjoy a passive rest. Ideal for those who want to fry kebabs or hunt pike, bream or ide.
For lovers of active entertainment, the place opens up rocky and sandy beaches where you can swim and enjoy the quiet water surface. Since the reservoir is located near the city, you can arrive in the morning and return home in the evening. And if you liked it and decided to take your time, extend your stay here, then you will be offered houses with all amenities.
The cost may vary depending on your requests. Archaeologists claim that eastern trade caravans passed through the territory of Nur-Sultan and there are many unexplored mounds and ancient settlements under the waters of the Vyacheslav reservoir, so there is a chance that the most important exhibit for history will be under your feet.
The largest reservoir in Kazakhstan
Bukhtarma reservoir is one of the 10 largest artificial reservoirs in the world by area – 5490 square kilometers. Due to this fact, the inhabitants call it the sea. Located in the East Kazakhstan region, the reservoir covered both steppes, semi-deserts, and green hills overgrown with ancient trees.
More than 20 recreation centers are open on the coast for tourists, here you can rent rooms with a gorgeous view of the blue expanse framed by green hills, rent a boat or fry kebabs. Not only the rich vegetation, sandy beaches and the diversity of nature give a great advantage to this place, but also the distance from the city is only 180 kilometers.
You can get there by bus, taxi, plane and even train. Prices also open up the possibility of choice – from 1,500 to 20,000 tenge. In winter, you will be offered sledding, ice skating, extreme slides, snowmobiles, as well as a flat ski slope.
Lovers of winter entertainment – Sergeyevskoe reservoir
This reservoir is located on the Ishim River, in the northern part of Kazakhstan. It was formed in 1969, and the length of the coastline is 246 kilometers. Recreation areas of this area especially attract tourists in winter, as the infrastructure of recreation centers includes a huge territory with a long ski slope, a large skating rink and horse rental. Fans of outdoor activities in the cold especially love these places.
In summer, there is a standard set of entertainment: swimming pools, catamarans, boats, as well as sports grounds. The cost of a bed will be 3000 tenge, a house for 25 people will cost 30 thousand tenge.
Дикие пляжи на Кенгирском водохранилище
Compared to previous reservoirs, Kengirskoe is quite small – 33 kilometers in length and one and a half in width. It is located near the city of Zhezkazgan, practically surrounding this small town. It is said that there are as many wild beaches on the Kengir reservoir as there are in any other place in Kazakhstan.
A great option for a budget holiday: a train ticket, pack a tent and the necessary provisions. There are few well-maintained beaches here, and those that are open to guests will offer only sun beds, umbrellas and catamarans for only three hundred tenge. We will not talk about the beauties of nature in this place, just look with your own eyes and draw a conclusion.
Karatomarskoe reservoir
This is a favorite vacation spot for locals, as it is located in a birch-pine forest, 70 kilometers from Kostanay. Just half an hour on the way, and you can enjoy the clean air, green views and pleasant water surface.
With a large company, with family or just alone on the Karatamars, you can relax, sitting in yurts, houses, or just rent a gazebo and have a barbecue party, and then play football or volleyball – the territory has sports areas.
The price is three thousand per person. Since the reservoir is located in the north of the country, in winter they spend time here diving into an ice hole, skiing, skating and sledding.
The information is taken from the website Tengritravel.kz
