Uzyn Kargaly Gorge
The Uzyn Kargaly Gorge spans a distance of 37 km (23 mi). Its origin is near the filtration facilities responsible for purifying drinking water. This water serves the residents of Fabrichny village (Kargaly), while irrigation water is channeled to the neighboring villages. Near the filtration facilities, there is a checkpoint. Many visitors park their vehicles there and proceed on foot. After an initial trek of around 3-4 km (1.9-2.5 mi), a mudflow protection dam comes into view. The Uzyn Kargaly River courses through the base of the gorge, home to trout, naked osman, and other aquatic life.
The Uzyn Kargaly Gorge boasts towering cliffs, invigorating mountain air, and a unique absence of spruce forests, diverging from the surrounding landscape. Dominant vegetation includes barberry, wild rose, hawthorn, blackberry, and common apricot. Fortunate encounters may reveal roe deer, marmots, wild boars, badgers, hares, wolves, and foxes.
Among the foremost attractions for tourists is the pursuit of reaching the waterfall within the gorge, named Big Shymbulak. Its impressive 15-meter (49 ft) height accompanies a robust cascade of water descending slippery rocks. Notably wide, even during summer, the waterfall's flow rarely dwindles. Winter transforms the cascades into captivating frozen formations. Furthermore, preceding the waterfall, on the river's right bank, a substantial stone displays carved animal drawings reminiscent of petroglyphs, although their significance remains elusive. Two smaller waterfalls are also nestled within the gorge – one encountered prior to Big Shymbulak and the other succeeding it. While many tourists halt at the first, only a few venture to the third.
How to get there?
The journey from Almaty to the gorge spans approximately 45 km (28 mi) along the A-2 highway. Upon reaching the village of Fabrichny, travelers should proceed along Niyazbekuly Street before making a turn onto Sadovaya Street. From this vantage point, the checkpoint and the gorge entrance become visible.
An alternative route to the Uzyn Kargaly Gorge can be taken via the nearby Ushkonyr Plateau, which offers an even shorter pathway.
Other tourist attractions near the Kargaly Gorge:
- Ushkonyr Plateau
- Uzynagash Gorge
- Kaskelen Gorge
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