Karatal Sands Nature Reserve
The Karatal Sands Nature Reserve encompasses the Karatal sand dunes, the Karatal forest, and a portion of the Aygyrkum desert. Its primary objective is the preservation of sea buckthorn, a plant renowned for its valuable medicinal properties. Within the vast expanse of Kazakhstan, the East Kazakhstan region boasts the largest concentration of wild-growing relict sea buckthorn. The reserve is home to various species of this medicinal plant, alongside pine, birch, poplar forests, currant bushes, common salt tree, and honeysuckle.
The Karatal Sands Reserve also shelters rare animal and bird species, including the Central Asian lynx, slender racer, multi-ocellated racerunner, Pallas's sandgrouse, great bustard, thick-tailed pygmy jerboa, among others.
The reserve experiences a pronounced continental climate with frigid winters transitioning to scorching, arid summers.
Visitors to the reserve are obliged to adhere to all legal regulations governing such sites. Furthermore, it is imperative to exercise environmental stewardship, ensuring the preservation of the reserve's flora, fauna, and soil composition without causing harm.
How to get there?
The Karatal Sands Nature Reserve lies between Lake Zaysan and the Chinese border in the East Kazakhstan region. The journey from Ust-Kamenogorsk will take about 7 hours, covering a distance of approximately 470 kilometers (292 mi).
Other tourist attractions near the Karatal Sands Nature Reserve:
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