Bugyly Mountains
Central Kazakhstan is rarely associated with mountains. What you find here are more like hills – the worn-down remnants of once-mighty peaks, softened by time and erosion. One of these ranges is the Bugyly Mountains.
Modest yet captivating
Bugyly is a refuge for those who seek not crowded trails, but silence, solitude, and unspoiled nature. You won’t find tourist infrastructure or city comforts here. Instead, you’ll discover something far more precious: crisp air, wild paths, and the sense that time has slowed its pace.
The highest point of the massif is Mount Burkitti (1184 m/3885 ft). The landscape is dotted with gorges, shallow grottoes, and small lakes. Low grasses cover the slopes, but in sheltered spots you’ll see birch and aspen groves. Along the streams grow rowans, willows, raspberry thickets, and other shrubs. Bugyly is also rich in wildlife. Roe deer, argali, hares, badgers, wolves, and foxes inhabit the area.
Echoes of the Bronze Age
The Bugyly Mountains are not only about landscapes, they also carry echoes of deep history. At the north-eastern foot of the range, along the banks of the Shopa River, archaeologists have uncovered the remains of an ancient settlement and tombs that date back to the Late Bronze Age (12th-9th centuries BC).
How to get there?
The Bugyly Mountains lie about 90 km (56 miles) south of Karaganda. The nearest settlement is the village of Darya (Daryinsky), which has its own railway station. You can reach it by train from major cities such as Astana, Karaganda, Pavlodar, Balkhash, Semey, Turkistan, Taraz, Temirtau, and Zhezkazgan.
If you are traveling by car from Karaganda, take the Saran highway heading south. After passing the village of Karamuryn, turn left at the fork and continue toward Darya. From the village, only steppe roads lead to the mountains, so a four-wheel drive vehicle is the best option.
Other tourist attractions near the Bugyly Mountains:
- Karkaraly National Park
- Kent Mountains
- Ruins of Kyzyl-Kent Palace
- Kyzylarai Mountains
- Begazy Necropolis
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Recommended tours:
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This journey will take you to the gems of Central Kazakhstan, including Karkaraly National Park, the Bronze Age Kent settlement, Scythian burial mounds, and the remnants of the ancient Buddhist temple known as Kent Palace.