Famous site of the area is Aksu-Zhabagly Reserve located in the ridges of Western Tien-Shan. Total area of the reserve is 74.4 thousand ha. Founded in 1926 it became the first reserve created in Kazakhstan and Central Asia. You will be amazed with magnificent mountain ridges, mountainous rivers and wild nature!
The reserve received its name because of two rivers Aksu and Zhabagly, which belong to the Basin of Arys River (tributary of Syrdariya). These mountainous rivers flow in deep picturesque ravines.
The reserve has basic plantation belts from semi-deserts to mountainous tundra and snow-ice belt, at the elevations from 1000 to 4280m above sea level. Here are several dozens of species of endemic plants. In spring the alpine meadows flower with the amazing beauty. Thus in Aksu Zhabagly you can see the blossom of such a rare species of flowers as gigantic Greig’s tulips. Travellers will be amazed with the great diversity of flowering tulips on the background of emerald grass. By the way, Dutch tulips come from Aksu Zhabagly Reserve!
The canyon of Aksu River with steep banks, sometimes completely impassable, is of great interest.
Mountainous tops (height reaches 4000 m) have eternal snows, steep slopes with the rocks. In the middle level there are sub-alpine and alpine meadows and open woodlands.
The lower part of the mountain slopes (1200-2000 m high) is covered with scarce forest and has the diverse meadow plantation and rich fauna. Aksu-Zhabagly is the richest treasury of rare, disappearing and endemic species of animals and plants. Here are gigantic Greig’s and Kaufman’s tulips.
In the mountains you can see bear, golden eagle, ibex, snow leopard, mocassin, goatsucker, black vulture and many other animals and insects. Sometimes bears dare to come to the settlements so close that you can them even without binoculars. Usually they do not make harm to people.
