Zhongar-Alatau National Park

Zhongar-Alatau National Park is one of 14 national parks in Kazakhstan. It covers 36 km² (3,560 ha) — about 60% of the size of Manhattan, making it the #14 largest national park in Kazakhstan (0.2% of the country's national park area).

History and protection

The park was established in 2010, 16 years ago — the first national parks in Kazakhstan date back to 1985. It is listed in IUCN category II: National Park — protecting whole ecosystems while welcoming visitors for recreation and education.

Visiting Zhongar-Alatau National Park

The closest airport is Bole Alashankou Airport (BPL), about 126 km away — around 2 h 44 min by car; alternatively Ili Yining International Airport (YIN, 151 km). Other national parks within reach include Altyn-Emel National Park (3,077 km²), Tarbagatai National Park (1,436 km²), Charyn National Park (1,271 km²) and Kölsay Lakes National Park (1,610 km²) — easy to combine on one trip.