Popular destinations in Central Asia.

“It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change”

Charles Darwin.

Backpacker in Kazakhstan and Central Asia.

To the Kaskelen gorge increase in an arid climate is felt. It depends on decrease in the mountains which are not detaining an atmospheric precipitation and lack of glaciers and snow tops in gorge upper courses. In August on the low mountains below the fir forest the grass dries.
The abundance in the floodplain of the river Kaskelen of an ash-tree and Semenov maple, lack of a birch and an aspen testify about dry low mountains regarding from 1000 to 1500 meters above sea level. These mountains in Kaskelen the gorge are less attractive in comparison with the central part of Zailiysky Ala-Tau.
Here in the foothills vegetation quickly dries, the grass is eaten by the cattle which does not eat some other prickly plants. To mountains the beautiful asphalt way is paved. In the floodplain of the river gardens and picturesque dachas settle down, grow an ash-tree, a poplar above, trees of a crab, an apricot and Semenov's maple are occasionally visible.
The road goes along gorge slopes. Behind a forest cordon of Ile-Alatau of national park the area changes. In the wide river valley juicy green meadows were stretched, among them willows stand aloone. On the right and at the left on slopes the apple-tree and apricot woods, above - an aspen, a birch, a fir-tree, artificial landings of a pine and larch grow.
Kaskelen of the gorge is a sight an enormous stone the Yurta, in translation from Kazakh Uy-Tas who is on the most top part of the ridge. This stone about 5 meters high represents a huge block of gray granite weighing more than 500 tons.
This enormous stone yurt, apparently, is brought by an ancient glacier.

Authority:
V. L. Kazenas, A. B. Zhdanko. A photo album "On Zailiskiy Alatau".

Photos
Alexander Petrov.