Package holiday operator Silk Road Adventures in Kazakhstan.

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

Charles Darwin.

Short description of route of excursion walk to settlement of Akmol to museum ALZHIR:

Astana - Korgaldzhin Highway - lake Taldykol - settlement of Karaotkel - settlement of Akmol - Astana.

Distance of route: 72 km.
Season: all the year round.
Best time for an excursion: May - August.
Duration of excursion: 1 day.

Detailed program of an excursion to Akmola region:

Office Attractions Silk Road Adventures in Kazakhstan.

Transfer: Astana - settlement of Akmol (36 km).
Our way from Astana goes on Korgaldzhin Highway to the settlement of Korgaldzhino which is the administrative center of Korgaldzhin district. Further the road conducts to the Korgaldzhino reserve.
We pass city housing estates, the lake Taldykol and the road conducts us on the southwest. On the right housing estate Urker and cottage town of families of officers of army of Kazakhstan, settlement of Karaotkel.
Soon we in the settlement of Akmol, called the settlement earlier - the Robin. The settlement of Akmol is located in the Tselinograd district of the Akmola region on the bank of the lake Zhalanash, which belongs to Tengiz to system of lakes.
In a northern part of the settlement there is a museum ALZHIR (Akmola camp of wives of traitors of the Homeland). The Akmola camp was the largest concentration camp in the USSR for wives of traitors of the Homeland and their children.
The museum and memorial complex opens a monument "A grief arch", two compositions "Despair and powerlessness", "Fight and hope" follow further. The complex also includes: the museum building, "The Stalin carriage", the Wall of memory and memorable plates established by the embassies accredited in the Republic of Kazakhstan.
An excursion in the museum, visit of a museum exposition. Visit of Russian Orthodox Church and the central square in the settlement of Akmol.
End of an excursion, return to Astana (36 km).

 ALZHIR museum and memorial complex.

The ALZHIR museum and memorial complex is located at an altitude of 353 meters above sea level, located 36 kilometers southeast of Astana, in the northern part of the village of Akmol (formerly called Malinovka) along Gagarin Street, 2b in the Tselinograd district of the Akmola region.
ALZHIR is a colloquial name and abbreviation meaning the Akmola camp for the wives of traitors to the Motherland. The ALZHIR museum and memorial complex, dedicated to the memory of the victims of political repression during the times of totalitarianism, is an important place that clearly demonstrates the absurdity of war and the blind tyranny of the “leaders of the people.” 
Over the years (from 1938 to 1953), more than 18,000 women were kept here. Today, the museum and memorial complex presents compositions - the famous “Arch of Sorrow”, under which one should lower one’s head, steles, “Stalin’s carriage” and the barracks where women lived.
“Many tourists come here to honor the memory of repressed women, learn about their “Calvary” during Stalinism and understand that this should not happen again. The climate of the Kazakh steppe is very harsh - in summer the heat reaches 40 degrees, there are clouds of mosquitoes, and in winter - frosts up to 40 degrees.
And the steppe winds do not subside all year. In winter - with snow, in summer - with sand. Even mortar cannot withstand sudden climate changes, but mothers, wives, sisters and children of “enemies of the people” must go through this.

Note:
Author program of Alexander Petrov. Copying and introduction -  from the sanction of the author.

Photos by:
Alexander Petrov.