Backcountry skiing in Karkaraly park.

"Oh, Karkaraly, desired mountain land,
I am shrouded in sorrow, like you in mist.
In Sary-Arka, like a saiga in the desert,
I live alone, a stranger and unwanted."

Madi Bapiuly.

Tourist destination in Kazakhstan.

Nature Museum is located at an altitude of 823 meters above sea level in eastern part of Karkaraly National Park, in mountain range of same name, in Tasbulak valley, 4 kilometers northeast of city of Karkaraly in Karkaraly district in eastern Karaganda region. 
The two-story wooden building consists of two exhibition halls – one for the flora and one for the fauna of the Karkaraly region. One of the museum halls houses a model of the Karkaraly National Park. The nature museum also includes an area adjacent to the museum, where bison, brought from the Belovezhskaya Pushcha in Belarus in the early 2000s, live and breed in their natural open-air habitat.
In early June 2003, one of the female bison gave birth to her first litter - a small bison named Karkusha. Several wild boars also lived in a special enclosure. Two dwarf horses graze separately. Red deer also graze here in their natural habitat, and a colony of marmots also lives here.

Cultural and educational facilities of Karkaraly Park.

Karkaraly National Park is not only a realm of pine forests, mountain peaks, and clear lakes. It is also a place where nature meets history and culture. For centuries, legends have been born in these mountains, caravans have passed through, and geologists, writers, and scientists have worked here.
To preserve this rich heritage and make it accessible to visitors, museums, nature trails, and educational routes have been created within the park, introducing visitors to the flora, fauna, and past of the region. A special place among these is occupied by the Karkaraly National Park Nature Museum – a cozy knowledge center located in the Tasbulak ravine, where each exhibit seems to breathe the breath of the vibrant steppe and mountains.
The Karkaraly National Park Nature Museum is located at an altitude of 823 meters above sea level, in the picturesque Tasbulak ravine, in the eastern part of the Karkaraly Mountains, just four kilometers northeast of the town of Karkaraly. It is one of the most visited sites in the park – a unique window into the natural and historical past of the Karkaraly region.

History and Significance of Karkaraly Park Nature Museum. 

The museum's creation was dictated by the need to preserve and showcase the region's rich natural heritage. Here, among the pine slopes and granite cliffs, an exhibition dedicated to the flora, fauna, and geological features of central Kazakhstan was established at the end of the XXth century.
Over time, the museum has become not only a cultural site but also an important scientific and educational center, attracting students, tourists, and researchers. The museum exhibit features dioramas with models of typical ecosystems of the Karkaraly Park: mountain forest, steppe, and taiga-pine zones.
Of particular interest is the hall dedicated to wildlife, where you can see stuffed maral, roe deer, fox, owl, hawk, and rare birds listed in the Red Book of Kazakhstan. The geological section of the exhibition introduces minerals and rocks characteristic of the Kazakh Uplands - granite, quartzite, and gneiss.

Atmosphere and legends associated with Karkaraly Park Nature Museum.

The museum is located in one of the most beautiful corners of the park. The Tasbulak tract is surrounded by pine forests, and a clear stream runs nearby. Locals tell an ancient legend:
- "Once upon a time, an old hunter lived here, at the foot of the mountains. He believed that the soul of every animal, bird, and even tree was kept in a single enormous stone - the tas bulak, the spring stone. And if a person..." "Forget about nature, the stone will weep with water. This is how the clear springs that nourish Karkaraly were created."
This legend has become a symbol of the museum's philosophy: man is not the master, but the custodian of nature.

Information for travelers visiting Karkaraly Park Nature Museum.

The museum can be reached by road from Karkaraly (approximately 4 kilometers, travel time 10-15 minutes). The trail to the tract passes through a picturesque forest and is marked with signs. On the grounds next to the museum, there is an observation deck offering panoramic views of the Karkaraly Mountains and valley.
There are also rest areas, gazebos, and an ecological trail leading deeper into the park to the rocks and a small waterfall. The geographic coordinates of the Karkaraly. 
National Park Nature Museum are: N49°26'47 E75°29'17

Authority and photos by:
Alexander Petrov.