What is the main draw?

Karkaraly National Park — granite peaks, pine forest and lakes forming a green oasis in the steppe, good for trekking and climbing.

When is the best time to visit?

May to September; late spring and early autumn are most comfortable on the open steppe.

Karaganda has an airport a few hours from Karkaraly; beyond it the steppe is genuinely empty, so trips are guided with transfers.

Things to do in Karaganda

Vast central Karaganda holds the granite oasis of Karkaraly, a startling island of jagged peaks, pine forest and clear lakes rising straight out of the surrounding steppe. Drive for hours across flat grassland and it appears like a mirage — a self-contained mountain world with its own weather and legends.

Granite and pine

Trekking and rock climbing in Karkaraly National Park, the weathered Bektau-Ata granite hills, and open-steppe cycling and horse routes, in the central steppe. Open the Book here tab for dates.