Burabay National Park

Burabay, often called Borovoye in Russian, is an outlier of hills and pine forest rising from otherwise flat northern steppe, with a group of lakes among granite outcrops, and the contrast with the surrounding plain is why it became the country's main domestic resort area, with sanatoria dating from the Soviet period and a large newer tourism development. Lake Borovoye and Lake Burabay are the central ones, with the rock called Zhumbaktas standing in the water and Okzhetpes rising above the shore, both attached to Kazakh legends. Walking trails climb Bolektau and Kokshetau for views over the lakes. In winter the lakes freeze and the area is used for skiing and ice fishing.

What you actually see

• The lakes - Borovoye, Burabay and the smaller waters among the hills.
• Zhumbaktas - the rock standing in the lake, read as a face from some angles.
• Okzhetpes - the granite outcrop above the shore.
• Pine forest - the woodland that makes the area unlike the surrounding steppe.

When to go

June to August for the lakes and walking, which is also the crowded season; January and February for winter sports and frozen lakes. Spring and autumn are quiet but changeable. Weekends and holidays fill the accommodation.

Honest expectations

The area is heavily developed with hotels, sanatoria and attractions, and summer crowds are considerable. Lake water quality has suffered from that pressure. Entry fees apply at gates. Trails near the main lakes are busy.

Nearby

Shchuchinsk is the access town; Astana lies south.