Kiin Kerish

Kiin Kerish is an outcrop of Cretaceous and Palaeogene clays on the shore of Lake Zaysan, eroded by wind and water into ridges, gullies and pinnacles banded in red, orange, white and grey, which has given it the local name of the city of spirits. The deposits are fossiliferous, with plant and vertebrate material from a period when the area was subtropical, and palaeontologists have worked here since the Soviet era. The site stands in otherwise empty semi-desert with the lake behind it, and there is nothing there: no road, no sign, no facilities. Access is a track from the Kurchum direction, and visits are almost always part of an organised trip.

What you actually see

• The banded clays - the red, orange and white layers in the cliffs.
• Eroded spires - the ridges and pinnacles cut by wind and water.
• Fossil beds - the plant and vertebrate material in the deposits.
• Lake Zaysan - the water behind the badlands.

When to go

May to June and September for tolerable temperatures; summer is extremely hot with no shade and the site is inaccessible in winter and thaw. Low sun early and late brings out the colour bands.

Honest expectations

There is no road, water, shade or shelter, and a guide with a capable vehicle is necessary. The clay becomes impassable when wet. Fossils are protected and collecting is prohibited. The area is extremely remote from any town.

Nearby

Lake Zaysan lies north; Kurchum is southwest.