Kazakhstan > To Altyn Emel National Park

In the morning, we overslept. We had arranged to meet for breakfast at 8:30, but only wake up around nine. Quick shower and dressing. It’s not a big deal, since Milko’s motorcycle is still at the garage. The shop opens at ten, and then he’ll know the status. We wait anxiously for his message to find out whether we’ll stay longer in Almaty or not. Fortunately, a message comes quickly. The motorcycle is almost ready. We pack our luggage in the hotel room and settle the laundry bill—an astronomically high amount. For washing the clothes of two people, we pay over 50 euros. Perhaps we should have checked the price list in advance. At one o’clock, we leave Almaty together. We drive north out of the city. The A6 highway is wide and good. In some places, roadwork is still ongoing. Traffic often shares one side of the road, and it’s not always clear when this is the case. Near Saryozek, according to the navigation, we need to make a sharp turn. I get the impression we’re driving against traffic.

Kazakhstan - Driving through Altyn Emel National Park

That’s probably true, but nobody seems to care. The road eastwards is immediately worse—potholes and bumps. We had almost missed them. On the map, it isn’t entirely clear where the entrance to Altyn Emel National Park is. It should be near the village of Basshi, but Basshi is neither on the map nor in the navigation system. When we ask, everyone points to the same spot on the map. That must be it. The ticket office is under renovation. Workers are busy downstairs. We go up to the first floor, where a small room is opened especially for us. We pay for: one ranger, one car, two motorcycles, and four people. We are allowed to camp tonight at the campsite near the sand dunes. It all sounds fine. Once outside, it turns out the ranger is expected to travel with our car. That won’t fit. Then we wouldn’t be allowed to stay in the park. When we show that our navigation can find the campsite, it’s okay after all. For the route to the Altyn mountains, we receive a detailed hand-drawn map. No ranger needs to come along now. We set off. The road to the sand dunes is about forty kilometers. The dirt road isn’t too bad. We can drive reasonably well over the sand and gravel, reaching the campsite around 7:30. The ranger there welcomes us in Russian and shows us the camping spots. While setting up our tents, I notice there are many mosquitoes. Buzzing everywhere. Even during dinner, the mosquitoes remain active. I quickly put on long clothing and spray myself thoroughly with insect repellent. Hopefully, we won’t have trouble with them inside the tent.