The Aksu River Canyon is the deepest canyon in Central Asia and the hallmark of Aksu-Zhabagly, the very first nature reserve of Kazakhstan and the pearl of the Turkistan Area. Vacationers who’ve visited this breathtaking place typically evaluate it to ‘the misplaced world’ described in Arthur Conan Doyle’s novel. The pure landscapes and guests’ impressions are detailed in a particular report by Kazinform.
The numerous consideration the canyon of the Aksu River receives from vacationers is because of its picturesque views and its handy proximity to Shymkent, which is simply 100 kilometers away. The path to the canyon is just not solely accessible for skilled vacationers but in addition appropriate for learners, aged folks and kids.
White river
After touring 60 kilometers from Shymkent, teams of vacationers make their first cease on the narrowest a part of the canyon. Right here, the space from one financial institution to the opposite is about half a meter, permitting out of doors fanatics to cross from one facet to the opposite with little worry. Nevertheless, warning remains to be suggested, as there’s a drop of at the least 30 metres beneath, the place a blue strip of the river may be seen on the backside.
Aksu River. Picture credit score: drive2.ru
The sources of the Aksu River originate from the glaciers of the Talas Alatau. The pure mountain river earned its identify (“ak,” that means white and “su,” that means water within the Kazakh language) as a result of throughout the flood season in June-July, its waters, carrying particles of eroded rocks, flip a milky-turquoise shade. For the remainder of the yr, the Aksu stays a light-weight blue.
Round 40 kilometers from the supply, at an altitude of round 3,500 meters above sea stage, the river bursts right into a hilly valley the place over many centuries it has carved a deep mattress with steep partitions. That is the Aksu River canyon.
Dragon’s throat and mixer
The following cease for vacationers is on the grotto, the place the canyon banks converge, and the river continues its journey by way of unseen underground galleries. Some name this picturesque spot the Dragon’s Throat. After about 100 meters, vacationers discover themselves underneath the arch of the grotto, the place the river is deep and fast-moving.
All through most of its size, the canyon has steep banks, making it dangerous to succeed in the underside in all however one explicit spot. The trail resulting in it’s continuously sloping, and about midway down, the microclimate adjustments. Because it was a century in the past, the well-sunlit rocks and the mountain river present air humidity, making a greenhouse-like microclimate within the canyon. Due to this, along with the crops present in the remainder of the Aksu-Zhabagly reserve, you possibly can observe horsetails, ferns and even relict crops. This distinctive setting is one more reason why vacationers evaluate the Aksu River canyon space to the misplaced world described in Arthur Conan Doyle’s novel.
Picture credit score: Irina Galushko
At one explicit location, a big pool has fashioned, the place the water stage adjustments relying on the season. Throughout the intense glacial melting, there’s a lot water that the present units quite a few logs in movement—logs that had been as soon as juniper timber rising alongside the banks however had been washed away by the Aksu’s waters. For months, these logs swirl in a whimsical dance till the river stage begins to fall within the autumn after which they’re scattered alongside the banks. Instructors and vacationers name this place “The Mixer,” and it’s thought of the principle pure attraction of this a part of the canyon.
Close by, there’s a standard photograph spot for the vacationers – a small however gorgeous grotto. Particularly daring vacationers are prepared to plunge into the icy water for shot, even in the summertime. One other group of courageous souls fearlessly steps onto a peculiar ledge, popularly generally known as “The Finger.”