Altai is a mountainous region in the extreme east of Kazakhstan. It is home to some of the country's most beautiful alpine scenery, with remote wildlands and clear lakes. Here, the mining industry is adjacent to the untouched Altai nature and magnificent landscapes.

Ust-Kamenogorsk is the largest city in the region, the center of non-ferrous metallurgy. Other destinations

Scenery from Kazakhstan's Altai

Cities

• 1 Ust-Kamenogorsk — or Öskemen, is the capital of East Kazakhstan
• 2 Zaysan — a town and former Russian military outpost up in the mountains
• 3 Altai City — a pre-revolutionary workers' settlement knowns as Zyryan or Zyryanovsk until 2019
• 4 Ridder — a mining town, and the center of the mining industry.

Other destinations

• 1 Lake Markakol (Kazakh: Марқакөл, Marqaköl; Russian: озеро Маркаколь, ozero Markakol') — a lake and popular tourist destination
• West Altai Reserve — a reserve east of Ridder comprising alpine meadows, taiga, tundra, and deciduous forests
• 2 Rakhmanovskie Klyuchi — a mountain resort known for its mineral waters near Belukha, the highest point of Altai

Understand

The region is dominated by the Russian population.

The region is located in the southwestern lower part of Altai, the natural boundaries are the Charysh and Irtysh rivers.

Get in

Ust-Kamenogorsk is the transportation hub for the region, and receives flights, trains and buses from elsewhere, particularly Almaty and Astana.

Get around

Altay Mountains, Kazakhstan Markakol Reserve, Kara-Koba River

See

Etno Park, in Ust-Kamenogorsk, is a semi-kitschy place with replicas of traditional homes and an enormous mosque, collections of former Soviet military equipment like tanks and planes, flowers, and a zoo.

Do

Go to an ice hockey game: Ust-Kamenogorsk is home to Kazakhstan's most famous team: Kazzinc-Torpedo. The team plays in the Russian 2nd league.