Ile Alatau National Natural Park is located on the northern slope of the Zailiyskiy Alatau, south of Almaty. The purpose of the park is to preserve the unique landscapes, flora, and fauna. Also, the mission of the park includes improving conditions for tourist activity safe for natural complexes.
Ile Alatau Park covers an area of 198,669 hectares. It stretches 120 km long and 35 km wide. Its altitude ranges from 600 to 4540 m above sea level. Its highest point is the peak of the Constitution (4540 m), below it the peak of 25 years of Kazakhstan (4494 m) rises.
Its history originates from the foundation of Almaty State Reserve in 1931. Scientific research of its flora and fauna was often organized there. In 1996, Ile Alatau National Park was created on its territory.
Climatic conditions in Ile Alatau Park vary depending on the altitude zones. Summers are warm here and winters are mild. About 560 mm of precipitation falls annually. The park also has zones of eternal snow and glaciers. The glaciers of the park include the Dmitriev glacier, the Constitution glacier, and the Tuyuksu glacier. Such rivers as Turgen, Issyk, Talgar, Malaya and Bolshaya Almatinka, Karagalinka, Aksai, Kaskelen flow from the glaciers of Ile Alatau park.
The park impresses with a variety of flora and fauna. On its territory grow Ostrovsky’s tulip, Albert’s iris, Sievers’ apple tree, Semyonov’s corydalis, Tien Shan Siberian whale, Red Book saffron Alatau and other unique plant species. As for the animal world, there are such rare species as the brown Tien Shan bear, snow leopard, stone marten, Central Asian river otter, manul, Turkestan lynx, and Indian porcupine.
The most popular object of the national natural park is the Big Almaty Lake, located at an altitude of 2500 m, which attracts many tourists to the park every day.
