Historical heritage, wildlife, Kazakh traditions, music and sport will come together at the first ethno-historical festival "Altyn-Emel – Land of the Kulan," to be held on October 17 at the Altynemel visitor center in Altyn-Emel National Park, 36 km from the village of Shengeldi on the northern shore of Kapchagay, the website infohub.kz reports.
The main idea of the celebration is the unity of the steppe's nature and nomadic culture. The program starts at 12:00 with kulan watching in their natural habitat. After that, viewers will enjoy a show dedicated to the warrior traditions of the nomads: fiery performances by batyrs, "Qylysh Ainaldyru" and "Aibalta Show."
From 13:30, excursions to the petroglyphs of the Sholak mountains will begin. Hunting scenes, images of wild animals, chariot symbols and other drawings have carried the world of our ancestors down through the millennia. Lectures on the petroglyphs, history and nature of Zhetisu are also planned.
The musical part of the festival will feature true stars of ethnic music: the band Arkaiym, kobyz player Lyaila Tazhibayeva and masters of the shan-kobyz.
Young guests can look forward to games and quests, while adults will enjoy master classes in petroglyph drawing, Turkic runes, expedition survival skills, handicrafts and cooking. The "Craft Fair" will bring everyone together.
A special program has been prepared for sports fans: on the day of the festival, early in the morning, a race over distances of 10 and 5 kilometers will be held through the picturesque Sholak mountains to the rock drawings carved by the well-known Almaty artist Sanzhar Zhubanov.
Date: October 17, 2026. Admission is free. The race starts at 9:30, the festival begins at 12:00. Venue: Altynemel visitor center, northern shore of Kapchagay (the visitor center is open on the day of the festival).
Registration for the race and transport for athletes are available via the link. Transport for guests is available upon prior registration by calling +7 707 976 7070 (WhatsApp), where inquiries can also be made. More information is available on the festival's Instagram account.
Organizers: Qazaq National Parks LLP, the "Petroglyph Hunters" public foundation, the Altyn-Emel State National Nature Park, the Central Asian Sustainable Tourism Development Foundation, and the DDA creative agency, with support from the Zhetisu region akimat and the "Ostrov Krym" laboratory.