Bayanaul

Bayanaul State National Natural Park — Pavlodar Region. Established on 12 August 1985.

The first national park in Kazakhstan.

Key figures

Entrance tariff

0.15 MCI per pedestrian, 0.4 MCI per car. In 2026 that is 648.8 ₸ and 1,730 ₸.

The tariff is set by appendix 24 to Order No. 232 of 2 October 2024.

The tariff is set in MCI units rather than tenge, so the amount changes with each January budget.

What to see

• Zhasybay Lake
• Naizatas rock
• granite formations

Bayanaul in one minute

Bayanaul is a cluster of granite hills rising out of the Pavlodar steppe, with four freshwater lakes: Sabyndykol, Zhasybay, Toraigyr and Birzhankol. Wikipedia describes it as Kazakhstan’s first national park, covering about 68,500 ha at elevations between 400 and 1,027 m. People come in summer to swim and to wander among wind-carved rocks; the nearest town is Ekibastuz, while the regional capital Pavlodar is considerably further.

The lakes: Zhasybay, Sabyndykol, Toraigyr

The four main lakes differ in character, and choosing where to stay mostly comes down to choosing a lake.

Zhasybay sits in a valley between two ridges and is the main beach lake.

Sabyndykol (“soapy lake”) is the village lake: shops and most services are here, and so are most people.

Toraigyr, at the northern foot of the Bayanaul hills, is the quiet, shallower option.

Rocks and the Konyr-Aulie cave

What makes Bayanaul memorable is granite weathered by wind and water into shapes. The best known are Kempirtas (the “Baba Yaga” rock) and a formation locals call “Masculine Dignity”; guides also point out a camel, a mammoth’s head and a “flying saucer”.

Konyr-Aulie cave is a sacred site visited by pilgrims. According to English Wikipedia, it is reached by a walk of about a kilometre, the last part on a wooden staircase. Inside is a small spring used for ritual washing. Treat it as you would any place of worship.

Mount Akbet is the park’s highest point: 1,027 m according to Wikipedia, 1,022 m according to Zakon.kz. Other named peaks include Naizatas and the “Peak of the Brave”.

Legends and archaeology

Many places at Bayanaul come with a story. English Wikipedia links the name Akbet to a legend about a girl who threw herself from the summit rather than be forced into marriage.

Beyond legends there is tangible history: NUR.KZ reported in 2024 that 24 archaeological monuments are recorded in the park. We found no dedicated tourist route linking them in open sources, so ask the park administration.

Nature: pines on bare rock and argali

The park counts about 460 plant species. Its signature is the Bayanaul pine, which grows straight out of the rock, and a relict grove of black alder along the streams. Fauna includes about 50 bird species and about 40 mammal species, among them the Red Book-listed argali. In 2024 NUR.KZ reported a visual count of more than 760 argali in the park.

Getting there from Pavlodar and Ekibastuz

In practice travellers get to Ekibastuz from Pavlodar or Astana and continue by car, bus or taxi. In 2017 an inaugural flight from Pavlodar to Bayanaul used an 18-seat Let-410 (40 minutes in the air), but we have not confirmed whether any regular service runs today.

Planning a two-day trip

Bayanaul is compact, so a weekend usually works if you pick the right base:

• Lake Zhasybay for swimming and a quiet stay; Bayanaul village is about 6 km away.
• Bayanaul village on Sabyndykol if you want shops and services close by.
• Toraigyr if you want peace and can live with fewer facilities.

Give day one to your lake and the rocks around it, and day two to the Konyr-Aulie cave and the viewpoints. The drive from Pavlodar takes several hours, so set off in the morning to reach the lake in daylight.

When to go and entry fees

The climate is harsher than summer photos suggest: the mean annual temperature is about 3.2 °C and precipitation about 340 mm a year. Swimming is mainly a summer affair; in the shoulder season the rocks are good for walking without crowds.

The park fee is shown on the card above and set in MCI fractions; the park fee calculator converts it into tenge for the current year. To compare Bayanaul with other parks by area and fee, see the national parks comparison.

Worth keeping in mind:

• Bayanaul is a national park, not a strict reserve, so its recreation zone is open to visitors. The difference is explained in our guide to protected area categories.
• Bayanaul’s main rival in the north is Burabay: closer to Astana, but Zhasybay is roughly twice as deep as Lake Borovoe (14.7 m against 7 m).
• Before you go, run through the pre-trip checklist.

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