Dzungarian Alatau

The Dzungarian Alatau is a significant mountain range that stretches for 450 kilometers along the border between Kazakhstan and China's Xinjiang province. It is part of the larger Tian Shan mountain system. The mountains are known for their diverse landscapes, ranging from arid foothill steppes to dense forests, alpine meadows, and glaciated peaks, with the highest point being Pik Semyonov-Tyan-Shansky at 4,622 meters. A unique feature is the 'Dzungarian Gate', a strategic mountain pass that has served as a corridor for migrations and invasions between Central Asia and China since antiquity. The mountains are also a biodiversity hotspot; they are renowned as the place of origin for wild apple trees (Malus sieversii), the ancestors of most apple varieties cultivated today. The region is also an important habitat for the snow leopard and the brown bear.

Nearby cities

Engilchek Glacier

One of the largest and longest mountain glaciers in the world, located in the heart of the majestic Tian Shan Mountains.

History & landmarks

Zharkent

A city near the Chinese border, famous for its unique wooden mosque built in the pagoda style.

More places

Altyn-Emel National Park

This huge park is famous for the Singing Dune, which produces a deep, organ-like sound in the wind.

Zhongar-Alatau National Park

Developed to protect genetically pure wild apple forests, it is a paradise for botanists and nature lovers.

Khorgos Gateway

A massive dry port and special economic zone on the border with China, where trains undergo cargo transshipment due to the different rail…

Khan Tengri

This majestic, pyramid-shaped mountain is one of the highest peaks of the Tien Shan.

Tien Shan

The so-called Celestial Mountains stretch across vast parts of Central Asia, offering dramatic landscapes with deep valleys, glaciers, an…

Jengish Chokusu

The highest mountain in Kyrgyzstan and the Tian Shan range, reaching an elevation of 7439 meters on the border with China.