Amazing Singing Sands

Picturesque nature of Kazakhstan undoubtedly conquered its guests with its unique beauty. Picturesque places, like a miracle of nature, are remembered by many for their mesmerizing beauty. One of these places, which conveys the spirit of Chingis Khan, tells his descendants about his victories, adding the sound of cheesiness to the wind blowing in the singing sands.

The Big Kalkan Mountain, located along the valley of the Ili River, and the sand hill at the foot of the Little Kalkan Mountain were popularly called the singing sand or the shouting sand. Its distinctive feature is that it produces melodious sounds, which spread for several kilometers and can be heard from afar. According to some sources, such melodious sounds are caused by the rubbing of small sand particles against each other. When there is a light breeze, a melody similar to the sound of a cheese. Even on a windless day, you can listen to the music of the sand. Thanks to this amazing magic, there are many legends about the sand. Another peculiarity is that it does not move, like other sands. On the contrary, for thousands of years it has been in one place in Altyn Emel. According to the inhabitants, it is under this sand that Genghis Khan and his loyal warriors are buried. And the magical singing of the sand is what the Khan's spirit tells his descendants about his victories.

The height of the screaming sand is 150 m, length - 8 km, width - 3 km. As a result of the change of wind direction blowing from the Kalkan Mountains, the sand grains are sifted and turn into a hill, consisting of a unique sand mixture.

To hear the sounds of this "singing sand" located along the Silk Road, passengers specifically visited these places. Since 1996 it has been part of the Altyn Emel National Park and is protected by the state as a natural monument. In addition, in 2007 it was included in the list of seven new natural wonders organized by the New Open World Corporation. The selection lasted until July 7, 2009, and 77 candidates participated in it. As a result, the singing sand was nominated among the Asian countries.

Author: Moldir Adamzhan

Photo: from the archives of press services