Seletinsky canyon is a geological phenomenon of Saryarka and the pearl of the steppe.

In our country, it is so wound up that if you want to enjoy the pristine untouched beauty of nature,then you need to "sweat" pretty much. You still need to get to your destination, and this is a whole quest. Of course, I'm talking about our roads. This is a whole test. On the other hand, you think it might be for the best. What is not just so easy to take and get to unique places. All our "Thrifty", endless tourists would have long ago chosen these places so much that they would have long ago brought them into a "non-marketable form", as we could observe literally this spring and summer. Remember, as in just 2-3 months one of the beauties of nature – the lake Comatus has changed beyond recognition. And all because of the immensely consumer and ruthless attitude to the world around us by our fellow citizens.

Just recently, not far from the capital in the direction of Stepnogorsk, all Kazakhstanis have discovered the Selety river in a new way. I speak in a new way, because this river, 400 km long, flows through the territory of three regions from time immemorial. However, the canyons that suddenly appear out of nowhere among the semi – desert endless steppe near the village of Bestobe-this is still a sight that is not inferior to the rest of the spectacular canyons of Kazakhstan, of which there are more than 20 in the country. We were able to see this for ourselves on one of the last weekend, when the weather was warm and clear. Seletinsky canyons are rightly called the geological phenomenon of Saryarka. Its appearance geologists refer to the Carboniferous epoch-more than 500 million years ago. Adepts, that is, alternative historians, are sure that it was on the shore of Seleta that the ancestral home of human civilization was located. They came to this conclusion after studying the map of the XV century. According to it, the mythical city of Belovodye is located on the 55th parallel, that is, in The seleta valley, from where the supposedly human race originates. Selestinskie canyons, in fact, it is the canyons of the city. Seletinsky it was called recently in the people because of the fact that one of the cleanest rivers of Kazakhstan – Selety, which originates in the Kazakh melkosopochnik, flows through it. The river is replenished with underground springs. We all know that crayfish are found in clean water. And in the Villages of crustaceans just the same are found. You can accordingly judge the purity of the water. No comments, as they say. You can also go fishing here. In the river there are perch, roach, pike. And all this beauty is 230 kilometers from the capital. Selety ends its journey near the village of the same name, where it pours out into a huge"sea" -a reservoir as long as 40 kilometers. The village was not always called this way, but only for the last 13 years. And from 1910 to 2007, the village was called Sladkovodskoe. It was founded by migrant peasants and was the Central estate of the sheep state farm, founded in 1930. The reservoir serves as a source of electricity for the city of Stepnogorsk and the Virgin mining and chemical plant. From Nur-Sultan to the majestic canyons of Seleta can be reached by car or mini-bus through Stepnogorsk or by turning to the right from the village of Seleta through the field road, so it will be faster, you can cut a couple of tens of kilometers. If you drive along the Pavlodar highway through Erementau, then along the way you can meet stone statues-balbals, and in a kind of ethnic village of Turgay you can taste hot baursaks and take a photo for memory, dressed in Kazakh national clothes. This summer, Seletinsky canyon was chosen not only by residents of nearby settlements, this place has become a resort Mecca and Paradise for Astana residents. The influx was so huge that the environmental service began to warn all vacationers about the responsibility for order at the place of spontaneous recreation of tourists. They come in droves to relax and admire the beauty of nature, and they simply forget to clean up after themselves on purpose, or simply show irresponsibility, as well as a careless and barbaric attitude. From this, in the end, nature is not easier, and mountains of garbage are not only stored, but also scattered by the wind to the entire district, leading to a deplorable state of the ecological situation. Although all this could have been avoided by simply including civic consciousness and responsibility. I even remember how this summer representatives of the Ministry of ecology, together with representatives of the local Executive authorities and the Ministry of internal Affairs, conducted raids on places of spontaneous recreation of tourists who left mountains of garbage behind them. With vacationers carried out explanatory work, preventive measures so to speak. But if the situation also continues, the guards promise to ruthlessly punish violators of public order with fines. There was even a glaring fact in the summer when vacationers did not extinguish the fire, which caused a steppe fire of almost 500 hectares. The carelessness of the "savages" leads to such deplorable results. And generally, if to look around our capital so many beautiful places and Bayanaul, Akkol, Karkaraly, the Kurgaldzhino reserve, Buratowski the national Park with its Sokolinoi mountain, for lovers of Hiking offers a fantastic panoramic view of the whole area, salt lake Saryoba and Conatus, which your own hands have brought to a deplorable state, Imantau, Zerenda, Sandyktau, Vyacheslav and Baryshevskii reservoir, and, behold, Selestinskie canyons, which are also waiting for a disastrous outcome if you don't learn cares for its natural resources. If you are a fan of thrills – then you are here, in the seletinsky canyons. Here you can not only study stone statues-balbals, but also conquer inaccessible rocks, as well as go diving, especially in late spring and early summer, when the rapid flows of the river can easily carry a person with them. It is necessary to remember especially that the canyon has steep banks, respectively, in winter these places can be particularly dangerous for an unprepared tourist. By the way, this is also a great place for meditation. Here, in silence, you can put your thoughts in order and collect rosehips and lingonberries for the winter. Clean air and a light and warm breeze, swaying the steppe grass, takes your thoughts far away, so that you can forget yourself here and turn away from everything earthly. Here the body and soul come into harmony. We are waiting for the new season. I think the month of may will be a great time of year for outings, picnics. And in this sense, the Seletinsky canyons will undoubtedly be a great help for a weekend tour.

Tourist potential of the yerementau district

Almost the entire Selety river flows through the territory of the yerementau district. And the reservoir is also located as well. This means that it would be very interesting for us to see the tourist potential of this region. According to the district akimat, Yerementau district, it turns out, is one of the six basic districts in the cluster development in the tourism industry of the Akmola region. There are 5 active roadside cafes, 2 campsites, 5 hotels, 5 guest houses in the market of the tourism and recreation industry in Yerementau district. In 2019, they provided services in the amount of 66.7 million tenge, the number of visitors amounted to 16755 people. The restaurant complex consists of 5 restaurants. Roadside service is represented by 6 roadside cafes, 6 gas stations, 4 roadside shops, 4 car parks. There is a tendency to increase the objects of the tourism industry – these are hotels and recreation centers, guest houses and roadside service facilities. In March 2011, a branch of RSU GNPP "buiratau" was opened in the Yerementau district, which impresses with its natural diversity. The Karagaily mountains and the Falcon mountains, which are unique natural objects, are part of the state nature reserve. In order to reduce the expected recreational load on the territory of the state unitary enterprise "buiratau", the ecological and educational center "Tabigat Alemi" has identified recreational and attractive places in the Yerementau district, taking into account the zoning of the national Park. 4 tourist routes have been developed: "Zhaushoky", "Zhaushoky 2", "Karagaily", "Belodymovsky". There are 5 guest houses: in Algabas village - 1 house for 4 persons, in the village Karagaily - 2 houses for 4 persons in s Balykty - 2 houses for 6 persons, trained guides, knowledgeable in the field of natural and historical-cultural heritage of the region. Three kilometers from the village of Karagaily, monuments of Turkic culture, burial grounds of the bronze age and burial mounds of the Saka period were discovered. In their place, a comprehensive work of the archaeological expedition was carried out. Within the framework of the Sacred geography of Kazakhstan project of the rukhani Zhangyru Program, 20 sacred places have been identified on the territory of the yerementau district. On the territory of the district on a permanent basis, expeditions are conducted to natural complexes in sacred places. Within the framework of the expedition, some work was carried out to organize the development of new ecotourist routes, to study the tourist potential of the region. 2 passports of tourist routes have been developed: Route 1-attractions of the city of yerementau, the stele "Ush Naiza", Mazar Sakkulak Bi and the ancestral burial of the descendants of Bogenbai Batyr. The route passes through lake Korzhynkol and Tomsik Urochishche Keregetas (Muslim Shrine and buried Tokmaganbetov of Hazret). Route 2-attractions of the city of yerementau, "GNPP" buiratau " Karagaily, Zhaushoky, Zhaushoky 2, AK shoky, Aulie Bulak, historical and archaeological complex "Kumai", Ethno-Auyl, summer tent camp. In order to develop tourism in the Yerementau district, a working group on tourism has been established, and a plan of action on tourism for 2020 has been developed. Yerementau district is one of the most favorable places for the development of eco-tourism. Recreation area "Mylan KZ" - the cost of the project is 300 million tenge, which involves the construction of a recreation area for 500 people on an area of 50 hectares, including a coastal zone, wooden houses,a boat station with pleasure boats and catamarans, houses with fishing gear, ski and Bicycle. Title documents for land plots have been issued. Construction materials for construction are manufactured. In 2021, it is planned to start construction of the zone. In 2020, it is planned to expand the existing roadside service on the Astana – Shiderty highway. The project cost is 70 million tenge. At the moment, there is a hotel, a cafe. It is planned to build a bathhouse, service STATION and tire service. 12 jobs will be created. According to the Unified business support and development program "business Roadmap 2020", the competition Commission approved the project of opening the center for the development of hunting with hunting birds "Burkut". The cost of the project is 3.3 million tenge. 3 jobs will be created. The main function Of the center for the development of national hunting with hunting birds "Burkut" is: - providing services for hunting with birds of prey; hunting shows based on the scenario of real hunting and methods of hunting with birds of prey;- demonstration performances of working styles of birds; visit to the nursery of hunting birds with a huntsman-instructor; visit to the reservoir; organization of leisure activities for tourists while on the ground, hunting. providing accommodation and meals (at the request of customers). Also in 2020, a grant was received under the Global Environment Facility Small grants Program in the amount of $ 15.0 thousand for bee breeding, which will contribute to the development of the ecosystem, preserving rare wild plants. In 2019, construction of a roadside service began. This project will include a Motel with single and double rooms, a cafe, a shop, a Parking lot, a tire shop on the Astana-Pavlodar highway passing through the Yerementau district, Taibai rural district. The cost of the project is 30 million tenge. During the coordination Council, the issues of further development of ecological tourism in the Park were discussed on the territory of the state unitary enterprise "buiratau". So, in the summer of 2019, a summer tent camp for children and the Ethno-Auyl complex were launched. The camp received 800 people. (2018 – 200 people). In this camp, activities for active recreation were held, namely, master classes, training camps for athletes. Introduction to folk crafts. Excursions in the national Park. Due to the pandemic, the Park was closed in 2020. The head of this project plans to purchase a land plot for long-term lease. That is, it is planned to open a hotel and tourist complex with 100 seats for receiving tourists from various regions of the near and far abroad countries, a cafe with 150 seats, a sauna with a swimming pool, infrastructure around the building (a climbing complex, a rope Park, a sports core, an obstacle course, a tent city). Also in Algabas in the tract of the Karatau mountains on the territory of the state unitary enterprise "buiratau" it is planned to open a cultural and recreational complex. The aim of the project is to educate Kazakhstan's patriotism by means of tourism, local history, military-Patriotic events, practical knowledge of the native land, trips to historical monuments and unique places of nature, visiting sacred objects of Kazakhstan, studying national traditions, rituals, crafts, needlework. It is planned to build a sports and recreation block, that is, a pedestrian health path, a barefoot path, sports grounds, volleyball, basketball, mini-football, tennis, table tennis, a table games corner, a gym complex, running tracks, the construction of an ethno - aul-Yurt, archery and fencing grounds, altybakan, a wrestling platform "Kazaksha kures", a riding arena. The project also provides for a cultural and entertainment block - a place for spectators, an open-air cinema, swings, wooden sculptures, carousels, an ice cream parlor, a teahouse, catering, slides, sandboxes, Quad Biking, Snowmobiling, discos. Pink lake Comatus, painted in pink every few years. It is believed that the pink hue of the water is given by the microalgae "Dunaliella solonovodnaya" - the same microalgae color the world-famous pink lakes in Australia and Canada. At the moment, according to the resolution of the chief sanitary doctor of the Akmola region, checkpoints are installed at the entrance to the lake. This lake is taken under the control of the Ministry of ecology of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In the village of Seletinskoye there is a recreation center "Atameken" with the provision of year-round services, namely: rooms for accommodation and cafes, a wood-burning sauna, winter fishing, Snowmobiling, Quad Biking, sledding with horses, slides for children and adults, swimming in an ice hole, a VAT for soaring, an ice town, a winter barbecue. There is an infrastructure. In the village of Turgay there is a Motel "Karlygash". This object plans to provide services for accommodation, food, horse riding, winter fishing. There is an infrastructure. On the shore of lake Korzhynkol there is a "holiday Home Yereymentau". On the territory of the recreation area there is a 2-storey cottage with a capacity of up to 30 people, a sauna complex, a massage room, a beach area with pantones for sport fishing. There is a rental of quads, bicycles, and in winter Snowmobiling, horse riding, boat trips, winter fishing, Snowmobiling, Quad Biking, sledding with horses, slides for children and adults, swimming in the ice hole. There is an infrastructure. Also, according to the auction held in 2018, plots were provided along the Nur-Sultan - Shiderty highway to accommodate three road service objects of category C. The tourist market of the Akmola region of the yerementau district has a significant potential for the development of tourism and recreation. The unique geographical location of the region, a wide variety of natural landscapes, wildlife, allows you to develop various types of tourism, such as cultural and educational, business, medical and Wellness, beach, water, skiing, Hiking, Cycling, horse riding, environmental, etc. Yerementau district receives tourists not only from the capital, but also from other regions of the country and neighboring countries. The presence of natural, Zoological, hydrological conditions, cultural and historical monuments allows the development of tourism infrastructure. That is, in the near future, there are prospects for the flow of tourists and guests of the yerementau district, the district akimat assures. Author-Rauan Iskaliev.