The highest waterfall in Kazakhstan – Burhan-Bulak
The Burhan-Bulak waterfall is the highest and most beautiful waterfall in Kazakhstan, located in the Zhongar-Alatau Mountains, in the gorge of the picturesque and turbulent river Kora. The total height of the waterfall, consisting of 4 cascades, is 168 meters, with the visible part of the waterfall, comprising the three lower cascades, being 114 meters. The waterfall is situated at an altitude of 2000 meters above sea level.
View the route on the map
The waterfall can be reached only by off-road vehicles. Most often travellers choose the route through the Kapal pass.
You need to drive about 56 km from Taldykorgan along the motorway towards Kapal village, turn south into the mountains, from where you drive in a south-eastern direction for another 41 km to the lake ‘Opera’. Further 8 km to the north-east of the lake to Kapal pass, and from it to the waterfall will be about 18 km in the eastern direction.
You can also get to the waterfall directly from Taldykorgan through Tekeli along the gorge of the Kora River. The distance from Tekeli to the waterfall along the Kora gorge is 55 km and can be covered on foot or on horseback, as the motorway that used to run along the gorge was destroyed by mudflow.
When going to the waterfall, it is necessary to stock up on provisions in advance, in large settlements. Overnight stay will be in a tent camp. There is a camping site in the vicinity of the waterfall.
In ancient times, a woman and her only child, whose name was Burhan, lived on the territory of the waterfall. The mother was very fond of her son and wished that he would choose a quiet and obedient girl to marry. After the mother learnt that her son had fallen in love with a proud and willful beauty, she became angry and began to prevent their marriage, so she soon erected a large castle in a rock, in which she locked Burhan. However, the young man's heart could not be subdued, as his love was so strong that he broke out of the prison and merged with the beautiful Kora... Many centuries have passed, but the young people are always together, and the poor mother continuously mourns the unwise choice of her son and pours out her sorrow in the form of a small stream, which is located near the waterfall Burhan-bulak and is called ‘Mother's Tears’.
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