00:02When the crew of the Modern Nomads visited the Burabai National Park north of Kazakhstan's capital, Astana, in February,
00:09we enjoyed the winter activities at minus 23 degrees Celsius.
00:13It was the introduction to the second most visited resort in Kazakhstan,
00:16which receives over a million and a half tourists each year.
00:19We finished the episode like this.
00:21Spring and summer will completely transform this place.
00:24There will be different things to see and other things to do.
00:27I'll see you then at exactly the same spot.
00:32Same spot, but in an entirely different place, as promised.
00:43It is in the summer that one can clearly see why Kazakhstan designated this place
00:47as one of the three that need special treatment and development.
00:51An oasis of seven big lakes nestled among the spectacular forested mountains teeming with life.
00:56It is good for family and children tourism, for ecological tourism, for gambling,
01:04but also for active tourism like, you know, sports activities.
01:08We have an increasingly, you know, strong focus on ecotourism.
01:13That's why we have specially designated trails for ecotourists so that, you know, there's minimum infrastructure.
01:22You can enjoy, you know, really wild forests and mountain hikes so that, you know, no one can interfere
01:30and you can be in sync with nature.
01:37Owing to its more than 300 species of vertebrae and more than 800 species of plants,
01:42Budabai National Park was included into the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
01:48If you're not lucky to accidentally disturb the peace of an elk, roe deer, wild boar, wolf,
01:54Eurasian lynx, fox, ermine, weasel, marten or badger, you can visit farms with famous maral deer.
02:00Most visitors do not resist the temptation to hike to the high grounds above the lakes
02:04and enjoy spectacular views from special viewing platforms.
02:13It's worth every drop of sweat, don't you think?
02:18There's something for everyone's taste or need in Budabai,
02:22from enjoying simple pleasures in the nature to organizing a congress.
02:26The combination of pine forest and water is believed to heal lungs
02:30and the first sanatorium was built in 1910.
02:33Now there are more than 10 medical institutions and more than 20 children's camps.
02:38There are a lot of directions.
02:39If you look at the wild nature, there are a lot of cardiologists,
02:42you can also come here to put a car, take a bike, take a bike.
02:47We have on the national park, on the national park,
02:49there are roadways, roadways.
02:51You can ride.
02:52There are places to install the tents,
02:55to build buildings, all that exist.
02:57Budabai's beauties are impressive, but none of them are unheard of.
03:00What is truly unique is a distinctly Kazakh historic context.
03:04Two years ago we've launched the archaeological works across this resort
03:14and three archaeological sites.
03:17Our archaeologists from the National Museum and from the government,
03:21together with international archaeologists,
03:23identified and found a number of kurgans,
03:28basically historical burial and ritual sacrifice sites.
03:35Tourists coming to Kazakhstan, to Budabai,
03:37and they will be able to appreciate the ancient history of Budabai
03:42because this resort has always been a very sacred place.
03:46Kazakhs have always believed in the sanctity of this place.
03:49They still tell many stories and legends, giving Budabai its mystic aura.
03:53Every stone here has a legend attached to it.
03:56And this particular one is supposed to be the throne of one of the most famous Kazakh hans,
04:01Ablai Han.
04:02And if you walk around it, a wish will come true for you.
04:06Public-private partnership has been created to unearth more of the burial
04:10and sacrificial sites of the Saka civilization.
04:13On one of them we find the historian who leads the scientific part of the project.
04:17There is a historical piece of Kazakh legends.
04:21Yes, let's say this monument, Abakai,
04:24this monument of the Sakaiv period.
04:26This is 2,5 thousand years from our days, if you consider it.
04:30This is the first thousand years of our era.
04:32They came here and asked the highest powers,
04:38the spirit of this khan's daughter,
04:41so they could help them in their life.
04:45Wrapping up my second visit to Budabai,
04:48I plan for a bike ride and a dip in the lake,
04:51with one verdict I have not yet reached.
04:53Do I like this place more now or in winter time?
04:56.
04:56.
04:57.
04:57.
04:57.
05:00.
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