In the north of Akmola province there is the National Park «Burabay». It is situated in a fantastic mountain terrain, full of mystical wonders. Magnificent pine forests, huge rocks, fantastic tops that look like the Egyptian pyramids, are separated by quiet lakes. Geographically, this area is called Kokshetau Uplands, and local guide hooks call it «Kazakhstani Switzerland».
The state national park “Burabay” was established in August 2000 and is administered by the Administrative Department of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The modern structure of the park is represented by the prairie, lake, forest, forest-steppe and low mountains landscapes.
There are 14 lakes in the park with the area of water surface of about 1 square kilometer each, and many more small Lakes, There are also such lakes as the Shchuchiye Lake, Borovoye, Bolshoye and Maloye Chebachiy, and Kotyrkol. The small lakes are the Svetloye, Gornoye and Swan Lake. A landmark of Borovoye is the Blue Bay - the favorite holiday destination of all Kazakhstanis. The river network is poorly developed and is represented by smail rivers, streams and temporary waterways.
Appearance of this picturesque corner is steeped by this legend:
The Creator made the Earth, the people, the nations, and gave them the mountains, seas, lakes, rivers and plains, and fertile lands. He gave everything to everyone and the Kazakhs got just a bare endless steppe. The steppe people asked the Creator to give them more nature as it was impossible to live in the endless steppes and deserts. And then the Creator realized that He had accidentally hurt this kind and restless nomadic people. He looked in his bag, where He kept the natural treasures, including the remains of the mountains, some beautiful forests, a dozen or two of cool streams and lakes. But the remains were the best ones. The Creator took the remains out of His bag in the middle of the steppe, that turned out into the beautiful Burabay area.