Turan is the name of the great lowland that stretches across Central Asia, from the Caspian to the foothills of the Tian Shan, and its cold winter deserts are one of the continent's lesser-known biomes.
The park's most famous feature is the Singing Dune, a sand ridge about a hundred and fifty metres high and three kilometres long that hums or booms when the sand slides, with a sound some compare to a low organ or an aircraft engine. The effect works best when the sand is dry and warm, and children and adults slide down for the sound. Around it the desert holds saxaul, a tough, twisted tree that survives on almost no water, and tracks of foxes, hares and lizards in the dust.
Wildlife is the other attraction. Kulan, the Asian wild ass, roam in herds and have been reintroduced, along with Przewalski's horses released in recent years, and goitered gazelles move across the plains. Golden eagles and steppe eagles ride the thermals above. The park has a sparse network of tracks, and a ranger-guided jeep tour is the usual way to visit, since access is regulated and navigation is tricky. Heat in July can pass forty degrees, and spring brings flowers and storms.
For a rider, the key is preparation. The main road to the park gate from Almaty is a long drive over the Kapchagay reservoir area, and beyond the gate surfaces are sand and gravel, unsuitable for most road motorcycles. Fill up in Almaty or the last big town before the park, carry water and food, and expect to pay an entry fee and often to join a guided vehicle. The reward is silence, wide skies and a night of stars.