Kazakhstan is mostly steppe, and this is the northern part of it, an enormous open country of feather grass, lakes and wind. The Naurzum reserve, in the Kostanay region, protects a patch of that landscape, together with an oddity that surprises everyone, an island of ancient pine forest sitting in the steppe. The pines grow on sandy ground left by an old river, and they form a relict stand that survived when the climate changed. Together with the nearby Korgalzhyn reserve it was recognised by UNESCO as the Saryarka, the Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan, and the lakes are a major stopover for migratory birds on the flyway from Africa and India to Siberia.
In spring and autumn the air is full of wings. Flamingos wade in the salty shallows, Dalmatian pelicans cruise past, and cranes, geese, swans and ducks arrive by the hundreds of thousands. Steppe eagles and other raptors sit on the posts, and the rare saiga antelope, with its bulbous nose, has been recovering in the wider region. In May the steppe is covered in tulips, and in July it dries to gold. The smell of wormwood in the heat is something you do not forget.
The roads in this region are long, flat and empty, with big skies and a feeling of progress without arrival. The main highways are paved, though maintenance varies, and the access roads into the reserve are gravel and dirt, which become impossible after heavy rain or snowmelt. Wind can be fierce, and temperatures swing from forty degrees in July to minus thirty in January, so plan for late spring or early autumn. Distances are large, and you should assume that nothing will be open between villages.
Reserves in Kazakhstan generally require an entrance permit or a registered guide, and a visit is easiest if arranged through the park administration in advance. Mosquitoes are fierce near the lakes in summer. Villagers sell fish and dairy products at the roadside in season, and a bowl of fermented mare's milk is a traditional offer.