Taldykorgan is the capital of the Zhetysu region, a calm, green city on the plain at the foot of the Dzungarian Alatau. Zhetysu means seven rivers, a name that comes from the streams running down from the mountains into the basin around Lake Balkhash, and it has long been a corridor for nomads and traders. The city has around a hundred and sixteen thousand people and an easy, orderly feel, with wide avenues, parks and clean public spaces. Behind it, the snow-capped range gleams on clear days, and the nearby foothills are a popular weekend escape.
It is not a city of famous monuments. For history you look to the surrounding region, which is dotted with ancient burial mounds, petroglyphs and the traces of old Silk Road routes, and to the Dzungarian people who once ruled this land and whose name the mountains carry. Local museums outline the region's story, and nearby are tracts of orchards and farms that produce apples and other fruit. The region itself was reorganised in recent years, and Taldykorgan took on the role of capital of the newly formed administrative unit.
Riding here is a matter of long, easy highways across open steppe. The road between Almaty and Taldykorgan is generally good, busy with trucks, and punctuated by speed limits near villages. Spring brings green grass and flowers, summer is hot and dry, and autumn is crisp and golden, with early snow possible on the mountains. Wind is frequent, and sudden storms can sweep across the plain. If you head east toward Altyn Emel or south toward the Ili river, the roads become quieter and more open.
For the traveller, Taldykorgan is a convenient and comfortable stop. There is fuel, there are supermarkets, hotels and cafes, and the food is typical Kazakh fare: beshbarmak, plov, samsa and plenty of tea. It is a good place to eat, rest and plan the next section, and it suits riders who want to break a long day without sacrificing comfort. Fill up the tank and check your supplies before you leave, since the stretches beyond town are wide and sparsely served.