NUR-SULTAN – The lotus blooming season has started on the Kigash-Shora River in Kurmangazy district of Atyrau region, the only region in the country where the lotus blooms profusely, according to the local regional communications department. The flowering period extends from mid-July to the last week of August. The Lotus Valley covers up to 5,000 hectares in the area.
Lotus is the national flower of India and Vietnam. Photo credit: akimat of the Atyrau region (municipal administration)
During the season, tourists come in droves to admire the magnificent flowers every day. Ekaterina Habibullina, who came from Moscow to take advantage of these views for the first time, is one of them.
“I have long wanted to see this beauty. I had many impressions. Here you can see not only the lotus but also rare birds, for example swans,” Habibullina said.
Some tourist companies offer tourist guide services to people wishing to visit the site.
“We are currently in negotiations with various travel agencies. We send tourists to the valley by boat and provide them with accommodation and food. Our main goal is to strictly maintain cleanliness and observe safety,” said Zhanibek Aktananov, representative of the service company West Motors.
Head of entrepreneurship and tourism department of Kurmangazy district Nurlybek Tulepov said that the number of tourists is increasing every year, which makes it very important to pay attention to the preservation of pristine areas of the valley and in particular of every lotus.
The fauna of the region is represented by rare birds. Photo credit: akimat of the Atyrau region (municipal administration)
“The Lotus Valley is listed in the Red Book as a protected natural area. Visitors, unfortunately, sometimes underestimate it and behave badly: they uproot and damage the plants. We want the competent authorities to ensure strict control,” Tulepov noted.
Apart from the Kigash-Shora River, the lotus grows near the Caspian Sea as well as on the Sharonovka River.
According to some hypotheses, these flowers, considered sacred in the East, were transported to the Caspian Sea by migratory birds. Other people say that Astrakhan merchants brought lotus seeds from India or China during the period of the Great Silk Road.
