Singing dune. Altyn-Emel

There are many sites with singing sands on the globe. They are found in the deserts of Arabia, Egypt, on the Kola Peninsula, their first description was made by the Chinese more than 1000 years ago.
The singing dunes in the Altyn Emel National Park are a natural wonder located in the Almaty region of Kazakhstan. They are called "singing" because of the sound they make when the wind blows over them. It is said that this sound resembles the sound of an airplane engine or a distant chorus, and it can be heard for several kilometers around.

The singing dune stretches for more than three kilometers and rises to a height of 150 meters. He is a giant among the sand hills. The dune has a pronounced ridge with several prominent peaks and an excellent panorama of the Ili River and the Kapchagai reservoir. Its slopes are steep, and only the base turns into rounded dunes overgrown with trees of white saxaul and bright green dzzhuzgun. The dunes are located in a remote area of the Altyn Emel National Park, surrounded by the Altyn Emel Mountains, which help to amplify the sound they produce. It's no secret that they are known for their unique acoustic properties, which are caused by the movement of grains of sand. When the wind blows through the dunes, it makes the grains of sand vibrate, creating a buzzing sound.

The wind picks up trickles of sand and interrupts as if filtering out dust. Therefore, it is amazingly clean and homogeneous. There are many versions explaining the origin of this phenomenon. A plausible explanation is given by Professor P.I. Marikovsky: "In any dune at a shallow depth, there is always a layer of compacted wet sand... The wet layer is closed from above with dry mobile sand, as the cover clothes the entire huge mountain of the singing dune., then the upper layers, experiencing less friction, overtakes the lower layers, and there is a peculiar, well-noticeable undulation of the surface. It is transmitted by periodic shocks to a layer of wet sand, it, like the soundboard of a musical instrument, begins to vibrate, making sounds." This version is confirmed by the fact that during precipitation the Dune falls silent.

This sandy wonder is a popular destination for tourists who come to hear the unique sound it makes and climb to the top to admire the stunning views of the surrounding landscape. Visitors are advised to wear comfortable shoes and take plenty of water with them, as the climb can be quite stressful.

Dunes are also known for their ever-changing shape, as the wind constantly changes their contours. This is a fascinating natural phenomenon that has captured the imagination of visitors for many generations.