City Park

This large and welcome area of greenery lies on the south side of the Ishim River, immediately across from the right-bank town centre. A footbridge at the southern end of Zheltoksan Street brings you into the park, and there are also entrances from Saryarka Avenue down its western flank and Kabanbai Batyr Avenue to the east. The park is a popular place to come in summer, with daytime crowds heading to the beach along the riverside, and the watery attractions of the aquapark immediately behind it. There are basic funfair-type attractions, including such old favourites as a room of distorting mirrors. On summer evenings, the beer and shashlik served up at the cafes in the park make for a good way to round off a day of sightseeing.

More uplifting is the walk along the riverbank. There are fine promenades along both the right and left banks. In summer you can rent pedalos of varying degrees of antiquity. Standing on the right bank of the river, at the southern end of Bokeykhan Street, though best viewed from City Park looking across the Ishim, is the Monument to Kenesary. This large equestrian statue of the Kazakh leader of a 19th-century rebellion against Tsarist rule stands on a mighty plinth. Kenesary is gazing to his right towards the footbridge, as if wondering whether riders on horseback are allowed to use it.