Sholak Mountains-one of the southern spurs of the Semirechinskiy Alatay and almost entirely located in Altyn Emel National Park. Dry, old, badly eroded mountains are mainly composed from igneous rocks.
Kyzylayuz Gorge is relatively short, rocks have a pinkish tint at its entrance, and due to that valley got its name («kyzylayuz in Kazah means «red mouth». The bottom of the canyon is broad and thickly overgrown with shrubs (spirea, dog rose, ephedra, ect.). Among small groves of threes (including ironwood) runs big clear creek. Beautiful butterflies are fluttering, crickets are chirping, birds are twittering, like a small oasis among barren cliffs and rock slides.
1 Peacockpoppy (Papaver pavoninum). One of the most beautiful spring flowers.
2 Red salsify (Tragopogon ruber) looks  like  a giant dandelion with a diameter of about 10 centimeters.
3 Luscious bushes of blooming prickly acanthophyllum decorate rocky  slopes of canyons ( Acanthophyllum pungens)in the Kyzylayuz valley.