[2] The park covers about 4,600 km2 (1,800 sq mi) between the Ili River and the Aqtau mountain range, near Lake Kapchagai, and consists mostly of desert and rocky terrain.

It consists of two main parts: the plain that adjoins the right Bank of the Ili river and the mountain, and the spurs of the Dzungarian Alatau and the macro-slope of the Altyn-Emel range.

The burial mounds date back to the Iron Age (7th-6th centuries BC), and were built by the nomads of the Central Asian steppes.

Objects found within the burial mounds include gold-plated trappings, gold adornments and utensils, weapons and armor.

[4][5] In May 2021, it was announced by the Kazakh Ministry of Ecology, Geology, and Natural Resources that the tourism in the Altyn-Emel National Park region will be developed with an emphasis on historical heritage as well as ecotourism.

[6] In 2021, the Kazakh National Geographic Society announced that eco-toilets, gazebos, shade awnings, drinking fountains, and additional observation decks will be installed in the Altyn-Emel area in the near future.

The cause of this phenomenon is still a mystery, but scientists theorize that in hot dry weather the sand gets electrified due to friction and creates a certain sonic vibration.

[12] Among the flora, it is worth noting the ancient white and black saxaul, small groves of iron wood (Caucasian frame), and Sievers apple trees.