Akkum-Kalkan or "Singing Mountain" is an unusual sand dune located between the ridges of the Dzhungarskiy Alatau - Bolshoy and Maly Kalkan in the territory of the Altyn-Emel national park in the Almaty region of Kazakhstan, 182 km north-east of Almaty.
The phenomenon of this place is that it creates a strange deep rumble, which, depending on the weather, can change its key and volume. During a strong wind, the "call" of Akkum-Kalkan can be heard several kilometers away. The mountain sings or groans - it depends on which legend to believe.
According to the legend of the believers of the Kazakhs in ancient times, there lived a shaitan (devil). He traveled the world doing atrocities, plotting and appearing wherever and whenever he wanted. So many prayers with the mention of his cursed person were addressed to the sky that in the end it angered the Almighty and he deprived the shaitan of the possibility of lightning-fast movement. The evil spirit had to walk to his home on the top of a high mountain.
For a long time the shaitan wandered along the steppe, making his way along the winding paths along the banks of the Ili River, finally tired and lay down to rest. So difficult was his path and so heavy was the burden of the deeds he had accomplished that the shaitan fell asleep soundly. And he still sleeps, turning into a lonely dune, and nothing and no one can wake him up - neither the scorching sun, nor rains, nor thunderstorms, nor winds. Since then, the shaitan has only had terrible dreams from which he moans and twitches his tail. Indeed, the southern side of the hill is flatter and looks like a tail. This long slope can change its position depending on which direction the wind is blowing.
According to another legend, under these sands the great Genghis Khan rests with his fighting comrades-in-arms, and the sand sings when the soul of the commander tells his descendants about his fearless exploits.
The dune was formed as a result of blowing sand from the shoals of the Ili River. The sand dust flew to the Big and Small Kalkans, which are an obstacle to the wind, and settled between them. Long centuries of air travel of sand gave birth to Akkum-Kalkan. Despite strong winds, the Singing Mountain does not roam the plain like some hills, but has stood unshakably in its place for several millennia.
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Sound is thought to be caused by the friction and shedding of millions of grains of sand in dry, windy weather. The larger the moving mass of sand, the more expressive the sound: from a weak squeak to the melody of an organ and even a rumble.