The Kokshetau Hills are a northern subsystem of the
Kazakh Uplands (Saryarka), limited to the north by the
West Siberian Plain. They are scattered across a vast area, with wide flat spaces in between of river valleys or lake basins. They stretch for about between the
Turgay Basin in the west and the
Sileti valley in the east, with a width of from north to south. The individual hills and hill clusters rise abruptly from the plains of the
intermontane basins. They are generally rocky or have rocky outcrops at the top and there are bizarre
rock formations as well. The elevations are moderate, the highest point is high
Mount Kokshe, also known as Sinyukha, rising in the
Kokshetau Massif, located in the northeastern part of the Kokshetau Hills. The
Zhaksy-Zhalgyztau (highest point ), Imantau (highest point ) and Ayrtau (highest point ), are the main massifs in the western part, among other smaller and lower ones. The Zhilandi Massif (highest point ) and the Zerendin Mountains (highest point ), are located in the central part. high
Bukpa Hill rises above Kokshetau town and to the southeast rise the
Makina Hills (highest point ).
Hydrography Numerous rivers originate in the Kokshetau Hills flowing in different directions, such as the
Kylshakty,
Shagalaly,
Iman-Burluk,
Akan-Burluk,
Zhilandi,
Zhabai and
Boksyk. Many are part of the
Ishim basin. Also hundreds of lakes are located in the numerous tectonic basins of the hill area. The most well-known lakes are those part of the
Kokshetau Lakes, a group that includes lakes
Burabay,
Ulken Shabakty,
Kishi Shabakty,
Kopa,
Zerendi,
Shalkar and
Imantau. ==Flora==