From afar Kalkans resemble two huge turtles, stood face to face. Close this similarity amplifies. More close they accept an outline of fighting boards laying on the ground. Therefore they have named «Kalkans», that in translation into Russian means «Boards». The name it, apparently old, but was kept till present time.
Once many millions years ago, there was a big lake on the place of Kalkans. It has disappeared, having left after itself thick layers of multi-coloured — yellow, red, white — clays, mixed with a pebble. Then on the place of lake the fold has risen, matrix has naked. The fold was broke off in the middle, probably, pierced by waters, and there were two mountains — Small and Big Kalkans, covered with colored lake clays from north side, gradually washed away and kept in the form of hills.
Grove from Asiatic poplar is in small downturn between Kalkans, next to it in the break — another one, surrounded by bushes of saxaul. There is a small spring with clear and cool water — «Kokbastau».
Little bit further, in the direction to an enormous sandy barchan, by a long strip rare saxaul wood stretched. Dwellers of Kalkans are wild rams.
 Mountains are combined from greater round rocks with numerous niches, freakish figures. The wind smooths contours of rocks, gives to them freakish forms. In increasing frequency these original creations of the nature appear here. One stone as the enormous turtle who has put out head from the board, another — resembles big bull. It is like a museum of ancient sculptures here, belonging to a wind of desert.
At top of Kalkans the locality becomes flat stony desert. The river Ili stretched after it, dressed in a frame of green meadows and trees. Further away there is the violet mountains Boguty passing in mountains Sjugaty, mountains Turajgyr. Top of ridge Ketmen slightly sprinkled with snow leaving to China are visible already.
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