Dzungarian Alatau in the context of "Dzungarian Gate"

The Karatal (Russian: Каратал) or Qaratal (Kazakh: Қаратал, lit. 'Black Steppe') is a river of the Balkhash-Alakol Basin, Kazakhstan. It originates in the Dzungarian Alatau Mountains near the border with China and flows into the endorheic Lake Balkhash. It is the easternmost of two large rivers that flow into the lake; the other is the Ili. The Karatal is one of the main rivers of the historic region of Zhetysu. The river is 390 kilometres (240 mi) long and has a basin area of 19,100 square kilometres (7,400 sq mi).

The river flows west-southwest from the border with China before turning northwestward south of Taldykorgan and then northward when it reaches the Saryesik-Atyrau Desert, a large sand desert south of Lake Balkhash. The river empties into Lake Balkhash near the centerpoint of its southern side. Karatal freezes up in December and stays icebound until March. Because of diversions for irrigation, the river's flow into Lake Balkash is limited.