Tamgaly-Tas Petroglyphs — Attraction in Qonaev

I felt like a giddy grade schooler again visiting this place. Upon seeing the site and the museum, memories of old petroglyph pictures from my grade school textbooks came flooding back in. And seeing the petroglyphs up close, I was mesmerized. And again: giddy.

What is ironic is that my tour guide did not know the location. It was his first time to visit this place as well. FYI – my tour guide specializes on day tours to and from Almaty and hasn’t done any specialized southern Kazakhstan tours. And with the Winter 2025 tour I proposed to my tour guide, we ventured to southern Kazakhstan: going to Taraz and Shymkent, staying a night or 2 on each city. One of the stops during the drive to the southern KZ cities was this site, and I am now thankful that the tour guide proposed to visit this site as it was one of my highlights of my Kazakhstan 2025 winter trip.

I had the entire site for myself as I was the only tourist visiting this wonderful site. Yes, the weather during winter was very chilly (a freezing -8 degrees), so I do advise proper winter clothing while venturing to the site, even though that this is located in southern Kazakhstan.

A local tour staff (probably one of their caretakers) from the museum guided us to the petroglyphs’ site. Though the staff did not spoke a word of English, it was clear that he was very enthusiastic and was very excited to see an interested foreigner like me - well, maybe I’m the only tourist who visited there to begin with, as the site is not popular during the harsh winter month of January.

The main highlight – the petroglyphs themselves – are different from what I was expecting. The rock carvings are very “hardy”. I initially imagine it to be as quite fragile as it is exposed to the elements. But up close, and upon touching the grooves of the petroglyphs on the rock, it made me realize that our prehistoric ancestors deliberately made their carvings very indestructible (for lack of a better word). Maybe they have a foresight that their carvings will be seen 25,000 years later.

I am not sure if my review will be viewed by a lot of people considering the petroglyph sites of Southern Kazakhstan is not usually interesting for most people, especially the Gen Z crowd, but I do plead all foreign tourists to consider visiting this site, especially if you are interested in history...

Tamgaly petroglyphs

(Tamgaly-Tas)

This is a Unesco world heritage site in Kazakhstan, about 110 Km from Almaty. Tanbaly is the local name.

There are rock carvings dating back to the Bronze age (second millennium BC). The rock art seems to have Buddhist influence though there are animals and humans depicted too, like in some prehistoric sites in India and elsewhere. It is similar to what we have in Bhimbetka, and Robertsganj in India. River Illysk (they call it Illi) flows in the Tanbaly gorge and presents a spectacular view.

I hired a taxi and did a day trip to the beautiful Tanbaly gorge. Oraz -the taxi guy spoke some working English so the time wasn't boring. Usually there is an entrance ticket and also a parking fee but the day I went was the day of garbage clearance and the site was closed for tourists. There were school children and teachers who were doing this volunteer service. So I had free entry and an opportunity to interact with the volunteers. Language is a problem in Kazakhastan and you have to rely upon the Google translator. Very few people speak English. Two of the teachers spoke English and we chatted about their country and the work they were doing as volunteers. Some photos are included with...

Tamgaly-Tas (Таңбалы тас) is a remarkable archaeological and cultural site located along the Ili River in Kazakhstan. Known for its ancient petroglyphs, this site features carvings that date back to as early as the Bronze Age. The most famous petroglyphs are depictions of Buddha and various deities, making it a significant site for followers of Buddhism, but the rock carvings also include scenes of animals, hunting, and daily life from ancient civilizations. The name "Tamgaly-Tas" translates to "rocks with signs" or "inscribed stones," which is fitting for a site rich in symbolic and historical meanings.

In addition to its archaeological importance, Tamgaly-Tas is a place of natural beauty. It’s surrounded by rugged landscapes and the scenic Ili River, making it a popular destination for nature enthusiasts, historians, and spiritual pilgrims alike. The area offers visitors a peaceful and contemplative atmosphere, enhanced by the serene flow of the river and the majestic, weathered cliffs. The site stands as a testament to Kazakhstan's ancient history, cultural diversity, and natural wonders, drawing both domestic and...