Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Cholpon-Ata
e
0
1 km
0
0.5 miles
A
B
C
D
Petroglyphs
(1.2km)
Petroglyphs
(1.2km)
Children's
Park
Khan Tengri
7
ú
#
˜
11
Jooglazyn
66
444
D
Bosteri
(7km);
Gregorievka
(33km);
Karakol
(140km)
#
â
4
El Nuur
Bazaar
ò
#
ì
#
›
10
ÿ
#
1
#
ÿ
8
Former
Airport
Terminal
5
1
1
#
-
9
6
â
#
#
›
Ù
#
2
Gate
44
Main
Bazaar
444
þ
A363
#
Ù
Gate
ß
Gost
Residenza
4
Tamchy;
Bishkek
Mosque
#
Ù
Public
Beach
#
Ù
Gate
44
á
Oluya Cholpon-
Atanyn Kumbazu
Ø
#
44
2
Lake
Issyk-Köl
2
4
3
#
ÿ
6
Lake Issyk-Köl
4
A
B
C
D
ments that are currently underwater in the
Cholpon-Ata bay.
Later engravings date from the Turkic
era (5th to 10th century). Most are of long-
horned ibex. In the most striking petroglyph,
which directly faces the ticket booth, several
ibex are being hunted with tame snow leop-
ards. Many of the other petroglyphs can
prove hard to spot or to differentiate from
recent graffiti. Real ones have small yellow
numbers painted on the rocks. The back
side of the welcome board has a map of the
site but is not really detailed enough to help
much. Late afternoon is a good time to view
the stones, most of which face west or south.
From the town centre walk up Akmatbay-
Ata to where the asphalt ends then swerve
left onto Almakuchkov. The south side of the
site is behind black wrought-iron railings
but should the gate be closed you can do as
shepherds do and enter from the unfenced
east side. There's a nice view of Issyk-Köl be-
low. Guided tours of the petroglyphs can be
arranged at the regional museum.
Rukh¨Ordo¨
MUSEUM
(admission 300som;
h
9am-5pm)
This curious
museum-cum-theme-park examines Kyrgyz
legends, historical characters and the inter-
play of five religions in a large, somewhat sur-
real beachfront complex. Attractive setting.
Regional¨Museum¨
MUSEUM
(Soviet 69; foreigner/local 40/10som, camera
50som;
h
9am-5pm Mon-Sat, til 6pm summer)
This typical, well-presented museum in-
cludes copies of locally found Scythian
(Saka) gold jewellery and displays on ethnog-
raphy, Kyrgyz bards, textiles and underwater
Cholpon-Ata
æ
Sights
1
Regional Museum................................. C1
2
Rukh Ordo.............................................. D1
Ø
Activities, Courses & Tours
3
Kruiz Yacht Club ...................................B2
Pegasus Horse Trekking.............. (see 5)
ÿ
Sleeping
4
Gosrezidentsia 2................................... C1
5
Pegasus Guest House .......................... C1
6
Tri Korony ..............................................C2
ú
Eating
Ak-Jol..............................................(see 9)
7
Green Pub .............................................. D1
ï
Information
8
Ayyal Bank ............................................. D1
ï
Transport
9
Avtovokzal ............................................. C1
10
Karakol Bus Stand................................ D1
11
Taxis ....................................................... D1
Petroglyphs¨
PETROgLYPHS
(Saimaluu Tash; Almakuchkov; foreigner/local
40/10som;
h
daylight)
Directly north of the
former airport runway (now a wide road) is
an extensive field of glacial boulders, many
with pictures scratched or picked into their
surfaces. Some of these petroglyphs date
from the late Bronze Age (about 1500 BC),
but most are Saka-Usun (8th century BC to
1st century AD), predating the arrival of the
Kyrgyz in the area. The Saka priests used
this sacred site for sacrifices and other rites
to the sun god and they lived in the settle-
