Buddhist figures and Tibetan inscriptions from the 17th–18th centuries carved into high cliffs beside the Ili River.
Buddhist rock art beside the Ili River
Tamgaly-Tas on the Ili is a monument of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Buddhist art. Figures of deities and Tibetan and Oirat inscriptions survive on the riverside rocks. Archaeological research connects the complex with Oirat religious culture, bringing together monumental images, prayer texts and an open river landscape.
Do not confuse this complex with UNESCO-listed Tanbaly: the two have different locations, histories and principal images. Here, allow time to examine individual rock panels slowly. Observe the placement of figures and inscriptions from the ground, keeping your distance from the carved surfaces.
Travel from Hostel O2
≈ 2–2.5 hr each way · 6–8 hr total
Travel mode
Car or transfer
These are planning estimates, not a timetable. Allow extra time for traffic and queues.
How to get there
Travel by car, transfer or tour via Konaev towards Bakanas; the final 10–15 km are on an unpaved road.
