Cities and regions／Kazakhstan
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Almaty

Almaty is the starting point for visiting two distinct rock-art sites: Tanbaly, near Karabastau, and Tamgaly-Tas, beside the Ili River. The article recommends planning them as separate excursions.

Almaty
Photo by Foxy1219(montage), Ребров Олег, Stomac, Ds02006, Nikolay Yushnikov, Peretz Partensky , Vmenkov Source: Wikimedia Commons Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0
The place

What makes it special

  • Tanbaly is a broad archaeological landscape with carvings and remains from different periods.
  • Tamgaly-Tas has Buddhist images and inscriptions beside the Ili River.
Rocks with Buddhist carvings beside the Ili River at Tamgaly-Tas.
Photo by Mheidegger Source: Wikimedia Commons Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0
Almaty
Photo by RaasGil Source: Wikimedia Commons Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0
Travel atlas

Articles in Almaty

Guides to this place

1 article

Almaty

journal.travel Editorial

Guides to this place

1 related guides

Rocks with Buddhist carvings beside the Ili River at Tamgaly-Tas.

Tanbaly and Tamgaly-Tas: Two Engraved Landscapes near Almaty

Two almost identical names refer to different places: one encompasses an extensive archaeological landscape from the Bronze Age; the other preserves Buddhist images beside the Ili River.

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Information in context

Sources and references

This profile summarises our destination guides. Their research sources and the geographical reference are listed below.

Profile updated: 11/10/2026