Cities and regions／Kazakhstan
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Karabastau

Karabastau is near Tanbaly in the Chu-Ili Mountains. Tanbaly is a broad archaeological landscape containing rock carvings, settlements, burial mounds and ritual areas; the site is about 170 kilometres northwest of Almaty.

The place

What makes it special

  • Tanbaly brings together carvings and other archaeological remains across an extensive landscape.
  • The central canyon contains a particularly dense concentration of images and ritual features.
Travel atlas

Articles in Karabastau

Guides to this place

1 article

Karabastau

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