Rock art of Saimaly Tash

DURATION: 7 days
DISTANCE: 1700 km
ROUTE: Bishkek- Jalal-Abad - Kazarman - Naryn - Bishkek
SEASON: May - September

"Saimaly Tash is located on the slopes of the Ferghana mountain range, about 100 km east of the provincial capital of Jalal-Abad at an altitude of 3200 m. As translated from Kyrgyz, Saimaly Tash means Painted Rock, which is a succinct description of the place - there are thousands of rock images. Some very modest estimates put the number of scenes depicted on the boulders of two moraines at 11000. Two thirds of the images depict animals (goats, wolves, horses, rarely camels, leopards, and marals) the rest of them display hunting scenes, rituals and shamanist symbols. The oldest of the drawings are considered to have been produced in the third millenium BC."

-Bruno De Cordier, UNV Spec.

Saimaly Tash is extremely isolated from the outside world. Getting there takes a full day hike from the closest dirt road.