At dawn in the upper reaches of Үйүр-Марал, the silence rings louder than the wind. It lies on the grass, on cold stones, on the slow breath of the mountains - and it seems that the world here has just been created and has not yet managed to invent its noise. The Tabylgyty River flows nearby, like a living thread connecting the sky, glaciers, and human habitation, while light slowly rises over the valley - first pink, then golden, then dazzlingly clear. Here, the air smells of cold water, sun-warmed stone, and the smoke of the morning hearth.
The tourist complex of the hunting farm OsOO "Mountain Tour Talas" is not a noisy resort or a "hotel in the mountains." It is rather a comfortable, warm, and reliable base camp on the edge of a real, vast, and almost untouched mountain country.
These places are off the beaten tourist paths. Talas knows how to hide its treasures - not for show, not on postcards, but for those who are ready to go further, climb higher, and look more closely.
The base is located in the upper reaches of the Үйүр-Марал River, on the banks of the Tabylgyty - in that very space where the mountains cease to be a backdrop and become a habitat. There are no crowds, no random people, no feeling of "just passing through." People come here for the journey.
The complex is simply arranged but with "civilized comforts": warm cottages with heating and bathrooms, a large guest yurt that becomes the heart of the camp in summer, a wooden bathhouse, a kitchen, and a dining area. This is the rare balance where, after a day in the saddle or on the trail, you return not to "wild camping," but to coziness - with hot tea, dinner, and warmth. But the main thing here is not comfort. The main thing is the direction in which you can leave from here.
From here, routes begin to the Buz-Tektir plateau, to the Agynay-Köl lake, to the Kandybay-Tör waterfall and glacier, through the Shaboto-Tör and Terek passes - to the Uzun-Akmat gorge and the Ketmen-Töbö valley. And also - to one of the most mysterious and powerful places in Talas: the petroglyph complex of Zhaltirak-Tash. This is not just a "set of excursions." It is a whole world laid out across valleys, heights, and epochs. Landscapes worth walking for...
Wildlife Tours: These places are home to wild animals and birds. With enough patience and luck, you can see those who usually remain off-camera: cautious, attentive, true masters of these mountains. This is not a safari and not a show. This is observation, respectful and quiet.
Buz-Tektir Plateau: This is one of those places where you truly understand the word "spacious." The plateau lies high, wide, and seemingly deliberately open to all winds and clouds. Here the sky seems lower, and the earth older. In summer, it is covered with grasses and flowers, in autumn - it burns to noble ochre tones. It is good to walk or ride here - not for a point on the map, but for the very process of moving across this vast, breathing height.
Agynay-Köl Lake: A small, hidden, almost intimate mountain lake, in which the sky is reflected as if it has decided to stay here forever. In clear weather, the water appears dark blue, in cloudy weather - steel gray. This is a place of silence and pause. People come here not to make noise, but to sit on a stone, look at the water's surface, and for some reason, remember important things.
Kandybay-Tör Waterfall and Glacier: Here the mountains show their wild, primordial side. The glacier breathes cold, even in the height of summer, and the waterfall sounds as if the mountain is talking to itself. The route here is already a small adventure: with a gain in altitude, changing landscapes, and that feeling when you gradually leave the "human" world for the world of stone, ice, and sky.
Shaboto-Tör and Terek Passes: These are not just geographical points. They are gates. Overcoming them feels like transitioning from one chapter of the journey to another. Beyond them lies the Uzun-Akmat gorge and the Ketmen-Töbö valley - broader, softer, but no less impressive spaces where the mountains become smoother, and the horizons stretch even further.
Zhaltirak-Tash - Stone Chronicle: And here it is - the real "cherry on top." The petroglyph complex of Zhaltirak-Tash is not an open-air museum, but a dialogue with the people who lived here long before us. On the stones are scenes of hunting, animals, symbols, lines, the meaning of which we can only guess. To stand here means to feel how time becomes almost tangible. As if thousands of years are not a distance, but just a step to the side.
In these mountains, the nomadic logic of space still lives: not "where," but "how." Not "how many kilometers," but "how many impressions." Here, it is still important to be able to read the weather, understand the landscape, and respect the road. And the tourist complex "Mountain Tour Talas" is one of those places where this philosophy is not imitated, but continued. The large yurt in summer becomes a center of attraction - here people drink tea, discuss routes, and remain silent when words are unnecessary. The bath after a long day in the mountains is almost a ritual of returning to the body. And dinner "by the fire" is not a service, but part of the journey.
The best time to visit is from late May to mid-September. During this time, high-altitude routes, passes, and lakes are accessible. But even in summer, there can be sudden changes in weather - always bring warm clothing.
Do not underestimate the simplicity of the routes. Even if the path seems "easy," these are the mountains of Talas: altitude, weather, and distances are felt differently here.
Footwear and rain protection are more important than an extra lens. The stones are slippery, trails can be wet, and rain can be sudden.
If you are going to the petroglyphs - do not touch the stones. Do not stand on them, do not trace the drawings, do not "improve the shot." This is not just a sight - it is a memory protected by law.
Such places are not about "checking off a list." They are about returning to oneself through space. About the feeling that the world is still vast, complex, and beautiful. About the idea that the journey can be more important than the destination.
The tourist complex of the hunting farm "Mountain Tour Talas" is an entry point into one of the most underrated and powerful regions of Kyrgyzstan. In Talas, which can be strict, generous, silent, and unforgettable. If you are looking for not just a point on the map, but a true journey - this is the place for you. To the valley where rivers teach silence, and mountains teach to look further.
You can organize a trip: through tourist companies and guides in the city of Talas, who work with this area and know the condition of the roads and passes in a specific season;
through local gamekeepers and guides based in the Bakai-Ata region (contacts are usually passed on by recommendation);
through regional tourist communities of Destination Talas:
By prior arrangement, you can negotiate:
accommodation in cottages or yurts,
accompaniment on hiking or horseback routes,
organization of trips to the Zhaltirak-Tash petroglyphs and high-altitude areas,
wildlife tours and nature observation.
Important: this area does not operate on a "show up unannounced and check in" basis. It is better to plan the trip in advance and agree on the route, transport, and accompaniment at least a few days ahead.
Contacts and trip organization:
Batyrkan Kutmanaliev - Director of OsOO "Mountain Tour Talas" +996 709 664 742
Destination Talas - Gamal Soronkulov +996 552 260 101 *
*Current contacts for guides and the receiving party can be obtained by writing to the editorial office of Nomad.kg or through our social media pages. We only pass on verified contacts of people working in this region.
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