Cholpon-Ata is a lakeside resort town in the Issyk-Kul region, situated 265 km from Bishkek. With its striking mountains, pristine lake backdrop, and petroglyphs dating back 4,000 years, Cholpon-Ata remains an unmissable destination.

The Cholpon-Ata petroglyphs lie at the northwestern edge of Cholpon-Ata. This open-air museum, sometimes called a stone garden, reveals a site of considerable historical significance. The site encompasses approximately 42 hectares and houses numerous prehistoric monumental structures alongside petroglyphs (symbolic drawings carved into stone).

A Touch of History

Some petroglyphs date to the late Bronze Age (around 1500 BCE), but the majority were created by the Saka-Usun tribes (8th century BCE to 1st century CE), before the Kyrgyz arrived in the region. The Saka established this location as a sacred site where priests performed sacrifices and ritual ceremonies honoring the sun god. These priests once inhabited settlements now submerged beneath the waters of Cholpon-Ata Bay.

The most recent carvings date to the Turkish era (between the 5th and 10th centuries).

The Cholpon-Ata Petroglyphs

The petroglyph museum stands as a genuine stone garden set just outside Cholpon Ata. Recognized worldwide, the petroglyph museum has earned its reputation for exceptional rock art and distinctive carvings.

Approximately 5,000 rocks are scattered across terrain spanning roughly 42 hectares. At the entrance, you'll find a map suggesting several trails. The shortest route takes 20 to 30 minutes to circuit the garden. For the more dedicated, a longer path leads to the museum's upper reaches, revealing splendid rock engravings while offering a remarkable panoramic vista of Cholpon Ata Bay and Lake Issyk-Kul.

The oldest rock drawings are marked with small yellow numbers to help you locate them. You'll encounter primarily animal depictions: deer, bulls, horses, wild rams, goats, wolves, and many others. These are genuine witnesses to a vanished world—moments of hunts, warfare, triumph, and sacred rites.

The ideal time to visit this glacial rock field is early morning or late afternoon, when softer light accentuates the petroglyphs and makes them far easier to discern.

Taxis are available from downtown to reach the site, with fares around 200 som. Drivers typically offer to wait for approximately one hour.