Eshkiolmes Petroglyphs

About this trip

Route

Itinerary

1. 

   Stop 1

   Almaty

   Depart Almaty on the A-3 highway heading northeast toward Taldykorgan. The A-3 leaves the city via the ring road and crosses the Kapchagai reservoir dam roughly 70 km from the city centre. Plan to leave by 06:30: the drive to Tekeli is approximately 5 hours including the Taldykorgan fuel stop, and an early arrival at the ridge gives the best morning raking light on the south-facing petroglyph panels. The route is straightforward on a fast paved highway until Taldykorgan. Fill the tank in Almaty before leaving; do not rely on finding fuel between the city and Taldykorgan at early morning hours.

   Tip: Leave before 07:00. Carry cash — ATMs beyond Taldykorgan are absent. Download offline maps for the Tekeli–Koksu valley section before you go; mobile coverage drops to zero past Tekeli.
2. 

   Stop 2

   Kapchagai Reservoir crossing

   From previous:

   70 km · 60 min drive

   The A-3 crosses the Kapchagai Reservoir via the dam road approximately 70 km northeast of Almaty. The Kapshagay Hydroelectric Power Plant has impounded the Ili River here since 1970, forming a reservoir roughly 100 km long. The crossing takes 10 minutes; the wide flat water and semi-desert shore on both banks mark the transition from the Almaty basin steppe into the open Zhetisu region. Continue northeast on the A-3 after the crossing — do not turn off toward the Kapchagai resort town. The road ahead runs through open steppe with the low ridges of the Malaisary range to the south and flat semi-desert plains to the north.

3. 

   Stop 3

   Taldykorgan — fuel and supplies

   From previous:

   200 km · 150 min drive

   Stay:

   ~1 h

   Taldykorgan is the regional capital of Zhetisu Oblast and the last reliable supply point before the Koksu valley. The city sits on the Karatal River at the western foot of the Dzungarian Alatau, approximately 270 km from Almaty and 3.5 hours by car on the A-3. Fill the tank completely here — there are no fuel stations in Tekeli or along the Koksu track. Stock up on food and water for two days; the site has no vendors and the track to the ridge is 20–30 km of unpaved driving beyond Tekeli. Supermarkets and a bazaar are on the main Taldykorgan–Tekeli road. ATM machines are available in the city centre. From Taldykorgan, the R-122 road runs 40 km southeast to Tekeli.

   Tip: Fill tank to full here — this is the last reliable fuel. Withdraw cash; no ATMs in Tekeli or beyond. The R-122 to Tekeli is signed from the eastern edge of Taldykorgan.
4. 

   Stop 4

   Tekeli — overnight base

   From previous:

   40 km · 40 min drive

   Stay:

   ~12 h

   Tekeli (population roughly 30,000) is a former Soviet lead-zinc mining town 40 km from Taldykorgan via the R-122. The town sits at 1,000–1,100 m elevation in a narrow valley between Dzungarian Alatau spurs, founded in 1939 when construction of the Tekeli Lead-Zinc Factory began. The factory complex, now partially operational, forms the town's eastern skyline. Accommodation is limited to basic guesthouses; options include a small hotel associated with a petrol complex on the northern edge of town, approximately 15 minutes' walk from the centre. Book ahead during summer months when trekking groups pass through. The town has a bazaar open until 18:00, a pharmacy, and a small supermarket. Mobile coverage (Beeline/Kcell) is intermittent in the valley and absent beyond town. Tekeli is the last habitation before the Eshkiolmes track.

   Tip: Book the guesthouse by phone before arriving — Tekeli has very limited rooms. Confirm road conditions to the Eshkiolmes track with locals or the guesthouse owner; the track can close after rain. Dinner options are limited to the bazaar food stalls.
5. 

   Stop 5

   Off-road track to Eshkiolmes ridge approach

   From previous:

   25 km · 75 min drive

   From Tekeli, head south on the unpaved track that follows the right (north) bank of the Koksu River. The track is 20–30 km to the main petroglyph access point and involves several stream crossings and rocky sections through dry river terraces. The Koksu runs milky-blue from glacial sources in the Dzungarian Alatau; the valley floor is narrow with steep gorge walls closing in as you approach the ridge. The track skirts the southern foot of the Eshkiolmes ridge and is passable to high-clearance vehicles in dry conditions. In wet weather or during spring snowmelt (April–May), the Koksu crossings become dangerous and the track turns to deep mud. Allow 1–1.5 hours for the approach drive from Tekeli. Park at a wide section at the ridge base — there is no formal parking area.

   Tip: Check the Koksu crossing condition before committing — turn back at Tekeli if the river is visibly flooded. A high-clearance vehicle is necessary; standard SUVs with low ground clearance will bottom out on rocky sections. Traction boards are useful insurance.
6. 

   Stop 6

   Lower-ridge Bronze-Age sector

   From previous:

   5 km · 10 min drive

   Stay:

   ~4 h

   The lower gorges of the Eshkiolmes ridge (particularly gorges 1–9) concentrate the oldest petroglyphs, attributed to the Bronze-Age Andronovo horizon (12th–9th century BCE). Panels are carved on dark-patinated igneous rock faces in the gorge walls at 850–1,000 m elevation. Characteristic Bronze-Age imagery at Eshkiolmes includes ibex with large scroll-curved horns, bulls with ring-twisted horns, chariot compositions with paired draft animals, and multi-figure hunting scenes. The engravings are produced by deep pecking with a stone point, creating a pale scar against dark rock patina — most visible with low-angle raking light in the morning or late afternoon. A single gorge can take 2–3 hours to walk and photograph thoroughly. Maryashev documented that panel density increases in the upper reaches of each gorge where the rock is most sheltered. Do not touch the carved surfaces.

   Tip: Morning is the best light for south-facing panels. Carry a telephoto lens or a zoom in the 80–200 mm range — many panels are on vertical faces above head height. Do not use chalk or wetting to enhance contrast; both destroy the patina.
7. 

   Stop 7

   Upper-ridge Saka and Turkic sector

   From previous:

   3 km · 15 min drive

   Stay:

   ~4 h

   Gorges 10, 12, 13, and 20 of the Eshkiolmes ridge hold the densest concentration of Saka Iron-Age imagery (6th–4th century BCE), documented by Maryashev and Nuskabayev as representing the peak artistic period at the site. Saka animal-style motifs at Eshkiolmes include deer with full branching antlers thrown back over the body (a hallmark of the 'deer stone' compositional tradition), wolves following rams with exaggerated open jaws, panthers, and boars with hypertrophied tusks. The individual figures show multiple variants in a single gorge — Maryashev identified at least four-to-five distinct deer conventions side by side. Intermixed with these are the early Turkic medieval engravings (6th–8th century CE), identifiable by Orkhon-script runic characters — the same script used on the Bilge Khagan and Kul Tigin memorial steles in Mongolia's Orkhon Valley. At Eshkiolmes, short runic sequences appear alongside zoomorphic imagery rather than as formal monumental inscriptions, suggesting graffiti by literate Turkic pastoralists reusing a sacred landscape.

   Tip: The runic graffiti is easiest to distinguish from zoomorphic imagery by its linear, angular character strokes. Carry a printed reference to Old Turkic (Orkhon) script if you want to identify individual characters. The panels are not signposted — the 2005 Baipakov et al. monograph has gorge-by-gorge plans and is the most reliable field guide.
8. 

   Stop 8

   Return via Tekeli and Taldykorgan to Almaty

   From previous:

   302 km · 280 min drive

   Retrace the Koksu valley track to Tekeli and then the R-122 to Taldykorgan. The return drive from Tekeli to Almaty is approximately 310 km and takes 4–5 hours on the A-3 highway. Plan to leave the ridge by 14:00 on day two to clear the off-road section in daylight and reach Almaty before 20:00. If time permits, a brief stop at the Kapchagai reservoir viewpoint on the return offers a contrast to the mountain terrain. The A-3 between Taldykorgan and Almaty passes through Kapchagai and the Ili river valley; fuel is available again at Taldykorgan if needed. The route is well-signed throughout. Almaty ring road traffic is moderate in the evening; expect 30–45 minutes for the final city crossing.

   Tip: Leave the ridge by 14:00 to clear the Koksu track in daylight. The unpaved section is harder to navigate at dusk. Refuel in Taldykorgan if the tank is below half — the A-3 has limited stations in the 200 km between Taldykorgan and Almaty.

What to bring

• ●Water (4 L per person per day — no water sources on the ridge)
• ●Food for 2 days (no vendors at the site)
• ●High-clearance 4WD vehicle
• ●Offline maps downloaded before Tekeli (OsmAnd or Maps.me)
• ●Traction boards or recovery equipment
• ●Sun hat and sunscreen (ridge fully exposed)
• ●Sturdy boots for rocky slope walking
• ●Camera with telephoto lens (80–200 mm ideal for petroglyph detail at raking light)
• ●First-aid kit
• ●Cash in KZT (ATMs available in Taldykorgan only)
• ●Warm layer (ridge wind cools rapidly after sunset at 1,300 m)

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