★5Senior guide, hiking & jeep-tour organizer
Excursion · History
Tour Tamgaly-Tas, Buddha and the City of Nomads from Almaty
4.8 · 21 reviews
Discover the ancient petroglyphs of Tamgaly-Tas, see the carved image of Buddha, and stroll through the City of Nomads. The route from Almaty takes 9 hours and immerses you in the history of the Great Steppe.
WhenDaily, time upon request
Duration9 h
StartAlmaty
Pricefrom $51/person
Program
Tour program in Tamgaly-Tas by the hour
07:00
Departure from Almaty
Pickup from your hotel or a convenient point in the city.
09:00
Arrival at Tamgaly-Tas
Explore ancient petroglyphs and the famous Buddha image carved into the rock.
11:00
Transfer to the City of Nomads
A short drive to the ethno-park, where the nomadic way of life is recreated.
12:00
Excursion around the City of Nomads
Walk through yurts, learn about crafts and nomadic culture.
13:30
Lunch
Time for lunch at a national cuisine cafe (paid separately).
15:00
Free time and photo session
Extra time for walks and photos.
16:00
Return to Almaty
Transfer back, estimated arrival at 18:00.
What's included
What is included in the tour to Tamgaly-Tas
Included in Price
Already included in the tour price
- Transfer from Almaty and back
- Guide services
- Entrance tickets to Tamgaly-Tas
- Entrance tickets to the City of Nomads
- Bottled water on the bus
Paid separately
Optional, on site
- Lunch (approx. $10)
- Personal expenses
- Insurance
What to Bring
To make the day comfortable
- Comfortable shoes for walking in the steppe
- Hat and sunscreen
- Water (in addition to provided)
- Camera
- Windbreaker (weather may change)
Team
Our team — guides and instructors from Almaty
Routes are led by working guides and instructors. The same people answer in WhatsApp and accompany groups on tour.
★5
★4.52Alexander Пашкин
Driver-guide, инструктор по трекингу
★4.74Andrey Шевелёв
Driver-guide
★4.27Анжелика Чвыкова
Гид-фотограф
★4.27Ильяс Дарбеков
Гид-переводчик
★4.55Мадина Данина
Организатор туров
★4.49Сергей Бабичев
Personal guide-водитель
Reviews
Reviews of the Tamgaly-Tas tour
4.9 ★
Our rating · 312 reviews
4.8 ★
Google · 540
4.9 ★
Yandex · 268
4.8 ★
2GIS · 197
1317
Total reviews
Olga A.
Google ·
★★★★★I dreamed of seeing the Dancing Buddha. Live it's even cooler than in photos. The road isn't great but it's worth it.
Asel K.
2GIS ·
★★★★★We chose the tour for a long time. Settled on this one and didn't regret it. The ancient petroglyphs are impressive in scale. The Buddha on the rock is very unusual. The Nomad City immerses you in history. Special thanks to the guide for the interesting story. The road was bumpy, but it's compensated by the beauty. I recommend it to everyone.
Dmitry L.
Our website ·
★★★★★Good route: first petroglyphs, then Buddha. At the Nomad City we tried kumis. The only downside was a 10-minute wait at the entrance.
Murat A.
Our website ·
★★★★★We saw Tamgaly-Tas and the Buddha. The City of Nomads is also wonderful. There was a lot of shaking on the road but it's worth it. The driver drove the car well. The petroglyphs are ancient, especially the Buddha statue is astonishing. In the City of Nomads we saw the yurts and national items. The guide told interesting stories from the history of the nomads. Lunch is paid separately, but it was tasty. Overall I liked the trip, I recommend it to my friends.
Lyazzat N.
Our website ·
★★★★★I've long dreamed of seeing the rock paintings, I've been into history since school. This time we went with my sister, we'd both wanted to get out of the city for a while. Tamgaly-Tas exceeded all expectations — the petroglyphs are huge, and you really feel the breath of time. The Buddha on the rock is also very beautiful, especially when the sun falls from the side. In the City of Nomads I enjoyed walking among the yurts, there you could even take photos in national clothes. The guide told a lot of interesting things about the crafts and daily life of the nomads. We had lunch at a cafe, the food was tasty, though it's paid separately. The manager helped with choosing the date, everything was organized clearly. The trip left warm memories, I recommend it to everyone who loves history and nature.
Azamat_t
Google ·
★★★★★tur ote korkem. tamgaly-tastagy sugretti kordik. budda men koshpendiler kalasy da jaksy boldy. rahmet
Erkhan K.
Our website ·
★★★★★Great tour. Liked the petroglyphs and the City of Nomads. The Buddha was majestic. It was just windy but that didn't spoil it.
Daniyar S.
Our website ·
★★★★★Tour: Tamgaly-Tas - Buddha - City of Nomads. The ancient petroglyphs are mesmerizing. The Ili River offers stunning views. The organization was excellent. The only downside was a half-hour delay in departure. But the guide apologized.
Aisha B.
Google ·
★★★★★I've been interested in history since childhood, especially the era of nomads. When we chose this tour, my dad and I went together. When we reached Tamgaly-Tas, I was amazed — the drawings made thousands of years ago are still clearly visible on the stone surface. The Buddha statue also made a special impression, its height astonishes a person. In the City of Nomads we walked among the yurts and saw national handicrafts. The guide told an interesting story not about a railway worker, but about the life and customs of the nomads. For lunch we tasted national dishes, but it's paid separately. We got a bit tired on the road, but the impression was very strong. I keep telling my friends too, this tour is worth going on.
Gulmira E.
Our website ·
★★★★★I liked the tour. The views of the Ili River were stunning. The guide told us about the history of the petroglyphs, it was interesting.
Bota_b
2GIS ·
★★★★★otlichnyi tur! tamgaly-tas i budda vpechatlili. anzhelika rasskazala mnogo interesnogo. rekomenduyu
Denis R.
Our website ·
★★★★★I'm happy with the tour. I liked everything: petroglyphs thousands of years old, a Buddha statue, an ethno-park with a museum. I saw real yurts and household items. Guide Anzhelika gave a very professional tour. We waited a bit for the bus in the morning, but overall service was good. I'll recommend it to friends. Beautiful places, great photos.
Elena S.
Google ·
★★★★★Second time with this company. This time I really liked Tamgaly-Tas. The driver drove carefully even though the road is bumpy. The petroglyphs are ancient, and the Buddha on the rock is mesmerizing. In the City of Nomads we saw the crafts exhibition and the yurts. The guide told interestingly about the daily life of the nomads. Lunch wasn't included, but we ate at a nearby cafe, tasty. Overall the trip is well organized, I'll come back again.
Sergey K.
Our website ·
★★★★★Petroglyphs are powerful. Real ancient artifacts. Thanks to the organizers. Madina is super.
Elena T.
Our website ·
★★★★★First time on such a tour. Liked everything. Ancient petroglyphs. Huge Buddha. Learned a lot at the Nomad City. Madina helped with the choice. Recommend.
Aigul K.
Our website ·
★★★★★We spent a long time choosing a tour around the Almaty region, we wanted something unusual. We settled on Tamgaly-Tas because it has ancient petroglyphs and the Buddha. We went with my wife and two kids, everyone was interested. The guide told it in such a way that even the kids listened with their mouths open. The petroglyphs are truly ancient, thousands of years old, yet they look clear. The Buddha is carved right into the rock, an impressive sight. In the City of Nomads we liked the yurts and household items, the kids were thrilled. It was a bit upsetting that lunch is paid separately, but that's a minor thing. The atmosphere of the trip was great, we came back tired but happy. I recommend it to those who want to learn the history of the region.
Askhat M.
2GIS ·
★★★★★Thanks for the tour! I saw petroglyphs thousands of years old, a Buddha, and a nomad city. Everything was super.
Marat T.
Google ·
★★★★★Great trip, the petroglyphs are impressive. The Ili River is just beautiful. We left 15 minutes late, but that's a minor thing.
Vladimir P.
Our website ·
★★★★★The tour was packed. Liked the petroglyphs and Buddha. Minus: lunch wasn't very tasty, but that's not critical.
Ksenia P.
Google ·
★★★★★Had an amazing time on the trip. The petroglyphs in the open air are a wonder. Buddha was also impressive. The Nomad City is nicely designed. I recommend it to everyone. The guide is great.
Oleg_kz
Our website ·
★★★★★krasivye mesta. reka ili i skaly. tolko avtobus malen'kii no vse pomeshalis'. horosho
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about the Tamgaly-Tas tour
We've collected the questions travelers ask most often. Didn't find your answer? Write to us — a guide will reply in a couple of minutes.
Ask a questionThe route goes through open steppe, so footwear should be comfortable for walking, and a hat and sunscreen are essential. A camera, a supply of water and a light windbreaker will come in handy: the weather can change during the day. You will need all of this both at the petroglyphs and in the ethno-park.
No special preparation is needed: the day is designed for 9 hours, most of the time you travel by car, and you walk only while viewing the petroglyphs and strolling through the ethno-park. The pace is calm, with stops for photos and rest. If you want to understand the load for your group, we will clarify in WhatsApp.
The format is individual, without overnight stays or long walks, so the trip is usually comfortably tolerated by both children and older generations. The guide leads the group at a convenient pace and takes breaks. If someone needs special arrangements, message us on WhatsApp for your date — we will advise how best to structure the day.
Departure from Almaty at 07:00, we pick you up wherever is convenient for you — for example, from your hotel. We return at approximately 18:00. The exact place and time will be confirmed by message in WhatsApp the day before the trip.
The $51 per person includes the road from Almaty and back, the guide, tickets to Tamgaly-Tas and the City of Nomads, and bottled water in the car. Separately — lunch in a national cuisine cafe (about $10), personal expenses and insurance. There are no other additional payments.
Yes, the tour is individual: you travel with your own group and at your own pace along the route to the petroglyphs and the ethno-park. To book a date, it is enough to write to us in WhatsApp — no prepayment is needed. Payment on the day of the trip via Kaspi, by card or in cash, and you can cancel the booking for free.
