Sheker
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The home village of Chingiz Aitmatov: the writer’s museum and the “Aitmatov Aalamy” complex.
- Talas ≈99 kmAbout 1.8 h by car
- Aitmatov Museum≈2 km on foot
- 8 places nearby2 to 113 km away
8 places from the centre outwards
Start with places you can walk to, then roads out of town. The map shows the route from the centre to the place you are viewing.
≈2.2 km on foot1 / 8
Aitmatov Museum
The writer’s museum in the south of the village. In September 2026 the “Aitmatov Aalamy” complex, with a museum and an amphitheatre, opened in Sheker.
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≈20 km along the road2 / 8
Maymak Station
A railway station 20 km from the village; the literary programme visits it after Sheker.
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August 29, 2022≈48 km along the road3 / 8
Kirov Reservoir
A large reservoir on the Talas River in the Chon-Kapka Gorge, built in 1965–1975.
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≈83 km along the road4 / 8
Madaniyat
A village at the mouth of the Urmaral Gorge: hikes and horse treks into the mountains start here.
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≈99 km along the road5 / 8
Talas
The regional centre: a bazaar by the bus station and the Aitmatov Monument; minibuses leave from here for the villages, and the road runs to Bishkek.
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September 12, 2019≈105 km along the road6 / 8
Kara-Buura Pass
A pass at 3,305 m in the Talas Ala-Too: the road looks over the valley and the hairpin bends below.
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September 20, 2024≈110 km along the road7 / 8
Manas Ordo
A cultural complex with a 14th-century gumbez, a museum of the Manas epic and a watch hill above the valley.
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July 3, 2024≈113 km along the road8 / 8
Besh-Tash State Nature Park
A nature park in the mountains south of Talas: a valley with a mountain river for walks. Arrange the hike to the lake and an overnight stay separately.
Sheker: four seasons
Things to do in and around town throughout the year. Monthly temperatures are averages for 2016–2025, not a forecast.
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Spring
March–MayDays from +8 °C in March to +20 °C in May, nights from −2 to +8 °C.
- MarchSheker +8° / −2°
- AprilSheker +15° / +4°
- MaySheker +20° / +8°
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Summer
June–AugustDays +25…+28 °C, nights +12…+15 °C.
- JuneSheker +25° / +12°
- JulySheker +28° / +15°
- AugustSheker +25° / +14°
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Autumn
September–NovemberDays from +21 °C in September to +7 °C in November, nights from +10 to −4 °C.
- SeptemberSheker +21° / +10°
- OctoberSheker +13° / +3°
- NovemberSheker +7° / −4°
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Winter
December–FebruaryDays around +1…+3 °C, nights down to −9 °C.
- DecemberSheker +2° / −8°
- JanuarySheker +1° / −9°
- FebruarySheker +3° / −7°
Getting here and getting around town
How to get there
From Talas
≈1.8 hAbout 99 km west by road. Check minibuses for your date; a car with a driver is more reliable.
From Bishkek
via TalasFirst to Talas, then about 99 km by car. The literary programme goes this way too.
Getting around town
- On foot. The museum is a walk through the village; Maymak Station, the reservoir and Talas need a car.
Contact and help
112 single emergency number
- 101 fire and rescue
- 102 police
- 103 ambulance
You can call 112 with a local SIM or without one.
Check in advance
- Opening hours of the museum and complex
- Lodging and prices in the village
- Mobile network coverage
Check on site
- Road conditions and transport back At your accommodation
- Price and availability Accommodation host
Sheker in photos
Real photos, each with the date it was taken. Tap or click to enlarge.
- August 29, 2022
- July 3, 2024
- September 12, 2019
- September 20, 2024