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Wooden houses of Tamga with green gables, carved window frames and flowers behind the fence.
Tamga: summer

Tamga

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A village on the south shore of Issyk-Kul: the Tamga-Tash stones, Skazka Canyon and the Barskoon waterfalls.

  • ≈323 km from BishkekFrom Karakol ≈87 km
  • Village on footBeach: about 1 km away
  • 6 places nearby6 to 37 km away
  • 25 places to stay19 within 1.5 km of the centre
Kyrgyz SeasonsPlanning a trip?Ask about a triphello@kyrgyzseasons.com

6 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.

  1. A round boulder with carved signs stands by a dry slope among shrubs.August 25, 2008

    ≈5.7 km along the road1 / 6

    Tamga-Tash stones

    By car on a dirt road, about 6 kmBy day, in dry weather

    A boulder in the hills above the village bearing the Tibetan inscription “Om mani padme hum”. Do not scratch or trace the signs, and do not climb the stone.

    Place page →

  2. Low houses of Barskoon above a grey bluff; green fields and mountains under a blue sky in the distance.August 19, 2023

    ≈9.9 km along the road2 / 6

    Barskoon village

    By car, about 10 kmAll year round, by day

    A large village at the entrance to a gorge with waterfalls. It has shops, cafés and an ATM; from here people head into the gorge and up to the Arabel Plateau.

    Place page →

  3. A village road runs past trees and low houses, with a snowy ridge on the horizon.

    ≈10 km along the road3 / 6

    Tosor

    By car, about 10 kmAll year round, by day

    A neighbouring village on the south shore: tree-lined streets and a snowy range in the distance. Skazka Canyon is about 8 km from Tosor.

    Place page →

  4. Sharp reddish ridges of the canyon rise above green shrubs under cumulus clouds.June 22, 2026

    ≈18 km along the road4 / 6

    Skazka Canyon

    By car, about 18 kmAll year round, by day

    A canyon of red and orange sandstone: about 2 km of trails, roughly 1.5 hours to walk round, with a steep climb to the viewpoint.

    Place page →

  5. A waterfall flows down a rock face between spruce trees and stony slopes.August 24, 2008

    ≈21 km along the road5 / 6

    Barskoon waterfalls

    By car, about 21 kmJune–September, for a day

    The gorge above Barskoon village: from the road’s end it is a 15–20 minute walk to the Tears of the Snow Leopard waterfall, with two more cascades above. Busts of Gagarin stand at the trailhead.

    Place page →

  6. Two metal mine carts on rails by a stony slope in Kadzhi-Sai.April 27, 2023

    ≈37 km along the road6 / 6

    Kadzhi-Sai

    By car, about 37 kmJune–September

    A south-shore village: a sandy lakeside beach, a pier and resorts. Trips to Skazka Canyon also start here.

    Place page →

Map

Tamga: four seasons

Things to do in and around town throughout the year. Monthly temperatures are averages for 2016–2025, not a forecast.

  1. Spring

    March–May

    Days from +6 °C in March to +14 °C in May, nights from +1 to +10 °C.

    • MarchTamga +6° / +1°
    • AprilTamga +10° / +6°
    • MayTamga +14° / +10°
  2. July 17, 2018

    Summer

    June–August

    Wooden houses with green roofs and carved window frames. Days +17…+20 °C.

    • JuneTamga +17° / +13°
    • JulyTamga +20° / +16°
    • AugustTamga +19° / +15°

  3. Autumn

    September–November

    Days from +16 °C in September to +6 °C in November, nights from +12 to +2 °C.

    • SeptemberTamga +16° / +12°
    • OctoberTamga +11° / +6°
    • NovemberTamga +6° / +2°

  4. Winter

    December–February

    Days around +1…+2 °C, nights down to −3 °C.

    • DecemberTamga +2° / −2°
    • JanuaryTamga +1° / −3°
    • FebruaryTamga +2° / −2°

Where it is

Location
Issyk-Kul Region
Coordinates
42.15° N, 77.55° E
Open in Maps

Getting here and getting around town

How to get there

  • From Bishkek

    about 5 h

    Along the south shore of Issyk-Kul, about 323 km by road. No marshrutka timetable found: check for your date.

  • From Karakol

    about 2 h

    Taxi, marshrutka or bus, about 87 km by road. Check times and fares for your date.

Getting around town

  • On foot. The village is small and walkable; the beach is about 1 km away. Take a taxi on trips.

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

  • Marshrutka timetables from Bishkek and Karakol
  • Transport back after the trip
  • Mobile network coverage

Check on site

  • Road conditions and transport back At your accommodation
  • Price and availability Accommodation host

Where to stay: 19 of 25 places are within 1.5 km of the centre

1 km1.5 km centre
guesthousehostelhotelother© OpenStreetMap

How many places

25 on the map

20 guesthouses1 hostel2 hotels2 other

Within 1.5 km from the centre
19 of 25

Options with names, from the centre outwards

  1. Happy Hostel in Tamgahostel
  2. L'a Dachaguesthouse
  3. Tamga Guesthouseguesthouse
  4. Yuzhankaguesthouse
  5. Vdokhnovenieguesthouse
  6. Podsolnukhi Guesthouseguesthouse
  7. U Pavlaguesthouse
  8. AnyutaYka Guesthouseguesthouse

Tamga in photos

Real photos, each with the date it was taken. Tap or click to enlarge.

  1. April 27, 2023
  3. August 24, 2008
  4. August 25, 2008
  5. July 17, 2018
  6. August 17, 2023
  7. August 19, 2023
  8. June 22, 2026

Guides and ready-made itineraries

Pages that include this place in a guide or itinerary.

Routes and programmes

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