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The stone portal, tower and dome of the Tash Rabat caravanserai on a green slope, yurts on the left, snowy peaks in the distance.
June 30, 2009 · Tash Rabat

Tash Rabat

A stone caravanserai with an arched portal among high mountains

  • 15th or 10th–12th c.Dating is disputed
  • 100–150 somPrice in 2025–2026
  • July +16°, January −10°daytime
  • At-Bashy valleyBy the Kara-Koyun River
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Stops in walking order

The list on the left follows the chapters as you scroll. Tap a photo to enlarge it.

  1. The stone portal with an arched opening and the round corner tower of the Tash Rabat caravanserai against a blue sky.August 19, 2008

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    Stone portal

    outside

    A tall stone portal with an arched opening stands in the middle of the facade.

  2. A low stone building with an arched entrance stands on a green slope under large white clouds.May 25, 2024

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    Corner tower

    outside

    A rounded corner tower joins the facade to the low side wall.

  3. Looking down on the stone dome and square courtyard of the Tash Rabat caravanserai, yurts on the right, a mountain behind.August 19, 2008

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    Dome and courtyard

    outside

    From above you can see the square courtyard, the dome at its centre and the walls around it.

  4. A stone dome with a small opening at the top rises above the slate wall of the caravanserai.May 20, 2010

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    Slate masonry

    outside

    Flat stones are laid in even horizontal rows in the side wall.

  5. A low stone caravanserai stands at the foot of a mountainside streaked with snow.March 22, 2008

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    Dome on the hillside

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    A low dome with an opening at the top rises above the walls; the slope behind it is still under snow.

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    Yurts by the walls

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    Next to the caravanserai, the white yurts of a camp stand in the meadow; in the distance, snow lies on the peaks.

  7. A narrow valley with a stream between ochre slopes of the gorge near Tash Rabat, rocky peaks and clouds in the distance.September 8, 2016

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    Kara-Koyun Gorge

    outside

    Upstream, a narrow valley with a stream lies between ochre slopes.

History by date

  1. 15th/10–12thCaravanserai

    Some date the building to the 15th century, others to the 10th–12th centuries. It stood on the caravan route to Kashgar.

  2. 1859Valikhanov’s description

    Chokan Valikhanov described the building and made a drawing of it.

  3. 20th c.Restoration dates

    The restoration is dated to the late 1970s and to 1980–1984.

  4. 2010Tentative nomination

    Tash Rabat is included in Kyrgyzstan’s tentative nomination of Silk Road monuments.

Four seasons

How the place looks at different times of year.

  1. Spring

    March–May

    In spring, daytime highs rise from −3 °C in March to 8 °C in May; nights drop to −13…−3 °C. The slopes are still under snow.

  2. Summer

    June–August

    In summer, 13–16 °C by day and 2–6 °C at night. The slopes are green, and yurt camps stand by the walls.

  3. September 20, 2012

    Autumn

    September–November

    Dry ochre slopes surround the stone building; by October it is about 3 °C by day and −8 °C at night.

  4. Winter

    December–February

    In winter, about −8…−11 °C by day and −19…−22 °C at night. The road is difficult and the camps are closed.

Where it is

Address
Tash Rabat, Kara-Koyun valley
From the base
≈90 km as the crow flies · Naryn
Coordinates
40.8231° N, 75.2889° E
Open in Maps

Walking directions and opening hours

Getting there on foot

  1. From Naryn

    About 2 hours by car

    About 114 km. The road is mostly paved; the last 15 km are bumpy gravel through the valley. A 4WD is best.

  2. Via At-Bashy

    Marshrutka and taxi

    There is no direct bus to Tash Rabat: a marshrutka (fixed-route minibus) runs to At-Bashy, and from there you take a taxi.

  3. Yurt camps

    June–September

    A night with breakfast and dinner costs 1,500–2,000 som per person, paid in cash. The camps are closed in winter.

  4. Altitude

    About 3,000–3,200 m

    Even in summer the nights are cold: about 2 °C in June and about 6 °C in July. Bring warm clothes.

  5. In winter

    A difficult road

    From November to April the site is hard to reach; the best season is June–September.

Hours and prices

Opening hours
no fixed hours
Admission
100–150 som per person; check the price on site

There are no set hours: if it is closed, the caretaker lives in the yurt camp opposite. Since August 2026 some areas have been fenced off for restoration.

Check on site

  • Whether the site is open: since August 2026, parts are fenced off for restoration operator or camp
  • Entry fee on the day of your trip on site
  • Whether you can drive your own car over the last 15 km driver or camp

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.

What to bring

  • Warm jacket
  • Cash in som

Tash Rabat in photos

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

  1. March 22, 2008
  2. August 19, 2008
  3. August 19, 2008
  4. June 30, 2009
  5. May 20, 2010
  6. September 20, 2012
  7. September 8, 2016
  8. September 8, 2016
  9. September 8, 2016
  10. May 25, 2024
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