Kuturga: Burial Mounds, Petroglyphs and Excursions

A trip to Kuturga focuses on archaeological traces and a guided walk to a small lake. A historic cycling route adds an active dimension.

Burial Mounds, Rock Art and Balbals

The archaeological landscape associated with Kuturga includes seven large burial mounds northeast of the settlement, six within the settlement and nine to the west. Around 100 different mounds are also located in the gorge. These figures show that the mounds described are spread across several areas.

Grouped and individual petroglyphs can be found on boulders and rock faces in the gorge above Kuturga. Four stone balbals stand in the courtyard of the Hearts School. Prior arrangements are required to visit the indoor exhibitions. Rock carvings in gorges in the southern Kungey Ala-Too are associated with the Kuturga burial grounds; field observations from 1975 establish this connection.

Walks, Cycling Tour and Gorge

Kuturga Estate offers guided walks to a small lake about a 20-minute walk away. Ask in advance whether a guided tour is available. The walk to the lake is on a different scale from the historic route described for cyclists: a 2016 report lists Kuturga on a 560-kilometre Category III cycling tour between Chon-Oruktu and Kurmentyu.

The gorges are also described differently. The Kuturga Gorge extends toward the peaks of the main Kungey Ala-Too range, according to the landscape description. The Kuturginskoye Gorge is described as a 20-minute drive from Kuturga Estate. Confirm the duration and availability of an excursion there in advance.

About Kuturga Estate

According to its own description, Kuturga Estate is on the northern shore of Issyk-Kul. The grounds are described as covering 2.2 hectares and being guarded; the shoreline is said to be 100 metres long, with two beaches. As the estate is rented out as a whole to one company, it is a good idea to check availability before travelling.

The estate describes its food offering as national and European cuisine; this may change. Vegetables, herbs and berries grow in the garden in summer, which the estate describes as organic. The area around the estate is also described as a protected zone. Confirm the protection status locally before travelling.

Issyk-Kul Region as a Regional Context

Within the broader travel destination of Issyk-Kul Region, Issyk-Kul is 180 kilometres long and 60 kilometres wide. Its shoreline is about 688 kilometres long, and its beaches total around 320 kilometres. These measurements give an idea of the lake’s scale within the region.

The broader travel destination of Issyk-Kul Region also includes the Issyk-Kul Biosphere Area. It is of national importance and specially protected; in September 2001, it was included in the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves. Thus, Kuturga’s specific archaeological features sit within the wider landscape and nature-conservation context of Issyk-Kul Region.

Discover more destinations: Tamga, Ananyevo, Chong-Sary-Oy, Tosor, Dolinka, Bokonbayevo, Balykchy, Kaji-Say.

Back to the main travel overview: Issyk-Kul Region.