Tashtar-Ata

Tashtar-Ata (“tashtar” means “stones” in Kyrgyz) is a hill in the southern outskirts of Bishkek, about 1,500 meters above sea level and roughly 700 meters above the southern city districts. In good weather, the summit offers a beautiful panoramic view of the city. There is evidence that the hill has long been used as a kind of sanctuary and “place of power” where various rituals were performed.
The modern history of Tashtar-Ata began in the early 2000s thanks to the efforts of Jenishbek Nazaraliev — a Kyrgyz politician, narcologist, and president of the World League “Mind Without Drugs.” In 2013, a unique spiritual and architectural complex was opened on the western slope. Its main purpose is to serve as a place of pilgrimage for people seeking to overcome alcohol, drug, or other forms of addiction.
The complex includes a mound of stones left by visitors, a large fire pit where one can burn items symbolizing addiction, small chapels representing major world religions (Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Buddhism), and plaques embedded in the ground with the names of those who have completed the cleansing ritual. In good weather, this is a pleasant place to spend a couple of hours enjoying the city panorama and nature. If you wish, you can also climb to the summit of Tashtar-Ata — though this ascent requires some effort.

Reaching the site using a navigation app is straightforward. After turning off the road to Koi-Tash, the surface is of mixed quality: poor asphalt with some dirt sections; after the dacha community Gorny Veterok, it is mostly dirt road. You can leave your car near the wooden arch marking the start of the ascent to the complex or at the viewpoint roughly 200 meters before the arch. Unfortunately, public transport does not go here, but it is possible to walk from the Koi-Tash road (around 3 km).

Parts of the valley are overgrown with thorn bushes. If you plan to visit all the chapels, wear clothes suitable for pushing through thorny vegetation. Despite being close to the city, snow here falls earlier and melts later than in Bishkek, so the best time to visit is from May to mid-October. If the city is covered by fog or smog, you won’t be able to enjoy the panorama.

There are more trails on the ground than on the map. But the area is easy to navigate, so it’s hard to get lost.