Seven Bulls
Red rocks.
Arina Pan — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Eric and Taylor — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Nikolai Bulykin — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Malcolm Manners — CC BY 2.0 · Bala Biott — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Arina Pan — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Bgag — CC0 · Peretz Partensky from San Francisco, USA — CC BY-SA 2.0
Towering red cliffs of Tertiary sandstone and conglomerate at the mouth of the Jeti-Oguz valley, about 25 km west of Karakol, one of Kyrgyzstan's best-known symbols, featured in paintings and songs. They have been a geological reserve since 1975. The name means «seven bulls», as the row of rocks resembles seven bulls, and a folk tale tells of a khan's unfaithful wife. Nearby, a split rock called «Broken Heart» carries a lovers' legend. Behind the rocks stretches a broad green valley of spruce forest and meadows, with rivers, grazing horses and yurts in summer. At the foot of the cliffs stand the Jeti-Oguz resort and sanatorium. Wandering is usually free, and the road from Karakol is paved. Mornings and just before sunset are best, when the red rock glows; you can walk up the valley for hours or go on horseback.
Red rocks.
The split rock.
Behind the cliffs.
Jeti-Oguz valley, about 25 km west of Karakol
«Seven bulls», because the row of red rocks looks like seven bulls; the «Broken Heart» rock stands nearby.