Updated: 5 September 2026 · ALMATY VISTA editors
In the Middle Ages, Silk Road caravan routes ran through the foothills of the Trans-Ili Alatau. One of the towns on this route was Talkhiz – the predecessor of today’s Talgar.
The town existed roughly from the 8th to the 13th century. Today its earthen walls and excavations remain, and the site is part of the serial UNESCO property “Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang’an-Tianshan Corridor”, inscribed in 2014.
Talkhiz is best seen with a guide – without the story, the walls look like ordinary hills. It combines well with the reserve’s nature museum and a walk in the Talgar Gorge.
