Jeti Oguz, the seven bulls

Jeti Oguz (Жети-өгүз) is a valley west of Karakol known for its impressive red rock formations. In 1975, it was declared a protected area.

The most famous are the Jeti Oguz rocks, which means seven bulls in Kyrgyz. Seven (if you count carefully there are more, at least nine) brick-red rocks rise stately from the rolling landscape. Therefore, a visit is more than worthwhile.

For the photographers among us, in summer the red of the rocks is most beautiful in the early morning light. In winter, the light there is always breathtaking due to the alternation of white snow.

Legends

Kyrgyzstan is a land of a thousand and one legends, and the valley of Jeti Oguz also has some beautiful ones. One tells of why the seven bulls look like seven bulls.

Once, a very long time ago, there were two khans. The first khan had a very beautiful wife, the second did not. The second khan fell in love with the first khan’s beautiful wife and robbed her from her husband. At this, the first khan unleashed a bloody war that dragged on for years and years. The second khan sought advice from a wise man: how was he to win the war? “Kill your wife,” the wise man spoke, “so that the first khan can never take her back.” No sooner said than done. The second khan organized a big feast where seven bulls were sacrificed. The blood of the last bull was not yet dripping on the ground, or the beautiful woman had to go too. The beautiful woman’s heart bled so heavily that all the partygoers and khans were swept away in a stream of blood. When everything settled down again, the seven bulls turned into the rocks we can see today.

A little further on you will find the broken heart – a rock formation where, with a little imagination, you can see a lost love in it. The story goes that two rivals who loved the same woman both lost their lives in a duel. The rock broke, like the heart of the woman mourning the two lost souls.

Hiking in Jeti Oguz

In summer, Jeti Oguz is a wonderful valley for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding or even kayaking. Beyond the red rocks, the landscape opens up and you enter the Valley of Flowers, a valley full of flowers (as the name suggests). The valley lends itself perfectly to both day hikes and multi-day hikes. You can extend the popular Karakol – Ala Kul – Altyn Arashan route by a day or two to Jeti Oguz. Definitely worth the effort. You will also find an old spa (Jeti Oguz Sanitorium), a reminder of the Soviet period, but open to the public. Otherwise, the spa does look a bit creepy (but don’t let that stop you).

Jeti Oguz is easily reached by cab or marsjroetka. Note, ask the cab driver in your finest Russian or Kyrgyz to do drop you off at Jeti Oguz Sanitorium. In fact, Jeti Oguz town is still about 12 km away from the famous rock formations. A brisk walk.