Roughly 20 km outside of the city of Talas stands one of the most treasured monuments in Kyrgyzstan silk road: the Gumbez of Manas. This mausoleum, while slightly small (11 meters tall, 50 square meters), is ornately decorated as befits the legendary Kyrgyz hero of Manas known for uniting all the different Kyrgyz tribes despite their differences.

Gumbez of Manas

The Gumbez of Manas is made of brick, has Arabic inscriptions, is decorated in traditional Kyrgyz style, and topped with a dome.  Something you may notice and find odd is that upon inspection of the mausoleum, there’s an inscription on that outside that says the daughter of a wealthy ruler from the Middle Ages is buried there, not Manas.  However, as the legend goes, it was actually commissioned by Kanykei, Manas’s wife, and built by expert craftsmen all the way from Bukhara and Samarkand.  The inscription was merely a ruse to confuse the enemies of Manas at the time so they would not defame his resting place. 

The Gumbez of Manas is part of a complex dedicated to Manas. Near the mausoleum you can also visit a museum dedicated to the epic of Manas, a traditional epic poem highly regarded among the Kyrgyz people that was passed down orally for generations.

The Gumbez of Manas is visited by many in Kyrgyzstan tourism packages and treated as a national treasure.

Tours, where you will visit Gumbez of Manas:
14 days

Bike Tours in Kyrgyzstan: Crossing Kyrgyzstan (14 Days)

An amazing bicycling trips for cycling around Kyrgyzstan! Fresh air and kyrgyz nomadic culture to fill you in with excitement and discoveries of unique history. Tour will take place from Tal ...

From 
1275
The price depends on a group size. The price 1275 EUR per person is available for groups of 4 people.
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23 days

Bike Tours in Kyrgyzstan: Crossing Kyrgyzstan (23 Days)

Ever dreamt of crossing the whole country by cycling? Here is the chance to explore nomadic land from Talas, the capital of the most western province of Kyrgyzstan to Ak-Bulak on the east si ...

From 
1450
The price depends on a group size. The price 1450 EUR per person is available for groups of 4 people.
More info
14 days

Off-road Adventure through Untouched Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan is simply stunning. So many parts are barely explored, cataloged, and photographed. On this trip you will visit some of the hardest to get to and least touched parts of Kyrgyzstan ...

From 
$2000
Price from 2000 USD to 2300 USD per person (the price depends on a group size). The price 2000 USD per person is available for groups of 5 people.
More info