I love Bishkek but I can't deny the fact that sightseeing in Bishkek is quite limited. However, there are amazing places on the outskirts of Bishkek that are just marshrutka away. One of these places is the famed ancient city of Balasagun during the Silk Road era. If you're looking for a day trip from Bishkek, look no further! Continue to read this post and learn how to visit Burana Tower by Marshrutka!
What is the Burana Tower and its significance?
Burana Tower is a medieval minaret that is part of the Burana Complex located in Tokmok in Chuy Valley. The Burana Complex is a heritage site and an archaeological zone where you can find the last remains of the ancient settlement of Balasagun. Apart from the Burana Tower, the complex contains petroglyphs, balbals, a museum, and even mausoleums.
Why visit?
History buff or not, visiting Burana Tower and the whole complex is a great way to look back at what was once a prosperous city during the era of the Silk Road. Imagine the Mongol Empire, the Yuan Dynasty, and the rise of the Ottoman Empire. This place is somehow connected and witnessed all of those. Caravans anyone?
Going back to the present, it is now a lone tower in the middle of nowhere, I mean in a vast landscape of Kyrgyzstan. Fields after fields as far your eyes can see and all of a sudden is the heritage complex.
If you're looking for other resources to read about Burana Tower, you may check the Journal of Nomads Article ๐
How to go to Burana Tower by Marshrutka
Burana Tower can be reached no matter where you are in Kyrgyzstan. In this post, the information you will find is a combination of a marshrutka and a taxi which is useful for those staying in Bishkek. To summarize the whole transportation journey, see the sequence below:
Bishkek to Tokmok โ Tokmok to Burana Tower โ Burana Tower to Tokmok โ Tokmok to Bishkek
Let's now talk about the small details of the sequence above. From the People Hostel where I stayed, I booked a taxi by Yandex and headed to Western Bus Station in Bishkek. I went to the left side of the Western Bus Station which is different from where the marshrutkas to Karakol are (see photo below for reference).
The drive to Tokmok took almost 2 hours which I did not expect at all but I will explain my mistake later. Upon reaching Tokmok, I get down at the side of the road which is just across the actual Tokmok Bus Station.
From there, I made a deal with the taxi driver to take me to Burana Tower and back to which he happily agreed. After exploring the complex on my own, the taxi driver picked me up and dropped me at Tokmok Bus Station. Then I rode a marshrutka heading to Bishkek's Eastern Bus Station.
Regular Marshrutka VS Express Marshrutka
Just a small note on my experience, I want to highlight one thing: there is a regular marshrutka and an express marshrutka.
Based on my experience, the marshrutka that I took from the Western Bus Station in Bishkek is the regular one. The marshrutka passed through town after town to pick up and drop off passengers. Hence as mentioned earlier, the journey took almost 2 hours of travel time instead of supposedly just one hour.
At Tokmok Bus Station, I was asked by the marshrutka driver if I wanted to take the "Express". Ah, so there are options, I mumbled to myself. So I took the Express Marshrutka which is just SOM 10.00 more than the regular marshrutka.
It's definitely faster and the view overlooks the plains of Kazakhstan. The marshrutka's last stop is at Eastern Bus Station. This was my mistake so make sure to take the marshrutka in the Eastern Bus Station. No regrets though, the regular marshrutka was an authentic experience with lots of interactions with the locals!
Costs
Here's what I spent during my visit to Burana Tower last October 31, 2022.
- Yandex Taxi from People Hostel to Western Bus Station - SOM 200.00
- Regular Marshrutka from Western Bus Station in Bishkek to Tokmok โ SOM 70.00
- Roundtrip Taxi from Tokmok Bus Station to Burana Tower - SOM 700.00
- Entrance Fee to enter Burana Tower โ SOM 60.00
- Express Marshrutka from Tokmok Bus Station to Eastern Bus Station in Bishkek - SOM 80.00
Highlights inside Burana Complex
Now to the main highlights, let me show you what to expect inside the whole complex. Upon entering the complex, the first thing you'll see is none other than the Burana Tower. Standing mighty and proud, the tower made of bricks is originally higher than its current height.
An external metal staircase is built to access the tower and inside the tower is a narrow and winding staircase to reach the top. Of course, I went up despite others saying it's not worth it. It's dark inside and it's narrow so if you're claustrophobic, this may get into you.
The staircase can only fit one person, so don't ask me what'll happen if two people meet in between because I don't know the answer lol.
Climbing up is not an issue for me but going down freaked me out because it's quite steep and dark. I had to press my arms on the walls for support since I couldn't assess the height of each step on my way down.
Moving on from the Burana Tower, I walked across the vast field to see the famous balbals. Balbals or Kurgan stelae (as they call it), are carved stone sculptures that are ancient tombstones. They are usually located in what they call a Kurgan and in Burana Tower, they are built near a big mound of land which means it is a cemetery. These tombstones are not only famous because they are cute (indeed they are), but because of their value and significance in their history.
The balbals come in different shapes and sizes with different artistic looks and expressions. Of course, there is so much more to learn about the balbals and their history. There is a small building in the complex with historical information so make sure you check that out as well. I did not manage to visit that though instead I went to The National History Museum to do my part.
An hour of roaming around the complex is short and sweet, but it was another eye-opening experience once again. There is so much more to learn from our ancestors and experiences like this that connect us to them in one way or another. To more cultural and historical experiences like this, I guess? ๐
That's all about from me and now that you know what to expect and how to go to Burana Tower by marshrutka, there's one thing left for you to do... enjoy! Ciao!
