The magical beauty of a small gorge
The stunning beauty of the gorge is located near the city of Talgar, on the territory of Ile Alatau National Park. A crystal clear mountain river flows through the gorge, and if you are not lazy and go up to the base of the gorge, you will see a confluence of 2 rivers. The gorge also has a small but fascinating beautiful waterfall, where you can make a stop to admire dozens of small rainbows formed by droplets of water crashing on the rocks.
The sad story of the gorge
The Monakhov gorge was named like that because in the 20s of the twentieth century, Orthodox schemas were hiding from the persecutions of the Bolsheviks. They arranged their homes in a rock cleft and built a small church here. But, unfortunately, the retreat of the priests did not last long and they were noticed by the red authorities. The monks were shot, and the church was blown up. In its place, only the old wooden cross remained, which symbolizes faith in God.
«Living» water and good signs
The gorge is a popular pilgrimage site. Many believers and tourists just come here to collect pure spring water – it is believed that it has healing properties and can heal from all diseases. It is said that sometimes you can meet ghosts in church robes and this is considered a good sign, bestowing good luck and the blessings of heaven.
The total distance from the city center to the Monakhov Gorge is just over 44 kilometers. On the Talgar highway, after about 10 kilometers, there is a rest house, as well as the Sputnik camp. To reach the beginning of the tourist route, you should go through the territory of the camp. When visiting the gorge on your own, you need to pay an environmental fee for entering the territory of the Almaty State Natural Reserve.
