The sacred mountain Khayyrakan

The sacred mountain Khayyrakan (Heavenly Bear) is located near the town of Shagonar in the Republic of Tuva. This is one of the holiest and most revered places in Tuva. The mountain is sacred to both shamanists and Buddhists. Shamans perform their rituals at the foot of the mountain. And in 1992, the Dalai Lama XIV consecrated it as a particularly powerful place. According to legend, this place has a special mystical power and healing ability.

The Buddhist shrine "Burgan-Daa"

A Buddhist niche. After the creation of the Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric power station, this monument of Buddhist art of the 13th century found itself in a flood zone. Now it can be seen only once a year: during the discharge of water into the reservoir from the end of May to the beginning of July. The rest of the time, the Buddhist chapel carved into the rock of Sumy in the form of a niche is under water. After the flooding, a temporary sanctuary was built some distance away, designed to replace the lost niche.

Unexpectedly, there are real sand dunes in the Republic of Tyva. This place has become a popular attraction thanks to photographers – so many have learned that you don't need to go abroad for desert landscapes, everything is available in our country.
Tyva desert is called Iime, it is located near the village of Iime, Dzun-Khemchik district. Tourists are struck by an amazing combination: huge sand dunes are located very close to the mountain range.

"Ustuu-Khuree" means "upper temple" in Tuvan.
The temple became the crowning achievement of Buddhist construction in Tuva, it was founded in 1905-907. There was no such thing not only in Tuva, but also throughout the former Soviet Union. Chinese craftsmen and Tibetan Lama Kuntan Rimpoche personally participated in the construction of the temple. In 1930, after the adoption of a special decree, Ustuu-Khure was closed, and in 1937 it was demolished. However, it was not possible to completely destroy the complex, high adobe walls remained from the temple, which have been preserved to this day. Lamas who served in Ustuu-Khure were repressed and, in part, shot. Until 1956. only a prayer yurt operated here.
In 1999, the Russian government, recognizing the historical and architectural value of the unique Ustuu-Khure temple, decided to restore it. In the same year, to draw attention to the temple and raise funds for restoration, according to Igor Dulush's idea, the Ustuu-Khuree International Charity Festival of Live Music and Faith was held, which has been held annually since then.
In July 2012, during the celebration of the music festival of the same name, the Ustuu-Khure Monastery was officially opened.

On May 21, 2015, the Kuzhuget Family House Museum was opened in the town of Chadan in the Dзун-Khemchiksky District. Visitors can see personal belongings and photographs of the family, including childhood photos of Russian Hero Sergei Shoigu. Today, the house-museum has become a cultural landmark in Tuva, attracting tourists from all over the world who want to explore its unique exhibits.

"Uttug-Khaya" is a literal translation of the Tuvan language, meaning "holey rock." This mountain is located in the western part of the Barun-Khemchiksky District of the Tuva Republic. The name of the mountain comes from the through-cave on its summit.
This place is considered to be a cult site for the Tuvan people and has an extraordinary energy. For many centuries, people from all over Tuva have come here to appease the spirit of the Uttug-Khaya rock and pray for health and good luck for themselves and their loved ones. Local residents believe that this mountain can grant any wish. To do this, one must hide a note with their desires under a large rock in the mountain and "feed" the spirits with something tasty (such as sweets, milk, or meat). After making a wish, one must walk through the mountain's cave three times, and then through a narrow opening that not everyone can fit through.

The most famous and expressive of the Tuva stone statues is located in the Barun-Khemchiksky District near the village of Bizhitig-Khaya. One of the first researchers of the monument, the archaeologist A.V. Adrianov, discovered it in 1881. He drew a sketch of the statue, measured it, and provided the following description: "There is a kozho-tash, which is highly revered and known as Genghis Khan. It is a real statue, with reliefs on both the front and the back, and it is buried up to the waist in the ground. The material used for the statue is gray granite."

The Shivilig healing spring is one of the most popular radon springs in the west of Tuva, and it is popular not only among the residents of Tuva, but also outside the republic. Since ancient times, the cold healing spring of Shivilig has been one of the natural sanatoriums for the Tuvans. Visitors can stay overnight in tents or cabins.

The monument to the Tuvan script is located on the territory of the Beldir-Kezhii Ethno-Cultural Museum-Reserve. The monument was created in honor of the 80th anniversary of the Tuvan script. The monument features convex, semi-relief letters of five alphabets: the Orkhon-Yenisei alphabet (at the base of the suburgan), the Tibetan alphabet, the Old Mongolian alphabet, the Latin alphabet, and the Cyrillic alphabet (on the four sides), which form the basis of the modern Tuvan language.

In the spring of 2023, the Nomads' Park of Central Asia was opened in the city of Shagonar. The park won the All-Russian Competition for the Best Projects to Create a Comfortable Urban Environment in 2022 and has become a favorite leisure spot for locals and visitors.

The Tandy-Uula recreation center is a summer camp for shepherds. It is located in the valley of the Elegest River, near the foothills of the Tandy Range. Here, you can learn about the lifestyle and culture of nomads, participate in traditional cooking, learn how to ride a horse, and explore the surrounding area.

The Aldyn-Bulak Ethnic and Cultural Complex is located 45 km from Kyzyl, in a picturesque area surrounded by rocks that rise like guardians above the complex. To the north, the complex is washed by the waters of the great Siberian river, the Yenisei, where it is also known as the Upper Complex. The design of the complex is based on elements of Scythian culture and traditional Tuvan lifestyle.