Contrasts of Southern Kyrgyzstan

Have you ever, in a short span of time measured in hours, visited a hot valley, tasted sweet melons and watermelons; walked through mountain gorges that caress with coolness; indulged in the numerous gifts of berry bushes and nut-fruit trees; climbed to blooming alpine meadows and finally touched snow with your hand? If not, we invite you to visit the southern region of Kyrgyzstan.
The natural borders of the region are the crests of powerful mountain ranges: to the north — Chatkal, to the east — Fergana, to the south — Turkestan, Alai, and Zaalai. The Chatkal range, which borders the Osh region from the north, is 120 km long. The highest point is Peak Aflatun (4503 m). The Fergana range encircles the Osh region from the northeast for almost 200 km. The highest point is Peak Kara-Kuldja (4940 m). The Turkestan range, stretching 130 km, rises on average to 3800-4000 m, with its highest point being Peak Pyramid (5509 m).

The average height of the Alai range, which stretches over 480 km, is 4000 m, with some peaks rising to 5000 m. The highest point is Peak Alai (5880 m). The highest of them is the Zaalai range, which houses one of the highest peaks — Peak Lenin (7134 m). Vast areas of the range are covered with massive glaciers.
The slopes of these ranges facing the Fergana Valley make up the main part of the territory of the Osh region. The flat and lowest areas of the territory are concentrated mainly along the western borders of the region and are located in the bottoms of foothill valleys. Occupying small areas, the foothill plains are the most developed and densely populated areas. The foothills of the ranges are characterized by well-developed adyrs. Between the adyrs and the spurs of the main ranges at altitudes of 800-3000 m, there are numerous intermountain depressions and valleys: Ala-Buka Karavanskaya, Pishkarapinskaya, and Airytamskaya — in the Chatkal range; Karunkurskaya, Kekartvinskaya, and Uzgen-Kurshabskaya — in the Fergana range; Papanskaya, Naukatinskaya, Karavan-Kokdjarinskaya, Haidarkenskaya, Batken, Tashrabat, Isfana — in the Alai range; Alai — in the Zaalai range.
The climate is of a Mediterranean type — hot dry summers and moderately warm rainy winters.
All types of landscapes are represented in the Osh region. Deserts and semi-deserts are widespread in the flat foothills and low mountains at elevations of 500-1250 m, but very few have survived in their natural state. Up to 400 mm of precipitation falls here annually, and the dry period lasts more than 100 days. These landscapes are not very suitable for active tourist activities. The exception is the microzones of reservoirs, which can be successfully used for organizing short-term recreation in the summer period.

At altitudes of 1250-2000 m, there are low-mountain, mid-mountain, and high-mountain steppes with diverse vegetation. Precipitation here reaches up to 500 mm. Steppes with large varieties of herbs are widespread: elecampane (saryndyz), ferulas. This type of landscape is best suited for tourist activities in spring and early summer. During this period, the air temperature, which has not yet reached its maximum, and the amazing variety of blooming vegetation create conditions that positively influence both the physical and emotional state of a person. Tulips grow here — Fergana, pink, Turkestan, shiny, and upward-reaching.
At altitudes of 1100-3000 m, a meadow-forest belt forms in the gorges. The forests are mainly represented by three floristic groups: juniper, fir, and nut-fruit. Juniper forests are found in the belt from 1700 to 3000 m on the slopes of the Turkestan and Alai ranges. Three species of juniper are found here: Zeravshan, semi-spherical, and Turkestan. Fir forests occupy the belt from 1700 to 2800 m in the eastern part of the Alai range, in several places of the Fergana and Chatkal ranges, in combination with Semenov fir. On the southern slopes of the ranges up to an altitude of 1800 m, there are masses of nut-fruit forests represented by walnut, apple, cherry, pear, and rowan. The forests are rich in berry bushes — barberry, rosehip, raspberry, as well as medicinal herbs — sage, St. John's wort, ephedra, oregano.