The Shakhimardan Zone (Shaimerden) encompasses the basin of the Shakhimardan-Sai River. There is a road leading here from the city of Osh to the village of Frunze. The village produces the best antimony in the world. There are many springs with low-temperature mineralized water in its vicinity.
The Shakhimardan-Sai River is formed by the Ak-Suu (on the left) and Kek-Suu (on the right). Below the confluence of these rivers in the valley of the Shakhimardan-Sai stand two powerful cliffs, Kala-Choku and Uzun-Choku. In front of them, the riverbank is covered with dense thickets of poplar and willow. The towering cliffs are conveniently used as panoramic points for viewing the surrounding landscapes. At the foot of Kala-Choku, images of goats are carved. Below the drawings, there are depressions that served as places for sacrifices.
At the confluence of the turbulent milky-white Ak-Suu with the transparent blue flow of the Kek-Suu River, in a narrow gorge at an altitude of about 1400 m, lies the resort town of Hamza-Abad. It is named after the famous Uzbek poet Hamza Hakimzade Niyazi. A monument has been erected in his honor at the entrance to the town. There are many shops and tea houses here. The surroundings of the town are entirely covered with apricot orchards.
The lower part of the Ak-Suu valley is wide, and the river flows through several channels. About 10 km upstream, on the shore, lies the village of Iordan (Yardan). Nearby, at an altitude of 1550 m, the not very large but full-flowing Dugoba River flows into Ak-Suu from the south, carving its way through a picturesque gorge. Above the Ak-Suu River rises a red cliff — Tag. Then, to the left, Ak-Suu receives the Shivali tributary. The road winds among thickets of silver juniper. Even further up, 5-7 km from the mouth of Shivali, the turbulent flow of the Gajir River bursts into Ak-Suu from the right, gaining strength during its steep descent from the mighty ridge of the Alai Mountains. The sources of Ak-Suu, formed by the confluence of Eki-Davan and Archa-Bashi, are located in the ridge zone of the Alai Mountains and the adjacent Kuruq-Sai mountain range at an altitude of about 3700 m. The ridge is heavily dissected by cirques, couloirs, numerous glaciers with powerful icefalls, and extensive snowfields.
On the left bank of the Ak-Suu River is the botanical reserve "Chyragdan," covering an area of 500 hectares to protect a section of low-mountain desert steppe vegetation and habitats of tulips — pink and Fergana. In the upper reaches of the Ak-Suu River, there is a "gallery" of rock paintings.
In the Kek-Suu gorge is the famous mountain-climatic resort and tourist base "Shakhimardan." In the upper reaches of the Kek-Suu gorge, about 7 km from the resort at an altitude of 1650 m, lies the picturesque Kyrban-Kel or Blue Lake, formed as a result of an earthquake over a hundred years ago. A huge landslide of marbled limestone served as a kind of dam, blocking the swift Kek-Suu in its upper course. In the vicinity of the lake, the "Blue Lake" resort operates, which uses the hydrogen sulfide water from a spring that surfaces below the dam for therapeutic purposes. The water in Kyrban-Kel is blue, but the lake itself is lifeless. Next to it, in the Kek-Suu gorge, there is another lake, which, due to the bright greenery of the surrounding juniper forests and lush herbs, is called Jashil-Kel ("green"). Relatively small in size, it is cozily situated in a rocky gorge.
In the zone, several caves can be visited. Among them, the most notable is the Jidalik or Warm Cave, declared a natural monument and geological reserve. It is located on the southern bank of the Shakhimardan River, 0.7 km along the road south of the village of Jidalik and 3 km by road from the village of Frunzenskoe. The total length of the cave is about 180 m. The entrance is located 33 m above the river level. The cavity consists of several halls, which contain various crystalline and stalactite formations. In the lower hall, there is a small lake with warm water (22°C). The conditions in the cave are favorable for establishing a speleotherapy treatment center.
Another interesting cave, Kalmyk-Unkyur, is located on the right bank of the Kek-Suu River, 9 km southeast of the town of Hamza-Abad. It features a fairy-tale underground hall 60 m long, 35 m wide, and 15 m high. There is a small lake in it. Another cave, Katta-Upkyur, is located on the southeast slope of Mount Ishkel, 7 km west of the village of Kadamzhai in the basin of the Apkhor River. It contains rock paintings.
