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.
The forest belt of the Chatkal, Fergana, and eastern part of the Alai ranges is the best zone for organizing year-round tourist activities.
In the Osh region, there are 240 mountain rivers, all of which belong to the basin of the Syr Darya River, except for the Kyzyl-Suu River, which flows through the Alai Valley and carries water into the basin of the Amu Darya River. Their average annual flow is more than half of the total for the republic. The largest and most water-rich river is the Naryn, which crosses the region in its lower reaches.
In the mountain gorges, there are about 100 high-altitude lakes and numerous waterfalls. The mountainous areas of the Osh region are famous for their stunningly beautiful and significantly sized caves, especially abundant in the spurs of the Alai and Kichik-Alai ranges.
In Southern Kyrgyzstan, almost all balneological groups of mineral waters have been found. There are more than 50 thermal and mineral springs here. About 20 sources of carbonated water are concentrated in the southeastern part of the Fergana range, in the valleys of the Tars, Kara-Kuldja, and Yassy rivers. Sources of the iodine-bromine-boron group are mainly located in the foothills of the Fergana range between the villages of Shamalda-Sai and Kok-Tash, in the vicinity of the village of Kochkor-Ata. Thermal waters are represented by sources in the city of Jalal-Abad, the village of Gulcha, on the slopes of the Alai range, and in the vicinity of the village of Kochkor-Ata. The overwhelming majority of the sources have not yet found practical application.
Centuries ago, the territory of Kyrgyzstan was part of major ancient states such as Dawan, Kushan, and Karakhanids, which included around a hundred cities and were distinguished by a high level of construction culture. Many ancient settlements and fortresses are scattered across the region. The capital of the Karakhanid state was located in Uzgen, and the "Silk Road" and other caravan routes from China, India, and Afghanistan passed through the city of Osh.
As early as the first millennium AD, gold, antimony, lead, copper, and mercury were mined in the territory. This is evidenced by ancient quarries and workings. In the valley of the Kassan-Sai River, the largest traces of ancient gold miners in the country have been found.
This region has the largest number of historical and cultural monuments in the country. Among them are architectural structures that are relatively well-preserved and possess immense historical and artistic value. Three settlements: Opt, Uzgen, and the village of Safid-Bulan are classified as historical. Southern Kyrgyzstan has experienced many events, and many remarkable people were born here, lived, and heroically died for a just cause. Their memory is forever immortalized in numerous monuments and obelisks established in the cities, villages, and memorial sites of this region.
The "Safid-Bulan" zone has great historical and cultural value.
15 km from the village of Ala-Buka, the center of the Ala-Buka district, lies the village of Gulistan, previously known as Safid-Bulan. This village is one of the oldest settlements in the area. In the IX-X centuries, an urban settlement emerged here, traces of which can still be observed today. In the XI-XII centuries, the settlement transformed into a developed medieval city.
Currently, almost nothing remains of the ancient buildings at the site, except for the mausoleum of Shah-Fazil, built at the turn of the XI-XII centuries. The foundation for it was a rock. In terms of architectural design and the character of the ornamental decor in the interior, it has no analogs among other architectural monuments of Central Asia.
On the territory of the site, not far from the citadel, near the cemetery, there still exists a medieval haus with drinking water, paved with burnt bricks. Among the later constructions, dated to the XVIII-XIX centuries, are the "Kyrgan Mosque" and adobe mazars.