Narrow echoing gorges, through which in the gloomy depths flows a river bound by rocky jaws; tributaries falling into it, hanging villages clinging to the terraces, autumn-blazing orchards of wild apricots, fortresses and burial mounds where once warriors in chainmail and bright cloaks walked, armed with swords and spears - all this is Sokh. Caves, winding paths above the boiling river, rickety bridges, and finally, one of the largest waterfalls, not far from the hidden village of Zardaly nestled between the ridges - this is also Sokh.
The sources of the Sokh River lie in the upper reaches of the Matchen Mountain Knot, formed by three ridges: the Alai, Zeravshan, and Turkestan. Sokh flows into the Fergana Valley. The riverbed is mostly confined to narrow canyons. In some sections, the profile of the canyon approaches a tubular shape with converging concave eaves above the water. In certain places, the river nearly disappears from the surface. The sheer walls of the canyon are composed of variegated rocks. The heights reach over 100 meters.
In the middle part of the Sokh Canyon are the villages of Kan, Palal, and Raut. Above the village of Kan are the ancient workings of Altyn-Dzhilga (Golden Hollow). Near the village of Palal, sprawling willows lean over the bottomless abyss. At an altitude of 1800 meters, the Sokh Valley widens, forming a cozy oasis. On the stepped river terraces, near the side gorges, are several abandoned villages, hidden in the shade of dense wild apricot orchards. Their inhabitants have descended into the valley.
The difference in the riverbed levels of the Sokh and its tributaries is about 90 meters, so the water of the tributaries cascades down waterfalls, crashing against the rocks. In the upper reaches of the Abghol River are two high-altitude lakes. The larger one, with an area of about 400 sq. m, lies at an altitude of 3200 meters among the moraine. The water in it is turquoise.
The village of Zardaly is the largest settlement in the Sokh River valley. A path (ovring) carved into the side of the Sokh Canyon leads to it. Zardaly has picturesque huts scattered across the hills of the left bank of the river at an altitude of 1900 meters. Above it is the confluence of the mighty rushing rivers Ak-Terek (White Poplar), Archa-Bashi (Head of Archa), and Khoja-Achkan, forming the Sokh River. The valleys of these rivers lead to passes and glaciers, which are of great interest to active and extreme tourism. The area is poorly developed by tour operators and has simply stunning potential for utilization.
In the Sokh Valley, several caves are known at various locations. In the lower reaches, 3 km from the village of Ak-Turpak, is the eponymous gypsum cave (120 m). The Divayram Cave (136 m) is located 1 km from the village of the same name on the left bank. In the middle reaches lies the largest cave, Yubileynaya (510 m), opening on the left bank of the canyon a few kilometers from the village of Zardaly.
