Extensive areas of fruit and nut forests in the Arslanbob valley are the largest in the world. The forest area exceeds 600,000 hectares, and Arslanbob itself is located at an altitude of 1,700 meters above sea level. Locals tell a legend that Alexander the Great once led his troops to these lands while returning from his campaign to the East. Leaving this amazing land, he took with him fruits and nuts from the local forests to Greece. Thus, Kyrgyz nuts made their way to Greece, where they became known as "walnuts."
Every year, up to 1,500 tons of nuts, as well as up to 5,000 tons of apples, pistachios, and plums are harvested in the Arslanbob valley. People are grateful for these gifts of nature and take all possible measures to preserve these natural complexes. For many years, Arslanbob, which translates from Kyrgyz as "king of the forests," has been a national reserve. Just like other types of nuts, walnuts are rich in nutrients, and walnut wood is used in furniture production. It is said that the Arslanbob valley was named after a hero of the age who met his death here, betrayed by his own wife to his enemies.
There is another version that tells of a humble and hardworking Man, whom the Prophet Muhammad entrusted to find the most beautiful and convenient place for paradise on earth. The Man traveled for a long time through distant lands until he stumbled upon a picturesque valley with a foaming mountain river, but there was not a single tree in it. He told the Prophet about this place. Inspired by the Man's story of the wonderful valley, the Prophet sent him a bag of seeds of various fruit trees, including walnut tree seeds. The Man climbed to the top of the mountain and scattered the seeds throughout the valley, which eventually turned into a vast garden that the Man tended for many years.
Scientists have determined that the historical homeland of the walnut is Malaysia. It is possible that they were brought to Kyrgyzstan during the heyday of the Great Silk Road. Today, giant trees that are up to 1,000 years old grow in the Arslanbob valley. Powerful, 30-meter tall trees with a dome-shaped crown topping a thick, two-meter circumference trunk grow on the slopes of mountains and along riverbanks at altitudes ranging from 1,000 to 1,800 meters above sea level.
In the Arslanbob valley, there is a village with a population of about 15,000 people. The population of the village represents a traditional, predominantly Uzbek community, so travelers who find themselves in these parts are advised to dress conservatively. In the central square of the village, there is a statue of a lion, and nearby is a new mosque. Since Soviet times, there has been a tourist base in the area of the village. There is also a representative office of the Public Tourism Network. A little further away is another waterfall and a Holy Lake, where one-day hiking and horseback tours are organized.
