Oasis on the Silk Road
Osh is the heart of the southern Kyrgyzstan. In the era of the Great Silk Road connected the countries and peoples of the East and the West, two main branches of it passed through Osh region. They were the Southern Branch and the Fergana Branch. Osh and Uzgen at that time were the major trading cities, through which constantly went strings of caravans. Merchants stayed here not only to exchange their outlandish goods, but also to find a safe and comfortable haven for rest and fill up food stocks. These were the real oases. Many travelers were grateful to them after a long and exhausting journey. The peoples who met here, learned from each other some elements of culture and traditions. Just in that period famous all over the country delicious Osh cuisine began to form.
From Osh region you can get to one of three neighboring countries: China, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The region's population is more than 1.1 million inhabitants. Osh region being situated mostly in valleys and having a hot climate is one of the most important agricultural regions of the country. Fruits and vegetables grown here are sold throughout Kyrgyzstan.
Summer
People often make a pilgrimage to Islamic holy places. They are the mosques and mausoleums in Uzgen, the sacred mountain Sulaiman-Too in Osh, the waterfall Abshir-Ata in the valley Abshir-Sai.
Fans of mountaineering can subjugate the well-known seven-thousand-meter-high Lenin Peak. For the convenience of climbers the base camp Achyk-Tash works here in the warmer months. Despite the fact that you need to climb high enough, dozens of routes of varying difficulty have been paved here. They attract not only professional climbers, but also amateurs.
Winter
The Chon-Alay and the Alay ranges are among the popular destinations in the country for such type of winter sports as backcountry skiing.
