Our destination today is Osh. Osh is the second-largest city in Kyrgyzstan. Bright sunshine also accompanies us on this day too.
Taldyk Pass
From Sary-Mogol we drive to Sarytash. From here the road winds the Alay Mountains southwards up the mountain to the Taldyk Pass. The pass is at an altitude of 3615 m. At the top, we have a phenomenal view of the serpentines which lead us back into the valley.
Our driver, who is actually a Chinese teacher, meets his brother-in-law by chance. He is on his way to Murghab, where he works as a doctor. The two have not seen themselves for three months.
Down in the valley, some yurts are along the road. Afterward, we pass small villages. As we pass a small forest we realize that we have not seen a tree for almost 10 days.
The rocky formations which the water of the Kurshab river has washed into the mountain slopes take partly bizarre forms. Nature illustrates here which strengths the water can develop, even if we hardly see any water around this season. The rocks appear in most different color shadings up to a dark red.
Gulcha
In Gulcha, a mountain town with nearly 12000 inhabitants, our driver stops for refueling. We use the time to explore the nearer surroundings. A monument with a horseman, accompanied by two snow tigers, adorns the traffic island at a larger crossroad.
Across the street, the noise of children and a street art painting attracts us. As I get closer I see that it is a well from where the children have to bring water. We drive through the town and pass an adventurous pedestrian bridge across the river.
Chirchik Pass
At the end of the town, we turn westwards. The road winds again from 1550 m above sea level to an altitude of 2400 m. It is the Chirchik Pass. As we get around the last corner before the pass, about 10 horses and cows stand in the middle of the road.
We watch them for a while, surprised that these animals do not move an inch from the spot, even if a truck passes in a distance of about two meters.
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More InformationA modern monument towers above the Chirchik Pass. From here we have a remarkable view of the valleys. In the direction of Osh, some yurts and huts are scattered over the slopes. Again, we are watching children working. A boy collects the excrement of the grazing animals as a fuel for heating and a little girl is on the move with canisters to get water.
On the way, we see a lot of carriages bringing the hay back home. The people punch large herds of horses and cattle on the street. The livestock breeding plays an important role here.
Osh
Then we reach Osh. From a distance, we see the Suleiman-Too, a 1100 m high hill in the center of Osh. Before we drive to the hotel we pay a short visit.
The mountain is regarded as sacred and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. King Salomon shall allegedly be buried at its feet. A modern museum carved into the mountain and a mosque at its feet is a favorite photo motif.
Please read on > Arrival in Osh
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