Osh: a first-timer's guide to Kyrgyzstan's Silk Road city

Why visit Osh

Osh feels very different from Bishkek. It is warmer, more traditional and more Silk Road in spirit, with a large Uzbek community, tea houses, mosques and a food culture closer to Samarkand than to the northern steppe. It is also the starting point for journeys into the Alay valley, to the foot of Lenin Peak and along the Pamir Highway.

Sulaiman-Too

The rocky mountain of **Sulaiman-Too** rises from the city centre and has been a place of pilgrimage for well over a thousand years. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with petroglyphs, small shrines, a reconstructed house of prayer attributed to Babur, the founder of the Mughal empire, and a museum built into a cave in the rock. The paths up are steep but short, and the views over the city are wonderful at sunset. Dress modestly and be respectful, as many visitors come to pray.

Jayma Bazaar

The **Jayma Bazaar** stretches for more than a kilometre along the Ak-Buura river and is one of the most atmospheric markets in Central Asia. Sections sell bread, spices, dried fruit, metalwork, embroidered caps, horse saddles and everything in between. Go in the morning, keep valuables secure and leave time for a pot of tea.

Other sights

The **Lenin statue**, one of the largest left in the region, still stands in the main square. The **Muhammad Yusuf Baihodja mosque** and the old mosques near the bazaar are worth a look from outside. Parks along the river are where families stroll in the evenings.

Food

Osh is famous for its **plov**, made with the local reddish devzira rice, cumin and slow cooked meat, best eaten at lunchtime when the big pots are fresh. Try samsa from tandoor ovens, shashlik and the round flat bread called lepyoshka. Chaikhana tea houses are the heart of social life.

Day trips and beyond

The **Alay valley** and the base camp meadows below **Lenin Peak** are a long day's drive south, best done over several days with overnight stops in Sary-Mogol. The town of **Uzgen**, to the north east, has an eleventh century minaret and mausoleums. The road to Tajikistan's Pamirs starts here; check current border status and travel advice carefully.

Safety and sensitivities

Osh is calm for visitors today, but it experienced deadly interethnic violence in 2010, and some areas near the borders with Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have seen tension since. Avoid political discussion, follow current government travel advice and avoid border areas of Batken unless advice allows.

Getting there

Domestic flights from Bishkek take under an hour and are by far the easiest option. The road between Bishkek and Osh crosses high passes and takes ten to twelve hours by shared taxi.

Where to stay

Most travellers stay in the centre between Sulaiman-Too and the bazaar, where guesthouses and hostels are walking distance from the sights. Mid-range hotels are found along the main avenues. Hostels here are a good place to meet others heading for the Pamirs and to share transport.

Suggested days

Spend the first morning at the Jayma Bazaar and the afternoon climbing Sulaiman-Too for sunset. On the second day, eat plov at lunchtime, walk the riverside parks and visit the mosques. With a third day, take a trip to Uzgen or begin the drive towards the Alay valley.