Arslanbob Forest

Arslanbob Forest (also called Arstanbop) is a large walnut forest located in the Fergana and Chatkal mountain ranges in the Jalal-Abad region, at an altitude of 1,700 meters. It is the largest walnut forest in the world (700,000 hectares) and one of the most spectacular places in Kyrgyzstan. Scientists claim that the forest is more than 50 million years old. Walnut trees, pistachios, almonds, cherry plums, pears and many other trees grow in this vast area. The total number of plant species growing here exceeds 130. Some walnut trees are over 1000 years old and each tree produces between 150 and 400 kg of fruit each year.
Besides the forest, the surroundings are also very interesting. The slopes of the Fergana and Chatkal mountain ranges are composed of dolomite, which makes them very different in color and topography from other Tian-shan mountain ranges. The pure white cliffs are next to the endless greenery of the Arslanbob forest. These huge forests need a lot of water, so there are numerous streams and rivers running through the area. There are also several lakes and waterfalls, the most famous of which are Bolshoy Arslanbovsky (80 m) and Little Arslanbovsky (35 m).