Central Asia TripCentral Asia Trip

Arslanbob

An Uzbek village under the largest natural walnut forest on earth, with waterfalls above it and the Fergana range behind.

Jalal-AbadAltitude: 1600 mBest time to visit: April October

Arslanbob is a village of about 15,000 people spread under 11,000 hectares of wild walnut forest on the southern slopes of the Fergana range. The trees are genuinely wild and genuinely ancient; families hold hereditary rights to harvest specific groves each autumn.

Walks from the village

  • The small waterfall — an hour up, busy at weekends, good for a first afternoon.
  • The big waterfall (about 80 m) — a half-day round trip on a steady climb.
  • Panorama Hill for the view back over the roofs and the forest canopy.

Where you sleep

Almost entirely in family guesthouses. Rooms are simple, the food is excellent, and the village's community-based tourism network has been running since long before the word became fashionable.