Destination 》Asia 》Central Asia 》Kyrgyzstan 》Osh
Year Visited: 2019 – August
I visited Toktogul during my three plus weeks backpacking across Kyrgyzstan. After spending a wonderful evening at the Toktogul Reservoir, I took early morning marshrutka to Osh, I didn’t know at that time that a pleasant surprise was waiting for me!
Osh is the oldest city in Kyrgyzstan. It is on the border with Uzbekistan, in the Fergana Valley. It’s history stretches over 3000 years, it was a major trading post on the Silk Road, though there are not many monuments or souvenir shops in the city.
Most travelers start their The Pamir expedition from Osh. In this town, you can find travel buddies to share a ride with or rent your own 4×4. As I travel without fixed itinerary, I waited three days before I met a couple who wanted to take the same route. Three of us rented a 4×4 for our journey on the Pamir.
Once again I was lucky to be in the right place at the right time. While I was in Osh, the city was celebrating Osh Fest, a Festival with a full day of events celebrating the diversity, history and cultures of Osh. The day began with a Silk Road caravan passing through the city streets, complete with camels and yaks, people dressed up in tradition costumes of various cultures. Then, the festival took over at the city park with delicious food stands serving local Osh specialties, handicrafts, and folklore shows.
Photo below are from the Osh Fest 2019.
My next destination was Sary-Tash, a small border town on much-anticipated trip to The Pamir highway, a 4×4 is rented and loaded with food, melons, bread and a fine Kyrgyz Vodka. Ready to go, so excited!
Window on the World 