Arslanbob Waterfall, Kyrgyzstan

There are two waterfalls named Arslanbob in Kyrgyzstan. Only one is Big, and the second is Small. Both are located near the village of Arstanbap, Jalal-Abad region. This is a mountainous area with a subalpine climate.

A Big waterfall located in the area of the Babash-Ata mountain range is so named because of the height of 80 meters. Due to the fact that it is very narrow, it seems that the waterfall is even longer. The name of the waterfall is translated from Kyrgyz as "lion's mouth", because when the water falls, a sound similar to a lion's roar occurs. It will not work to come close to the waterfall, because its waters fall into the abyss. Near the Big Arslanbob there is a Holy lake and the tomb of Ibn Abbas. It should be borne in mind that you can only get to the waterfall on foot or on horseback. Also note that the road to the waterfall will take about two hours.

The height of the Small Arslanbob is about 30 meters. It is very picturesque and is surrounded by trees. You can walk to it through the narrow streets leading from the village. At the foot of the waterfall, which is wide enough, it is especially beautiful. A tree grows nearby, on the branches of which it is customary to tie ribbons or scraps of fabric and make wishes. Due to the fact that it is easy to get here, there is almost always a queue near Maly Arslanbob. Therefore, if you want to enjoy the picturesque views without strangers, you need to come early in the morning.

Not far from Small Arslanbob is the Kyrk Cherten cave (forty angels). According to legend, there lived a woman who helped people. Residents believe that mysterious forces live there today.

There are also relict walnut forests in the village of Arstanbap and in the neighboring tract. Some trees, according to local residents, are more than 10 centuries old. The area of walnut forests is more than 600 thousand hectares. The Kyrgyz walnut forest is considered the largest in the world. About 1,500 tons of nuts and 5,000 thousand tons of other fruit trees are harvested here every year. In the 1930s, a North American striped raccoon was brought here, which took root in these latitudes and began to breed.

The village of Arstanbap is a resort. There are a lot of tourists here in summer. The village is located in the mountains – at an altitude of 1700 meters above sea level. In addition to hiking to waterfalls, locals will offer you to learn horse riding, ride jeeps and motorcycles in the mountains. There are few sights in the village, but people come here for the mausoleum of Arstanbap-Ata with unique carved walnut doors created in the XV century.

Please note that conservative Muslims and many elders (the oldest residents) live in Arstanbap, so we recommend dressing modestly.