Osh region in the south of Kyrgyzstan stretches from the ancient city of Osh to the vast Alay Valley beneath the Pamir. Canyons, caves, juniper forests and waterfalls cover everything from desert-like terrain to high mountains.
On screen it can double for the Pamir and Afghan-looking high valleys, ancient Central Asia, caves and desert-like foothills.
01Kozho-Kelen is a village and valley at about 2,200 m at the foot of the Alay Range, 95 km south-west of Osh (3-4 hours by road via the Papan reservoir): red, orange and grey rock towers and narrow canyons over more than 300 km², a 50 m waterfall 3 km from the village, red-clay houses and old water mills. Tour season July and August; a 4x4 is not required in summer.
02The Alay Valley is a cold high plateau at about 3,000 m between the Alay and Trans-Alay ranges, with Lenin Peak (7,134 m) of the Pamir on the horizon. One of the most cinematic panoramas in Central Asia.
03Abshir-Ata Waterfall is the mouth of an underground river: the water bursts from a 1.5 m hole in a sheer cliff and falls 12-15 m, about 40 km south-west of Nookat at 1,800 m. A geological reserve and a revered local site.
04Kyrgyz-Ata is a nature park on the northern slopes of the Alay Range about 40 km from Osh, at 2,000-2,400 m: juniper forests, deep valleys, alpine meadows and the Kyrgyz-Ata River.
05Chil-Ustun is a karst cave 3.5 km from Aravan and about 30 km from Osh, at 1,100 m: three halls linked by corridors, 400 m in total, with stalactites, stone columns and small clear lakes.
| Location | By road | Drive time |
|---|---|---|
| Kozho-Kelen Canyons | ~681 km | ~14 h |
| Alay Valley | ~685 km | ~9 h |
| Abshir-Ata Waterfall | ~587 km | ~9 h |
| Kyrgyz-Ata Reserve | ~550 km | ~8 h |
| Chil-Ustun Cave | ~535 km | ~8 h |
Approximate figures by road from the centre of Bishkek, without stops; mountain roads and weather change the time. * to the nearest road, the location itself is reached on foot, by horse or by 4x4 track. We confirm the logistics for each project in the production plan.
We can run a location scout specifically for your script.
Updated: 2026-10-20