Last Updated on: 13th August 2026, 07:27 pm
Though Kyrgyzstan’s Karakol region is widely regarded as the must-visit destination for nature lovers, the Central Asian nation has a lot more to offer. Arslanbob, situated at the far opposite end of the country, is also home to some stunning mountain scenery that many visitors overlook.
While one of the most popular treks beginning in Arslanbob is the Holy Lakes hike, that excursion takes multiple days. But what if you prefer day hikes?
Looking up Arslanbob online, you’ll read about how the town is home to multiple waterfalls, not to mention the world’s largest walnut forest. And now having done it, I can confirm that these landmarks can indeed be visited in a single day.
While indeed possible, this is a rather disjointed – not to mention long and tiring – hike. Nevertheless, it’s the most efficient way to see all of Arslanbob’s landmarks on foot.
Furthermore, despite being an ethnic Uzbek town that’s also one of Kyrgyzstan’s most religiously conservative, Arslanbob isn’t quite the sleepy little village you may have been expecting. This guide will tell you exactly what to expect without any hype or fluff.
For more info on reaching Arslanbob and the best places to stay, be sure to check the end of the article.
About This Hike
THE BASICS: The following excursion isn’t part of any kind of coherent hiking route. But it is a way to see Arslanbob’s main landmarks in a single day on foot. Think of this of less as a hike and more of an extremely long walk.
You’ll only encounter one particularly steep and strenuous part, while the rest of the route is mostly flat. With that said, the total route takes roughly 6-7 hours, covering a total distance of around 20 km. So this will indeed be a tiring (and likely hot) day.
Also bear in mind that the location of your accommodation can have a big impact on the hike’s total length. In this case, staying near the town center will shorten your overall walking time.
If you’re looking to completely escape civilization, this may not be the hike for you. Though you will find yourself surrounded by nature in the Walnut Forest, other parts of the route have you sharing the ‘trail’ with traffic, walking through various villages, and even through an amusement park!
If you’re looking to get deeper into nature while in Arslanbob, check out our other guide to the hike to Holy Rock.
WHAT TO BRING: You should wear decent shoes for the steep hike up to the Big Waterfall. Otherwise, no special gear is necessary. But considering how long this hike is, you’ll definitely need plenty of water, snacks and sunscreen.
Conveniently, you’ll pass by some food and drink vendors during this route, especially outside of the Small Waterfall.
RECOMMENDED APPS: The following route isn’t featured on AllTrails. The best way to go about it would be to use a free offline map like Maps.me or Organic Maps, continually having the app give you directions to the next landmark. Just be sure to download the Kyrgyzstan map in advance.
Hiking to the Big Waterfall
In Arslanbob, I was staying at Friendship Guest House, situated about 35 minutes on foot from the town center. So that added over an hour to what was already going to be a long walk.
With that said, if you also plan on hiking to the Holy Rock, staying at Friendship Guest House would give you a significant head start. And that’s an even longer – and much more challenging – hike overall.
I decided to start by visiting the Big Waterfall. And based on the estimated walking time on my app, I knew it would be a long journey of over two hours.
And I felt fine with that, as this was my first hike since arriving in Kyrgyzstan – a country often hyped up online these days as the next big thing for hikers and nature lovers.
But while I expected to find myself walking through a tranquil nature trail of some sort, the reality couldn’t have been more different.
Not only did Arslanbob seem a lot more developed and sprawling than what I’d imagined, but the route took me right through a crowded amusement park!
I was rather shocked, but could only laugh about it. I came to this remote mountain town with the intention of experiencing peace and quiet, only to encounter loud pop music and a swinging pirate ship ride!
While Arslanbob gets relatively few foreign visitors, the region, it turns out, is a huge hit with domestic tourists.
With its elevation of around 1,600 m above sea level, lots of families from around Kyrgyzstan (and probably Uzbekistan) visit in summer for a respite from the heat.
Though most foreigners probably come here for hiking, locals seem to prefer theme park rides, horseback riding, and jeep tours.
Continuing further north, I was finally in a quieter area, but I still had to watch out for jeeps passing by and kicking up dust.
As mentioned, this was my first proper hike in the country. But now having hiked extensively throughout Kyrgyzstan, I realize that proper hiking trails are only really a thing within dedicated national parks.
Otherwise, you’re either sharing a road with vehicles, or doing freestyle hiking through deep wilderness.
As you get closer to the Big Waterfall, you’ll find yourself walking alongside a small river on your right. Pay attention to this river, as when it comes time to hike from the Big Waterfall to the Small Waterfall, you’ll have to walk back along it but on the opposite side.
As we’ll cover below, I did encounter one section where it was possible to cross.
Eventually, you’ll reach a point where the ‘trail’ forks. The dirt road veers to the left, while a dilapidated staircase takes one higher up the mountain. I chose the latter option.
As I’d soon realize, the jeeps end up at a point where viewers can admire the Big Waterfall from below. From above, I did spot something resembling a gate, though I’m not sure if there would be a charge for individuals on foot.
In any case, given how steep the hike up is to see the Big Waterfall from the upper viewing area, those uncomfortable with heights or light scrambling might just want to follow the vehicles.
The trail here was not very well-maintained, and it gradually grew steeper and more slippery. I carefully made my way up, knowing full well that the way down would be much worse.
Eventually, the Big Waterfall came into view. Ironically, the stream was tiny and narrow compared to what I’d later see at the Small Waterfall. But it is indeed much higher, reaching up to an impressive 80 m high.
I scrambled up more rocks to get as high as I possibly could. A rusty fence has been installed to keep visitors from falling off the cliff, but it unfortunately obscured the view.
As such, the shots of the waterfall displayed here required a mix of creativity and some risk.
Arguably more impressive than the waterfall itself was the view of the valley upon turning around. But what goes up must also come down.
I made the steep descent very carefully and one step at a time. As mentioned, you’ll want to have decent shoes on just for this part alone.
Onward to the Small Waterfall
From the Big Waterfall to the Small Waterfall, the journey is about 6 km and should take a little under two hours. As mentioned, you’ll need to head south via the opposite side of the river.
At the time of my visit, there was a shabby, makeshift bridge in one section, not far from the start of the ascending trail to the Big Waterfall.
Having carefully observed the river during the walk over, I knew that this would be my only opportunity to cross.
Fortunately, the bridge held up under my body weight, and I made it to the other side without an issue. But who knows if it will still be there by the time of your hike.
If not, you’d either have to deal with getting your feet soaked, or make the long walk back to town and then walk over to the Small Waterfall from there.
The narrow trail on the other side of the river was one of the only sections of the hike that I didn’t have to share with cars. And I could relax for a while as I enjoyed the beautiful surrounding scenery of the area.
This section of the hike has you walking through a few small villages, though I didn’t encounter many people besides a few children.
Some parts of the ‘trail’ were completely soaked with water, and it took some effort to stay dry. While it hadn’t rained recently, it may have been the result of farmers pumping water from elsewhere.
As I got closer to my destination, the quiet gradually faded away, and I started encountering more and more people and cars.
Having already walked through a literal amusement park a few hours earlier, I wasn’t too shocked when encountering the theme park-like atmosphere outside the Small Waterfall.
Snack kiosks and souvenir shops lined the road, while I was asked to pay a modest entrance fee of 20 som to get closer to the waterfall.
The area is home to a modern bridge, nearby by which are a few viewing platforms. Closer to the waterfall, meanwhile, I spotted a large group of people lining up for selfies, or just to touch the water.
While the waterfall itself – which is also known as the Twin Waterfall – was impressive, this was not the type of atmosphere that I traveled to the remote mountains of Kyrgyzstan for.
So I just snapped a few photos and left.
I’d already been walking for several hours by this point, and it was a scorching hot day. So I did, at least, take advantage of this encounter with civilization to buy a few cold drinks.
Onward to the Viewpoint & Walnut Forest
My next destination was the ‘Viewpoint,’ but there are actually two viewpoints labeled on the Organic Maps app I was using. There’s the ‘Panoramic Point (top of cliff),’ and a regular ‘Viewpoint’ situated along the trail. Both are on the way to the Walnut Forest.
This general area is about 30 minutes southeast from the Small Waterfall.
Though I looked for the Panoramic Point, I couldn’t find a way up there. It was only on my way back that I realized the path up is from within the forest. But to get there, you’ll have to walk past another theme park-like area blasting loud pop music. Ridiculous.
At least from the regular Viewpoint, one can enjoy nice views of Arslanbob from above, not to mention scenic mountains in the distance.
Officially, Arslanbob only has a population of around 15,000. But having explored the area, I would’ve guessed the number was a few times higher.
I then proceeded eastward along the trail, and before long, found myself in the famous Walnut Forest.
It’s hard to give a time and distance estimate for this final leg of the hike, as the forest is so big that how deep inside you go is totally up to you.
On Organic Maps, there’s a marker labeled as ‘Jangak toкою’ – the local name for the forest that I decided to walk to. Of course, this is just a random, arbitrary point used to designate the entire forest, and there’s nothing special at that actual spot.
Still, from the Viewpoint mentioned above, it takes about 45 minutes to walk to the marker area.
This is actually the world’s largest walnut grove, stretching out to 30,900 hectares (1,559,000 acres). Apparently, I’d come out of season, as I didn’t see walnuts for sale at the local shops I visited in town.
According to legend, it was Alexander the Great who came here and then introduced the walnut to Europe. It’s a nice story, but the furthest north in Central Asia that Alexander ever came was Khujand, Tajikistan.
Furthermore, this grove may only be around 1,000 years old – well after Alexander’s time.
All in all, the famous walnut forest is pretty much just a forest. But after what I’d encountered earlier in the day, it was nice to finally feel like I was deep in nature.
But it had already been a long day, and so I decided to get started on the long walk back to my hotel.
All in all, while I did enjoy this excursion, if the landmarks described above had been all that I saw in Arslanbob, I wouldn’t have considered coming out here worth it.
Fortunately, the hike to the Holy Rock that I did the following day was much closer to what I had in mind when venturing out to this region.
Additional Info
The nearest major city from Arslanbob is Osh, which is about four hours away. You’ll first want to head to the bus terminal labeled ‘Avtovokzal’ on Google Maps. It’s situated to the north of the city, right by the border with Uzbekistan.
I happened to go there the previous day and was told that the minivans for Arslanbob departed at 14:00 in the afternoon. The next day, I got there around 12:00 after checking out of my hotel. And when I bought the ticket, the woman behind the counter again said that the vehicle would leave at 14:00.
So what time did it actually depart? 13:30! Furthermore, since the bus was already full by 13:20, we left even earlier.
So why did multiple people tell me 14:00? I have no idea, but I felt great relief that I’d arrived early.
Eventually, I made it to Arslanbob at about 17:30. And the owner of Friendship Guest House kindly came to pick me up, since the place was a considerable distance from the town center. If you also plan to stay at Friendship, it might be a good idea to purchase some snacks immediately upon arrival, as there are no shops near the guest house.
For those coming directly from Bishkek, one way to do it would be to take a marshrutka (minivan) to a place called Bazaar Korgon. And from there, you should be able to transfer to another minivan for Arslanbob.
In my case, I headed directly to Bishkek from Arslanbob. Kyrgyzstan (and its neighbors) has plenty of informal private drivers doing long-distance routes with 4-5 passengers. But oftentimes, the only way to find them is by asking at your hotel.
The owner of Friendship Guest House knew a guy heading from Arslanbob to Bishkek, and I was charged 2,500 som (a little under $30 USD). But the driver made so many stops along the way that it took us around twelve hours in total!
With that said, I did, at least, get the front seat. And I’m not sure if taking minivans would’ve been any quicker.
Some people online mention Arslanbob as a place to ‘break up the journey’ between Osh and Bishkek. But you shouldn’t think of it that way, as the journey between Arslanbob and Bishkek is only just slightly shorter than the direct journey between Bishkek and Osh.
I stayed at Friendship Guest House and overall had a positive experience there. I paid roughly $15 per night for a private room, but the bathrooms were shared.
Breakfast was included in the price, though dinner cost an additional 4-500 som.
Just note that Friendship Guest House is about 35 minutes on foot from the town center. As mentioned, the owner can pick you up upon arrival. But when hiking to the Big Waterfall and Walnut Forest, the remote location will add a lot of time to your total journey.
On the other hand, staying at Friendship Guest House will give you a significant head start for the hike to Holy Rock.
Other popular options for around the same price include Alpinist Homestay and Happy Family Guest House, both situated a bit north of the town center.
For those able to splurge, Modern Homestay also has great reviews.
