Kojo-Kelen

Kojo-Kelen sits in a side valley of the Alay foothills below towers and fins of red rock that give the place its look, with orchards, walnut trees and irrigated fields along the stream and dry slopes above. It is a small village with a handful of homestays organised through a community tourism group, and what it offers is walking and riding: routes to viewpoints among the rock formations, to waterfalls, and over passes into neighbouring valleys, all of them unmarked and best done with someone from the village. Very few foreign travellers come, which is the appeal for those who do. The road in is rough and there is no public transport beyond shared taxis to the nearest larger settlement.

What you actually see

• Red rock towers - eroded formations above the village.
• Orchard valley - walnut and fruit trees along the stream.
• Homestay life - accommodation in working village households.
• Riding routes - horse trails over the passes to neighbouring valleys.

When to go

May to October; blossom in spring and the walnut harvest in autumn are both worth timing for. Summer is hot in the low valley but cooler on the walks. Winter closes the higher routes.

Honest expectations

Access is difficult without your own transport, and the last stretch of road is rough. Homestays are basic and English is rare. Trails are unmarked, so a village guide is effectively necessary. There are no shops of consequence and no ATM.

Nearby

Osh lies northeast; the Alay valley is south over the passes.