Osh

Understand

thumb|300px|Panoramic view of Osh Osh (Kyrgyz: Ош) is the second largest city in Kyrgyzstan. It's in the south of the country and often referred to as the "capital of the south". It has served as the administrative center of Osh Province since 1939. The city has an ethnically mixed population of about 322,000 (2021), about 46% Uzbek, 43% Kyrgyz and several smaller ethnic groups.

The city is more conservative and Islamic than rest of Kyrgyzstan, as is typical of cities in the Fergana Valley.

Osh was famous for its outdoor bazaar, the largest and most crowded in Central Asia. Sadly this was heavily damaged by flooding in 2024 and then inexplicably bulldozed by the city. A modern replacement was constructed outside of the city, but it of course lacks the original's historic vibes. As of 2026, there is talk of rebuilding the original market as a tourist attraction. For now, it is an empty lot.

Get around

Taxis are cheap, a ride from the city to the airport is about 300 som.

Buses are 10–15 som, and marshrutkas are 15 som per person.

See

The city has several monuments, including one to the and one of the few remaining statues of Vladimir Lenin, and the largest mosque in the country.

Drink

Alcohol is perhaps more elusive in Osh than in the capital, but there are nonetheless a few good bars in the city. The national beer is "Arpa", and really quite good, even by international standards. 80 som for a pint is fairly standard.

Sleep

thumb|Sulayman Too, Mount Sulayman

Go next

Arslanbob – An Islamic village popular with local tourists and famous for its picturesque walnut tree forest. Chon-Alai – Chon-Alai is a region Southwest of Osh containing the Lenina peak, the highest mountain in Kyrgyzstan.