CHAKTAL

 
Located in the Wester Tian Shan mountain range, the River Chatkal flows for 189 kilometers in a remote valley in the extreme West of the country. It is flanked by the 120 km long mountain range of the same name and the Chandalash range.

Walnut groves with Semyonov's maple and less frequently ash and tree-like hawthorns are spread along the lower slopes of the Chatkal River, which flows to Uzbekistan.

Traces of early human habitation have been found in cave sites (such as the Obirakhmat and Khodjakent grottoes) where hunting tools, stone-processing sites and petroglyphs from the Neolithic period have been discovered. Minerals were extracted from various sites during the Bronze Age (about 3000 BC); first non-ferrous, then ferrous metals were extracted. Huge burial mounds with bronze vessels have been found dating to this period. Archaeologists have discovered evidence of nomadic cattle-breeders in the area dating from the early Iron Age. In the lower reaches of the Chatkal river over 2,000 burial mounds, 30 «tepe» and 3 ancient settlements have been found.

During the Kushan-turk period (dating from the 4th to the 7th centuries), the region was already densely populated. In addition to the nomadic herdsmen, pastoral agriculture and settlements developed — towns grew up. Some of the main trade routes of the Silk Road passed through the region. A number of local products were exported far and wide, including silver from the Talas and Chatkal river basins, Sal ammoniac and mercury, cattle and walnuts from the Aslanbob region

A little South-West of Djani Bazar is the site of an ancient settlement Changar Khan dating dating from between the 10th and 12th centuries.

Near by is the gumbez (mausoleum) of Idris Baygambar — dating from the 19th century.

To the North East lies the site of the town of Arlankent which dates from between the 7th and 12th centuries and was the main town of the region — which at that time was known as Djydguil. The town is mentioned in several chronicles dating from the Middle Ages.

Also to the North, in the gorge of Kuru-Tegerek, archaeologists have discovered ancient mining excavations and the site of the ancient settlement Kurbes Kan.

The Besh-Aral Zapovednik (Bio-diversity Reserve) is situated in the Chatkal Valley of the Jalal-Abad Oblast 340 km from Jalal Abad the oblast centre and 25 km from Kanysh-Kiya the Chatkal Rayon centre.

The Chaktal river is often used for rafting expeditions, (although border problems with Uzbekistan have limited recent expeditions) and the mountains are used by athletes from the former Soviet countries for «high altitude» training and the mountain slopes are often used by skiers.