Arslan Bob
Village of Arslanbob is located at an altitude of about 1400m. Most of the village's 16,000 residents speak Uzbek and a local Uzbek dialect. Arslanbob is a conservative place due to its history and many people still wear their traditional clothes. Therefore, tourists are requested not to dress inappropriately, neither on the street nor in the family.
The village got its name from the missionary Salman Farsi, whose nickname was Arslanbob-Ata. It is believed that he brought Islam to this region in the 11th century. In Arabic, lion means 'lion' and bob means 'door'. Ata can be translated as 'father' in the Turkish language, which makes Arslanbob-Ata the father of the lion’s gate.
Next to the village, there is the world's largest walnut forest with 1000-year-old trees, covering a total area of 60,000 hectares. Every autumn, many villagers make pilgrimages to the forest to harvest about 1,500 tons of walnuts. There are several legends about the forest.
A short walk from the centre of Arslanbob reaches the small waterfall. Locals go there to refresh themselves or play in the water. Following the uphill road from the centre and the 'Great Waterfall' signs, the road leaves the village and goes towards the huge Babash Ata mountain range. After walking for about an hour and a half, the road ends at a small tea stop. You can also take a car or horse to get there. A path leads to the lowest part of the 80-meter-high waterfall.
The village's founder, Arslanbob, used to pray every morning by a large rock in the mountains above. Due to its high altitude position, he felt himself closer to the god, and therefore people began to call this rock the sacred rock. Since the 12th century, people have made offerings around it and sometimes stay there all day to pray. Passing through pastures with abundant springs, the path ends with a steep climb to the sacred rock.
One of the must-see places in Arslanbob is the Holy Lake or Kol Mazar. According to the legend, Prophet Muhammad's cousin and husband of his daughter Fatima, Ali, is on his deathbed when he tells his son that an old man with a white camel will come to their house after his father dies. Ali's son had to promise to return his father's body to him if this man came. Actually, Ali was right; the old man came and took his mortal remains far into the mountains. He buried him next to a lake known as the holy lake or Kol Mazar. Ali's tomb can still be seen there. Whether myth or fact, the sacred lake in the mountains above Arslanbob is nature's pearl.
At the top of some cliffs south of the village is a large agricultural plateau where local farmers plant potatoes, carrots and some other vegetables. A small path passes through the cliffs and descends again to the west side of Arslanbob. There are vultures as well as small birds in the mountains.
