Shakhimardan

Shakhimardan lies in a green valley south of Fergana, where two mountain rivers join. It has long been a place of pilgrimage and a summer retreat for people from the valley, with cool air, poplars and walnut trees.

In the village stands a memorial to the poet and playwright Hamza Hakimzoda Niyoziy, who was killed here in 1929, with a museum about his life. Paths lead up into the hills, and further up the valley lies Kurbankul, a small mountain lake on the Kyrgyz side.

Because the exclave is surrounded by Kyrgyzstan, getting there means crossing an international border twice. The crossings have been closed to foreigners for long periods, so check the current rules locally before planning a visit.