Arpa_Valley
The Arpa Valley (Kyrgyz: Арпа өрөөнү) is a high-altitude valley located in the south-west part of internal Tien-Shan. The valley is limited by Fergana Range to the south-west, the Torugart Range to the south, the At-Bashy Range to the east, Ortok Too to the north-east, and Jaman-Too to the north. It is 60 km (37 mi) long, and at the widest point 32 km (20 mi) wide.[1] It is drained by the river Arpa, a tributary of the Ala-Buga.[2] The elevation of the valley floor lies between 2600 and 3600 m. The road from Bishkek to the Torugart Pass passes through the eastern part of the valley.[1]
"From the top of the Sur-tash pass, on the Ferghana range, a most instructive view was obtained over the plateau world to the east. Below was the Arpa "Pamir," a broad, undulating, grassy valley, with the Arpa river flowing through its centre. The Jaman Davan range, which borders the Arpa plateau on the north-east, on the north closes in and joins with the Ferghana range, thus enclosing the plateau. The Arpa river cuts through this range by a deep-cut gorge, the course of which is still dotted on the map, by an imaginary line."[3]
