evidence: As you approach the destination of your Central Asia Rally on day 11, your path will take you past the very core of Central Asia – the Fergana Valley. We don’t just mean this in terms of geography: the valley, enclosed by the the Gissar-Alai range to the south and Tian Shan Mountains to the north, also encapsulates the ethnic and cultural diversity of the entire region in its patchwork of Tajik, Kyrgyz, and Uzbek enclaves and exclaves. [...] Fergana Valley is the most densely populated spot of the whole of Central Asia; almost a quarter of the region’s population (14 million out of 63 million) live in less than 5 per cent of the region’s total land area. [...] If you’re looking to explore the Fergana Valley more deeply after your Central Asia Rally, here’s what you need to know. Driving from Osh and on to Tajikistan is not a problem at all. Locals are generally known as friendly towards visitors and will usually point you in the right direction, although not everyone is fully aware of exactly where the border is drawn.