Hi! Today we will take a break from exploring architectural and historical monuments and head to the mountains. The goal of my recent trip across Uzbekistan was to climb one of the mountain ranges surrounding the Charvak Reservoir. I am confident that even readers who do not plan to visit these places will be amazed by the magnificent views from the heights of these giants.
Trip to the Mountains
I didn't have a specific plan to visit these natural attractions, but I had seen numerous breathtaking photos of these places online and decided to try climbing one of the mountains surrounding the reservoir.
The starting point of the route is the "Salar" railway station in Tashkent. To reach the reservoir, you need to take a train heading to the town of Khodzhikent, the final station on this route. We took the train that departs at 7:30 am. The fare was 6,000 Uzbek soms one way (about 0.5 dollars in the fall of 2023). Tickets can be purchased at the station's ticket office or from the conductor on the train.
The last return train departs towards Tashkent at 4:10 pm, and we wanted to catch it, so I had about seven hours allocated for the walk. Those who decide to stay here longer can rent accommodation in Khodzhikent or take a taxi back to Tashkent.
Travelers arriving at the reservoir by train can choose from several options for further routes: some take a taxi and go further, others walk to the cable car and ascend to the observation platform, while others hike up the mountains on foot. We opted for the last option.
The ascent we chose begins not far from the railway station. It's worth noting that comfortable paths or trails were only encountered about halfway. The rest of the route was improvised, guided only by online maps.
ccording to the topographic map of Uzbekistan and the photos I found online after the trip, the mountain ridge we climbed is called Kungur Bukh. Another name for this place is Kungurbuka. Due to time constraints, we did not reach the summit, but we could still enjoy stunning views from the point where we stopped. From here, you could clearly see the Charvak Reservoir, the dam, and Khodzhikent itself. From the mountain's height, reaching almost two kilometers, we ascended about 1500 meters.
After returning from the trip, I found that closer to the top of the mountain, you can find caves with stalactites. Therefore, I will definitely try to return here to repeat my route and reach the highest point of the ridge.
My next article about the natural attractions of Uzbekistan will focus on a trip to the Tavaksay Waterfall Valley.
Have a nice trip!
