Main image: Jabez at English Wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Getting There
The most budget-friendly way to get from Tashkent to the Chatkal range is to take an electric train or a bus to the city of Gazalkent, then take a taxi. If you prefer a more convenient transportation, then you can take a taxi straight from Tashkent. Prices will still be much lower than European prices. Such taxis depart from Buyuk Ipak Yuli subway station. Moreover, you can order an official taxi from Uz Taxi, My taxi or Yandex taxi mobile apps – their offers are also quite acceptable.
What to Expect
The Chatkal ridge with numerous spurs, indented by deep gorges, forms a vast and complex in relief mountain range, almost 200 km long with a highest point of 4503 m (Chatkal peak). Each gorge differs from the neighboring one in its original, unique beauty of the river. They strive from the heights of the mountains into the valley, forming cascades of waterfalls and lakes on their way.
In just 2 hours from the capital of Uzbekistan, there are such mountain ski resorts with cable cars as “Chimgan”, “Beldersay” and “Amirsoy”, and on the southern slopes of Chatkal the camp site “Yangiabad”. In the spring-autumn period, the mountains of the Chatkal ridge attract climbers and mountain tourists, as it is possible to climb here of varying degrees of difficulty, as well as make multi-day treks, for example, to the mysterious Pulatkhan plateau. At the same time, prehistoric petroglyphs are quite common in the mountains, the most famous of which are the petroglyphs of Beldersay
In addition, there are picturesque villages where you can see all the wealth of the Uzbek ethnos, which is complemented by mesmerizing views of poppy fields and vineyards. The most famous villages are Sukok, Nevich, and also Brichmulla on the shores of the Charvak reservoir, which can be called the pearl of the Chatkal ridge.
History
Located in the southwestern part of Kyrgyzstan, the Chatkal ridge is the highest in the Western Tien Shan. In the northeastern part of the ridge, the average height of which is about 4000 meters above sea level, there are peaks reaching an altitude of 4500 to 5000 meters above sea level.
This highest part of the ridge is characterized by snow cover and the presence of glaciers, its length is about 100 kilometers. The Chatkal foothills begin several tens of kilometers east of Tashkent.
The northern slopes, descending into the Chatkal river valley, are steep and short, the height difference is from 2000 to 3500 meters above sea level at a distance of 15 – 20 kilometers.
The southeastern slopes, facing the Fergana Valley, are gentle and long, up to 50 kilometers long, strongly dissected by the tributaries of the Syr Darya River, the height difference is from 1000 to 3500 meters above sea level.
The total glaciated area of the Chatkal ridge is about 40 square kilometers. The height of the snow line on the northern slopes is from 3700 to 3800 meters above sea level, on the southern slopes – about 4000 meters above sea level.
The valley of the Chatkal River is covered with mountain steppes, alternating with subalpine and alpine meadows, there are deciduous forests. On the southeastern slopes there are wild fruit forests and walnut forests.
Facilities Available
- Hotel “Layner”
- Sanatorium “Tibet”
- Guest house “Nebesa”
- Guest house “Sky village”
- Hotel “Archazor”
- Guest house “Green Paradise”
- Hotel “Asia Chimgan”
- Hotel “Chimgan Apple Garden”
- Sanatorium “Khumsan”
- Sanatorium “Chartak”
- Hotel “Beldersay”
- Mountain resort “Le Chalet by Amirsoy”
- Guest house “Picnic”
- Restaurant “Chinara`s”
- Restaurant “Sazanchik”
- Restaurant “Farovon”
- Restaurant “Sharshara”
- Restaurant “Oltin taqa”
- Restaurant “Edelweiss”
- Cafe “Aist”
- Cafe “Bochka”
