The Ugam-Chatkal National Park covers the western Tian Shan range about 1.5 hours east of Tashkent. Chimgan and Beldersay are the two main resort valleys inside the park.
Chimgan: - Village at 1,600 m elevation, surrounded by peaks up to 3,309 m (Big Chimgan). - Chairlift — a Soviet-era chairlift climbs from the village to ~2,300 m. Operates year-round; ~$5 return in summer. From the top, a 4-hour scramble reaches Big Chimgan summit. - Winter skiing — a small ski resort with several lifts and 8 km of pistes. Season December to March. Beginner-friendly. - Summer hikes — well-marked trails from 2 hours to full-day.
Beldersay: - Larger and better-equipped ski resort just west of Chimgan. - Cable car climbs to Kumbel peak (2,800 m). - Longer, more challenging ski runs.
Charvak Reservoir — 60 km along the route from Tashkent, a large turquoise reservoir with lakeside beaches and a small water park. Popular Tashkent-family day trip in summer.
Wildlife: golden eagles, ibex on higher slopes, occasional Turkestan lynx (rare). Bird-watching from Chimgan is excellent.
Practical: - Getting there: shared taxi from Chorsu Bazaar (~2 hours, $5) or private taxi ($40 round trip, negotiable). - Hotels: several guesthouses in Chimgan village. The Beldersay Oromgohi is the largest resort hotel. - Weekends busy with Tashkent families; weekdays quiet. - Best summer hiking: May to October. Winter for skiing.
Uzbekistan in photos
A short visual companion to this entry — photographs from our Uzbekistan travel archive.
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