Day Trip from Tashkent: Chimgan Mountains and Lake Charvak

Most travelers coming to Uzbekistan fly into Tashkent and continue onward to the ancient cities of Samarkand, Bukhara, and if time permits, Khiva. While those cities are beautiful and special in their own unique way, some wonder what options exist for those wanting to escape this route and see something off the beaten track in Uzbekistan.

I, like many travelers, flew into Tashkent with some extra time to spare and wanted to see something different. While Tashkent is a nice city, there isn’t much to keep you entertained beyond a day. I did a bit of research and stumbled across Chimgan Mountains and Charvak Lake located about an hour and a half away by taxi. I booked a tour (really just a driver, but a good one) on advantour.com and was all set.

The price was a bit high since I went solo but it was well worth it. The driver was incredibly friendly. Before we departed I asked him if he could help me exchange money and he was more than glad to help. He even helped arrange for my train tickets to the next city.

The drive to Chimgan wasn’t too long, nor was it scenic, but the driver’s great command of English and sense of humor sure made for a memorable journey across the Uzbek highway.

My driver made multiple stops on the way to show me trees, walnut, berries, apple like fruits, you name it. He was very persistent that I try what Uzbek had to offer. He shouted, “You see, Uzbek food is very fresh, all organic.” I agreed. Usually, walnuts make my lips itch, but these Uzbek walnuts gave me no symptoms.

Later, we reached our first stop at the cable car, which was supposed to take me up higher, but due to the windy conditions the car was not in service. I actually wasn’t too excited about this as the cable car looked a little past its prime. We continued forward up the road and began a small trek along the stream.

It was quite peaceful with nobody in sight. All I could hear was water flowing. The water was very clean, and I later found out it served as the main source of drinking water for the village.

After the trek, the driver and I drove a few more kilometers until we reached Lake Charvak. On the way, we stopped to see Chimgan Mountains.

It was by far the most beautiful lake I had ever seen. The weather that day was amazing too: sunny, cool, and windy. The lake was so blue and clear that it almost didn’t look real. I sat by the lake admiring the view and soaking it all in.

Before heading back to Tashkent, we stopped at a local restaurant for lunch (included with the tour). Although the restaurant was nearly empty, the food was excellent. Nearby the restaurant was a historical site with ancient script carved into rock.

After lunch we headed back to Tashkent around 3:30pm.

As a landlocked country, you won’t find many bodies of water nor will you see anything as scenic as Chimgan and Lake Charvak. The entirety of your journey will consist of cities (nice ones), so it’s likely you’ll want to mix it up at some point during your trip. Lake Charvak and Chimgan Mountains are perfect for that.

Ever been to Lake Charvak or Chimgan? Drop a comment below and share your thoughts!