Chimgan (Chatkal Range, Western Tien Shan) is a picturesque recreation area and a ski resort located at an altitude of 1600 m above sea level, only 85 km from Tashkent (1.5 hours by car) in the Bostanlyk district of the Tashkent region. The valley of Chimgan is located at an altitude of 1200 – 1600 m, stretches a narrow strip of 15 km and is surrounded on all sides by mountains. The highest point of the region is the peak of the Big Chimgan (3309 m), which can be seen directly from Tashkent streets with the naked eye. Near the Big Chimgan is the summit of Small Chimgan (2097 m).
The Chimgan mountain massif is a place of mass pilgrimage for all lovers of active recreation, mountain skiing and traveling through the mountains of Uzbekistan. Mountain climbers, climbers, skiers, snowboarders, tourists, hang-gliders and paragliders, as well as photographers, bards and other creative persons come here.
Beldersay– In 80 km from the capital of Uzbekistan and only 5 km from Chimgan at an altitude of 1500 m above the sea level there is the Beldersay tract (spur of the Western Tien Shan), where the popular ski resort of the same name is located “Beldersay”. Unlike the skiing “Chimgan”, “Beldersay” is more compact, and is recommended for experienced skiers and sports lovers. The trails here are longer and more complicated, and the snow lies longer than in Chimgan (from November to April).
Beldersay is considered to be an international class ski center. There are 2 cableways here: a pair-chairlift (2.5 km long, 24 min lift, 565 m drop) and a rope tow (about 1 km long, 5 min rise time, 200 m drop). The Kumbel ski slope, which runs along the Kumbel mountain slope (2300 m), is one of the best sports trails for downhill skiing in the CIS and meets the standards of the international ski federation (FIS). The length of the route is 3017 m (the longest skiing track in Uzbekistan), the height difference is 765 m, the average slope is 26 (max – 52), the absolute height of the upper mark of the route is 2350 m. Beldersay also has plenty of opportunities for skiing on virgin soil, buttresses of the summit of Kumbel it is possible to organize backcountry treks. The length of the sections for freeride is about 2 km.
Gulkam Gorge is an incredibly picturesque place of the Chimgan mountains with high cliffs, deep stone canyons, stepped waterfalls, rifts, “baths”, numerous stormy streams (saya) and birch groves along their banks, juniper forests and lush grasses on the slopes of the surrounding mountains .
The type of relief in the Western Tien Shan is heavily dismembered, and this feature is particularly noticeable in the Gulkam gorges – a hundred-meter-high cliff walls clamped the river in giant clutches, and it falls into the stone bowls of its narrow channel. With all its serious form of gorge, however, you can go right through – of course, with a rope and an experienced guide.
You can get to the Gulkam gorges through the Pesochny Pass (1832 m) – from the pass to the gorge about 3 km. From the pass you can see the gorge of the Gulkamsay River in all its birch-like beauty – there are entirely birch groves down there. The place at the confluence of the river Kichkinekoksay (1500 m) in Gulkamsay – ideal for a picnic in nature. A lot of streams and sais form Gulkamsai (sai – mountain river), which flows into a more powerful Mazarsai, which in its turn gives up its waters to the Charvak reservoir near the Chatkal estuary. Having descended with a rope and an experienced guide through the Gulkam gorges, you can go to Yangikurgan settlement.
“Twelve springs” (Unikibulok) – the famous tract at the foot of the Big Chimgan. The name of the tract is directly connected with one of the pages of the history of Uzbekistan.
The Tashkent gates were built around the city at the end of the 10th century and have not survived to this day. Due to the growth of the city and the expansion of its borders in 1890, the last gate was destroyed. However, some districts of Tashkent still bear their names.
The gates were part of the city fortification and were built around a new settlement along the Bozsu canal (originating from the right side of the Chirchikriver) at the intersection of caravan routes leading from the Tien Shan mountains. Historical documents of the 15th century say that the gates were named after local tribes, each of whom was responsible for guarding certain gates.
In the middle of the XIX century the gates were reconstructed by the Kokand ruler. In total, the sources mention 12 gates: Labzak, Takhtapul, Karasaray, Sagban, Chagatay, Kukcha, Samarkand, Kamalan, Beshagach, Koimas, Kokand and Kashgar. Some of the gates were named after a large city, towards which they opened (for example, Samarkand Darwaza, that is, the Samarkand Gate, were located at the beginning of the road leading to Samarkand). Other gates were named after the main streets of the city (for example, Chagatai Darwaza). The gate was open from dawn to dusk. At night they were closed and guarded by Darwazabons.
