Main Info
Gulkam Canyon Mountain Tour
Adventurous and active travellers that want to experience Uzbekistan’s nature will love this day of hiking in the Gulkam Canyon and the Chimgan Mountains. Start by climbing up to the pass for magnificent mountain views, before descending through a grove of birch trees towards the canyon and enjoying a picnic in a beautiful location by a stream. Enter the canyon via a special walkway and marvel at the waterfalls and dramatic views of the steep canyon walls, before ending the day with a short walk along the river.
Gulkam Canyon Mountain Tour descriptions
| Price Discount | 1 person – no discount 2 persons – 10% discount 3 persons – 20% discount 4 persons and up – 30% discount |
| Price Currency | USD |
| Destinations | Chimgan, Gulkan Canyon |
| Offered | from May to September |
| Deadline | Get confirmation 3 days before the departure date |
| Included | Transport to and from the mountains (1-2 pax: sedan; 3-6 pax: van) Experienced local, English-speaking mountain guide(s) for the trek Picnic lunch. |
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Excluded
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Personal travel insurance. |
| Accommodation | Not Available |
| Extras | Note:In bad weather, guides may adjust the route to ensure tourists’ safety. We recommend you bring the following on the trek: hiking shoes, and clothes suitable for the weather (in hot, sunny weather: sun hat, sunglasses, and sun cream; in cold or rainy weather: jacket, windbreaker, or raincoat). In all types of weather, trousers and long-sleeved tops are advisable. Shorts are not suitable because the route passes through areas of thorny bushes. Note: This tour does not require any special equipment. However, please be aware that it involves several steep ascents and descents. If you have had any operations in the past, or have any medical conditions (like asthma or high blood pressure) or medical devices/implants, please let us know. With advance notice, we can also cater for special dietary requirements (such as vegetarian or vegan diets). |
Must visit on your Gulkam Canyon Mountain Tour
Chimgan (Chatkal Range, Western Tien Shan) is a most beautiful recreation area ski resort situated in Bostanlyk District, Tashkent Province, situated just 85 km from Tashkent (1.5 hours by car), at an altitude of 1,600 m above sea level. The Chimgan Valley is a narrow stretch 15 km long surrounded by mountains on all sides, its elevations ranging from 1,200 m to 1,600 m above sea level. The highest point of the area is Greater Chimgan Peak (3,309 m), which can often be seen with a naked eye from Tashkent streets. Next to Big Chimgan there is Little Chimgan Peak (2,097 m).
The Chimgan Mountains are a place of pilgrimage for all who like outdoor activities and active recreation in the mountains, alpine skiing and travelling in the mountains of Uzbekistan. The area is frequented by mountaineers, rock climbers, skiers, snowboarders, hikers, hang gliders and paraglider riders, as well as photographers, singer-songwriters and other creative persons.
The Big Chimgan area features a large number of mountaineering and trekking routes to satisfy any taste and skill level, while the pistes (green, blue, red and black) of the ski resort are equipped with a chairlift and a T-bar lift. The mountain slopes in the neighbourhood are very good for free riding and backcountry skiing.
The Chimgan recreation complex includes hotels, resorts, sanatoria, children camps, shops, restaurants and cafes, rental agencies for skiing equipment and a bus station. There you can also ride a horse, all-terrain vehicle, paraglider or hang glider.
Most of the skiing slopes in the area face northward, which ensures stable snow cover and a long skiing season, from December till April, while the large number of sunny days in winter makes skiing in the Chimgan Mountains particularly enjoyable. In some years snow patches in the central couloir of Big Chimgan remain till mid-summer.
You can take your children to Chimgan, as the place is beautiful and warm, the altitudes are not too high and you can reach the area by many types of transport. The place is a perfect one for acquainting children with mountains.
The cleanest Charvak Reservoir, a wonderful place for summer beach vacations, is just 30 km from Chimgan.
Itinerary
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9:00-11:00 Transfer to Chimgan.
11:00-12:00 Start hiking at 1,600m, with an intensive hour-long ascent (+220m) to Gulkam Pass (1,820m) along a good mountain trail that passes through thickets of wild trees and bushes. From the top of the pass, enjoy the view of the surrounding mountains and the Gulkamsay river below, and see the route you’ll take down to Gulkam Canyon.
12:00-13:00 Descend to the canyon, passing through a small grove of birch trees where you’ll stop for a short rest (1,550m).
13:00-14:15 Cross the Gulkamsay river, before making a steep climb up to a forest glade on the ridge (1,600 m). View the surrounding panoramas, and then descend to the Kuiliksai stream, with its water rich in silver.
14:15-14:45 Enjoy a relaxed picnic lunch on the banks of the Kuiliksai stream (1,500m).
14:45-15:30 Descend to the confluence of the Kuliksai stream and the Gulkamsay river (1,420m). Approach Gulkam Falls from below (1,480m) and enjoy magnificent views of the Gulkam gorges, their sheer cliffs, and the pools all along the series of waterfalls.
15:30-16:30 Continue along the Gulkamsay river, crossing it 12-14 times along the way. Please note that, if there is a lot of water (likely to be the case between May and July), you will get your feet wet. It is also advisable to take hiking sticks.
16:30-18.30 Exit the canyon and meet your driver. Drive to Tashkent, passing the picturesque Charvak reservoir. Stop to take photos and listen to a short commentary about the reservoir, the nearby settlements, and the surrounding mountains.
