Charvak Lake at a glance
Charvak (Chorvoq) Lake, a reservoir in the mountains north-east of Tashkent, is known as the pearl of the Uzbek Tien Shan. It is the most popular recreation area for the people of Tashkent and an easy day trip for visitors too. About half of its shore is taken up by resorts, guesthouses and summer camps. The emerald-blue colour of the water is striking. The lake was created by a 168 m high rockfill dam where the Pskem, Koksu and Chatkal mountain rivers meet.
- Where: a mountain reservoir about 80 km north-east of Tashkent, at the foot of the Chimgan mountains.
- Size: about 37–40 km² of water, up to about 120–150 m deep (sources differ), with 94 km of shoreline. It was formed by a 168 m high dam completed in 1970.
- Best time: May to October. The swimming season is high summer.
- Time needed: a day trip from Tashkent, often combined with Chimgan or Amirsoy.
History of the lake
The 168 m dam on the Chirchiq river was built in 1964–1970. After the 1966 earthquake, when the whole Soviet Union helped to rebuild Tashkent, there was a severe shortage of cheap electricity, and the Charvak hydropower station was built to provide it. Before the valley was flooded, archaeologists and historians studied and photographed the area and recorded about 150 sites – villages, mounds, Stone Age camps and petroglyphs – that now lie under the lake.
The name comes from the Persian “chor bogh”, four gardens.
Charvak tours
Charvak Chimgan Tour
Enjoy an exhilarating day trip from Tashkent to the picturesque duo of Chimgan and Charvak. A scenic drive through the…
Things to do at Charvak
- Swimming: the season is high summer, from June to early September. Outside it the water level is low and the water cold.
- Paragliding: from the hills above Yusufkhona.
- Fishing: for trout and carp.
- Horse riding.
- Boating: catamarans and other non-motorised boats. Motorboats and water scooters have been banned on the lake since 2020.
- The Chinorkent cable car: near Khojikent, at the foot of the Chatkal range, with wide views over the area. It runs daily, and a ride cost about 90,000–95,000 som in 2023.
- Hiking: in the hills and mountains around the lake.
Combine the lake with a walk in Chimgan or a gondola ride at Amirsoy; see our Ugam-Chatkal guide. After the bustle of Tashkent, Charvak is also simply a good place for fresh air, sunrises and sunsets, and an escape from the summer heat.
Villages around the lake
A road circles the lake through the villages of Yusufkhona, Brichmulla, Bogiston, Nanay, Sijak and Khumsan, all with views of Big and Small Chimgan. Bogiston, on the north-east side, has the shrine of Sheikh Khoja Omar and is the birthplace of two great figures of the East: Sheikh Khovendi at-Tahur (Shaykhantaur) and his distant relative Ubaydulla Akhror, a world-famous master of Sufism.
On the way to the Charvak dam you can stop at a chaykhona (teahouse) with a 600-year-old plane tree and ancient rock paintings close to it, and at the almond groves in the hills of the valley that leads to the lake. You also pass the Tavaksay area, a popular hiking destination with several waterfalls.
At the northern end of the lake, the Nanay waterfall nature reserve has good walking and some waterfalls to admire. The Ugam-Chatkal national park lies further north-east.
How to get to Charvak from Tashkent
- By car with a driver: the easiest option, about 1.5–2 hours depending on traffic. Leave early at weekends, when the road gets busy.
- Public transport: in season (from late March), bus 1226 runs from the Mashinasozlar metro station in Tashkent to Khumsan on the lake, via Gazalkent, Khojikent and Chinorkent, in about 1.5 hours. Outside the season, take a minibus to Gazalkent and a taxi from there.
Our Charvak and Chimgan Tour picks you up at your hotel and combines the lake with the Chimgan mountains in one day.
Beaches and resorts
Most beaches and resorts are around Yusufkhona on the north shore, with sun loungers, cafés and tapchans (shaded platforms). Brichmulla is quieter, with chalets and walking trails. Many beaches belong to fenced resorts that charge for entry. Some bigger resorts with pools and spa facilities stay open all year, so you can visit the lake in winter too.
Map of Charvak and the Chimgan mountains
Charvak lies about 80 km north-east of Tashkent, below the Chimgan mountains and the Ugam-Chatkal national park. Click a marker for a photo and a short description.
Sights near Charvak
Written by Anssi Karppinen, Central Asia Guide · Page updated