Outing to Chimgan mountains April 7th 2012

Excursion into Chimgan mountains, the foothills of the Tian Shan massive.

With car and driver Alisher (through Adventours travel agent) we drive 1,5 hours northeast of Tashkent, where a narrow leg of Uzbekistan is squeezed in between Kazachstan (to the N) and Kyrgistan(E). It actually is a steep valley and catchment area of the river Chirkir, which provides water in a huge reservoir near the town of Charvak. We drive up towards Charvak along the river, passing the town of Chirchik, famed for its chemical works (they make fertilizers).

First we pass the lower hills with lots of flowering fruit trees on their slopes, beautiful! Though a lot of erosion is visible on those loess soils, as there are no trees or vegetation and they are trodden by sheep and cows. The rivulets show that clearly as they are brown with the soil they carry. Robert tells me that all irrigation canals in this country get stuck with those sediments. They do clear those canals, but then leave the very valuable soil in heaps on the edge, for the wind to play with.

We drive up a winding road into the mountains, and make a stop in order to find the fields of wild red and yellow tulips that should be there.  We can’t find them, but do discover some lovely Alpine spring plants. 

It is getting colder, windier and rain clouds gather. At Chimgan, THE winter sports centre of Uzbekistan, we take the chairlift which goes halfway up the Chimgan mountain(3.300 meters) for an amazing view. The ski slope is still visible as a 3 kms. long white serpent of snow going down the slope.

Up there on a stony outcrop we discover a Rock bunting, the only bird we see apart from Crows and Magpies, and one wagtail, a little later.

On the way back we have a beautiful view on the (indeed stunning blue) reservoir. As the guide book says: Arab visitors are surprised to see their fellow Muslims revive the primitive tree worship of Zoroastrianism, for locals festoon the branches of the trees with strips of cloth marking their wishes. 

All is well that ends well:  we have a warming  green tea with lime at one of the traditional restaurants, before returning to Tashkent, where it is hot ( 24 degrees C) and oppressive; the thunderstorm comes in the night.