Charvak: artificial lake in Uzbekistan mountains

This Pearl of Tian Shan Mountains has appeared quite recently. The rock fill dam of 168 meter height was made in 1970. Confluent of mountain rivers of Pskem, Kok-Su and Chatkal created the wonderful mountain lake – Charvak Reservoir, which blue water attracts everyone in hot summer days.

Formerly, some villages, mounds, evidences of primitive people sites, petroglyphs and other historical sights has existed on the site of the lake bottom. But after the destructive earthquake of 1966, when entire USSR made every effort to rebuild Tashkent, it was the period of acute shortage of cheap and ecological electricity. Therefore the government decided to create the Charvak Hydropower Station (they didn’t have another more convenient place for this purpose). Archeologists and historians have conducted researches of every object, made photos and fixed over 150 monuments of this area. Today, 40 years later, major part of these sights is under layers of mud and sludge.

One of small and interesting sights of Charvak Reservoir is the village of Bogiston. It is the birthplace of two great figures of East: Sheikh Khovendi at-Tahur (Shaykhantaur) and his distant relative Ubaydulla Akhror, world-wide known great master of Sufism. On the way to Charvak Dam you can visit “chaykhona” (national café) where you will find the 600-year Plane tree mural paintings of primitive people close to it.

It takes one hour or more to reach Charvak Reservoir from Tashkent. Here you can swim, go on a hike along surrounding hills and mountains as well as paraglide or ride on water scooter or just come to enjoy fresh air, pure mountain water and see unforgettable sunrises and sunsets.