Difficulty: Challenging ★★★★☆
Distance: 6 km (loop)
Elevation gain/loss: +400 m / -400 m
Available: mid-April – early November
Hiking Tour to Bulaksu Gorge is a mountain adventure along Uzbekistan’s Bulaksu River tract. The one-day trek is a test of endurance when ascending, followed by a pleasant hike through spacious fields with impressive mountain views and a picnic in the meadows alongside cooling river waters. The final stretch of the hike involves an exciting descent down a winding riverbed path which crosses the rapids over small stones.
Hiking around Bulaksu River is a popular recreation option for residents and guests of Tashkent, as the views are gorgeous and the routes are not too difficult. Our one-day Tour to Bulaksu Gorge captures the full beauty of the place on a route which passes along the rim of the gorge and straight across the river itself. With an ascent of 400 meters and a total length of about 7 kilometers, the hike is suitable for beginners in good physical shape.
Tour Itinerary:
9:00-10:30 Meet your driver and guide at your Tashkent hotel. Transfer from Tashkent to Ogonyok Children's Camp near the town of Khodjikent (75 km) to begin your mountain tour.
10:30-12:00 Your hike begins at a starting point of 900 meters above sea level. The trail will first bypass the camp, after which there will be a descent to Bulaksu River (“Bulaksu” means “Spring Water” in Uzbek). After crossing the river on an old bridge, your climb to the mountain ridge begins (1 km). The climb will be 200+ meters, sometimes through thorny brush.
12:00-13:00 As you climb the ridge, views of a large field and neighboring slopes will open before your eyes. Beyond the large Chirchik River, the long Mingbulak (Thousand Springs) mountain ridge will rise in the distance. For the next 2 kilometers, the trail will gradually rise along the ridge above Bulaksu River. You will climb with your group to the highest point on the route, located 1300 meters above sea level.
13:00-13.30 Descend to Bulaksu River, stopping for a picnic in a small meadow at an altitude of 1250 meters.
13:30-14:30 Lunch and rest under shady trees near the water.
14:30-16:00 Return to your starting point with a descent along Bulaksu Gorge (2,5 km), following a clear path that periodically jumps from shore to shore. The mountain river is small, and the crossings will be over small stones. There will be several stops during the descent, whose total length is 350 meters, before the hike ends at the children's camp.
16:00-17:30 Return to Tashkent. End of Hiking Tour to Bulaksu Gorge.
Attention! Please inform us in advance if you have any musculoskeletal issues (knee or joint problems), cardiovascular or respiratory conditions (high blood pressure, asthma, implants), or if you have undergone surgery within the last 2 years. Please also specify any food allergies or dietary preferences (vegetarianism, etc.).
Your safety is our priority: if a participant's health condition poses a risk, the guide reserves the right to modify or terminate the route.
Important information:
- In case of bad weather, guides reserve the right to modify the route;
Equipment:
- In hot and sunny weather: a panama hat, sunglasses and sunscreen, long-sleeved outerwear, trousers (shorts are not suitable due to thorny bushes along the path), trekking boots or sneakers. Lightweight gloves (such as cycling gloves) will also be a plus.
- Part of the route has an incline of up to 30 degrees, reaching 40 degrees at certain points. Trekking poles are highly recommended (we provide them).
- In cold weather: a jacket or a windbreaker.
Price includes:
- Transport to / from the mountains (1-2 persons by sedan car; 3-6 persons by minivan);
- Mountain guide services;
- Trekking poles;
- Picnic lunch.
Prices, per person
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Bulaksu Tour Reviews
Slava and Fayz were very professional and kind.
Great memorable experience for me.
