Sports tourism

Anyone who likes to play sports outdoors and away from big cities is in the right place in Uzbekistan. The mild climate allows you to practice most sports almost all year round. There are four well-equipped mountain resorts for classic winter sports: Chimgan, Beldersai, Amiroy and Yangiabad. Their number will soon grow.

Uzbekistan offers numerous opportunities for extreme sports due to its vast and diverse landscapes, although these sports are still new in the country. These include:

– extreme skiing, snowboarding;

– Motorcycle racing, Rallying, motocross;

– Skateboarding, mountain biking, rock climbing, canyoning and paragliding.

Uzbekistan offers numerous opportunities for extreme sports due to its vast and diverse landscapes, although these sports are still new in the country. These include:

– extreme skiing, snowboarding;

– Motorcycle racing, Rallying, motocross;

– Skateboarding, mountain biking, rock climbing, canyoning and paragliding.

The country's vast mountainous regions are particularly attractive.

Mountain tourism in Uzbekistan is a small but actively developing industry. These include hiking through beautiful mountain landscapes, mountaineering, visiting mountain caves, and winter skiing in one of four modern resort complexes. These are ancient mountain fortresses from the time of the Akhmenids (6th-4th centuries BC) and Alexander the Great (4th century BC), rock carvings that are many thousands of years old. These are breathtaking panoramic views of mountain heights from 3,000 to 4,000 meters. It is a retreat in remote traditional mountain villages with warm and hospitable inhabitants. These are unique flora, endemic and rare endangered animals, beautiful waterfalls, mountain lakes and raging mountain rivers.

Water tourism

Uzbekistan is one of the few countries without access to the sea or ocean, but there are still a lot of places for water tourism here – the deep-water Charvak reservoir in the foothills of the western Tien Shan, countless raging rivers and huge, sea-like lakes such as Aydarkul, Sudochye and Tashmore.

During your vacation, you can ride a scooter with the breeze or explore the surroundings on a catamaran. For fans of extreme recreation, many tour operators offer rafting tours along the Chatkal, Pskov, Ugam, Syrdarya rivers and many other places.

Air tourism

It is possible to fly a paraglider in Uzbekistan at almost any time of the year, the only restriction is rain, since the wing of the paraglider is made of fabric. The most popular time of the year is summer, and the best place to fly is in the mountains of the country.

The most popular place for paragliding is the vicinity of the Charvak reservoir, located 60 km from Tashkent. The flight can be performed either with a professional instructor or by yourself while undergoing special training.

In addition to paragliding, hot air balloon flights are also popular here. During the flights, you can enjoy a fantastic view of the reservoir and its mountainous surroundings with snow-capped peaks.

Mountain tourism

Uzbek mountains are very attractive for those who like active forms of recreation such as mountaineering, mountain tourism and rock climbing.

Most of the country's territory is mainly occupied by plains, but in many regions of the country a long chain of mountain ranges of the Tien Shan and Pamir runs from west to east.

The mountainous terrain of Uzbekistan is very popular – the Chimgan Mountains with the dominant peak of Bolshoy Chimgan, with a height of 3309 m. This area is the beginning of many mountaineering trails, hiking, rock climbing, horseback riding, ski trails, etc.

There are three ski resorts located here – Chimgan, Beldersay and Amirsoy, which attract more and more fans of various winter sports. The ski season is not so long — from the end of December to the middle of March. The ideal time for skiing is in February.

The deep caves of Boy Bulok (amplitude 1,415 m) Festivalnaya-Icefall (-580 m) and Uralskaya (-565 m) in the Baysuntau range, the breathtaking panoramas of the Kulasai Canyon, Langar Canyon and Gulkam Gorge, the healing air of the northwestern spurs of the Turkestan range in Zaamin attract an unprecedented number of travelers and thrill seekers.
Mountaineering and rock climbing

The vast mountainous regions of Uzbekistan are simply designed for mountaineering, rock climbing and ice climbing. The Federation of Mountaineering and Rock Climbing of Uzbekistan mentions on its website about 74 routes in 34 mountainous areas of Uzbekistan, the height of which reaches from 3,099 to 4,326 m. Of these, 15 tours have difficulty levels 4a or 4b, 9 routes have difficulty levels 5a or 5b, and only one route reaches difficulty level 6a.

The main routes of mountaineering, rock climbing and ice climbing are located mainly in the Western Tien Shan regions: the Maidantal Range, the Pskem Range and the Chatkal Range. Uzbekistan's annual open mountaineering and climbing competitions are held here.

Hiking trips

For lovers of mountain hiking, Uzbekistan offers not only beautiful mountain landscapes, but also a meeting with the historical past in the form of mountain fortresses, ancient irrigation systems and villages (villages) that have hardly changed over the centuries.

Interesting scenic hiking trails take place in the Nuratau Mountains, crossing traditional mountain villages. The Boysuna mountain region is also attracted by scenic hiking tours. Travelers can see unique landscapes in the Sarmyshsai gorge near the city of Navoi and in the Gulkama narrows in Chimgan. And this is only a small part of the unexplored mountain destinations of this country.

Along many of these hiking trails, there are a large number of rock carvings (petroglyphs), such as in the Sarmyshsai gorge, where more than 4,000 images have been found.

Equestrian tourism

There is a growing number of tourists who visit Uzbekistan to admire thoroughbred Uzbek horses of famous breeds, see national equestrian competitions and experience the incomparable joy of riding a thoroughbred horse. Already in the 2nd century BC, war horses were exported from the Ferghana Valley along the Great Silk Road for the army of the Chinese emperor.

Not far from the city of Tashkent, in a picturesque valley, at an altitude of 1600 meters at the foot of the Big and Small Chimgan, there is the resort complex "Chimgan oromgokhi", designed for equestrian enthusiasts.

Here you can go for a walk around the picturesque surroundings of the resort. Experienced instructors will teach beginners how to control horses, and skilled riders can improve their skills.
From the resort complex you can also go horseback riding around the Beldersay ridge along the Chatkal and Koksu rivers. One of the most popular routes for experienced riders is the route along the northern slopes of the Ugamsky range, along the banks of the stormy mountain river Pskem. The duration of the equestrian tour is 7-10 days. The horseback ride takes you through protected areas with diverse and changing flora and fauna.
Several-day horseback riding tours also take place in the vicinity of the Pulatkhan Ugam Plateau of the Chatkal National Park, in the mountains of the western Tien Shan, in the areas of the Nuratinsky range and Lake Aydarkul.

The horseback riding routes in the mountains of the Gissar range are interesting. They begin in small mountain villages of the Kashkadarya region and end in the valley of the Surkhandarya River. The highest points of the routes can reach 4000m. Along the way, tourists cross high–altitude belts, juniper forests, alpine meadows, mountain tundra, and on some routes, a belt of perennial snow and glaciers.

The impressions of a trip through the mountains, where the fresh, clean air is filled with the finest aroma of countless herbs and flowers, and a romantic evening meal around a campfire under a bottomless mountain sky with myriads of stars will remain in your memory for a long time.

Tourists will also be pleasantly surprised by the number of equestrian clubs available in the country – there are more than 15 of them. And they are located in Tashkent and its environs, Ferghana, Kashkadarya and other regions.

Cycling tours

Cycling tour in Uzbekistan is full of exoticism, legends and oriental hospitality. The season starts in mid-April and lasts until November.

Cycling tours can be combined with an excursion along the Great Silk Road and the ancient cities of Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva and Termez, as well as with a trip along spectacular mountain landscapes and flowery valleys. Bike tourists will pass through villages and mountain villages, where they will get acquainted with the way of life of local settlers. For fans of extreme sports near Samarkand, there is a route along the spurs of the Aktau ridge.

In addition, in mountainous areas and large cities, almost every month during the warmer months, open competitions and bike races are held, in which everyone can take part!