Around Tashkent

Just over an hour northeast of Tashkent by car lies Ugam-Chatkal National Park , an outdoor haven loaded with hiking and adventure-sport opportunities as well as more relaxing pursuits. This entire area is known locally as Chimgan, a reference to both its biggest town and its central peak, Bolshoy (Big) Chimgan (3309m). The mountains here are not quite as extreme or scenic as the higher peaks around Almaty and Bishkek, but certain activities (heli-skiing, trekking and rafting come to mind) are more accessible and at least as challenging.

A major sanatoria centre in Soviet times, today it has hatched a few newer resorts and retreats to complement the usual diet of decrepit yet still-functioning concrete Soviet hulks. 

And the Chorvok Reservoir offers more mellow outdoor pursuits such as fishing, swimming and canoeing – ask about these at the Chorvok Oromgohi (Piramida) hotel.