The legendary Pulatkhan Plateau is nestled within the mountains of the Southwestern Tian Shan, located in the Ugam-Chatkal National Park and administratively part of the Bostanlyk District in the Tashkent region of Uzbekistan. This high-altitude plateau is shrouded in an aura of mystery, largely due to its inaccessibility; reaching the plateau from the nearest road requires a strenuous trek of 2.5 to 3 days on foot. The standard route to Pulatkhan is designed for a five-day journey, and the arduous ascent is richly rewarded with breathtaking landscapes and the wild beauty of the plateau.
The immense dining table-like mountain, covering an area of 3 square kilometers, has been thrust upward by subterranean forces to nearly three kilometers in height above the surrounding gorges and mountains. The sheer cliffs of the plateau drop hundreds of meters into the valleys below, with only a narrow isthmus connecting it to a neighboring ridge to the west.
At an elevation of 2,823 meters, the plateau is encircled by mountain ranges and steep, almost vertical cliffs. Access is possible only via one of the ridges, making it a natural fortress. The summit of the mountain appears as if it has been sliced with a knife. Legend has it that during the time of Genghis Khan, the Turkic khan Pulan and his kin held out here for several years. Lacking cannons, the khan’s archers easily picked off the daring Mongol attackers, who were as visible as if they were on a chessboard atop the ridge.
Driving through scenic mountain roads
Cable car ride to Kumbel Ridge
Panoramic views of Big Chimgan
Horseback riding in mountain gorge
Lunch at a local restaurant