How to get to the Arashan lakes: hike logistics from Tashkent

The Arashan lakes are a cascade of small mountain lakes with turquoise water, lying above two thousand metres in the mountains over Chimgan. It is one of the most popular hiking routes near Tashkent: the views are worthy of much bigger ranges, and the trip fits into a weekend. But hiking to Arashan is not a walk in the park. To make it go smoothly you need to plan four things: getting to the trailhead, the season, the visiting rules and the way back. Let us go through each.

Where the route starts

The lakes lie above the Chimgan resort area, at the head of a mountain valley. To reach them you first need to get to Chimgan — about 80–90 km from Tashkent via Chirchik and Gazalkent. From there a dirt road used by four-wheel drives climbs the Akbulak river valley, followed by a footpath with significant elevation gain.

How long you walk depends on how far you are driven. Usually it is several hours of climbing from the drop-off point to the lower lakes. Many hikers camp by the lakes and come back the next day.

Step 1. Tashkent — Chirchik — Gazalkent

The first part of the journey is the easiest. Options:

• Shared ride. Yo'ldosh has lots of trips on the Tashkent — Chirchik route: you book a seat in the app, travel with a verified driver and pay only for yourself. If you have a big backpack, mention it to the driver in the chat so they keep space in the boot.
• A minibus or bus to Gazalkent from the north-east of Tashkent.
• A taxi straight to Chimgan — more expensive but saves time, especially if you are a group sharing the fare.

Step 2. Getting to the trailhead

Do not take an ordinary car up the dirt road in the valley: there are rocks, stream crossings and steep stretches. Hikers hire local drivers with four-wheel drives instead — you can find them in Chimgan or arrange one in advance through friends and hiking clubs.

What to agree on with the driver:

• the drop-off point and how far you will walk from there;
• the one-way price and the price including pick-up;
• the time and place to meet on the way back;
• what happens if you are late — there is weak or no signal by the lakes.

If you would rather save the money, you can walk this stretch, but it adds several hours and many kilometres on a dusty road.

Season

The Arashan hiking season runs roughly from late June to September:

• June — there may still be snow on the passes and by the lakes, and the streams run high.
• July–August — the most stable period, but it is hot on the climb by day and cold by the lakes at night.
• September — fewer people, cooler air and especially vivid lakes. In the second half of the month there are already frosts.
• October–May — snow and avalanche risk. Do not go without winter hiking experience.

Mountain weather changes fast: a clear morning can turn into an afternoon thunderstorm. Start early and come down before dark.

Rules and permits

The mountains around Chimgan belong to a protected national park area. Visitors may be charged a fee, and some sections have restrictions. The rules change, so check the current requirements with local guides or hiking clubs before you go. Foreign visitors should carry their passport.

General rules in any case:

• do not light fires where it is forbidden and never leave them unattended;
• carry all your rubbish out;
• do not swim in the lakes — the water is ice-cold and cramps can set in within minutes;
• stay on the path on scree slopes.

Safety

Arashan is not an extreme route, but the altitude and remoteness deserve respect:

• Do not go alone. Ideally go with a guide or an experienced group.
• Tell someone where you are going and when you plan to be back.
• Gear: hiking boots, a rain jacket, warm clothes for the night, a tent and sleeping bag if camping, a torch and a first-aid kit.
• Water: there is water in the streams, but boil or filter it.
• How you feel: if you get a headache or feel weak at altitude, slow down, rest, and descend if it gets worse.

Getting back to Tashkent

The most common mistake is not planning the return. A scheme that works:

1. Agree a pick-up time at the trailhead with your four-wheel-drive driver in advance.
2. From Chimgan, take a local taxi or minibus to Gazalkent or Chirchik.
3. From Chirchik to Tashkent, take a shared ride: on Sunday evenings there are many trips but also many passengers, so book your seat in the morning, while you still have signal, before you leave the lakes.

Remember that on Sunday evenings there are traffic jams coming into Tashkent — allow an extra hour.

A sample weekend plan

The bottom line

A hike to the Arashan lakes is doable in a weekend if you sort out the trailhead transfer and the return in advance. The first and last legs are easy to cover with a Tashkent — Chirchik shared ride, and you can find other destinations across the country on the routes page.

Cover photo: German Stimban, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.