Pskem Valley

River and valley

The Pskem flows through the north of Tashkent Region. It is 70 km long with a basin of 2,540 km² and is fed by snow and ice. It is formed where the Maidantal and Oygaing meet, both rising in the glaciers of the Talas Alatau on the Kazakh–Uzbek border. In its upper reaches it runs through a narrow rocky gorge; then the valley opens out and for more than 40 km the river follows a wide valley at the foot of the Pskem Range before entering Lake Charvak. Before the reservoir was built, the meeting of the Pskem and Chatkal marked the start of the Chirchiq River.

On the crest of the Pskem Range, along the Uzbek–Kyrgyz border, stand Mount Adelung (4,301 m) and Beshtor (4,299 m).

Nature and villages

Shrubs, apple, pear, apricot and plum trees, walnut groves, maples and poplars line the river. Porcupines, martens, foxes, marmots, wild boar and brown bears live in the valley, along with many birds. Side streams tumble over waterfalls in rocky gorges, and where landslides have dammed them, lakes have formed — Urungach is the best known.

Villages such as Bogiston, Nanay and Karabulak keep a traditional mountain way of life. Most of the valley’s villages are Tajik-speaking, while Sijjak on the shore of Charvak stands out as a mainly Uzbek village.

Travel

The Pskem valley is the best place for multi-day treks and jeep trips. The upper valley borders the state frontier, so check permit requirements before you go.