Nature · Bostanliq District
Pskem Valley
A valley of walnut groves and mountain villages
Nature · Bostanliq District
Lake Urungach
A turquoise lake on the Urungach stream in the Pskem valley, about 1,500 m up, impounded by an ancient landslide — a protected hydrological natural monument.
Photo: Arina Pan · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
How the lake formed
Lake Urungach lies in Bostanliq District within Ugam-Chatkal National Park, some 160 km from Tashkent. It sits in the middle reaches of the Urungach, a right-bank tributary of the Pskem, at roughly 1,510–1,530 m above sea level. The lake formed when a rockfall blocked the stream bed. It has no surface outlet: the water seeps out through the body of the landslide dam.
Its catchment covers 24.6 km² and the water is fresh and clear. The lake does not dry out even in the hottest summers. A survey in 1922 found only molluscs living in it and noted depths of several tens of metres.
What to see
The lake is famous for its vivid turquoise colour, especially striking on a sunny day against the juniper-covered slopes. The area is protected as the Urungach State Hydrological Natural Monument. A mountain track climbs up the Urungach gorge from the Pskem valley.
This part of the Pskem valley is close to the border, so it is best to travel with a tour operator who can arrange the necessary permit.
Sources (3)
Photos
Nature · Bostanliq District
Ugam-Chatkal National Park
The wild mountains of the Western Tian Shan
Mausoleum · Bostanliq District
Mausoleum of Sheikh Umar Vali Bogistoni
The grave of Sheikh Khovendi at-Tahur’s father
Nature · Bostanliq District
Lake Charvak
A turquoise “sea” among the mountains