Sport tourism

Uzbekistan is one of the few countries that do not have access to the sea or Ocean, but still there is a huge number of places for water tourism – a deep-water reservoir Charvak in the foothills of the Western Tien Shan, countless raging rivers and huge, sea-like lakes such as Aydarkul, Sudochye and Tashkent Sea.

During your vacation, you can ride a scooter with the breeze or explore the surrounding area on a catamaran. For fans of extreme leisure, many tour operators offer rafting tours along the Chatkal, Pskem, Ugam, Syr Darya rivers and many other places.

You can fly a paraglider in Uzbekistan almost at any time of the year, the only restriction is rain, since the wing of the paraglider is made of fabric. The most popular time of the year is summer, and the country’s mountain ranges are the best place to fly.

The most popular place for the paragliding is the vicinity of the Charvak reservoir, located 60 km from Tashkent. You can make a flight with a professional instructor, as well as yourself with special training.

In addition to the paragliding, hot air balloon flights are also popular here. During flights, you can enjoy a fantastic view of the reservoir and its mountainous surroundings with snow-capped peaks.

Uzbek mountains are very attractive for those who like active leisure such as mountaineering, mountain tourism and rock climbing.

Most of the country’s territory is mainly occupied by plains, but in many regions of the country, a long chain of mountain ranges runs from West to East of the Tien Shan and Pamir.

A very popular mountainous area of Uzbekistan is the Chimgan mountains with the dominant peak of Greater Chimgan, with a height of 3309 m. This area is the beginning of many mountaineering trails, hiking, rock climbing, horse trails, ski trails, etc.

There are three ski resorts – Chimgan, Beldersay and Amirsoy that attract more and more fans of different winter sports. The ski season is not so long — from the end of December to the middle of March. The ideal time for skiing is in February.

The deep caves “Boy-Bulok” (amplitude 1415 m), “Festival-Icefall” (580 m) and “Ural” (565 m) in the Baisuntau range, the spectacular panoramas of the canyons – Kulasay, Langar and Gulkam gorges, the healing air of the north-western spurs of the Turkestan range in Zaamin attract an unprecedented number of travelers and thrill-seekers.

The vast mountain regions of Uzbekistan are simply designed for mountaineering, rock climbing and ice climbing. The Federation of mountaineering and climbing of Uzbekistan mentions on its website about 74 routes in 34 mountain areas of Uzbekistan, the height of which varies from 3099 to 4326 m. Fifteen tours of them have difficulty levels of 4a or 4b, nine routes have difficulty levels of 5a or 5b, and only the difficulty level of one route reaches 6a.

The main routes of mountaineering, rock climbing and ice climbing are located mainly in the areas of the Western Tien Shan: the Maydantal range, the Pskem range and the Chatkal range. Open competitions of Uzbekistan in mountaineering and rock climbing are held here every year.

For mountain hikers, Uzbekistan offers not only beautiful mountain landscapes, but also a meeting with the historical past in the form of mountain fortresses, the ancient irrigation systems and villages (kishlaks), which have not changed much over the centuries.

Interesting scenic hiking trails pass through the Nuratau mountains, crossing traditional mountain villages. The Boysun mountain region is also a popular destination for hiking tours. Travelers can see unique landscapes in the Sarmyshsay gorge near Navoi and in the Gulkam gorges in Chimgan. And this is only a small part of the unchanging mountain destinations of this country.

Many of these hiking trails are lined with a large number of ancient rock carvings (petroglyphs), such as in the Sarmyshsay gorge, where more than 4,000 images have been found.

There is a growing number of tourists who visit Uzbekistan to admire thoroughbred Uzbek horses of famous breeds, see national equestrian competitions and experience the incomparable joy of riding a thoroughbred horse. Already in the 2nd century BC, war horses were exported from the Ferghana valley along the Great Silk road for the army of the Chinese Emperor.

Not far from the city of Tashkent, in a picturesque valley, at an altitude of 1600 meters at the foot of the Big and Small Chimgan, there is a resort complex "Chimgan Oromgohi", destined for the fans of equestrian tourism.

Here you can take a walk in the picturesque resort precincts. Experienced instructors will train beginners to manage horses, and skilled riders can improve their skills.

You can also go horse riding around the Beldersay ridge along the Chatkal and Koksu rivers. One of the most popular routes for experienced riders is the route along the Northern slopes of the Ugam ridge, along the banks of the stormy mountain river Pskem. The duration of the horse tour is 7-10 days. Horse riding takes place in protected areas with diverse and changing flora and fauna.

Also, several-day horse tours are held in the vicinity of the Pulatkhan Ugam Plateau of Chatkal National Park, in the mountains of the Western Tien Shan, in the areas of the Nurata range and Aydarkul lake.

Horse routes in the mountains of the Hissar range are interesting. They start in small mountain villages of Kashkadarya region and end in the valley of the Surkhandarya river. The highest points on routes can reach 4000 m. Along the way, tourists cross high-altitude belts, juniper forests, Alpine meadows, mountain tundra, and on some routes – a belt of perennial snow and glaciers.

Impressions of the trip through the mountains, where the fresh, clean air is filled with the subtle fragrance of the countless herbs and flowers and a romantic evening meal by the fire under the bottomless mountain sky with myriad stars will long remain in your memory.

Tourists will be pleasantly surprised by the number of equestrian clubs available in the country – more than 15. They are located in Tashkent and its surroundings, Ferghana, Kashkadarya and other regions.

Bike tour in Uzbekistan is full of exotics, legends and oriental hospitality. The season starts in mid-April and lasts till November.

Bike tours can be combined with the tour across the Great Silk Road and the ancient cities of Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva and Termez, as well as with the trip along the spectacular mountain landscapes and blooming valleys. Bike tourists can pass through the mountain villages, where they can get acquainted with the way of life of the local people. For the fans of extreme sports near Samarkand, there is a route along the spurs of the Aktau ridge.

In addition, in the mountain areas and large cities, open competitions and bicycle races are held almost every month in the warm season, where everyone can take part!

Do you want to see the most spectacular sports competitions among young athletes? Do not miss the IV Asian Youth Games 2025, which will be held in the capital of Uzbekistan – Tashkent.

The Asian Youth Games are sports competitions among young athletes from all over Asia, which are held every four years. The games are organized by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).

The competition program includes 19 sports-basketball, track and field, badminton, beach volleyball, bowling, fencing, football, golf, handball, etc.

Uzbekistan takes an active part in the competition. For the entire period of the Asian Youth Games, our country ranks 17th among 31 countries in terms of the number of medals – 8 bronze, 2 silver and 1 gold.

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