Hello, today I would like to tell you about my trip to two beautiful waterfalls, my 20-munute visit to Kyrgyzstan, how walked in the tracks of bears and also about how I "cheated" on "Mysterious Uzbekistan" :). But about everything in more detail.
After the hike along the Gulkam gorge I was very unhappy with my physical form and therefore I decided to climb Greater Chimgan again in order to check if the powder is left in the flasks. Unfortunately, this time the group did not put together and the organizers were forced to cancel the ascent. An alternative was hiking to the Aksarsay waterfall or walking along the Ispaysay gorge. I've already visited both locations and I wanted something new. In search of a suitable tour, I began to check "Telegram" and came across an interesting offer - to go to the waterfalls of Akbulak and Chukuraksu. I was on Chukuraksu last year and I liked this a waterfall with the romantic name "Bride’s Veil". Also I was intrigued by the new waterfall. Therefore, I contacted the organizers and signed up for the trip. According to my experience, I found that "Mysterious Uzbekistan" is still beyond competition - even if their prices are more expensive but the locations are much more interesting, the organization of trips is better and the guides are more professional. Therefore, for the last three years I have only gone with them. But what to do if this very weekend the “competitors” location turned out to be more interesting? :)
The location where we were heading is at the confluence of the Chatkal and Akbulak rivers, which, in turn, flow into the Charvak reservoir. The waterfall to which we were going, although it is listed in the announcement as "Akbulak waterfall" is actually located on the Tereklisay stream - one of the Akbulak tributaries. And if I can decipher the toponym Akbulak - "White stream", then translate a toponym Tereklisay is more complicated. Moreover, in some sources it is called Serkelisay.
So, on the appointed day, the group gathered at the agreed place, we plunged into a minibus and drove towards the Charvak reservoir ..
The waterfalls are located in the border area and therefore there was a border post at the entrance, which checked the cars and wrote down the passport data of all those entering. According to the organizers' plan, we had to get to this post, there we change to an old soviet clunker UAZ and then go on it, because there is no road there - just a knurled track and Soviet "off-road vehicles" are best suited to such conditions. For your information – UAZ is a model name of soviet vehicle which using for off-road conditions. We drove on its minibus version (by the way, manufacturer still producing this model and can see it here). By the way, this model didn’t change within more than 50 years! The organizers promised that we would get lucky with a bright yellow UAZ from the 1960s, and that was one of the reasons why I signed up for this trip. I really wanted to look at this "hippie-car”. The organizers separately emphasized that there are no seats in the car and passengers will travel in the cabin, sitting on carpets and mattresses laid on the floor. Not very comfortable (as it turned out later, it was even very very uncomfortable!), But on the other hand it is an interesting experience and adventure. Before the border post we drove on a Korean minibus "Istana" and the chair seemed to me not very comfortable - I once ran over such cars and with my dimensions it is most convenient for me to sit next to the driver, but that place was occupied by the guide. But when we returned back to Tashkent, this same chair seemed incredibly comfortable and soft to me. :)
Unfortunately, the clunker was late and therefore, with the permission of the border guards, we decided to walk around the neighborhood. Unfortunately, the border guards are allowed to photograph the surrounding mountains, but the post itself and the soldiers on it are strictly forbidden to make their photo. It's a pity ... We recently carried out a reform of the army and the border guards in their updated outfit, hung with weapons, look pretty cool and brutal.
Half an hour later, our long-awaited clunker arrived. Alas, instead of the promised bright yellow “hippie-car” an ordinary and boring military green UAZ arrived, though with old registration numbers, which have long gone out of use. So what? There were no traffic cops here and the border guards did not care deeply about the numbers.
We loaded onto the back. I was one of the last to climb, so all the seats near the windows were occupied - I had to climb into the very depths of the cabin. But I was lucky - I sat down quite comfortably in the spare wheel, put my backpack under my back and it turned out even a little comfortable, I was not thrown around the cabin on bumps and sharp turns.
When I was here last year, our path ran along a path along the Chatkal River. This river is full of water and rough, and therefore the government decided to build another hydroelectric power station here. To do this, they drove the construction equipment and widened the path, and now it’s impossible to walk here anymore. Or the dump truck will run over, or you will suffocate in the construction dust ...
We drove through the construction site and drove on a complete off-road.
On the way, when we passed a house, a dog barked behind us but soon fell behind.
Due to the peculiarities of the drawn border line and in order to get to our destination, we had to drive through the territory of Kyrgyzstan for about 500-600 meters and again enter the Uzbek territory. There is only one road and there is no way to go around. Therefore, we had to stop at four checkpoints (two of ours Uzbek and two in Kyrgyzstan), at each of them our names were carefully recorded in a journal, noting the time of entry and exit.
By the way, here I took pride in our border guards - they are better equipped and more serious than our neighbors. Ours, despite the heat, stand at the post in full gear, with machine guns at the ready, in bulletproof vests, helmets, with all the bells and whistles such as spare horns, knives, flashlights and walkie-talkies, knee pads and elbow pads - in general, everything is serious. At the neighbors' checkpoint stood a soldier in a T-shirt and camouflage pants and a machine gun dangled over his shoulder. It is clear that no one is going to attack anyone and nobody expects a catch from each other. But, nevertheless, our border guards are vigilant and it pleases.
Basically, these roads are used by Soviet off-road vehicles like "Niva" and "UAZ" of varying degrees of wear and tear. Our car was produced in 1970 and drove pretty well for its half-century age. And behind us was such a Soviet "SUV", also thoroughly repaired.
There is a Kyrgyz border post at the confluence of the Chatkal and Akbulak rivers and while the border guard was copying the data from our passports into his journal, we walked around and took pictures of the surroundings. Kyrgyz border guards also do not mind if tourists take pictures of the mountains but they are strictly forbidden to photograph them. I was tempted to take pictures of the soldiers on the sly, but I wisely decided not to do it.
Moreover, nearby we saw a flock of white-headed vultures hovering around the hill. Apparently there was some kind of fallen sheep or other prey.
But now, the neighbors recorded our data and opened the barrier. Roaring with a motor, our clunker drove us further. We still stopped at another Uzbek outpost and while, once again, the border guards were copying our passport data, we walked near the outpost, picking apples.
Finally, all the formalities were completed, we got out of the car and hit the road. In total, the road to the start of our hiking trip took more than four hours.
The purpose of our hike was a waterfall and on the way to it, we had to wade a couple of times.
On the way, we came across holes dug by wild boars in search of edible roots and bear tracks. There are enough of them here.
We also came across other, less disagreeable traces of bearish activity. But I decided not to photograph them :).
Soon we reached the waterfall. Someone climbed onto it to take a picture. Someone stayed below.
After taking pictures, we walked a little more and stopped under a spreading tree to rest and have lunch. After lunch, the guide took us to the so-called "pillars".
"Pillars" are rock figures formed by time and wind, somewhat similar to the statues of moai from Easter Island
Having reached the "pillars", we turned around and went back. Since the program included a visit to the Chukuraksu waterfall.
On the way back, we went through the whole procedure of checks at the border posts again. Only this time, the border guards marked the time of departure. While they were checking the data, I saw a rocky ledge, somewhat similar to a sitting German shepherd dog - you see, if you dream up, you can see her ears standing upright and her muzzle facing the mountain?
After passing another check, we drove on. Soon we reached a small gorge and began to climb up the gorge, to the "Bride’s Veil"
At the end of August there is not enough water here, so the waterfall was not particularly impressive. Last time it was more water. The guide said that it is better to come here in winter or spring. In spring there is a lot of water and in winter it freezes, forming bizarre patterns of icicles. Well, I need to make a note to myself.
After Chukuraksu, we returned to the first border post, got into a minibus and went home. As I already said, after the shaking in the back of the UAZ the seats of the Korean minibus seemed incredibly soft and comfortable.
On the way, I took pictures of sunset landscapes ...
On the way out, we got stuck in a traffic jam - after the quarantine all of Tashkent rushed into the mountains and in the evening it was impossible to push through the road.
I returned home happy and tired. On the one hand, it’s even good that the ascent to Greater Chimgan failed.
The next day there was an announcement of the tours of "Mysterious Uzbekistan" until mid-September. They decided to rehabilitate themselves and planned so many gorgeous hikes that their heads are spinning. I want to be in time everywhere! And, I hope soon I’ll visit again the mysterious Baysun region. I hope…
!pinmapple 41.478965 lat 70.191475 long Two waterfalls for the price of one or a hike to the Tereklisay and Chukuraksu waterfalls, Uzbekistan d3scr