People in Tashkent simply call it "the sea." And that's no exaggeration: the Charvak Reservoir lies just 80 kilometres from Tashkent, in the mountains of the Western Tian Shan. Leave the city in the morning, and before long you're standing by the water with views of snow-capped ridges.
The reservoir was created in 1970 between the spurs of the Chatkal and Ugam ranges, on the Chirchik River. It's fed by three mountain rivers at once — the Pskem, the Koksu and the Chatkal — all of them originating from high-altitude Tian Shan glaciers. The dam of the Charvak Hydroelectric Power Station, which holds back the reservoir, rises 168 metres. The water here is crystal clear, with that distinctive turquoise tint typical of glacial rivers.
Charvak has long been Uzbekistan's premier resort area. Beaches, holiday camps, water sports, fishing and mountain trails all around — in summer, thousands flock here. But even at the height of the season, it's still possible to find a quiet spot by the water where the mountains are mirrored perfectly on the surface.
