Big Chimgan Summit Trail (Chatkal Range’s Highest Peak)

While not as green as Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan is not falling behind when it comes to spectacular vistas of landscape – lakes and mountains alike. An hour drive away from Tashkent lies the Chatkal Range where you can find both the Small Chimgan and the Big Chimgan. If you’re planning to hike the Big Chimgan trail all the way to the summit, you’re at the right place!

BIG CHIMGAN SUMMIT TRAIL OVERVIEW:

• Route: Big Chimgan Summit Trail (Russian Grade/Route: 1B)
• Distance: 15.52 km in total
• Day(s) Needed: 1 Day
• Max Elevation: 3276 MASL (as per garmin), 3330 MASL (as per the sign at the peak)
• Elevation Gain: 1623 MASL (from jump off)
• Actual Moving Time: 10 hours 09 minutes*
• Difficulty Level (own opinion): 3.5 out of 5

*Actual moving time does not include proper breaks such as one short nap and snack breaks.

HOW TO GET THERE AND HOW TO GET OUT:

Similar to my few experiences in Kyrgyzstan, the (public) transportation options in Uzbekistan is also a mix of a marshrutka, a shared taxi and/or hitch-hiking. I opted for an arranged transfers with my guide Dilmurad (he arranged it) for the sake of convenience and we went straight to the start of the trailhead.

Public Transportation as an Option

If you like to challenge yourself and take public transportation, I found a piece of advice from another blog. As per Ellis of Backpack Adventures, “Take the metro to Buyuk Ipak Yoli and a bit further outside, take a marshrutka and shared taxi to either Chirchik or Gazalkent. From there you can take another shared taxi to Chimgan village. The jump off is BEFORE the village and I assume you can ask the driver to drop you at the jump off”.

The trail to the Summit of Big Chimgan is a backtrack trail which means you start and finish at the same coordinates. To go back to Tashkent, I assume the best option is to either hitch a ride towards Tashkent or the Chimgan village to find better public transportation options (shared taxi/marshrutka back to Tashkent).

TRAILHEAD OF BIG CHIMGAN – TRAIL TO THE SUMMIT:

3.6-km away from the Chimgan village, the trailhead of the Big Chimgan is NOT the same as the trailhead of the Small Chimgan. We were dropped off at the coordinates below where we started walking up by following the chairlift tower lines.

Start of the Trailhead Coordinates: 41.525172, 70.018007

However, take note that there is no parking area at the start of the trailhead. From the trailhead (at the bottom of the chairlift towers), drive further and you will find a small parking area before the curved road.

BIG CHIMGAN SUMMIT TRAIL SECTIONS:

Despite the long trail, I’ll break the trail sections into JUST three sections, for the sake of clarity. However, as my usual reminder, DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE TRAIL. Anyhow, without further adieu, let’s dive in!

1) Chairlift Tower Line & Rolling Hills

Our hike started as we followed the trail along the direction of the chairlift towers line. The trail started nice and slow but as we approach the upper part of the hill, the trail became a little steep.

At the top of the first hill came next the rolling hills which gave me plenty of rest. Small plateaus were found in between the hills where we took breaks and snacks. Unfortunately, 90% of this section has no shade at all apart from a tree (or two).

On a different note, when I hiked the Hong Kong Trail (I only managed up to Section 6), there’s a famous rolling hills in Section 8 which is called the Dragon’s Back (because it looks like one). I did not get the chance to witness that beauty, but I vividly remember the pictures from the Internet, and somehow the rolling hills of the Big Chimgan is the dry resemblance of the Dragon’s Back. The only difference is that the Dragon’s Back is of similar elevation only while the Big Chimgan picks up the elevation slowly but surely.

2) Rocky Terrain, Memorial & Grotto

After the beautiful rolling hills is a which is similar to my playground in the UAE – Ras Al Khaimah. Dry, rocky and loose, and with little to no vegetation at all. We’ve come across some lowly shrubs along the way which were all in their lovely foliage season.

A trail sign is found along the trail which resembles the flag of Uzbekistan. Once sighted, the trail is leading to the right direction where you will slightly scramble on some boulders. Right after is a very small grotto to give you some shade and comfort before the last push.

Next to the grotto is actually a memorial wall which is dedicated to the mountaineers and climbers who lost their lives on this particular mountain (not particularly on the same trail).

4) Rope Section & the last push above 3000 MASL!

Probably the most thrilling part of the trail, is the rope section that comes next after the grotto. The first rope is a horizontal rope to support your balance while treading a short but sharp ridge. It’s only about 3-4 meters long only so if your core/balance/grip is great, you don’t actually need the assistance of the rope.

The second rope, a vertical one, is also up to your capabilities and confidence. It’s the section where you will have to scramble and the rope is installed to help you pull yourself up. I don’t want to struggle while scrambling so I used the rope while Dilmurad didn’t use the rope at all.

The last push to reach the summit continues to be a steep one with less oxygen at an altitude beyond 3000 MASL. I was advised that walking alone is challenging and true enough, I was sluggish until I reached the peak, but I did!

P.S. Shortcut Option!

On the way down, I was offered to take a ‘shortcut version’ to avoid the use of the vertical ropes and of course for safety purposes. From my years and years of hiking, the shortcut option has a catch, ALWAYS. I asked Dilmurad right away what’s the catch here and told me right away that the shortcut is a loose scree.

I’m very familiar with scree and it’s a section I usually dread the most because of the fear of sliding down in case of a misstep. However, I took the bait and descend slowly while watching Dilmurad slide his way down. He lost his balance once in a while and I took his help from time to time on sections where I don’t feel confident at all. The scree ended at the intersection between the vertical rope which goes up and the trail going down.

HIKING ARRANGEMENTS & CONTACT PERSON(s):

A new section I’m adding to my hiking guides, you will find contact person(s) who knows this particular trail. You can inquire from them regarding their guiding service, transportation arrangements and even other nearby trails. Rates may vary so use your negotiation skills and take note that most rates in Central Asia are usually per car and NOT per person (unless you’re joining a group hike). So if you’re traveling solo, you may find it a bit expensive.

• @axmedov_dilmurad (He’s my guide and I contacted him via Instagram as referred to me by @Amirbek)
• Asia Adventures (Uzbekistan) (I inquired from Vladimir in Telegram +998909570300 but I ended up booking with Dilmurad)
• @Yaroslav (Also referred to me by @offroad_travel_club but I ended up booking with Dilmurad)

Take it away from here and hope you find something useful!

PERSONAL THOUGHTS ON BIG CHIMGAN SUMMIT TRAIL:

As I always say, we all have different hiking appetites or what I call ‘#hikeppetite’ to begin with. So, a good trail for me might not be a good trail for you and vice versa. And that’s completely okay, we don’t need to agree with everyone all the time. Anyhow, here’s what I think about my hike to the summit of Big Chimgan.

Pros:

• Perfect for a challenging day hike if you’re staying in Tashkent. You don’t need to spend a night in the area and there’s no need to wake up super early in the morning either. We drove at 5 AM and we’re already at the jump off at around 6 AM.
• Nice training ground for your lungs due to the elevation gain and you will be able to reach beyond 3000 MASL elevation the same day.
• Not super technical and it’s just the right amount of challenge, thrill and distance (for me).

Cons:

• NOT for the faint-hearted or those want a ‘walk in the park’. If you prefer an easier and shorter trail, take the Small Chimgan Trail instead. For comparison purposes, this trail is of the same perceived effort with these trails: Stairway to Heaven in UAE, Jebel Shams in Oman, and Komsomolets Peak in Kyrgyzstan (despite not reaching the summit).
• You are not required to be an athlete but you should have at least an adequate level of fitness, stamina and endurance. I know it’s relative, but I hope you understand what I mean.
• There’s no water source, no shade, and no facility/establishment along the trail so prepare accordingly. Pack enough snacks, hydration and necessary essentials accordingly.
• Some parts of the trail are not visible and there are no trail signs either. It can be done without a guide sure, BUT for safety purposes, I STRONGLY SUGGEST TO HIRE ONE.

That’s all about my love for Big Chimgan, and I hope you never skip Tashkent and give this trail a chance. I started doubting myself when I began the hike, but this mountain became one of my proudest moments this year! I hope it becomes one for you too!

AND AS A GENTLE OUTDOOR ETHICS REMINDER:
LEAVE NO TRACE!