![](\"https:\/\/pagetour.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/photo_2023-05-12_18-56-59.jpg\")
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Forget the paperwork. Forget the border zones. There is one river in Uzbekistan flowing with perfect, crystal-clear adrenaline right now\u2014and it\u2019s less than two hours from Tashkent.<\/strong><\/p>\n If you are a rafter, you have probably heard the legends. The Chatkal. The Pskem. The Oyga\u2019ing. Names that echo through the whitewater community as mythical, world-class runs. For decades, these rivers were the holy grail of Central Asian rafting, drawing the strongest paddlers on the planet to their Class V and VI rapids.<\/p>\n But here is the truth about those legends right now:\u00a0they are on hold.<\/strong><\/p>\n Due to current border restrictions and complex permitting in the region, running the “River of Five Canyons” or the infamous Oyga\u2019ing-Pskem section is simply not possible.<\/p>\n And you know what?\u00a0That is perfectly fine.<\/strong><\/p>\n Because while the legends sleep, the\u00a0Ugam River<\/strong>\u00a0is wide awake, running high, and waiting for you. And honestly? It might just be the most fun you\u2019ll have in Uzbekistan.<\/p>\n Don’t make the mistake of thinking the Ugam is the “easy” option. It is the\u00a0smart<\/em>\u00a0option. It is the river that gives you everything you came for\u2014rapids, scenery, and adventure\u2014without the logistical nightmare.<\/p>\n Imagine this: You wake up in Tashkent, grab your gear, and within two hours you are strapped into a raft, staring down an 11-kilometer stretch of living, breathing mountain water.<\/p>\n The Ugam flows from the village of\u00a0Humsan<\/strong>\u00a0down to the turquoise waters of the\u00a0Khodjikent reservoir<\/strong>. In the spring, when the snowmelt comes crashing down from the Western Tien-Shan mountains, this river comes alive.<\/p>\n Here is what is waiting for you on the water:<\/strong><\/p>\n Technical play:<\/strong>\u00a0This isn’t a straight shot. You’ll navigate around above-water rocks, dodge submerged surprises, and feel the current pin you against granite walls.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Active maneuvering:<\/strong>\u00a0In some spots, you’ll need to slide through sideways. In others, it’s a full-team effort to punch through the rapids.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Instant accessibility:<\/strong>\u00a0The beauty of the Ugam is that it’s remote enough to feel wild, but safe enough that you can pull over for an emergency landing at almost any point.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n It is the perfect balance of thrill and security. You get the adrenaline rush of real whitewater, but you don’t get the anxiety of being trapped in a remote canyon with no exit.<\/p>\n One of the best things about the Ugam is that it changes with the seasons\u2014and that means we can offer two completely different experiences depending on when you visit.<\/p>\n Option A: The Spring High-Water Run (April – Mid June)<\/strong> Option B: The Sunny Summer Float (Late June – July)<\/strong> Families with kids who want a taste of adventure.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Large groups of friends who want to enjoy the mountains together.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Anyone who wants to be on the water, soak in the sun, and cool off in the crystal-clear river without the intensity of high-water rafting.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n It is still active. It is still beautiful. It is just… chill.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s be honest: organizing a trip in a foreign country can be a headache. Permits, transport, language barriers\u2014it adds up.<\/p>\n This trip removes all of that.<\/p>\n It’s a one-day commitment:<\/strong>\u00a0You don’t need to pack for a week in the wilderness. You just need a day.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n It’s accessible:<\/strong>\u00a0The put-in and take-out are easy. The take-out is actually at the Khodjikent reservoir, a beautiful spot to relax after your run.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Expert guides:<\/strong>\u00a0Our team knows the Ugam intimately. Every rock, every eddy, every rapid. You are in safe hands.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Proven safety:<\/strong>\u00a0In the unlikely event of a swim, the river allows for quick and easy landing options throughout the entire route.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n The legends of Uzbek rafting\u2014the Chatkal, the Pskem, the Oyga\u2019ing\u2014are not gone forever. They are waiting. And when they open up, we will be the first to take you there.<\/p>\n But right now, the\u00a0Ugam River<\/strong>\u00a0is flowing. It is beautiful. It is fun. And it is ready for you.<\/p>\n Don’t spend your trip dreaming about rivers you can’t run. Come get wet on the one you can.<\/strong><\/p>\n Book your seat on the Ugam today.<\/strong><\/p>\n Booking & price<\/strong> For decades, the mountain rivers of Uzbekistan held a secret whispered among the world’s elite paddlers. With sections rated up to Class VI, the highest level of difficulty, these weren’t rivers for the faint of heart. They were a proving ground. Fed by the snows of the Western Tien-Shan, the Chatkal, Pskem, and Oyga’ing once offered multi-day expeditions through pristine canyons, challenging even the strongest international sportsmen. While these legendary routes are currently inaccessible due to border sensitivities, their legacy continues to inspire. This is the story of those rivers\u2014a glimpse into a remarkable whitewater past, and a hope for what may one day be possible again.<\/p>\n The 223-kilometer Chatkal is the heart of Uzbek whitewater lore. For those fortunate enough to have traveled it, the name alone evokes memories of primeval beauty and relentless challenge. Of its total length, 183 kilometers were once run by rafters, descending a staggering 1,267 meters from source to finish.<\/p>\n What made the Chatkal unique was its progressive nature. Paddlers would face no fewer than fifty serious obstacles, building in intensity towards a dramatic climax in the lower reaches. The gauntlet included:<\/p>\n Thundering Waterfalls:<\/strong>\u00a0The First Canyon began the journey with a perilous two-step waterfall dropping roughly four meters, followed immediately by a hundred-meter stretch of steep rapids. Here, the powerful inflow of the Ters River, a major left tributary, cascaded down a rocky ledge\u2014a true spectacle.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Technical Rapids:<\/strong>\u00a0The\u00a0Hargush rapids<\/strong>\u00a0were considered the hardest obstacle on the river. For one and a half kilometers, the river unleashed powerful torrents through boulder fields. In one notorious spot, stones nearly blocked the entire river, leaving a gap of only two or three meters, through which the water plunged in a two-meter fall. Running Hargush demanded respect and extra safety measures. Following Hargush in decreasing complexity were the Pigak, Kishlaksay, Second Slalom (Shabrez), and Naizinskiy rapids.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Claustrophobic Gorges:<\/strong>\u00a0The grandeur of the canyons was unforgettable. The Second Canyon’s towering stone walls and slopes were breathtaking. The Third Canyon was a narrow, winding corridor of wet, dark-grey rock, rising 200-300 meters high. The riverbed narrowed to just 6-8 meters in places, with the sky reduced to a thin blue ribbon above, occasionally blocked by dangerously hanging cornices. Somber entrances to grottos and caves dotted the walls.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n The Final Act:<\/strong>\u00a0The most dangerous rapids lurked in the Fifth Canyon, including a two-kilometer section where the rocks formed an incredibly narrow corridor. The tightest squeeze was aptly nicknamed\u00a0“the diaphragm”<\/strong>\u00a0by tourists. Beyond it, the river gradually calmed, the canyon opened, and the journey mellowed towards the end. The last rapid on the Chatkal was\u00a0Aurahmat<\/strong>, a seasonal feature that only appeared during irrigation water releases.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n The setting itself was as imposing as the whitewater. The river flowed through floodplain forests and alpine meadows, the air thick with the scent of flowers and conifers. The wide intermountain depression was framed by the snowcapped peaks of the Chatkal and Sandala Ridges, dominated by the colossal\u00a04503-meter Chatkal Peak<\/strong>\u2014the highest point of the Western Tien-Shan\u2014and its neighbor, Chatkal Ushba.<\/p>\n If the Chatkal was a classic, the combined route of the Oyga’ing and Pskem rivers was the stuff of extreme legend. Classified as\u00a0Class VI<\/strong>, it placed Uzbekistan on the map alongside world-class whitewater destinations like Turkey’s \u00c7oruh River, the Himalayas’ Arun, Africa’s Blue Nile, and the great rivers of the Russian Altai.<\/p>\n The route’s extreme technical difficulty came from a series of brutal obstacles:<\/p>\n The Big Inrush on the Oyga’ing:<\/strong>\u00a0Here, the river thundered through massive, fragmented blockages of five major stone obstructions.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n The Teparskiy Obstruction on the Pskem:<\/strong>\u00a0A main waterfall was formed where two converging rocks forced the entire river through a powerful, pinched drop.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Rapids with Attitude:<\/strong>\u00a0The names of the other rapids told the story:\u00a0Kovarniy (Treacherous), Shtopor (Corkscrew), Gorka (Hill), and Vorota (Gates)<\/strong>\u00a0.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Despite these fearsome reputations, the rivers also offered options for the less experienced. In the past, rafters were recommended to run lower sections of the Pskem to the Charvak Reservoir, either starting below the Tepar obstruction or from the Pskem settlement (portaging the Teparskiy rapid). These trips ranged from 20 to 40 kilometers, were guided by experts who knew the local conditions perfectly, and fell into the more manageable Class IV category. This allowed adventurers to experience the breathtaking beauty of the Oyga’ing and Pskem valleys\u2014the perfect weather, the stunning rivers and mountains\u2014without taking on the full extreme challenge.<\/p>\n The Ugam and Ahangaran rivers offered shorter, more accessible, yet still exciting trips.<\/p>\n The Ugam River:<\/strong>\u00a0This 11-kilometer run from the “Ugam” resort to the Hojikent reservoir was a favorite for a double-run day. Paddlers would contend with a rapid current, dodging above-water rocks and submerged stones, and maneuvering through spots where the stream pushed them against the canyon walls. A key feature was its safety: in an emergency, a prompt landing was possible at almost any point.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n The Ahangaran River:<\/strong>\u00a0A longer 30-kilometer journey starting at the mouth of the Yakkaarchasay River and ending before the Angren reservoir. Its main attractions were two standout rapids,\u00a0Ertash and Koksaray<\/strong>, which provided the core challenges.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n The best time to experience these legendary rivers was always\u00a0April and May<\/strong>. The weather was ideal, the snowmelt provided perfect water levels, and the mountain valleys burst into a spectacular bloom of color.<\/p>\n Today, running these world-famous routes is not possible. They flow through sensitive border zones, and the logistical challenges of obtaining permissions have, for the time being, put them out of reach. But the stories endure. The Chatkal, the Pskem, the Oyga’ing\u2014they remain in the memories of those who ran them and in the dreams of those who hope to one day answer their call. They are a testament to a remarkable era of exploration, and a reminder of the incredible whitewater that lies waiting in the heart of Central Asia.<\/p>\n Adrenaline on the Ugam: Why This Is the Rafting Trip You Can Actually Do in Uzbekistan Forget the paperwork. Forget the border zones. There is one river in Uzbekistan flowing with perfect, crystal-clear adrenaline right now\u2014and it\u2019s less than two hours from Tashkent. If you are a rafter, you have probably heard the legends. The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ocean_post_layout":"","ocean_both_sidebars_style":"","ocean_both_sidebars_content_width":0,"ocean_both_sidebars_sidebars_width":0,"ocean_sidebar":"0","ocean_second_sidebar":"0","ocean_disable_margins":"enable","ocean_add_body_class":"","ocean_shortcode_before_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_after_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_before_header":"","ocean_shortcode_after_header":"","ocean_has_shortcode":"","ocean_shortcode_after_title":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_bottom":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_bottom":"","ocean_display_top_bar":"default","ocean_display_header":"default","ocean_header_style":"","ocean_center_header_left_menu":"0","ocean_custom_header_template":"0","ocean_custom_logo":0,"ocean_custom_retina_logo":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_height":0,"ocean_header_custom_menu":"0","ocean_menu_typo_font_family":"0","ocean_menu_typo_font_subset":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_size":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_unit":"px","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_line_height":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_unit":"","ocean_menu_typo_spacing":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_unit":"","ocean_menu_link_color":"","ocean_menu_link_color_hover":"","ocean_menu_link_color_active":"","ocean_menu_link_background":"","ocean_menu_link_hover_background":"","ocean_menu_link_active_background":"","ocean_menu_social_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_links_color":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_color":"","ocean_disable_title":"default","ocean_disable_heading":"default","ocean_post_title":"","ocean_post_subheading":"","ocean_post_title_style":"","ocean_post_title_background_color":"","ocean_post_title_background":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_image_position":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_attachment":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_repeat":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_size":"","ocean_post_title_height":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay":0.5,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay_color":"","ocean_disable_breadcrumbs":"default","ocean_breadcrumbs_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_separator_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_hover_color":"","ocean_display_footer_widgets":"default","ocean_display_footer_bottom":"default","ocean_custom_footer_template":"0","ocean_post_oembed":"","ocean_post_self_hosted_media":"","ocean_post_video_embed":"","ocean_link_format":"","ocean_link_format_target":"self","ocean_quote_format":"","ocean_quote_format_link":"post","ocean_gallery_link_images":"on","ocean_gallery_id":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[156],"tags":[59,157,60,158],"class_list":["post-310","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-rafting","tag-rafting","tag-ugam","tag-ugham","tag-uzbekistan-rafting","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climberca.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/310","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climberca.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climberca.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climberca.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climberca.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=310"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/climberca.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/310\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1454,"href":"https:\/\/climberca.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/310\/revisions\/1454"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climberca.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=310"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climberca.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=310"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climberca.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=310"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}The Ugam: Not a “Consolation Prize,” But a Genuine Thrill<\/h4>\n
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Two Ways to Ride: Choose Your Adventure<\/h4>\n
\nThis is the prime time. The river is fat with snowmelt, the current is fast, and the rapids are punchy. This run is for the purist. You’ll make a double trip down the 11-kilometer stretch because one run simply isn’t enough. It’s active, it’s wet, and it leaves you grinning. If you came to Uzbekistan looking for rapids,\u00a0this is your window.<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nAs the water drops, the Ugam mellows out. The rapids soften, and the river transforms into a scenic, playful float. This is the perfect trip for:<\/p>\n\n
Why This Trip Works (For Real Rafters and First-Timers Alike)<\/h4>\n
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The Bottom Line<\/h4>\n
![\"Ugam](\"https:\/\/pagetour.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/photo_2023-05-12_18-56-55.jpg\" "\\"Ugam")
<\/a><\/p>\n
Short references +99898 3039846
https:\/\/t.me\/ClimberCA<\/a> – telegram
WhatsApp \/ Viber +7966 065-53-44
e-mail – your@climberca.com<\/p>\nThe Legendary Whitewater of Uzbekistan: A Look Back at the Rivers That Defined an Era<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nThe Crown Jewel: The Chatkal River (“The River of Five Canyons”)<\/h3>\n
\n
<\/a><\/center>Accessing the Legend:
\nApproaches to the upper Chatkal were long but comfortable. The southern route led from the Uzbek city of Namangan through the Chapchama Pass (2841m) in the Chatkal Ridge. The northern route started from the Kazakh city of Taraz, crossing the Karabura Pass (3300m) in the Talass Ridge. The journey’s end was more convenient; the take-out at Ugam-Chatkal National Park was connected to Tashkent by a modern highway, just two hours away.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/center><\/p>\nThe Ultimate Test: The Oyga’ing and Pskem<\/h3>\n
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The Other Rivers: Ugam and Ahangaran<\/h3>\n
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A Glimpse of the Past, A Hope for the Future<\/h3>\n
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