Uzbekistan (August 2023): Khodja-Ipak, Gorge of Kurganchasai river, Denau, and Sangardak waterfall
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Khodja-Ipak:
From Dibola
we drove to Khodja-Ipak, where we stopped for
roughly 24 hours. It is the location of a
hydrogen-sulfide spring that attracts many visitors from southern
Uzbekistan. Originally, people came here mostly to treat skin issues by bathing
in the spring. Now, the place boasts a broad set of attractions. We arrived
there on a Friday evening. My first reaction was one of dislike: too many
people! But I soon changed my mind. People there seemed to have a good time and
were extremely friendly. This stop also gave me a unique opportunity to observe
the weekend leisure activities of southern Uzbeks.
Landscape
soon before reaching Khodja-Ipak.
Views of Khodja-Ipak. The hydrogen-sulfide
spring is located exactly where the narrow gorge of the Kyrganchasai river ends
(center of photo below). Access to the spring is opened at specific hours for
men and for women. Several ponds have been carved out of the riverbed,
where people can play with various types of small boats.
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Both sides of the river
are lined with square covered platforms, where families and individuals spend
hours drinking and eating in the shade.
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Cooking pans, called
kazans, in which people cook almost everything (especially, plov, potatos, and
meat)
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More people.
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Morning hike
in the narrow canyon of the Kurganchasai river:
On the morning following our arrival at Khodja-Ipak, Boris, Lutfilo, and
I went hiking into the canyon of the Kurganchasai river, upstream from
Khodja-Ipak. The narrow section is not very long, but very spectacular. It is
also empty of people!
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[Photo taken
by Boris Karpov.]
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The only three people we encountered
during our hike.
[Photo taken
by Boris Karpov.]
Beyond the column in the right photo
below, the canyon opened up and became less
spectacular. We then decided to retrace our steps back to Khodja-Ipak.
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Denau:
In the afternoon we left Khodja-Ipak for
Denau, where we spent a night. On the next morning, we purchased some food for
the following 6-day hike and we drove to the start of
this hike in the mountain village of Bakhcha (GPS waypoint 07).
Desert landscape along the road to
Denau.
The 16th century Sayyid Atalik Madrasah,
one of the largest madrassas in Central Asia, near the street bazaar of Denau.
Two Soviet-time automobiles in front of
an old-style building.
Scenes in the street bazaar of Denau.
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Thumbs up! Proud shashlik and bread
makers.
Sangardak waterfall:
Between Denau and Bakhcha, we stopped
briefly at the Sangardak waterfall, another tourist attraction in southern
Uzbekistan. Indeed, the lush tropical-style vegetation around the waterfall
provides a welcome escape from the scorching heat and dust of the Denau area.
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From we drove to Bakhcha,
the start of our six-day hike to Zarmas and Tatar,
via Amir Timur cave. See here.
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