A guide to escaping Tashkent’s scorching hot summer

The hottest season in Uzbekistan takes place between June and August each year, and is referred to locally as Chilla. During this season, temperatures usually go up to 30-40 degrees Celsius. But 2021 has been quite different so far. In fact, this year is the hottest year on record in Uzbekistan for the past 200 years! That’s right, it’s raining cats and dogs in France, the city of Curitiba in Brazil has registered temperatures of 4 degrees below zero this winter, and temperatures in Tashkent went as far as 46 degrees Celsius, or even higher in more arid regions such as Bukhara and Khiva. So even though Uzbekistan can sometimes feel a bit remote and sheltered from all the mess of this world, we are still definitely experiencing the first effects of climate change here as well.

I am in no way as well-versed on how to take individual action against climate change as Zero Waste Chef, who has an excellent blog on sustainable living at the citizen level. However, after one year and a half in Tashkent, I think I am pretty qualified to give some advice as to surviving Tashkent’s scorching hot summer. So here it goes:

1. Take a stroll in the city’s many parks

The story of Tashkent’s public parks is a bumpy road. And many of these have unfortunately been turned into amusement parks, leaving less and less space for trees and green spaces around the city. However, since the mayors of Tashkent City and Yakkasaroy District held a public consultation to decide the future of the Park of Friendship (formerly Bobur Park), it seems like more space for nature will be planned in the city from now on. So here is a list of green spaces where you can find some relief from this summer’s oppressive heat:

The Alley of Writers

The Alley of Writers is a park situated right beside the Parliament of the Republic of Uzbekistan, or behind NEXT Shopping Centre. It has been completed during the pandemic and features statues of famous Uzbek authors, starting with the highly celebrated 14th-century poet Alisher Navoiy. Since this area was renovated only recently, I don’t think many people know about it yet. For this reason, the park is very quiet and one can easily find a place to sit on a bench in the shades or under one of the pretty gazebos scattered in the alley. And if the weather really gets too hot, you can always visit the air-conditioned museum of Tashkent City, which retraces the history of Uzbekistan’s capital from Antiquity to the present.

The Botanical Garden

Just like any important city, Tashkent is also home to a large and fascinating botanical garden. The best way to go there is to take the metro and stop at Shakhistan station. Once outside, take Chinabad street. Then turn right on Darvozakent street and walk among the rural village-like houses of Yunasabad for two kilometers. Crossing the refreshing canal Bo’zsuv with its wild banks will make you believe you are thousands of kilometers away from the city, even though you are almost at the heart of it. After crossing the canal, you will have to reach Bogishamol street, where you will find the botanical garden’s main entrance.

Tashkent’s botanical garden is paved all around, and hence very easy to walk. It is full of local trees and vegetation which protect walkers from the sun. Finally, for only 4,000 soums/person, you will be able to admire the exotic species bred in the soviet-era orangerie situated at the centre of the garden.

The Park of Friendship

As mentioned earlier, the Park of Friendship of Tashkent is currently undergoing renovation. Its opening is planned for the end of this summer. Situated in Yakkasaroy district, this park contains various monuments in honour of Uzbekistan’s friendship with various countries of the world. For now, the main attraction is the small Korean village, built as a memorial for the hardships of the Korean migrants forcefully brought to Central Asia by the Soviet government in the 1930s. After its renovation, more trees and greenery will be added to the park, and it will be possible to rent small boats to use on the two lakes already in the park.

2. Have a picnic along the canal Anhor

I won’t lie, this summer I have seriously considered buying a kiddy pool for myself several times. But if you live in an apartment and don’t have enough space for such furniture, why not organize a picnic along canal Anhor? This water stream crosses the city from north to south and offers various sites to people walking along its banks. For example, if you like very well-tended French-style gardens and green lawns, you can choose to have your picnic on a bench behind the Senate of the Republic of Uzbekistan. On the other hand, if you’re more interested in a family picnic, then the part of the canal bordering Anhor Amusement Park might be more interesting for you. Finally, if you’re alone and want your picnic with a view, I would recommend choosing a bench behind the magnificent Minor Mosque.

My former landlady’s husband also goes fishing along this canal. They even eat the products of this hobby, however, I would not recommend doing so, since some parts of the canal are unfortunately quite dirty with plastic and other waste.

3. Spend the afternoon at PUB Kebab

If you can’t be bothered to cook when it’s +40 degrees outside, I completely understand, particularly since my kitchen does not have air conditioning. Sometimes, under this heat, even preparing a simple sandwich feels like the end of the world. For this reason, I recommend trying out PUB Kebab, a recent find of mine. This restaurant can be hard to find, but the location is absolutely worth it. Right beside Bo’rijar Canal, Pub Kebab’s summer kitchen offers a refreshing and relaxing view of the water stream. The overall decoration of the restaurant also makes you feel like you are in a Khan’s palace, with its fountain, carved columns, and basil pots everywhere.

In terms of food, I have tasted better shashlik (barbecue) elsewhere, but they have a large variety of excellent homemade limonades and iced teas. The restaurant also has a sushi bar, which I have yet to try.

4. Visit one of Tashkent’s many museums

As mentioned earlier, the Alley of Writers is home to the museum of the city of Tashkent. But if you’re not into archeology, there are many more cultural places where you can go hide from the heat in Tashkent. The most outstanding and fascinating museum of Uzbekistan’s capital is most probably the State Museum of Applied Art and Handicraft History of Uzbekistan. Situated in Tashkent’s embassy district, this museum was established in the home of a former Russian diplomat who hired craftsmen from all over the country to decorate his residence in a royal manner. In this air-conditioned museum, you will learn about the history of traditional Uzbek fabrics, ceramics, and wood carving. And if the heat does not discourage you, I have designed in French a small walkable excursion starting from Tashkent’s National Opera to the museum here.

Other interesting museums of Tashkent include the museum of the History of Uzbekistan and the Exhibition Centre of the Academy of Arts of Uzbekistan. I have not yet visited the latter one, however, I have seen a glimpse of the art exhibited in this building while passing by, and it looks stunning. Plus it is located near the park of the Cosmonauts, where one can go rest under the shades after the museum visit.

As for the museum of the History of Uzbekistan, even though not everyone might fully agree on the rhetoric adopted to narrate the country’s history, it is an easy and quick way to get acquainted with the region’s history, from the Stone Age to a very contemporary time, while enjoying some air condition. The wing dedicated to archeological findings from the Surkhandarya region, with its relics dating back from Alexander the Great and buddhist times, is absolutely fascinating. So if you don’t have time to travel to Termez, where most of the remains of the buddhist temples in Uzbekistan are situated, this museum can help fill the gap.

And finally, in Tashkent, one cannot miss the museum of the history of the Timurid Dynasty. This museum is pretty easy to find, since it’s at the centre of Tashkent, facing Square Amir Temur. Built after the independence of Uzbekistan, the splendid museum is dedicated to the history of Uzbekistan, from the Timurids to Islam Karimov, first president of the Republic (once again, the rhetoric is to be taken with a grain of salt).

Going to the museum is a great and cheap way (tickets are around 15,000 soums) to avoid the heat while learning about the fascinating culture of the country/region. All these places have decent air conditioning or at least not too many windows, which prevents the sun from burning visitors. However, I would definitely recommend visiting these museums accompanied with a guide, since the explanations accompanying artefacts are quite scarce and most often mistranslated.

5. Treat yourself to a very affordable spa

If you’ve lived in Tashkent for a while, you probably know that the entire population of the city flocks to Chorvak lake, only one hour away from Tashkent, during the summer season. But if crowds of people accumulated on the beach are not your thing, especially during a pandemic, I highly recommend giving a try to Grace Garden. Less than 20 minutes away from Tashkent’s city centre, Grace Garden is a very affordable hotel & spa with two swimming pools and a karaoke. And cherry on the cake, since it is Korean-owned, the hotel’s restaurant serves Korean-inspired dishes.

In order to access the premises, you need to reserve a table at least one week in advance. Tapchans (raised outdoor tables where people sit cross-legged) are also available, but these are almost always fully booked during the summer. However, that does not mean the hotel is too crowded. There is always more than enough space for everyone in the swimming pool.

The entrance price to the premises is 70,000 soums/person, plus 80,000 soums if you manage to book a tapchan, which can sit around six people. One hotel room at Grace Garden also costs around 200,000 soums/night and I don’t think you need to pay the entrance fee if you’re staying at the hotel. Finally, a Yandex taxi ride from Tashkent costs around 20,000 soums. This place is great for friendly gatherings or for a family with children of all ages.

So here are my five tips to try and make this summer’s heat more bearable for all. Of course, these tips cannot be substituted to drinking lots of water and staying indoors or under the shades between the hottest hours of the days (12:00-15:00). So until next time, stay healthy and let’s hope that this autumn will be more lenient on human kind…