Sukok Forest is a great place to visit if you want to go hiking near Tashkent.
Everyone will agree: Tashkent is a nice place to live for both locals and expats, but it does not offer many hiking opportunities. If you want to go hiking and enjoy nature and fresh air, you need to get out of the city. Luckily, there are many options available and taxis are incredibly cheap. First, there are various hotels in the Chimgan mountains which you can visit. The most popular one is Amirsoy ski resort (perfect for winter time, but also has activities in summer). If you have time on your hands and want to do something epic, you can travel all the way to Zamin-a beautiful mountain region.
Sukok forest is a perfect place to go on a day trip for people who live in Tashkent or are visiting for a few days. It’s located in the small town of Parkent, about 60 km or 1.5 hours from Tashkent. The easiest way to get there is by hiring a taxi. The driver would take you there and wait for a few hours until you want to go back.
What can you expect to find at Sukok forest?
You will have an opportunity to walk through a beautiful forest, admire breathtaking mountain views and have a picnic overlooking gorgeous scenery. The air in the mountains is amazing and definitely a great treat after the muggy air of Tashkent. This walk will be especially beautiful in the fall when the trees are covered by colorful leaves and also in the spring when the nature is awakening and fresh greenery comes out.
There is also a small village at the bottom of the hill where you can spot various domestic animals (e.g., chickens) and buy some tremendous fruits and vegetables.
During our visit, we bought some incredibly tasty grapes. The best grapes I’ve ever tasted!
Parkent area is famous for its wines. We were told that even experts from France came to inspect the wines and were impressed. Not sure if that’s true or not, but I was definitely impressed. Other than grapes, you can also buy tomatoes, apples, walnuts (both in shells and peeled), honey, herbs, and other delicious things.
In terms of facilities, there are no restaurants or cafes in the forest itself, but there are some nearby. Expect a rather basic menu (kebab, tomato and cucumber salad, traditional soups etc.), but the taste will definitely be delicious. You will be able to find restrooms in the forest, but be ready that these are very basic. It’s a good idea to also bring hand sanitizer with you as there might be few places to wash hands.
When should you come to Sukok forest?
I recommend coming to the forest in the morning. On nice weather days, it gets crowded quite quickly. If you want to grab a nice bench or a picnic table, you need to arrive early. While there are quite a few benches and tables, there are more people hunting for them. Many Uzbek families enjoy having a nice meal at this nature reserve, so there will definitely be no good spots left in the afternoon. Of course, you can simply have a picnic on the ground, which is also fine. But in that case, don’t forget to bring a picnic blanket.
What type of walk can you expect at Sukok forest?
Well, be ready to do some exercise. You must be relatively fit to make it. The Sukok forest is located on a rather steep hill. As such, this hike would be somewhat challenging for people with disabilities and elderly travelers. At the very bottom of the hill there are some taxis available to take travelers up to the gates of the reserve. But from the gates on, it’s only walking.
I don’t recommend bringing babies and very small children in strollers etc. Even if you plan to carry the baby in your arms, there is a good chance to trip or slip on a path, so probably not worth taking a risk.
The final word
If you are an expat living in Tashkent, you need to take advantage of your time here and explore the area to the fullest. Whether you have your own car or hire a driver for the day, it’s rather affordable to go to Sukok and similar places.
If you are visiting Tashkent, it’s also a good idea to get out of the city and do some hiking. Uzbekistan is not just about historical landmarks (even though they are the most famous, of course), but also about beautiful nature and great outdoor opportunities which you can easily find.