Kayrakkum Reservoir
A large reservoir on the Syr Darya near Khujand, used for swimming and sailing and known as the Tajik Sea.
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The Kayrakkum reservoir was created in the 1950s by damming the Syr Darya east of Khujand, flooding a stretch of the valley to create a body of water around five hundred square kilometres that people in the north call the Tajik Sea. Sanatoria and holiday resorts line parts of the shore, and it is the main swimming and boating place for the Sughd region. Waterbirds use the shallows, and the water level fluctuates with the dam.
What you actually see
- The open water - a reservoir of around five hundred square kilometres.
- The resort shore - sanatoria and holiday places along the northern bank.
- The swimming beaches - the main bathing place for the northern region.
- The waterbirds - species using the shallows and margins.
When to go
May to September is the season for swimming. Summer is very hot in the valley. Water levels drop through the irrigation season.
Honest expectations
Resorts are dated Soviet-era facilities in variable repair. Water levels and clarity vary a great deal. Summer heat in the Fergana valley is severe.
Nearby
Khujand is west, and Istaravshan is south.
What to pack for Kayrakkum Reservoir
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.