Nurek Reservoir
A turquoise reservoir behind one of the tallest dams in the world, on the Vakhsh southeast of Dushanbe.
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The Nurek dam was completed in 1980 across the Vakhsh river, an earth-fill embankment of around three hundred metres that was the tallest dam in the world for decades and remains among the tallest built. Behind it the reservoir backs up some seventy kilometres between bare hills, an intense turquoise against the brown slopes. The station supplies a large share of the country's electricity, and the dam itself is a restricted area.
What you actually see
- The reservoir - turquoise water backed up some seventy kilometres between bare hills.
- The dam - an earth-fill embankment of around three hundred metres.
- The colour contrast - blue water against dry brown slopes.
- The viewpoints - the road above the reservoir looking down on the water.
When to go
April to October is the season; the colour is strongest under midday sun. Water levels drop through the irrigation season. Summer in the valley is very hot.
Honest expectations
The dam is a strategic installation and photography near it is restricted and challenged. Swimming is prohibited in most of the reservoir. Access to the shoreline is limited.
Nearby
Dushanbe is northwest, and Kulob is southeast.
What to pack for Nurek 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.
