Handpicked experience · Tashkent
Tashkent, Uzbekistan
A private day from Tashkent to the Soviet-era solar furnace near Parkent, where a slope of mirrors concentrates sunlight into a single blazing point, followed by kebabs in the mountain village of Sukok.
The solar furnace near Parkent
Fields of movable mirrors and the concentrator tower
Kebabs in the village of Sukok
The foothills of the western Tian Shan
<section><h2>Overview</h2><p>Fifty kilometres east of Tashkent, in the foothills near Parkent, stands one of the strangest sights in Central Asia: a solar furnace built in Soviet times, where a hillside of movable mirrors throws sunlight onto a giant curved reflector and focuses it on a single point. Temperatures of up to about 3,000°C are quoted for the focus.</p></section><section><h2>The day</h2><p>Your driver takes you out to Parkent and up to the furnace, where you can walk among the mirrors and see the concentrator tower close up. It was built to test materials at extreme heat, and it is still a working research site.</p><p>The day ends in Sukok, a village higher in the hills known for its kebabs, before the drive back to Tashkent.</p></section><section><h2>Highlights</h2><ul><li>The solar furnace near Parkent</li><li>Fields of movable mirrors and the concentrator tower</li><li>Kebabs in the village of Sukok</li><li>The foothills of the western Tian Shan</li></ul></section>
Open it to pick a date and work out the price.
What the fare covers, and what to budget for separately.
The practical detail, and the answers people actually ask for.
No. This is a private car or minivan with a driver who knows the route; the driver may not speak English. An English-speaking guide can be added on request for an extra charge.
On a clear, sunny day. The furnace is a research facility, and the concentrator is most impressive when the sun is strong; visiting hours are set by the site.