Nurek Mountain Lake

Nurek (taj. Norak) is a city in Tajikistan, 70 km southeast of the capital Dushanbe, with a population of 20 thousand inhabitants.

It arose in 1960 on the site of the Nurek village as a result of the construction of the Nurek hydroelectric power station. Engineers, builders, officials and their families were housed in orderly apartment buildings. However, in recent years Nurek has become a popular resort town; there are many hotels, guesthouses, restaurants and tourist services. Most guests come from Dushanbe and southern Tajikistan, attracted by the stunning mountain views, fresh air and serene scenic waters. The city is especially beautiful at night, when thousands of lights illuminate it; the sunsets are also otherworldly thanks to the unique combination of alpine scenery and a huge tranquil body of water.

Nurek is a mountain lake; it is with great pleasure that you can call the Nurek reservoir, formed in 1972. Indeed, among the mountain range in the south of Tajikistan, having noticed a huge area of the water surface, it is impossible not to compare it with the sea, especially the mountain. Currently, one of the most powerful hydroelectric power plants in Central Asia, the dam of which is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the tallest dam in the world.

The reservoir formed by the dam causes genuine delight among visitors, because while sailing on a boat along the Nurek reservoir, it is simply impossible not to admire the indescribable beauty of the mountain landscape, in the midst of which a magnificent miracle has been created - a gigantic reservoir, which has more than 70 km in length and an area of 98 km2.

The lake is very popular with tourists, as its creation opened up vast areas for exploration boat trips. The middle of the lake is also a great place for a wonderful panorama of the wide gorge, surrounded by snowy peaks on all sides. One of the drawbacks is that there are no sandy beaches, due to the fact that this is not a natural lake and the rocky slopes descend directly to the water. Nevertheless, in many places along the coast of the reservoir, floating houses are moored, from which it is convenient to descend into the water for swimming.