Tashkent's Solar Furnace Discovery Tour

from

$120

Duration

1 Day

Location

Tashkent

Route

Tashkent

Description

Experience a one-of-a-kind journey to one of the world’s largest solar furnaces, located near Tashkent. This unique tour takes you behind the scenes of groundbreaking solar technology, offering insight into its scientific and industrial applications. Witness the incredible power of concentrated sunlight as it generates extreme temperatures for research and innovation. Along the way, enjoy breathtaking views of the surrounding landscapes and gain a deeper understanding of renewable energy advancements. Ideal for science enthusiasts, tech lovers, and curious travelers, this tour combines education with adventure for an unforgettable day of discovery.

Prices, per person
1 person US$ 290
2 persons US$ 150
3 persons US$ 120
Prices are for 2025 in US$ per person, with discounted prices for larger groups available on request.

Price includes:
Transportation throughout the tour (1-2 ppl in sedan; 3-8 in minivan);
Pick-up and drop-off from your Tashkent hotel;
Escort guide;
Entrance fee to Solar Institute of Uzbekistan.

Price does not include:
Cost of lunch;
Additional costs for Optional Activities.

Our creative plan

What To Expect

In the morning, meet your guide and driver at your Tashkent hotel. Drive to Parkent village (55 km, 1 hr 20 min) to tour the Big Solar Furnace, a truly unique Soviet relic at The Physics-Sun Institute of Materials Science, also known as the Solar Institute of Uzbekistan.
Upon arrival, begin your tour of the institute’s Big Solar Furnace, a technical complex with a solar concentrator, technological tower, and special mirrors (heliostats) that work in harmony to create an ideal environment for solar energy research.
During the tour, you will visit the following:

Heliostat field filled with 62 mirrors;
Solar museum;
Hydrometeorological station;
Concentrator of the Big Solar Furnace (BSF), which you can climb to observe the process of melting materials at temperatures reaching 3000°C (Note that melting does not occur on weekends, or on some weekdays);
The upper area of BSF, which offers a nice mountain view and fresh air (As of April 4, 2023, the elevator is out of order, so the observation deck is only conditionally accessible. To get there, you need to climb 13 floors on an external staircase on foot).

The complex is located at an altitude of 1100 meters in the foothills of the Tien Shan Mountains. After your tour of Physics-Sun, you will have free time to enjoy the beauty of nature before returning to Tashkent.
End of Solar Furnace near Tashkent Tour.
Tour Duration:
BSF tour time - 3 hours
Travel time – 6 hours