00:19Water has always determined why people settled, traveled and traded across what is now Uzbekistan.
00:26Our journey begins just over an hour from the capital, in the Tashkent region, where the Ugam River winds through
00:32the foothills of the Western Tenshine.
00:36Flowing through the foothills of the Western Tenshine, the Ugam River is one of Uzbekistan's most important mountain waterways.
00:44Fied by snow melt and natural springs, it supports local ecosystems, agriculture and communities while also attracting visitors with its
00:53clear waters and dramatic scenery.
00:56For many, it's a place to escape the city, but it also highlights the key role that mountain rivers play
01:02in sustaining life across the region.
01:05Originating in Kazakhstan before crossing into Uzbekistan, the Ugam River supplies water to communities along its course,
01:13while helping make the Boston Luka District one of the country's most popular destinations for outdoor recreation.
01:32Further into the mountains, another water attraction has developed in the village of Nanaib.
01:54Several hours to the south, the landscape changes once again.
01:58In the mountains of Jizakh region, springs emerge naturally from the rocks,
02:03feeding streams and waterfalls that remain active throughout the year.
02:18Chidan, among the mountains of Jizakh region,
02:21fizzle to waterfalls offers a very different side of Uzbekistan.
02:25Surrounded by rocky cliffs and greenery,
02:27it has become an increasingly popular destination for hikers and nation lovers
02:32looking to escape the summer heat.
02:36Researchers have found naturally high levels of iron in the spring water,
02:41while local authorities are exploring ways to develop tourism
02:44without changing the character of the surrounding forest.
03:15For many visitors, however,
03:17the main attraction is simply the landscape itself.
03:30Our final stop takes us west to Bukhara.
03:33Unlike the mountain rivers, water here was carefully collected and stored.
03:39When we think about the Silk Road, we often picture caravans crossing endless deserts.
03:44But these journeys were only possible because of places like this.
03:48This ancient house transformed Bukhara into a thriving oasis,
03:51providing the water that sustained travelers' trade in everyday life.
03:56One of them is Labi Khaos.
03:59Built around a large stone-lined ball in the early 17th century,
04:03the ensemble gradually became one of Bukhara's easiest public spaces.
04:20Another surviving reservoir stands opposite the Ark Fortress.
04:25Bukhara supplied the Amir's residents and the surrounding government quarter.
04:30We are able to collect the water from Bukhara.
04:34We are able to collect the water from Bukhara.
04:36We are able to collect the water from Bukhara.
04:43Each destination of this journey share one say in common.
04:47Without water, neither these landscapes nor the communities around them
04:51would exist as they do today.
04:55Thank you very much to see.
