Nuratau & Aydarkul: 3 Days
Nuratau Mountains and Aydarkul Lake, Uzbekistan
3 Days / 2 Nights
Max 6 People
Moderate
Tour Guide
Meals Included
Description
Mountains, a lake and the desert between Samarkand and Bukhara. A night with a family in Asraf village, a hike over the hills to Uhum, an afternoon on the beach at Aydarkul Lake and a night in a yurt camp with a camel ride and Kazakh songs around the campfire.
The last day takes you past the sacred spring of Nurata, the Alexander the Great pass and the ceramics workshops of Gijduvan to Bukhara.
The hike is about 10 km (3–4 hours). Bring good walking shoes, a hat and swimwear for the lake in the warm months. Not included: entrance fees in Nurata, personal expenses, souvenirs and travel insurance.
Itinerary
Drive to Asraf in the Nuratau Mountains and check in to a family guesthouse. Home-cooked lunch, then a short hike with a local mountain guide to the ancient rock carvings. In the evening, a cooking class with your hosts, fresh baking and dinner with the family.
Hike from Asraf to Uhum (about 10 km, 3–4 hours), then drive down to Aydarkul Lake for lunch by the water and free time on the beach to swim, walk and take photos. In the late afternoon, settle into the yurt camp, take a 10–15 minute camel ride, and after dinner gather around the campfire for live Kazakh songs and music.
After breakfast, drive toward Bukhara with stops at the Chashma spring in Nurata, the Alexander the Great pass for the mountain views and a ceramics workshop in Gijduvan. The tour ends in Bukhara.
What's Included
- 1 night in a family guesthouse in Asraf and 1 night in the Aydarkul yurt camp
- Transport Samarkand – Asraf – Uhum – Aydarkul – Nurata – Gijduvan – Bukhara
- 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches (Asraf and Aydarkul Lake) and 2 dinners
- Local mountain guide (basic English)
- Petroglyphs walk and home-cooking class
- 10–15 minute camel ride and live Kazakh music by the campfire
- Gijduvan ceramics workshop
Tour Map
- 1Samarkand
- 2Asraf village
- 3Uhum village
- 4Aydarkul Lake and yurt camp
- 5Nurata Chashma
- 6Gijduvan
- 7Bukhara
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