Free cancellation
Up to 24 hours in advance. Learn More
This tour is the best when travelers travel between Bukhara and Samarkand and want to discover and see the diverse landscape of Uzbekistan, sleep in a traditional yurt, and experience the nomadic culture firsthand. Travelers start the tour from Samarkand, see Alexander’s Fort in Nurata, drive to Lake Aidarkul, and if the weather permits can swim and drive to yurt camp for overnight.
All transfers, including hotel pick-up and drop-off
Camel ride in the desert and nomadic music around campfire
Experience the nomadic lifestyle staying in a yurt
Discover the natural beauty of Uzbekistan at your own pace
09:00 AM
Meet your driver with the sign of your name in the hotel lobby and start the tour to Yurt Camp (Please contact us to let us know the exact pickup location for the tour)
Nurata—this city is surrounded by the Nurata Mountains. Nurata (“Nur means Light or Holy and Ata means Father”), this ancient town held a strategic position on the frontier between the cultivated lands and the steppe. The population of the town is 32,000 people and renowned for marble and astrakhan production, Nurata has retained some of the holy sites that attracted pilgrims from all over Central Asia.
4 Hours • Admission Ticket Free
Visiting sights are: 1. Alexander’s Fort—it is strategically located on the top of the hill to the south of the town, and Uzbek sources suggest that Alexander instructed one of his generals to build an impenetrable fortress here while he continued his conquest of Bactria and Sogdiana. When Alexander returned, his troops could neither break down the gates nor scale the walls, such was the strength of the construction. 2. Chashma Spring—This spring is linked to Hazrati Ali (son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad). The center of the complex is a pool where the faithful come to collect water as good luck and health to relatives and friends. Regardless of the time of the year, the mineral-laden spring water is said to remain at a consistent 19 °C. The population of Marinka fish in the pool is thriving as it is considered a holy spot and hence no one is allowed to catch them.
1 Hours • Admission Ticket Included
Lake Aydarkul was created in 1969 when catastrophic spring floods made people drain excess water from the Syrdarya River into the Arnasay Depression. Since then Aydarkul has been steadily growing in size. Nowadays lake covers an area of 4,000 square kilometers.
2 Hours • Admission Ticket Included
After visiting Lake Aydarkul drive to Yangiganzan to yurt camp (40 minutes’ drive). Upon arrival, travelers check in to the yurt. Yurts have proper beds with a bit of hard mattresses and pillows. In early spring and late fall, the desert can get pretty cold at night, so travelers are supplied with a pile of nice warm blankets. Inside the yurt there are some basic amenities like an electric wall lamp (although it is still recommended to bring a personal torch) and a rubbish bin. Activities to do in yurt camp: camel riding, watching the birds, and after dinner live music by Kazakh musicians around the campfire.
1 Hours • Admission Ticket Free
Accommodations : Overnight in Yurt Camp (2 people per yurt, shared bathroom facilities, a flushing toilet)
Meals : Dinner
After camp-style breakfast, drive to Samarkand (235 km)
4 Hours • Admission Ticket Free
Meals : Breakfast
Operated by Samaria Travel
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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50 Minutes
Free Cancellation
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50 Minutes
Free Cancellation
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Free Cancellation
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