Tour a unique mix of steppe, desert and lakes
Desert & Lake Tour (Full Day)
The desert and lake tour includes a visit to the Kyzylkum Desert and Aydarkul Lake. Activities include desert walking, swimming at the lake, a drive through the scenic steppe, walking and bird-watching in the wetlands, a Kazakh nomad village visit, and many stops for photography (for flocks of sheep and goats, and herds of horses, plus some other wild animals).
We generally start the tour from the guesthouse at about 10am and return by 3 or 4pm.
Costs for the tour:
Single person - $40
Two people - $60 ($30 per person)
Three people - $75 ($25 per person)
For four or more people, the price is upon request.
Camel-riding is available at extra cost of $20 per person for a 10 kilometer trip. We will have a picnic at a location of your choice. The picnic is self-catered, and we will stop at a grocery store where you can buy food and drinks to bring along.
Yurt Camping (Overnight)
Our yurt camping offers a chance to go past the steppes and into the Kyzylkum desert where you will spend the night in a traditional yurt. We leave in the afternoon to the yurt camp and, along the way, visit a Kazakh village in the desert and have a choice of activities at Aydarkul Lake. We will have dinner and breakfast at the yurt camp (included in the tour cost). After dinner around the campfire there will be a traditional folk music player who will sing with a dombra (a stringed instrument).
Departure time is generally 1 or 2 pm and the return is about 10am the following day.
Costs for the tour:
Single person - $110
Two people - $160 ($80 per person)
Three people - $210 ($70 per person)
For four or more people, the price is upon request.
The yurt camping tour includes a driver, guide, yurt accommodation and all meals.
Camel-riding is available at extra cost of $20 per person for a 10 kilometer trip.
Lakeside Camping (Overnight)
Aydarkul Lake provides an amazing environment for camping, wildlife watching, photography, swimming and walking. The tour starts at about 3:00 or 4:00pm when we leave for the lake. You can use the hotter part of day to go swimming before a later walk or birdwatching. Lunch at the guesthouse is included, after which we start the trip. We stop at the market on the way out of Nurata for provisions for dinner. After a campfire dinner, you can enjoy some star-gazing or a moonlit walk. At bedtime you will sleep in the tents provided (mattress and sleeping bag also included).
Costs for the tour:
Single person - $60
Two people - $110 ($55 per person)
Three people - $135 ($45 per person)
For four or more people, the price is upon request.
The camping tour includes transportation, lunch on the first day, and equipment including a tent, mattress, blanket and drinking water.
Trips start and finish in Nurata. It is possible to start and/or finish the tour in Bukhara or Samarkand at additional cost. Contact us for details.