1. How to get to Nurata (also spelled Nurota)

A. Private driver:

Ruslan Guesthouse and Tours can arrange for a driver to pick you up from your hotel or hostel in Samarkand or Bukhara, or from the train station in Navoi. The prices are (per car) from Samarkand is $40, from Bukhara is $40, and from the train station in Navoi is $20. The car will fit a maximum of three people. Any additional people will require a 2nd car at double the cost. Contact us to arrange a pick-up.

Your driver is not a guide.

B. Scenic tour with private driver ending in Nurata:

From Samarkand: If you would like to take a scenic drive through the mountains to see start your self-guided walking sightseeing tour in the Dara Valley with stops for short walks, photography and sightseeing, we can arrange this at an additional cost (+$15 for a total cost of $55 per car from Samarkand).

From Navoi or Bukhara you can make a visit to the Sarmysh-say area (oq-tepa) petroglyphs on the way to Nurata for an additional cost (+$20 per car). From Bukhara the cost is $60 per car, and from Navoi $40 per car.

These scenic trips can also be made on your return trip. (Your driver is not a guide.)

C. By yourself:

From Navoi train station, take a local taxi 10 kilometers north to the Karma bus station ('avtovokzal') just north of central Navoi. Here there are shared taxis at 20,000 to 25,000 som per person. Google maps link. On MAPS.ME the bus station is listed as "Avtostantsiya Navoi." The trip will be 70 kilometers to Nurata. Ask the driver to take you to the "chashma" (the sacred springs where most tourists are going). The guesthouse is close by.

From Bukhara, you will start at the "Karavan Bazar" bus and car station. Here you can find a shared taxi for 30,000 som to the Karmana bus station in Navoi (listed above). From here follow the same directions as above.

From Samarkand, go to the Ulugbek bus station and you can find a shared taxi for 40,000 som to the Karmana bus station in Navoi (listed above). From here follow the same directions as above.

If you are coming form Nukus, Khiva or Tashkent, the best way to go is to take a train to Navoi. 

2. About the Nurata region

The town of Nurata is located at the foot of the Nuratau mountains next to the scared 'chashma' springs complex, a destination for local tourists and pilgrims. Nurata is the base to visit the wider Nurata region that includes the Nurata-Kyzylkum Biosphere Preserve (including mountains, desert, steppe and lakes). The town's origin is connected to Alexander the Great, and an old fortress still remains on a hilltop next to the springs.

3. Best time to visit

It is possible to visit at anytime of the year. However, in the winter it will not be possible to visit the higher mountainous areas. In summer, it is the same temperature as Bukhara and Samarkand, making this the best time to swim at the lake and camp outside.

4. Money and payments

The banks in the town of Nurata do not have ATMs or bank machines. You will need to bring all the cash you need for your visit. Ruslan Tours and Guesthouse only takes payment in cash.

5. Food and shopping

There are several small grocery stores in the center of the town of Nurata, and you can purchase lunch or dinner at the guesthouse for $5 per meal. Breakfast is includes for free with your stay at the guesthouse.