Private Tour
Yurt Camp from Samarkand to Bukhara Self-Guided Tour
Overview
2 days
Mobile ticket
This tour is the best when travelers travel between Samarkand and Bukhara and want to discover and see a diverse landscape of Uzbekistan, sleep in traditional yurt and experience 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 natural beauty of Uzbekistan at your own pace
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Yurt camp opens from the beginning of March to mid of November
Please note: First part of the journey is a good road. In general it is a long and shaky ride to the Yurt Camp even so it is asphalt road but condition of the road is not good.
When travelers visit Chashma Spring complex there is a small mosque if you want to enter both men and women should wear clothing that covers their shoulders and knees. Avoid wearing tight, revealing, or transparent clothing. Women should cover their hair with a headscarf or shawl when they enter to holy places
Overnight in Yurt Camp (2 people per yurt, shared bathroom facilities)
If it is hot do not forget to put on sun sunscreen before going to visiting Chashma Spring complex (and just above the complex is Alexander’s Fort)
It is possible to start the tour from Bukhara and finish in Samarkand
If travelers after overnight stay in a yurt (if they do not want to drive to Bukhara) we can bring them back to Samarkand
Yurts have proper beds with a bit hard mattresses and pillows. An early spring and late fall the desert can get pretty cold at night, so travelers 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 bringing a personal torch) and a rubbish bin.
Please note: this activity is not available from 20 November to 10 March, as the yurt camps are seasonal and weather conditions during this period are cold. As an alternative, instead of a stay at a yurt camp and Aydarkul Lake, we offer accommodation in a guesthouse in the Nurata Mountains, where guests can experience village life and enjoy the surrounding natural scenery.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Samarkand-Nurata-Lake Aydarkul-Yurt Camp
Accommodations
Overnight in Yurt Camp (shared bathroom facilities, a flushing toilet)
Food and Drinks
DINNER
Dinner
Nurata
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.
Chashma
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 as a holy spot and hence no one is allowed to catch them.
Aydar Lake
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.
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.
Yurt Camp-Bukhara
Food and Drinks
BREAKFAST
Breakfast
Bukhara
After camp-style breakfast, drive to Bukhara (200 km)
What‘s Included
All transfers, including hotel pick-up and drop-off
Dinner
Breakfast
English guide
Gratuities
Entrance fees to sights as per itinerary
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Options
Yurt Camp from Samarkand to Bukhara Self-Guided Tour
Pickup included
Related Experiences
Operated by Samaria Travel