What to do in Uzbekistan beyond the 3 museum cities?

Hi everyone, happy to be back on VF! I’ll be in Uzbekistan this coming April and will of course visit the three classics—Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva. However, I’d also love to get out of these cities to explore the Uzbek countryside and experience its nature. Mountains, steppes, etc. Ideally, with some great hikes passing through villages. Any spots you’d recommend? Thanks in advance

Hi,

A trip to the Aral Sea. Visit the desert castles.

Hi Franck, One of the Uzbek agencies I contacted for my trip offered me a day excursion to Ouzounsoy, a village near Samarkand (350 m elevation gain). If you're interested, I’ll send you their details in a PM. Catherine

Hi Catherine, Uzbekistan

Michel

Hi there! Of course, there are hiking opportunities through villages. I don’t have the names of the towns and villages memorized or my notes handy right now. But around Samarkand and in the Ferghana Valley, there are things to see and do. I can look into it if you'd like. If you love art, the astonishing Nukus Museum is a must-see. It’s worth visiting on the way to the Aral Sea, and you can also check out the desert castles along the way.

A local agency, Turquoise Travel, can put together some options for you. I can also share the manager’s contact details in a PM if you're interested.

Thanks for this feedback! I’m actually looking into these areas but want to do it independently (not through an agency). You never know—if you happen to find your notes, I’d love a copy! Thanks in advance

Thanks for your message, but I can’t find Ouzounsoy on Maps. I’d also like to be completely independent and not go through an agency.

Hi there, apparently it’s around Urgut, which you can find on maps. I can’t tell you more—I won’t be in Uzbekistan until spring. Catherine

Hi there,

I already mentioned the village name in Cyrillic above.

Michel

Awesome, thanks so much—I’ll look into this! !

Thanks Michel, I translated it via Uzunsoj! Yeah, I'm a Cyrillic expert 😎

I can confirm! We spent 3 days in Urgut, hiking in the surrounding mountains—it was stunning and only about 1.5 hours from Samarkand, if I remember correctly. It’s also *way* less touristy than the camps around Nurata and Aydar Kul.

Also worth seeing: the Nukus Art Museum, truly extraordinary—a magnificent collection in the middle of nowhere.

Happy travels

Good evening, I’m not specifically replying to Samfam’s message, but since there’s no way to post a "general" reply, I’m using what’s available to chime in...

The "three" tourist cities in Uzbekistan are must-sees, but the desert is bleak—flat, just piles of sand and scrub, basically the backshore of the Landes coast but on a much larger scale... The mountains are more of the same, nothing like the neighboring countries (Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan). They might feel exotic to folks from France’s flatlands, but for anyone used to the Alps, they’re pretty underwhelming.

So, what’s there to see that’s out of the ordinary in this country? Well, I’ve said it before... but clearly, the urban areas, farmland, and villages seem to hold a special appeal for some travelers and forum members... So skip the trip to what’s left of the Aral Sea, don’t bother exploring the desert castles’ ruins, and don’t try spending a night in a yurt camp at the foot of those same ruins... 😏

You're right, the western shores of the Aral Sea aren't worth the trip—really too ugly. Here's an example from late September 2024:

I won’t promote it too much, otherwise the Aral Plaza Hotel will expand onto the beach—those first shipping containers are already showing up. The new big issue in the Stans: shipping containers. If you want to book a stay to observe vehicle ruts on the beach , I think you can reach them by phone—just look at that antenna! A dock has been set up for a quick dip, so you can avoid a mud bath for your little feet.

See you soon.

I’m absolutely outraged! !

Hey! And how do you get there from Muynak? Does the airport even operate? (Uz Airways doesn’t show any flights from Urgench) Is it a road? A track? And most importantly (since I don’t really care about the yurt 😛), is it a good base for reaching the beautiful landscapes of the Ustyurt Plateau? Catherine

PS: Bibouns, if I’m bugging you by flooding your thread with personal questions, just say so and I’ll start a new one!

I can't give you a personal answer because we travel with our own off-road vehicle. However, we did see local agency 4x4 vehicles heading to those sites. You’ll find some additional views of the Aral Sea in our travel journal from our 2019 trip: https://www.lescs.fr/IMG/pdf/190707_ouzbekistan.pdf

Thanks.

You’ll find some additional views of the Aral Sea in this travel journal from our previous trip in 2019. https://www.lescs.fr/IMG/pdf/190707_ouzbekistan.pdf

We don’t know which border you crossed at the start of the trip—Kazakhstan or Turkmenistan... Anyway, I assume you haven’t seen landscapes like this: Otherwise, I imagine you would’ve photographed them. I know it’s “out there,” but the Ustyurt Plateau is so vast that I’m not sure exactly where—and more importantly, if it’s accessible from Uzbekistan. Catherine

I suggest checking out these two pages where you can download the 2019 and 2024 travel journals (at the bottom of the page). For 2024, the following episodes are still being written. Some of Perju’s suggestions are in these journals.

https://www.lescs.fr/Asie-Centrale-2019 https://www.lescs.fr/Asie-Centrale-2024

Happy reading and enjoy your armchair travels through the text and photos!

Okay, thanks Christian. "My" landscapes are in Kazakhstan. Too complicated given the time I have (and I still don’t get why Uzbek agencies feature them on their sites). C.

Hey, Like others have already mentioned, Nukus with its museum and the desert villages, Moynak on the former shores of the Aral Sea—I’d add Shakhrisabz and the Ferghana Valley.

The photo you shared was taken in the Mangystau Desert, in southern Kazakhstan.

https://youtu.be/S7VynFpxhG8?si=gaU17DCG-HE_H8wg

I can recommend spending a day in Tajikistan from Samarkand—it’s very doable in a day to visit the Seven Lakes Valley from Penjikent. The landscapes are stunning, mountainous, and very different from Uzbekistan. I was there last week. The border crossing is easy in both directions, with no special formalities, and the visa is free.

The border is 1 hour from Samarkand, easily reachable by taxi, shared taxi, or minibus. I hired a Tajik guide-driver who picked us up at the border for the day and dropped us back in the late afternoon. One of the best days of our trip.

I highly recommend our guide—he has an excellent car, a comfortable 4x4, speaks great English, and charges much less than what you’d find on booking platforms.

His name is Rohim, and you can contact him on WhatsApp at +992 93 195 0008

A great itinerary offered by this agency: https://www.besqala.com/tourDetails/9

I think we crossed paths with two of this agency’s vehicles on the tracks by the Aral Sea. On board, there was 1 guide + 2 drivers + tourists.

Other visits are possible with this agency from Nukus, including the castles mentioned by Perju. https://www.besqala.com/

If you're heading to Tajikistan to visit the Seven Lakes Valley (great suggestion from Philovoyage), you can extend your trip to the Iskandarkul Lake valley. This lake is stunning.

No no, no worries, all info is good to take, even if I admit I struggle to tell sarcasm from real great tips! 😅😅😅

So, I'm kinda torn between getting off the Uzbek highways or heading to Tajikistan to stretch my legs!

Awesome, thanks for the info—I’ll check it out closely! So, I’m thinking of extending my exploration with 2 or 4 days in Tajikistan.

Quick question: Since I’m not used to relying on a guide, does it seem doable to do these 3 days independently?

Thanks in advance

Thanks Lecs, I’m definitely noting this extension—it really interests me. Did you do it solo?

We have our own converted off-road travel vehicle. We went without a guide. In these two valleys, you’ll find accommodations like guest houses or campgrounds or...

Hey, The Seven Lakes are well worth the detour. I went there about a dozen years ago—there were guesthouses back then. I pitched my tent next to the highest lake; it was amazing. One tip: if you're hiking in the mountains, don’t get too close to the herds—the sheepdogs are nothing like poodles.

Does 3 days seem doable to visit the desert fortresses and the Aral Sea (Moynaq and the west side) from Urgench? The two options would be hitchhiking or renting a car at Urgench Airport. The only problem is, when I check rental platforms, I can’t find any and don’t even know if it’s possible... Thanks in advance

If traveling independently (hitchhiking), would 3 days be enough to visit the Seven Lakes and the Iskandarkul Lake valley from Samarkand? Thanks in advance

The desert fortresses are close to Urgench—if you can rent a vehicle, it's easy to hit the 3 classics in the area in a day. Then, getting to Moynaq is possible with your own vehicle (or by hitchhiking, I guess), but heading to the shores of the Aral Sea requires knowing the tracks and having a 4x4 to avoid struggling. From Moynaq, you can definitely find a "guide" who can take you to the western part—it's doable in a day if you start from that town. After that, combining the Aral Sea and the fortresses in 3 days is feasible, as long as you don’t waste time on rentals, travel, or finding a guide.

Thanks Perju for this feedback! So according to you, is it possible to rent a vehicle when arriving at Urgench Airport?

And honestly, I’ve only seen very few photos of the western shore of the Aral Sea. Is it really worth the visit?

I didn’t say it was easy or even possible to rent a vehicle in this city... I said that *IF* you manage to rent one, it’s easy to do a circuit to the desert fortresses. Check out this short video—it gives you an idea of the west coast of the sea.

https://youtu.be/GTC55Rx6N6c?si=D4Q7XZ4wIiLyxuNJ

My photo of the hotel in a previous post matches your shot at 8:05 in your video. Five years ago, there was a refreshment stand, and now there’s a hotel with AC... etc.... The guard kicked me out because I dared to take photos outside their fenced enclosure. I hadn’t realized it was a "zoo"...... The yurt camp on the upper level is much more discreet, with a lovely sea view. For your info, this time we didn’t leave any ruts—I stopped the engine 500 meters before the critical point.

Traveling independently (hitchhiking), could 3 days be enough, starting from Samarkand, to visit the Seven Lakes and the Iskanderkul Lake valley? Thanks in advance

If you plan well, it’s possible to visit both sites in 3 days. We met several travelers who did a round trip to the Seven Lakes in a day from Samarkand.

And honestly, I’ve only seen very few photos of the western coast of the Aral Sea. Is it really worth seeing?

You’ll witness a rare geological phenomenon. The sea’s retreat removed the pressure that the water exerted on the cliffs. The lack of pressure causes the cliffs to collapse in multi-hectare slabs. The cliffs are multicolored. Sunrise is a real treat.

https://youtu.be/GTC55Rx6N6c?si=D4Q7XZ4wIiLyxuNJ

What, a 4x4 off the beaten track!!!!! 😉

Hi there, I can confirm that between the three cities, the landscape is a desert steppe with practically no relief except around Samarkand. From Tashkent, you can rent a car (around $200 for 3 days with Hertz) and head to the Ferghana Valley, which you access via the Kamchik Pass at 2,140 m. The mountainous environment has peaks between 3,000 and 4,000 m that are snow-capped. In the Ferghana Valley, don’t miss the Kokand Palace, the silk factory in Margilan, the potters’ village of Rishton, and the Ferghana bazaar. From this valley, it’s also possible (we didn’t do it) to cross into Kyrgyzstan.

Hi there,

I’m so glad to see you back on this forum and can’t wait to read your future travel journals! In April 2024, we went to Uzbekistan for 22 days with a French-speaking tour operator specializing in the destination. Unfortunately, due to a death in our family, we had to cut our trip short after just 4 days—just enough time to visit Tashkent, take a flight to Nukus, explore the city and the desert fortresses, and spend a day in Khiva before rushing back to Paris. If you’d like, I can send you our itinerary in a DM—it might give you some ideas for the destination and the lesser-known spots around the legendary Silk Road cities.

Hi Franck, we’re also looking for some spots outside the cities—we usually travel independently. Have you got any feedback? Did you manage to hike to the Seven Lakes or find other less touristy places? Thanks for the reply