Navoi to Zarafshan: Across the Kyzylkum to the Gold Miners' Town

Zarafshan is one of the most unusual towns in Uzbekistan. It was built in the 1960s in the middle of the Kyzylkum Desert for workers at the Muruntau mine, one of the largest open-pit gold mines in the world. For dozens of kilometres around there is nothing but sand, saxaul shrubs and the occasional village. Getting here is not difficult, but the trip needs preparation: this is not a highway with a filling station and a roadside cafe every ten minutes.

Distances and travel times

From Tashkent people usually take the highway via Jizzakh and Samarkand to Navoi and then turn north into the desert. So a trip from the capital is really two routes: a long drive to Navoi on a busy highway and a desert stretch to Zarafshan.

What transport is available

Buses. Intercity buses and minibuses run between Navoi and Zarafshan, but departures are few. There are sometimes direct services from Tashkent, but timetables change, so check in advance at the bus station.

Train. You can cover part of the journey by rail: trains, including fast services, run from Tashkent to Navoi. Further north passenger services are limited, and you will usually need a car for the final leg.

Shared rides. Many people who work in Zarafshan drive home from Navoi, Samarkand and Tashkent. On Yo'ldosh you can find such a trip and book a seat in the app, with the departure time, route and verified driver visible in advance. This is especially useful on the desert stretch, where buses are scarce and a taxi for one is expensive.

Taxi. Possible from Navoi, but a long trip into the desert is costly and the price should be agreed beforehand.

The desert road: what you need to know

The road from Navoi to Zarafshan is paved but runs through sparsely populated country. The key rules:

1. Fill up completely in Navoi. Filling stations along the way are rare and not all are open around the clock.
2. Carry plenty of water: at least two litres per person, more in summer. If you break down, help may take a long time to arrive.
3. Check your car before leaving: tyres, spare wheel, cooling system and oil. Desert heat puts a heavy load on the engine.
4. Watch for sand on the road. After wind, tongues of sand appear on the asphalt and can make the car slide.
5. Look out for animals: camels and sheep sometimes wander onto the road.
6. Do not drive off the road into the sand without a four-wheel-drive vehicle and experience.

There is mobile coverage for most of the way, but it drops out in places. Let someone know when you are leaving and roughly when you expect to arrive.

If you get delayed on the road

Sometimes you have to stop unexpectedly: a flat tyre, rising wind or an overheated engine. If that happens, do not walk away from the car into the desert, as a vehicle on the road is far easier to spot than a person. Switch on your hazard lights, set out a warning triangle, stay in the shade of the car and ration your water. Lorries and staff buses pass regularly, and drivers in this region usually stop to help.

When to go

• Spring (March to May) is the best time: the desert briefly turns green, tulips and poppies bloom and the heat has not yet arrived.
• Summer is extremely hot, with daytime temperatures of 45 degrees or more. If you must travel, go early in the morning or towards evening.
• Autumn brings mild weather and good visibility, making it the second-best time.
• Winter is cold with frost at night, and wind and dust storms are possible. Travel only in daylight.

Zarafshan itself

Zarafshan is a tidy town with wide streets, apartment blocks and green courtyards kept alive by irrigation. For a desert town it has a surprising number of trees. There are few tourist sights: people come here mainly for work and to see family.

One important point: the mine and industrial sites are closed to outsiders, and you cannot drive up to the pit on your own. Do not try to photograph industrial facilities and do not drive onto service roads.

What to see along the way

If you are coming from Navoi and have time, you can make a detour to the Sarmishsay gorge in the hills north-east of Navoi, where thousands of ancient rock carvings survive. The trip takes a separate half day and is best done with a driver who knows the way.

On the desert stretch itself the main impression is the vastness of the Kyzylkum: dunes, saxaul thickets, herds of camels and sunsets that make this drive worth doing at least once.

Travelling from Tashkent: breaking up the journey

The trip from the capital in one day is exhausting. Options:

• leave very early and drive all day with stops in Jizzakh, Samarkand and Navoi;
• take the train to Navoi, stay overnight and continue by car in the morning;
• find a direct shared ride from Tashkent, since drivers who regularly go home to Zarafshan know the best places to rest.

Look for direct rides from the capital on the Tashkent to Zarafshan page.

The way back

It is best to leave Zarafshan in the morning so you cross the desert in daylight and can catch a train in Navoi. Demand is higher on Fridays and before holidays, so book seats in advance on the Zarafshan to Navoi page.

You can find a ride from Navoi to Zarafshan on your date on the Navoi to Zarafshan page. If you drive this road regularly yourself, see the for drivers section: passengers can help share the cost of a long trip.

Cover photo: Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons.