A Desert Route: Navoi, Zarafshan, Uchkuduk and Aydarkul

The Kyzylkum, the Red Sands, covers a large part of Uzbekistan, yet most travellers see it only from a train window or during a short night in a yurt camp. This route is different. It runs through towns that grew up around mining and ends at a lake that appeared among the sands. It is not a trip for comfort seekers, but for those who want to understand how the desert part of the country works.

What to know in advance

The desert is not an amusement park. Distances are huge, fuel stations are few, and in summer the heat can exceed forty-five degrees. The best time to travel is April, May, September and October. In winter nights are cold but days are clear. Large industrial enterprises operate in the Navoi region, so some territories are closed or need special permission. Do not photograph facilities that display prohibition signs and keep your documents at hand.

Navoi: the starting point

It is convenient to begin in Navoi. The city stands on the Samarkand to Bukhara highway and can be reached by train or by road from Tashkent, roughly 400 to 450 kilometres. Route description: Tashkent — Navoi. In the city stock up on water, food and cash, and check your car if you are driving.

Zarafshan: a gold miners' town

Zarafshan lies deep in the desert, roughly 120 to 160 kilometres from Navoi. It is a young city built in Soviet times beside gold mines. It is unusual for Uzbekistan: straight blocks, large courtyards, a focus on a single industry. For a traveller it is interesting as an example of desert settlement. The drive along the highway takes about two hours across flat steppe. Details: Navoi — Zarafshan. Nearby you can see genuine desert nature with dunes and saxaul.

Uchkuduk: even farther

Uchkuduk lies north of Zarafshan, deeper still in the desert. The distance from Navoi is measured in hundreds of kilometres. The name means three wells, and the town once grew around deposits. Today it is a quiet settlement where you can feel how the most remote part of the country lives. The route in this direction is described here: Navoi — Uchkuduk. Because of the distances, allow a full day for the trip or stay overnight.

Aydarkul: a lake among the sands

Aydarkul is a huge lake that formed from water released from the Syrdarya reservoir. It stretches for tens of kilometres and is surrounded by sand. Here you can swim, fish, spend the night in yurt camps, ride camels and watch birds. The camps are on the shore, and the Nuratau mountains lie nearby. Finishing a desert route by the water after days of dry steppe is especially pleasant.

A sample 5-day plan

1. Day 1: Tashkent, Navoi. Check-in and preparation.
2. Day 2: Navoi, Zarafshan. See the town, walk to the edge of the desert.
3. Day 3: Zarafshan, Uchkuduk. A long transfer across the steppe.
4. Day 4: Return to Navoi, move on to Aydarkul.
5. Day 5: The lake, sunset, return to Tashkent or Samarkand.

You can shorten the route, keeping Zarafshan and Aydarkul.

Desert safety

• Carry more water than seems necessary: at least three litres per person per day.
• Fill up at every opportunity, as stations are rare.
• Tell someone your route. Mobile coverage vanishes outside towns.
• Do not leave the highway onto sandy tracks without an off-road vehicle and experience.
• Wear a hat, light-coloured clothing and sunglasses.
• Beware of snakes, scorpions and venomous spiders: do not put hands or feet where you cannot see.

Getting there

Minibuses and buses run between Navoi and Zarafshan, but the timetable depends on how full they are and does not always suit a tourist. To Uchkuduk public transport runs even less often. A good option is to arrange a ride with a local driver or join a shared trip. On Yo'ldosh you can find a driver covering the section you need, for example Tashkent to Navoi, and book one seat. For long desert stretches, discuss the route and stops with the driver in advance.

Practical tips

• Bring cash: ATMs are rare outside Navoi.
• Download an offline map of the region.
• Find out where you can stay overnight before departure rather than on the road.
• Prices for lodging and transport are approximate, so check them in advance.

Take a look at all routes and the for passengers section to prepare for your trip.

Cover photo: Carsten Siegel, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.