Four days village to village hiking tour

Day 1 – Samarkand – Sayyod Yurt Camp

At 9.00 depart for Sayyod Yurt Camp located in the Nuratau Mountains (3 h).

Arrive at the mountain camp at about 12:00 and settle in one of 11 traditionally decorated yurts. Depending on the size of the yurt, there are 2 to 4 beds in each yurt. The yurt camp has an onsite restaurant, an ablution block that consists of showers and toilets, and an outdoor swimming pool. The camp has access to the internet as well.

After lunch, start an easy 3 hours /6 km hike to the mountains (see profile below). The hike offers picturesque views of the Nuratau Mountains and Lake Aydarkul from distance. Starting from the camp you will gradually accent through the valley eventually reaching the highest point on this hike from where panoramic views of neighboring villages and lake Aydarkul opens up. You will return taking a different route to the camp. After dinner, you may enjoy sitting around the campfire.

Day 2 – Sayyod Yurt Camp

After breakfast, start a whole day hike to the top of the mountain plateau (15 km / 7 hours). Start hiking through the valley up to the plateau, then continue hiking on the plateau before descending down to the lush green valley. The scenery during the hike is stunning as you will have the opportunity to see the vast Kyzyl-Kum steppe, lake Aydarkul, and the villages on the other side of the Nuratau Mountains (see profile below).

A picnic lunch will be provided during the hike. Today’s hike ends in the yurt camp however, it is also possible to extend the hike further down to explore the village of Sayyod. Most people in the village make their living keeping livestock, they also grow a lot of wine and walnut trees. Return to the yurt camp and have dinner. After dinner, you may relax around our swimming pool and enjoy your last day in our camp.

Day 3 – Sayyod Yurt Camp – Uhum village

After breakfast, transfer to Hayat village. Arrive in Hayat village at about 10.30 and visit the breeding enclosure of Severtzov’s wild sheep and the ruins of an old fortress. From Hayat start a whole day hike to Uhum village (total of 16km / 6 hours). In the first half of the day, we will be hiking from Hayat valley to Ulugbek’s homestay in Uhum village (2 hours). After having lunch in the homestay we will continue our hike in Uhum valley. Hiking up through Uhum valley, you will see local women baking bread in the tandir oven and doing other household chores. Many people will welcome you to enter their yards and watch what they are doing. In Upper Ukhum village, see the ancient irrigation channels still used by the local farmers and visit the petroglyph site which is an indicator of the ancient settlement history of the area. We will return to Ulugbek’s homestay in the late afternoon. Dinner with the family.

Overnight stay in Ulugbek’s homestay.

Day 4 – Uhum village- Bukhara

At 9:00, leave Uhum for Bukhara. Arrive in Bukhara at 13.30 – 14:00

END OF PROGRAM