Introduction
This two days adventure tour to the Aral Sea and western Karakalpakistan offers you to witness the planet’s worst environmental disaster, drying the Aral Sea. Within the last fifty years, the waters Aral retreated more than 200 km from its original shores leaving behind another huge salty desert ‘Aralkum’. During the tour, you will visit the Ship Cemetery and small museum in Muynak, you will also discover the area’s most impressive historical site Mizdakhan Complex near Nukus.
What is included in the tour
- Accommodation
- Guide
- Meals
- Transport
What is NOT included in the tour
- International flights
- Visit the cemetery of ships, local museum
- Visit village of Komsomolsk
- Visit to Mizdakhan” complex
Day 1: Nukus- Muynak - Aral Sea
The tour to the Aral Sea starts at 8:30 with pickup from your hotel in Nukus
We continue from Nukus to discover the Usturt Plateau and Aral Sea life on the way passing Khojeli and Kungrad districts which were once popular Silk Road trading centers. Upon arrival in Muynak town, we’ll visit the cemetery of ships, local museum and watch the short documentary about the past of this fishing town. Before continuing to the Aral Sea, we will have our lunch in a small guesthouse. There will be numerous stops on the way to the sea to take pictures of spectacular canyons and discover some local sites such as the ancient cemetery of nomadic people who lived in this area a long time ago. Today we spend a night in the traditional nomadic yurts installed at the shores of shrinking Aral Sea. Once we settle in the yurts, you may walk along the sea shore to explore the area. The sky is usually clear throughout the year, so you may also watch the stars, a Milky Way and enjoy your time around the campfire after having traditional dinner in the camp.
Overnight stay in the yurt.
Day 2: Aral Sea - Lake Sudochie - Nukus
The sunrise over the sea is stunning, you may take some pictures if you wake up early. After having breakfast, start the second day of the Aral Sea tour with the visit Kurgancha Kala built in XIII c . This is an old caravanserai, hidden among the countless hills of the Usturt Plateau. From the caravanserai, we continue our way to the village of Komsomolsk. In the village, one can see the abandoned airport of the gas station once used as an emergency landing point for airplanes as well as take pictures of camels and horses. It is also possible to taste fresh natural camel milk offered by the villages. From the village, we head to Lake Sudochie. Upon arrival at the lake, stop to see the ancient Light House hill and visit the abandoned settlement of the Russian and Polish people who were repressed during the Stalin regime. There are ruins of a hospital, cane houses and an ancient Fish Factory in the settlement. You may also talk to the local fishermen to get to know about the history of this place or just observe the different kinds of birds inhabiting this remote lake. Once we arrive in Kungrad region, we’ll stop for a lunch at a restaurant before visiting local sites such as Mizdakhan” complex (XIV c), Halifa Erejep mausoleum (XII c), Nazlumhan suluw (XIIXIVcc), Shamun Nabi (XIX c). Gaur kala fortress (VI B.C.-IX A.D.).
The tour to Aral Sea ends in Nukus at about 5 p.m.
