3-Days Jeep Adventure Tour to Usturt Plateau & Aral Sea from Nukus
Rising between the Caspian and Aral seas and stretching across Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, the Ustyurt plateau is an ultra-remote expanse of scorched clay-desert valleys that surge into rust-red pinnacles and mesas. This otherworldly 200,000 sq km expanse is roughly the size of England and Scotland combined, the arid region is only home to a few sparsely populated semi-nomadic tribes. During this tour you will visit complete locations of Usturt Plateau, like Aral Sea Yurt Camp, Barsa Kelmes, Keinchiyak Mis (Soviet Military Camp), Kurgancha Kala, Komsomolsk, as well as Muynak Ship Graveyard, Sudochye Lake, and Mizdakhan Necropolis.
Tour Highlights
Learn about the cultural and social traditions of the Karakalpak people;
See remote landscapes and disappearing Aral Sea waters, as well as enjoy the dark sky with the Milky Way;
Stay in an authentic Karakalpak yurt close to the Aral Sea shore;
Explore forgotten Soviet military bases and factories, visit the Ships Graveyard in Muynak.
Itinerary
Day 1 : Nukus – Usturt Plateau – Barsa Kelmes – Sudochye Lake – Aral Sea Shore
09:00 – After breakfast in your hotel in Nukus, you will meet by our guide in the hotel lobby and will start your journey to the actual shoreline of the drying Aral Sea (~450 km, 7H00M).
En route, you will pass by Khojeli and Kungrad districts, which were the trading centers during the Silk Road period. Will pass Soda Plant and Gas Chemical Plant.
The first stop at your jeep journey will be the Barsakelmes, the huge natural salt pit, where the soda plant takes its main resource.
After, you will head up to Sudochye Lake and visit abandoned Light House hill. The rich fauna of this lake and its shores is famous far beyond Karakalpakstan. Many scientists, fishermen, and hunters come to this place from all over the world. This lake is a key stop on the long way of various migrating birds, some of them are pink flamingoes, white swans, geese, and ducks.
Then, you will visit the abandoned settlement of Russian and Polish victims of Stalin’s repression regime. Here you could see ruins of the hospital, cane houses, and old Fish Factory.
Later, you will continue to drive to the Aral Seashore. Upon arrival check-in to the yurt camp and rest.
Here, far away from the civilization and big cities light pollution you could freely observe the dark sky with myriads of stars, end even Milky Way could be visible sometimes. The wind and sea waves will sing for you all night and you will discover what it’s like to be a nomad at the edge of the world.
Breakfast: hotel (not included)
Lunch: local café on route (included)
Dinner: picnic/camp style meals in Yurt Camp (included)
Overnight in the Yurts (up to 5 pax per yurt).
Day 2 : Aral Sea Shore – Keinchiyak Mis (Soviet Military Camp) – Kurgancha Kala – Aral Sea Shore
On this day you will have an early wake-up option for taking pictures of sunrise above the disappearing sea.
After breakfast, you will drive to Keinchak Mis, where located abandoned Soviet Military Camp. On the way, we will have a photo-stop at the nomad’s cemetery. Here you could take stunning shots of Great Canyons. Upon arrival at Military Camp, you will have visiting tour. Also, here is the best place for swimming, if the weather will allow, you could freely spend some time free-swimming here.
After the visit, back to the Yurt Camp for lunch and rest.
After rest, you could visit Kurgancha Kala, an old Caravanserai and Fortress of the 12~13th century, hidden among the hills of the Usturt Plateau.
Back to Yurt Camp for dinner and overnight.
Breakfast, lunch & dinner: picnic/camp style meals in Yurt Camp (included)
Overnight in the Yurts (up to 5 pax per yurt).
Day 3 : Aral Sea Shore – Komsomolsk – Moinak – Mizdakhan Necropolis – Nukus
Early breakfast in yurt camp.
After breakfast, you will continue your Aral Sea journey with the end at Nukus city (~450 km, 7H00M).
Today your back road to Nukus will lay across Usturt Plateau via the Komsomolsk settlement, where you will see wonderful natural landscapes and survived local flora and fauna. The mysterious and inscrutable Usturt Plateau remains not only huge deposits of gas and oil but also many canyons and cliffs, with extraterrestrial designs.
Here you will also have a stop at Kubla Usturt village to try camel milk from a local camel breeder’s family.
Drive by the dried bottom of the Aral Sea, nowadays Aralkum Desert, we will arrive at the infamous ship graveyard of Moynak (Muynaq) city. Here you will visit the Moynak Museum of City History and the Ship Graveyard itself. Once Aral Sea shores were close to the city and it was famous for its fisherman and canned fish products. Later, the water was gone and left all ships on its sea bottom. Lying on salty sand ships became a rusting attraction that reminds ones who visit it about the huge tragedy of the disappeared sea.
Then, you will have your next stop for Mizdakhan Complex. Mizdakhan is a necropolis of the city of ancient Khoresmians (4-2 century B.C.). Here gathered one of the most important mausoleums and archeological monuments of that time.
Later, arrive in Nukus (around 19:00).
End of the tour.
Breakfast: picnic/camp style meals in Yurt Camp (included)
Lunch: local café in Muynak (included)
Dinner: local café in Nukus (not included)
Note: we do not include hotels in Nukus but we could offer booking of the hotels as per your request, please contact us during the booking.
Price includes:
Price does not include:
- Air-conditioned vehicle, 4×4 Jeeps Toyota Prado (4 seats + luggage);
- Accommodation in Yurt Camp with tourist registration;
- Food: 2x Breakfasts, 3x Lunches, 2x Dinners (as per itinerary);
- Guide: English Speaking Guide;
- All Fees and Taxes.
- Accommodation in Nukus;
- Tips for guides and drivers (not mandatory but very welcomed).
Price includes:
- Air-conditioned vehicle, 4×4 Jeeps Toyota Prado (4 seats + luggage);
- Accommodation in Yurt Camp with tourist registration;
- Food: 2x Breakfasts, 3x Lunches, 2x Dinners (as per itinerary);
- Guide: English Speaking Guide;
- All Fees and Taxes.
Price does not include:
- Accommodation in Nukus;
- Tips for guides and drivers (not mandatory but very welcomed).
Notes:
- The guide will wait for you at the hotel lobby, holding a paper with the traveler’s name.
- This tour required long off-road transportation, stay in a yurt camp, and outdoor walking tours. Please be ready to wear comfy clothes and shoes (up to the seasonal weather conditions).
- We do not provide rent or sale of hiking/trekking clothes or equipment. Up to the weather condition, please take with you sunscreens, hats, or umbrellas.
- Please make sure you have all personal medical and care amenities you will need for the time of the tour. No drug stores or extra medical care are available during the route.
- Medical insurance is not included.
- Please note, during summer this area is quite hot at a day time, in autumn and winter the weather could be quite cold and windy.
- In case of food restrictions or allergies, please contact us in advance, so we will be able to prepare lunchboxes and meals for you as per your instructions.
- Small pets are allowed, but please let us know in advance that you have one, so we will prepare our cars properly.
- We do not include hotels in Nukus but we could offer a booking of the hotels as per your request, please contact us during the booking.
Restrictions:
- Not wheelchair accessible;
- Not stroller accessible;
- Not recommended for people with back problems;
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers;
- Not recommended for people with heart conditions.
Cancellation:
- We will charge a cancellation fee of 100% if the booking is canceled 3 days or less before the event.
- Please contact us immediately if cancellation was caused by International flight delay/cancellation, Force Majeure situation in any transit countries you follow through, and/or COVID or other pandemic restrictions. We will try to refund your amount with the minimal cancellation fees possible.