Aydarkul: a lake in the desert and nights in a yurt camp

At a glance

• Where: in the Kyzylkum desert, north of the Nuratau mountains; the yurt camps are about 60 km from Nurata and 4 hours from Samarkand or Bukhara.
• How long: one night, often combined with the Nuratau villages.
• Best time: April–May and September–October. The camps are open from April to October.
• Climate: July averages around 30 °C; nights in spring and autumn can drop to around 10 °C.

Interesting facts

• Aydarkul did not exist before 1969. That year about 20 km³ of water was released in an emergency from the Chardara reservoir on the Syr Darya into the Arnasay depression, and a new lake filled the desert.
• Together with its neighbours, it forms the Aydar-Arnasay lake system, which covers more than 3,000 km², is up to 160 km long and up to 33 m deep.
• The lakes have been a Ramsar wetland of international importance since 2008. More than 100 species of water birds have been seen here, including Dalmatian pelicans.
• Twenty-eight species of fish live in the lake, from carp and pike-perch to catfish, and fishermen still work from its shores.
• The water is slightly salty, fresher near where the rivers flow in and saltier in the west.

A night in the desert

Most visitors arrive in the afternoon at a yurt camp among the dunes. In the golden hour, take a short camel ride on two-humped Bactrian camels, then drive or walk to the lake for the sunset. After dinner, the camp lights a fire; often a local musician sings Kazakh songs with the dombra. With no city for many kilometres, the stars are extraordinary.

In summer you can swim from the sandy shore; in spring and autumn the lake is quieter and better for birds.

Important notes

• Season: the yurt camps usually open from April to October. Outside these months, overnight stays are hard to arrange.
• Comfort: yurts sleep two to four on mattresses with warm blankets. Toilets and showers are in a shared block, with limited hot water.
• Cash only: there are no ATMs or card machines in the desert.
• Insects: mosquitoes can be busy near the water on summer evenings.
• Wildlife: scorpions and snakes are rarely seen; still, shake out your shoes in the morning.

What to bring

• A warm layer for the evening, even in summer.
• A sun hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.
• Swimwear and a towel in summer.
• Insect repellent.
• A headlamp and a power bank; charging is limited.
• A scarf or buff against the wind and sand.

Stay at Aydarkul on our 2-day yurt camp trip between Samarkand and Bukhara or the 4-day trek with Ukhum. Read more in our Aydarkul and Nuratau guide.