The Aral Sea & an Oasis of Ancient Cities — Jeep Expedition — 11 Days
PLACEHOLDER CONTENT — replace with the confirmed itinerary, hotel list and exact pricing tiers.
Unlike our other Aral-region tours, this isn’t just an excursion to Muynak — it’s a real 4x4 expedition across the otherworldly landscapes of the Ustyurt plateau to the actual sea shore, with an overnight yurt camp on the coast.
Route
Tashkent → Samarkand → Gijduvan → Bukhara → Khiva → Nukus → Ustyurt plateau → Lake Sudochye → the Aral Sea → Muynak → Nukus → Khiva → Urgench.
Day by day
- Arrival in Tashkent, check-in, free evening.
- Tashkent: Khast-Imam complex, Chorsu Bazaar. Drive to Samarkand.
- Samarkand: Registan Square, Gur-Emir mausoleum, Bibi-Khanym mosque, Shah-i-Zinda ensemble.
- Drive to Gijduvan — masterclass with the ceramicists. On to Bukhara in the evening.
- Bukhara: Samanid mausoleum, Ark fortress, Poi-Kalyan ensemble, Lyab-i Hauz.
- Drive to Khiva across the Kyzylkum desert.
- Khiva: Ichan-Kala, Kunya-Ark fortress, Tash-Khauli palace.
- Drive to Nukus, switch to 4x4 vehicles. The Ustyurt plateau, Lake Sudochye with flamingos and pelicans, reaching the Aral Sea shore, overnight in a yurt camp on the coast.
- Drive across the former seabed to Muynak — the “ship graveyard.” Return to Nukus.
- Nukus: the Savitsky Museum. Drive to Khiva.
- Transfer to Urgench airport, departure.
Included (placeholder — confirm before publishing)
- Comfortable air-conditioned transport + 4x4 vehicles for the jeep section
- Guide throughout the route
- Breakfasts, several lunches and a dinner at the yurt camp
- Yurt accommodation on the Aral Sea shore
Replace with confirmed hotel categories, guaranteed departure dates and the final price (single supplement to be added).