2-Day Yurt Camp Tour from Samarkand: Aydarkul Lake & Desert
You sleep in a yurt in the middle of the desert, not at a hotel on the edge of it.
This 2-day tour from Samarkand takes you to Aydarkul Lake and a yurt camp in the desert, with camel rides, traditional Uzbek meals, and an overnight stay in a private or shared yurt. The route includes the sacred spring at Chashma, the ruins of Alexander the Great's fortress at Nurata, and stops at a Silk Road caravanserai and pottery workshop on the return. Pickup from your hotel, train station or airport is included, as are all transfers, meals, and a performance of Kazakh folk songs by a local musician around the camp fire.
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Step-by-step itinerary
Day 1: Travel to Aydarkul and Yurt Camp
- Pickup from Samarkand or Bukhara
- Visit Nurata Chashma Complex
- Explore Alexander the Great’s Fortress ruins
- Lunch at a local house
- Enjoy Aydarkul Lake scenery
- Camel riding and rest at Yurt Camp
- Dinner with Kazakh folk songs
Day 2: Return via Historic Sites and Workshop
- Morning camel ride in the desert
- Visit Rabat-i-Malik Caravanserai
- Tour Gijduvan Pottery Workshop
- Drop-off in Bukhara or Samarkand
The experience
The tour starts with pickup from Samarkand or Bukhara and heads south toward the desert. On the way you stop at the Chashma Complex, a memorial site built around a sacred spring where pilgrims have come for centuries, and then at the ruins of Alexander the Great's fortress at Nurata, where the ancient walls still stand above the town. Lunch is a traditional Uzbek meal cooked in a local family home, not a restaurant. From there the route crosses into the open desert and reaches Aydarkul Lake, where you have time to walk the shore, swim if you want, and watch the light change across the water and the dunes.
The yurt camp sits on the edge of the lake. You ride a camel for 10 to 15 minutes in the early morning or late afternoon, then settle into the camp for dinner and the evening. A local bard, called an akyn, plays Kazakh folk songs and traditional instruments by the fire. You sleep in a yurt (either a private one for your group or a shared one with other travelers, depending on which option you book), and wake to another short camel ride before breakfast.
On Day 2 you head back north, stopping at Rabat-i-Malik, a caravanserai (a roadside inn from the Silk Road era where merchants once rested their animals), and then at a pottery workshop in Gijduvan where you can watch potters at work and see how traditional Uzbek ceramics are made. The tour ends with drop-off at your hotel, train station or airport in Bukhara or Samarkand.
What’s included
- Pickup from your hotel, train station or airport in Samarkand or Bukhara.
- all transfers by vehicle.
- lunch in a local family home on Day 1.
- dinner at the yurt camp.
- breakfast on Day 2.
- overnight stay in a yurt (private for your group or shared with other travelers, your choice).
- two camel rides (morning and afternoon).
- a performance of Kazakh folk songs by a local musician.
- and drop-off at your destination in Bukhara or Samarkand.
Options for this experience
2 optionsBefore you book
Prices and times updated 3 days ago
Operated by TravelBliss LLC
Is this one for you?Book the private yurt if your group wants to sleep together without sharing the space with other travelers. Choose the shared yurt if you're traveling solo or want to meet other people on the tour and prefer a lower price. Both options give you the same desert experience, camel rides, and meals. The difference is who else is in the yurt with you.
Traveler reviews
Top questions
What happens if it rains?
It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.
What's the difference between the private yurt and the shared yurt options?
The private yurt is reserved for your group alone with full privacy guaranteed. The shared yurt lets you stay with other travelers on the tour. Both are overnight accommodations at the same camp, and the price varies by option.
Do I need any experience to ride the camels?
No. The camel rides are short, 10 to 15 minutes each, and suitable for all physical fitness levels. The camp staff will help you mount and guide the ride.
What's included in the tour price?
The tour includes all transfers and pickup from your hotel, train station or airport; lunch on Day 1 and breakfast on Day 2; dinner and the folk music performance at camp; both camel rides; and your overnight stay in the yurt. You choose the yurt type at checkout.
Is Aydarkul Lake actually in the middle of the desert?
Yes. Aydarkul is a salt lake surrounded by the Kyzylkum Desert, one of Central Asia's largest deserts. The yurt camp sits on the shore, and the landscape around it is open desert in all directions.
What happens if I'm not comfortable sleeping in a yurt?
The yurts are furnished with beds and blankets for warmth. If you have concerns about the accommodation or physical comfort, contact the operator before booking to discuss your needs.
Can I visit Alexander the Great's fortress ruins?
Yes. The tour stops at the ruins of the fortress at Nurata on Day 1. You explore the remains of the ancient walls and fortifications built during Alexander the Great's invasion of Central Asia thousands of years ago.
2-Day Yurt Camp Tour from Samarkand: Aydarkul Lake & Desert
2d · at your hotel
from US$ 190 per person
4.9537 reviewsVerified traveler reviews via our booking provider