The Greatest Ecotourism Experiences in Uzbekistan on the Spotlight of Wanderlust

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From yaks and yurts to Pshart homestays and Pamir Highway journeys, Uzbekistan Tourism Ambassador in UK Sophie Ibbotson shares the best natural and ecotourism experiences not only in Uzbekistan but also in Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan...

The Silk Road occupies a romantic place in our collective imagination, but after decades of isolationism, the Central Asian republics - better known as the ‘stans - are only now opening up to tourism.

Wanderlust readers chose Uzbekistan as their Top Emerging Destination for 2019, and we all known that the UNESCO World Heritage wonders of Samarkand and Bukhara dazzle.

But to really appreciate the natural beauty of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan? It's time to be a responsible traveller, and embark on one of the best ecotourism experiences in the region. 

With this in mind, Uzbekistan Embassy in London would be delighted to bring to your attention the ecotourism opportunities of Uzbekistan.

1. Camels and folk singing in the Kyzylkum Desert, Uzbekistan​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Bactrian camel in the Kyzylkum Desert, Uzbekistan (Shutterstock)

The camel is the ship of the desert, the symbol of the Silk Road. In Uzbekistan’s Kyzylkum Desert, you can stay at Safari Yurt Camp and ride out across the dunes on board one of the fluffy (and usually good-tempered) Bactrian camels.

Riding by camel gives you an elevated view of the landscape and a sense of how ancient merchants travelled. When darkness falls, there’s a timeless magic to the atmosphere around the campfire, especially when one of your hosts gets out his stringed instrument and begins to sing haunting folk songs. These are the sounds of the Silk Road. 

2. Explore the Sentob ecotourism hub, Uzbekistan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sentob ecotourism hub, Uzbekistan (Maximum Exposure Ltd)

The village of Sentob in Navoi has just 2,064 inhabitants, but together they’ve turned their community into Uzbekistan’s pre-eminent ecotourism hub.

10 families have opened homestays and guesthouses; others offer lunches, guided walks, tours of their orchards, and musical performances.

At Rahima’s Homestay, I was welcomed with freshly baked bread from the tandoor. It’s an easy walk along the valley to the Sentob petroglyph site (where the oldest rock carvings are thought to be 10,000 years old), an abandoned village with the remains of a Buddhist temple, and the shrine of a medieval Sufi saint.

3. Wild swimming in Tudakul and Aidarkul, Uzbekistan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lake Tudakul, Uzbekistan (Shutterstock)

The twin lakes of Tudakul and Aidarkul are jewels in the Kyzylkum Desert. Tudakul is an Important Bird Area (IBA), and more than 250 bird species have been recorded locally, many of them migrants and wintering waterbirds.

Both lake shores are wonderfully underdeveloped, and in the height of summer nothing beats stripping off your clothes on the beach and walking out into the cool, clear water.

The edges of the lakes are shallow enough for paddling, but as you go further out the water becomes deeper, and you can swim undisturbed for hours. 

4. Cross country skiing at Chimgan, Uzbekistan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Snowy peaks of Chimgan, Uzbekistan (Shutterstock)

Central Asia is a year-round destination, and in the Chatkal Mountains north-east of Tashkent, winter sports are developing fast. There are ski resorts with lifts at Amirsoy, Beldersay, and Chimgan, but those who prefer a lighter environmental touch should plan on cross country skiing.

Ulysse Tour takes guests into the Greater Chimgan, providing ski equipment as well as local guides. The snow cloaked mountains are dramatic, the air as fresh as can be, and unlike the pistes in Europe, you may well ski all day without seeing another soul. 

In general, not only Uzbekistan, but also the entire Central Asian region is the most emerging tourist destination over the world. Here you can get the full version of the article: https://www.wanderlust.co.uk/content/central-asia-ecotourism-experiences/