2-day tour to Sarmish-say Gorge from Bukhara to Samarkand
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2-day tour to Sarmish-say Gorge from Bukhara to Samarkand offers travelers the opportunity to explore the remarkable petroglyphs of Sarmish-say Gorge, visit Nurata, and experience an overnight stay in a traditional yurt camp in the desert of Uzbekistan, including camel riding and an authentic desert experience.
This tour is ideally suited for travelers journeying between Bukhara and Samarkand who wish to explore the diverse landscapes of Uzbekistan while discovering one of Central Asia’s most renowned petroglyph sites, Sarmishsay Gorge. The program offers a unique opportunity to spend the night in a traditional yurt and experience authentic nomadic culture firsthand. Beginning in Bukhara and concluding in Samarkand, the journey includes a visit to Alexander’s Fort in Nurata. The tour continues with a transfer to a yurt camp for an overnight stay, providing a memorable cultural and natural experience.
Visit one of the most renowned sites in Central Asia for petroglyphs
Camel ride in the desert and nomadic music around campfire
Experience the nomadic lifestyle staying in a yurt
Day 1: Meet your driver with the sign of your name in the hotel lobby and start the tour to Yurt Camp (Please contact us to let us know the exact pickup location for the tour) Drive to Nurata.
The Sarmish-say Gorge, located on the southern slopes of the Karatau range, approximately 45 km northeast of Navoi city, is one of the most renowned sites in Central Asia for petroglyphs. Karatau, a spur of the Nurata Mountains, lies north of the Zarafshan Valley. The name Sarmish-say translates as “the stream is within reach of the gold,” and the gorge is particularly abundant with water during spring and summer. In late March and early April, the valley presents a breathtaking landscape, adorned with blooming tulips and poppies and vast expanses of greenery. Uzbekistan is home to around 180 petroglyph sites, among which Sarmish-say is considered the most remarkable. The oldest petroglyphs date back some 7,000 years, depicting diverse themes such as hunting, human figures, and scenes of mountain goats, sheep, horses, and bullfights. The petroglyphs extend along a 1.5 km stretch of the gorge.
Nurata—this city is surrounded by the Nurata Mountains. Nurata (“Nur means Light or Holy and Ata means Father”), this ancient town held a strategic position on the frontier between the cultivated lands and the steppe. Population of the town is 32,000 people and renowned for marble and astrakhan for production, Nurata has retained some of the holy sites that attracted pilgrims from all over Central Asia.
Visiting sights in Nurata:
Chashma Spring—this Spring linked to Hazrati Ali (son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad). The centre of the complex is a pool where the faithful come to collect water as a good luck and health to relatives and friends. Regardless of the time of the year, the mineral-laden spring water is said to remain at consistent 19 °C. The population of Marinka fish in the pool is thriving as it is considered as a holy spot and hence no-one is allowed to catch them.
Alexander’s Fort—it is strategically located on the top of the hill to the south of the town, and Uzbek sources suggest that Alexander instructed one of his generals to build an impenetrable fortress here while he continued his conquest of Bactria and Sogdiana. When Alexander returned, his troops could neither break down the gates nor scale the walls, such was the strength of the construction.
After driving to yurt camp. Upon arrival, travelers check in to yurt. Travelers sleep in the bed it might be a bit hard and there is an electricity inside of the yurt. Activities to do in yurt camp: camel riding, watching the birds and after dinner live music by Kazakh musician around the campfire.
Overnight in a yurt.
Overnight in Yurt Camp (shared bathroom facilities)
Day 2: After camp-style breakfast, drive to Samarkand
Drop off travelers to their hotel in Samarkand
Please note that the 2-day tour to Sarmishsay Gorge can also be arranged from Samarkand to Bukhara, providing a convenient travel route between the two cities.
