Nurota, Uzbekistán
To the north of the featureless Samarkand–Bukhara ‘Royal Road’, the Pamir-Alay Mountains produce one final blip on the map before fading unceremoniously into desertified insignificance. The Nuratau Mountains, which top out at 2169m, are the focus of Uzbekistan’s modest ecotourism movement.
The marginally interesting town of Nurata makes a logical base for an off-the-beaten-track loop that takes in the city’s sites, an overnight stay at one of the Kazakh-style yurt camps near Aidarkul Lake and some hiking from a homestay base in the Nuratau Mountains.
Nurata itself is most famous for its old, circle-patterned suzani (embroidery), which can sell for thousands of dollars at international auctions, but it also has a few quirky tourist attractions.
Epic Uzbekistan Culture & Adventure Route © Monika Newbound
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