Nurata & the Kyzylkum Desert

Nurata sits at the edge of the Kyzylkum Desert, historically a waypoint for caravans and pilgrims visiting the Nur-Ota spring. Today it's the easiest access point to yurt camps out on the desert steppe, where nights bring some of the clearest stargazing in the country. Lake Aydarkul, formed by an irrigation accident in the 1960s, now supports flamingos, pelicans, and a small fishing community alongside the tourist camps.