ArchaeologyMalik steppe, Navbahor districtUNESCO World Heritage
Rabati Malik Caravanserai
The surviving portal and outer walls of an 11th-century royal caravanserai on the old road between Bukhara and Samarkand, on the edge of the steppe.
Navoi Region
A large, thinly settled region between Samarkand and Bukhara: a caravanserai ruin on the old road, the Karmana mausoleums, the spring town of Nurata and the Nuratau mountains above the Kyzylkum.
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Guide to Navoi Region
Overview
Navoi Region covers a wide area of the Kyzylkum desert to the north and the middle Zarafshan valley to the south. Most travellers cross it on the way between Samarkand and Bukhara, but it rewards a stop of a day or two.
Near the main road are the ruined Rabati Malik caravanserai with its covered cistern and the old town of Karmana with its mausoleums. Further north-east, Nurata has a spring-fed pilgrimage site and the remains of an early fortress, and the villages of the Nuratau range offer walking, homestays and rock art at Sarmishsay.
History
The Zarafshan valley here lay on the route between Samarkand and Bukhara for many centuries, and caravanserais and cisterns were built along it; Rabati Malik is the best-known survivor. Karmana was a town of the Bukhara emirate and a residence of its rulers' relatives.
Nurata is traditionally linked with a fortress founded in the time of Alexander the Great, and its spring has drawn pilgrims for a long time. Navoi city itself is new: it was founded in 1958 as an industrial town, and the region was created in 1982. The mining towns of Zarafshan and Uchkuduk grew up in the desert during the Soviet period.
Getting there
Navoi lies on the railway between Samarkand and Bukhara, and the Afrosiyob high-speed train and regular trains stop at Navoi station. Navoi also has an airport with flights from Tashkent.
Rabati Malik and Karmana are easy to visit by car on the road between Navoi and Bukhara. Nurata is reached by road from Navoi or from Samarkand and Jizzakh; many visitors combine it with yurt camps near Aydarkul lake, which lies just over the border in Jizzakh Region.
Getting around
Distances are long and public transport to the sights is limited, so a car with a driver is the practical choice. Yandex Go works in Navoi city, and taxis can be hired there for trips to Karmana and Rabati Malik.
For the Nuratau villages and Sarmishsay, arrange transport through your homestay or a local guide, as some roads are rough and signage is sparse.
When to go
Spring is the best time: the desert and the foothills are green and flowering for a few weeks, and walking in the Nuratau range is pleasant. Autumn is also comfortable.
Summer in the Kyzylkum is very hot, and desert camps are more comfortable in spring and autumn. Winter nights in the desert and mountains are cold.
Food
Food here is home cooking more than restaurant dining. Homestays in the Nuratau villages serve plov, soups, bread from the tandoor, fresh dairy and fruit from their gardens.
In Navoi city and along the main road, tea houses and roadside cafés offer samsa, shashlik and plov, which makes a convenient stop on the drive between Samarkand and Bukhara.
Crafts
Nurata is known for its suzani, embroidered with dense floral patterns, often in white and pale tones; some homes and small workshops in the town sell pieces made by local women.
In the villages of the region you may also see felt-making, weaving and carpet work, usually for family use rather than for sale, so ask your host if you would like to watch.
Good to know
Rabati Malik and the Malik cistern stand directly by the busy main road; take care when crossing between them. Carry water and sun protection for any time in the desert or the foothills.
Mobile coverage in the Nuratau villages can be patchy, and cash machines are found mainly in Navoi and the larger towns, so bring enough cash. At the Nurata spring, which is a pilgrimage site, dress modestly and keep your voice low.
Must-see in Navoi Region
- Archaeology
EnsemblesMalik steppe, Navbahor districtUNESCO World Heritage
Sardoba of Malik
A domed brick cistern across the road from Rabati Malik, built to store water for the caravanserai and for travellers crossing the steppe.
MausoleumsKarmanaUNESCO World Heritage
Mir Sayid Bakhrom Mausoleum
A small early brick mausoleum in Karmana with a decorated portal and an inscription in Kufic script, from the period after the Samanids.
EnsemblesKarmanaUNESCO World Heritage
Qosim Sheikh Complex
A 16th-century khanaka and burial ground in Karmana, built around the grave of the Sufi sheikh Qosim, who was close to the Shaybanid court.
EnsemblesKhazara villageUNESCO World Heritage
Deggaron Mosque
A rare 11th-century brick mosque in the village of Khazara, with a domed prayer hall carried on massive piers.
EnsemblesNurata
Chashma Complex, Nurata
A pilgrimage site in Nurata around a spring and pool full of fish, with a domed mosque, at the foot of the hill with the old fortress.
Things to do in Navoi Region
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