The Uzbekistan yurt camp most travellers are looking for: lunch at Aydarkul Lake, then a night in a felt yurt at a camp in the Kyzylkum Desert, with a short camel ride, dinner, an evening campfire and dark skies — and on a one-way route it replaces the Samarkand–Bukhara transfer you were making anyway.
Estimated price — availability and the final quote are confirmed by our team. No payment is taken on this page.
Private tour — price per person depends on group size:
| 1 traveler | $286 / person |
| 2 travelers | $176 / person |
| 3 travelers | $145 / person |
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The yurt camp is the desert highlight of any Silk Road trip through Uzbekistan. You leave the monuments behind, drive out into the Kyzylkum Desert, and stop for lunch at Aydarkul Lake, then spend a night in a traditional felt yurt at a desert camp — a short camel ride, dinner prepared by the camp’s hosts, the evening campfire and, on clear nights, a sky full of stars.
It runs as a 2-day / 1-night trip and fits neatly between Samarkand and Bukhara. Below is the classic Samarkand → Bukhara experience — but you can run it in reverse, or as a round-trip back to Samarkand. Pick your route above for full details and the right pickup point.
Activities are shown in their planned order. Exact timing may vary with weather, traffic, season and the group's pace.
Your driver collects you from your hotel at 08:30 and drives you into the Kyzylkum Desert in a private air-conditioned vehicle.
Discover Aydarkul Lake, a wide expanse of blue water surrounded by the dry landscapes of central Uzbekistan. Enjoy the included lunch near the shore, take photographs and stretch your legs on a short walk along the water. In the warmer months, swimming may be possible when weather and local conditions allow. Afterwards, your driver takes you on to the yurt camp, a separate drive away.
Continue to the desert camp near Yangigazgan and settle into your traditional felt yurt. Inside you will find beds and bedding; the camp’s shared toilets and showers are in a separate building. Take a little time to relax and enjoy the quiet before the afternoon activities.
Take a short ride on a Bactrian camel near the camp and see the desert from a different perspective. The included ride lasts about 10 minutes and suits first-time riders; it is optional, and the exact time depends on the season and the camp’s schedule. Longer rides can be arranged in advance for an extra charge, subject to confirmation.
Enjoy an included dinner prepared by the camp’s local hosts — a chance to taste Uzbek and regional home cooking in the relaxed setting of the desert camp. The menu changes with the day and the camp’s arrangements.
After dinner, settle into the evening at the camp. Gather around the campfire when conditions allow, and enjoy the local tradition of music and song when the camp hosts it. On clear nights, look up at a sky full of stars, far from the lights of the cities.
Return to your felt yurt for a peaceful night away from the cities. Beds and bedding are provided — a simple, memorable night in the desert. Temperatures can drop sharply after sunset, so bring warm clothing; heating is not guaranteed, though a heater may be available on request if you ask in advance.
Fresh breakfast prepared by your hosts — coffee, tea, eggs, bread, jam and fruit.
Visit the ancient Silk Road town of Nurata and its sacred spring complex.
Stop at a Gijduvan ceramics workshop and the Rabati Malik caravanserai on the way to your final city.
Drop-off at your hotel in the destination city for your chosen route.
Questions about this itinerary? We reply within 24 hours, and there is no payment to enquire.
Spring (April–June) and autumn (September–November) are the best times for the yurt camp — warm days, comfortable nights and pleasant water at Aydarkul Lake. Summer is hot by day but the desert nights are clear and perfect for stargazing, while winter is cold and quiet yet still possible with warm clothing. Desert nights can be cool even after warm days, so pack warm layers whichever month you choose. For a season-by-season overview of the whole country, see our best time to visit Uzbekistan guide.
You sleep in a traditional felt yurt with proper beds and bedding provided — not a tent. The camp has clean, modern shared toilets and showers in a separate building, a dining area where the hosts serve dinner, and a campfire in the evening when conditions allow. Far from city lights, the sky on a clear night is full of stars. The felt walls help, but the desert air gets cold at night — bring warm layers, as heating is not guaranteed. Comparing your options? See our guide to the best yurt camps in Uzbekistan.
For many guests the evening is the highlight of the whole trip. Later in the afternoon there is a camel ride of about 10 minutes on a Bactrian camel near the camp — it is optional, first-time riders are welcome, and the exact time depends on the season. Longer rides can be arranged in advance for an extra charge. Dinner is served at the camp by your local hosts, the campfire is lit afterwards when conditions allow, and on a clear night, far from city lights, the stars can be remarkably bright. Read more about the ride in our camel riding in Uzbekistan guide, or about the setting in our Kyzylkum Desert guide.
Every yurt camp tour we run is private: your own vehicle and driver, timing planned around your party, and prices per person by party size (from $145 per person for three travellers; solo travellers are welcome at the one-traveller rate). Your party never shares its sleeping yurt with other travellers: for two travellers one private yurt is included in the price, and larger parties are accommodated according to yurt capacity, which we confirm with your quote. The rest of the camp — dining area, campfire, toilets and showers — is shared with other guests. Separate yurts for each couple are not automatically included — ask us before booking; extra charges may apply. Choose the route that suits you: Samarkand to Bukhara, Bukhara to Samarkand, or a Samarkand round-trip. Travelling between the cities? See Samarkand to Bukhara via the yurt camp.
Bring warm layers (a fleece or jacket — nights are cool even in summer), comfortable closed shoes for sand, sun protection, and swimwear if you travel in the warm season for a dip in Aydarkul Lake. A torch or head-lamp and a power bank are useful as charging at camp is limited. A small daypack is enough for the overnight — your main luggage can usually stay in the vehicle.
Aydarkul is a vast desert lake in the middle of the Kyzylkum — a surprising stretch of blue between the dunes. In the warm months (roughly May to September) a swim is often possible when the weather and local conditions allow; the rest of the year it is a beautiful spot for a shoreline walk and photos. Lunch on the first day is served near the shore, and the yurt camp is a separate drive away. For more, read our Aydarkul Lake travel guide. Curious about the desert itself? See our Kyzylkum Desert guide.
The yurt camp suits almost everyone: first-time desert travellers, couples wanting a memorable night away, families (children love the camels and campfire), solo travellers who want a private desert night of their own, and photographers chasing dunes, camels and night skies. It is also the most memorable way to travel between Samarkand and Bukhara — far better than a plain highway transfer. Browse all our tours from Samarkand to build a full itinerary.
