Flexible

14 days

Uzbekistan

"The Aral Sea and Immersion in the Silk Road"

This ecological catastrophe has had devastating impacts on the local wildlife, flora, and populations that once depended on the sea for fishing. Furthermore, soil salinization and toxic dust from the dried-up sediments have created major health problems for the inhabitants.
However, efforts have been made to try to save a small portion of the Aral Sea, particularly in the north around the "Small Aral Sea." A rehabilitation project involving the construction of a dam has successfully slowed the disappearance of the water in this area.
The history of the Aral Sea remains a tragic example of the consequences of reckless natural resource management and serves as a stark warning about the impacts of climate change and overexploitation

Day 1: Nice – Istanbul – Tashkent
Flight to Uzbekistan at [Time].
Day 2: Tashkent

• Arrive in Tashkent at [Time]. You will be met by your French-speaking guide and transferred to the hotel.
• Breakfast.
• Morning: Visit Chorsu Bazaar, one of the capital's largest traditional markets. This tour, taking you through stalls of vegetables, fruits, and spices on one side and the artisans' gallery on the other, serves as an introduction to Oriental culture.
• Khast Imam Complex: Continue to this large park housing Tashkent's historical monuments preserved after the earthquake. Inside one of the madrasahs, you will see the "Othman Quran," the oldest Quran in the Islamic world.
• Lunch in the city.
• Afternoon: Discovery of Independence Square, Amir Timur Square, and the famous Tashkent Metro.
• Dinner and night at the hotel.

Day 3: Tashkent – Nukus (by plane) – Muynak – Aral Sea (415 km)

• Breakfast.
• Transfer to the airport for the 07:15 flight to Nukus. Arrive at 08:55.
• Morning: Long drive toward the village of Muynak. This village, struck by the greatest ecological catastrophe of the 20th century, lives in the nostalgia of better days and allows one to understand the scale of the problem. Visit the Ship Graveyard and the small Aral Sea Memorial Museum.
• Lunch in Muynak with a local family.
• Afternoon: Head toward the Aral Sea via the Ustyurt Plateau. Depending on timing, stops include visits to Canyons, an ancient cemetery, and a 12th-century Caravanserai.
• Evening: Arrive at the shores of the Aral Sea around 18:00. Depending on the weather and your preference, you can swim, walk, and observe the sunset.
• Dinner and night at the Yurt Camp.

Day 4: Aral Sea – Nukus (400 km)

• Breakfast.
• Morning: Early departure for the return journey to Nukus. Several stops are planned along the route: the village of Komsomolskiy, where a Soviet-era airstrip can be seen, and Lake Sudochie, once a rich fishing ground yielding up to 2,200 tons of fish per year. Continue to Kungrad, one of the small regions of Karakalpakstan.
• Lunch in Kungrad.
• Afternoon: Return to Nukus, visiting the Mizdakhan Necropolis late in the day. Arrival and check-in at the hotel.
• Dinner and night at the hotel.

The Ecological History of the Aral Sea
The Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers, which once fed the Aral Sea, were diverted for large-scale agricultural projects, causing the sea's water level to plummet. This led to a massive reduction in the sea's surface area, which has shrunk by approximately 90% since the 1960s. Today, the region is defined by desert landscapes and abandoned shorelines, with ships stranded far from the water's edge.