Experience a Traditional Yurt Camp in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is known for its Silk Road cities, but a night in a traditional yurt camp shows a completely different side of the country: open desert, silence and a sky full of stars. The camps we use stand in the Kyzylkum Desert near Aydarkul Lake, north of the road between Samarkand and Bukhara. This guide explains what the experience is actually like, so you can decide whether it suits you and how to prepare.

Key facts

• Where: yurt camps in the Kyzylkum Desert near Aydarkul Lake, reached via the town of Nurata.
• From: Samarkand or Bukhara, on a day trip or with one night in the camp.
• Season: overnight tours run from March to November; the day trip from March to October.
• What happens: camel ride, sunset over the dunes, dinner, folk songs by the fire, night in a felt yurt, breakfast.
• Comfort level: simple and communal — a desert camp, not a hotel.
• Good for: couples, families, photographers and anyone who wants a break between cities.
• Book with: see the 2-Day Yurt Camp and Aydarkul Lake Tour or contact us for current prices.

What is a yurt camp?

A yurt is the round, portable felt tent that nomadic families in Central Asia have lived in for centuries: a folding wooden lattice wall, roof poles meeting in a wooden crown, and layers of felt on top. A yurt camp is a group of these tents set up for guests, with a fire place outside. You do not live with a nomadic family; you stay in a small desert camp run for visitors, where the hosts cook and look after the evening. If you want to know more about the tent itself, read our article on why traditional yurts are still the perfect nomadic home.

How the evening goes

You usually arrive in the afternoon, after a morning on the road and a stop at Nurata or Aydarkul Lake. The first thing on the programme is a camel ride across the sand, short enough for beginners. Then there is time to walk up a dune and watch the sun go down; the colours change quickly, so be outside in good time.

Dinner is served at the camp. After dark the guests gather around the fire, and on our tours a Kazakh akyn — a folk singer and storyteller — performs traditional songs. Away from city lights, the night sky is clear, and on a moonless night you see far more stars than in town. In the morning there is breakfast at the camp before you drive on.

Sleeping in a yurt

A yurt is a single round room, and the felt keeps the heat out during the day and holds warmth in at night, so the tent feels calmer than the air outside. How the beds are arranged and how many people share a yurt depends on the camp and the size of the group; tell us when you book if you need a separate yurt for a couple or a family, and we confirm what the camp can offer.

Remember that this is a desert camp, not a hotel: facilities are simple, the evening ends early and the night is quiet. Light sleepers should bring earplugs, as wind or other guests can be heard through felt walls.

When to go

Overnight tours to the camps run from March to November.

• Spring (March–May): mild days for the drive and the camel ride; nights can be cold.
• Summer (June–August): the warmest months, and the right time for swimming in the lake; the middle of the day is hot, so the programme centres on the morning and evening.
• Autumn (September–November): clear, settled weather and comfortable days; by November the nights are cold, so pack warmly.

If you cannot stay overnight, the one-day Yurt Camp and Aydarkul Lake tour from Samarkand has a camel ride and tea in a yurt in its programme, but not the evening or the night.

Who it suits — and who it may not

A yurt night suits travellers who like the outdoors and do not mind simple conditions for one night. Children usually love the camels and the fire. It is a good break in the middle of a city-heavy itinerary, and it fits naturally into the journey between Samarkand and Bukhara — see our guides to the trip from Samarkand and from Bukhara.

It may not suit you if you need hotel comfort, a room of your own or quick access to medical care: the camp lies deep in the desert, a long drive from Samarkand or Bukhara.

Practical tips

• Warm layer: even after a hot day, desert nights cool down quickly; a fleece or light down jacket is useful from autumn to spring.
• Torch: the camp is dark at night; a headlamp or phone light helps when you walk around the camp.
• Small bag: take one soft bag into the yurt and leave the large suitcase in the car.
• Clothes for the camel ride: long trousers and closed shoes are more comfortable.
• Sun protection: hat, sunglasses and sunscreen for the afternoon and the lake.
• Power and signal: charge your phone and camera before you leave the city; do not rely on mobile signal at the camp.
• Medicines: bring what you need, as there is no pharmacy nearby.

Plan it with TravelBliss

We arrange the camp night as part of a route: from Samarkand with the 2-Day Yurt Camp and Aydarkul Lake Tour, or from Bukhara to Samarkand with the Yurt Camp and Aydarkul from Bukhara tour, including the car, the camp, dinner and breakfast. Prices depend on group size and season — see the tour page or contact us.