Aydarkul Lake
A vast desert lake and a night under the stars in a yurt.
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Aydarkul is an immense, accidental lake on the edge of the Kyzylkum Desert, a startling ribbon of blue between sand dunes and steppe. Paired with a stay in a nearby yurt camp, it’s the classic taste of nomadic Uzbekistan: camel rides at dusk, a swim in the lake, and a sky thick with stars.
Don't miss
- Overnighting in a traditional yurt camp by the dunes
- Sunset camel treks across the Kyzylkum sands
- Swimming in the surprisingly warm, calm lake in summer
Good to know
Getting there
Best as a stop between Samarkand and Bukhara, or a tour from either city.
Best time
April–June and September–October; midsummer days are very hot, though nights cool fast.
Local tip
Yurt camps include dinner and breakfast; listen for an akyn (folk singer) by the fire.
A Lake Made by Accident
Aydarkul didn’t exist a century ago. In the 1960s, overflow from the Soviet-built Chardara Reservoir on the Syr Darya spilled into the Arnasay lowland, and over the following decades it filled into one of Uzbekistan’s largest lakes: an unplanned oasis that now sustains fishermen, birds, and desert tourism alike.
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