Hiking tour 3 days Asraf

Nuratau Mountain villages exist from time immemorial. Even the troops of Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan used to have their fortifications in Nuratau Mountain villages. During these three days’ tours to Nuratau villages, you will be acquainted with the history of the villages and have an opportunity to interact with local people to get to know about their daily life and traditions.

Trip Highlights

Experience a stay with a rural family
Get to know the daily livelihood activities of mountain dwellers
Whole day’s hiking tour in Nuratau Mountains
Explore two different villages and local historical sights
Learn the preparation of the Central Asian main dish Plov

Best time: March-end of June, September-November

Quick Itinerary

Day 1 – Samarkand or Bukhara – Asraf village

At 9:00 be picked up by our driver from your hotel and drive to Asraf village. Arrive in Asraf village by lunchtime and settle in the homestay. In the afternoon, walk around to get to know the village and people, and relax on the tapchan or supa under the walnut trees. Help or watch to prepare the traditional dishes.
Please note that on this day you explore the village on your own, and the guided tour starts on the next day.

Day 2 – Asraf village

Meet with your guide in the morning and start a whole day hiking tour to Uhum village (14 km / 7 hours with picnic rest). Visit local historical sites: ruins of Mongol fortification ‘Qorgoni Honkeldi’, ruins of ‘Deh’ fortress, and old community watermill in Upper Uhum.

Day 3 – Asraf village – Bukhara or Samarkand

Leave for the next destination.

END OF THE PROGRAM

Price & Service

Number of People	1	2-3	4-12
Price per person	EUR 270	EUR 175	EUR 160

For groups greater than 3 people –price upon request

What is Included

2 nights of accommodation in the homestay
2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners
1-day mountain escort guide service (with basic English)
Registration
Transport:Samarkand/Bukhara-villages-Bukhara/Samarkand

What’s not Included

Additional tours and activities not mentioned in the itinerary
Tips
Items of personal nature

While visiting Nuratau Mountains please be respectful of local traditions and follow our Countryside Behaviour Rules.

Extension trips and extra activities can be combined with the above tour

Yurt stay and camel riding near the Lake Aydarkul

Price
1 person – EUR 100
2 persons – EUR 75 per person
3 persons – EUR 65 per person

Price includes

1 night Yurt stay including all meals and registration
20 minutes of camel riding
The trip by car to Lake Aydarkul
Transport to/ from Yurt Camp

Alexander the Great’s fortress and holly spring in Nurata city

Price
1 person – EUR 15
2 persons – EUR 10 per person
3 persons – EUR 5 per person

Price includes:

Entrance tickets in Nurata city
Transport to/ from Nurata

Petroglyphs in Sarmish Gorge

Price:
1 person – EUR 30
2 persons – EUR 25 per person
3 persons – EUR 20 per person

Price includes:

Entrance tickets to Sarmish Gorge
Transport to/ from Sarmish

Day 1 - Samarkand or Bukhara - Asraf village

At 9:00 be picked up by our driver from your hotel and drive to Asraf village. Arrive in Asraf village by lunchtime. Be welcomed by your host family and settle in one of the rooms of the local homestay. The homestays have a large garden with many fruit trees where you can spend some time relaxing on one of the tapchans (comfortable tea beds) or on a supa (traditional loom-built tea bed). After having settled, your host will show you their facilities. Lunch with the local family. After lunch, walk around the village and get to know how people are making a living in these remote valleys. In the afternoon, you may watch or help the family in the preparation of the traditional dish Plov from home-grown vegetables and mountain spices. Dinner with your hosts. Overnight stay in a local homestay.
Please note that on this day you explore the village on your own, the guided tour starts on the next day.

Day 2 - Asraf village

Early risers can either watch the sunrise on top of the hill behind the house or watch the host family doing their morning chores (bread baking in a tandir oven, cooking on a traditional stove) Breakfast with the family. After breakfast, your local escort guide takes you on a whole day hiking tour to the next Nuratau Mountain village Ukhum (one way 7,1 km, 3:30 hours with rest). Uhum is one of the biggest villages in the area and Uhum valley stretches out for 15 km. The name Uhum originates from the Sogdian word Axm, which means « fearless warrior». Start a guided hike from Asraf village (686m high) uphill up to Sari Saqallog’u pass (900m high). You will see Mount Saribedak (965 high) on your left. Pass the ruins of the old Mongol fortress “Qorgoni Honkeldi” (768m high) and its settlement ruins (0:30 hours rest). From there you have a nice view of Uhum valley. Descending to Uhum village, you can see a rock with old petroglyphs (rather faint). Once you reached the village of Uhum, continue to walk up to Upper Ukhum village to see an old community watermill, which is still in operation, and the hydro pump that lifts water up to a local house. The owner, Bakhrom Kasimov, will be proudly demonstrating the use of these old devices to you. Have a picnic at the ruins of “Deh” fortress. Return to Asraf village and stay overnight in a local homestay.