I’ve been to all the important cities of Uzbekistan, so I was thinking long and hard about where else to travel. I had not explored the far north of the country then, so a tour to Nukus was the best choice. Why? Because I was partial to the Aral Sea tragedy. Formerly, the Aral Sea was the fourth-largest lake in the world, that’s why it was called a sea. Now the shipping sea has turned into a desert and became a graveyard of ships and barges.
A video from the internet shocked me and I decided to travel to the very heart of Karakalpakstan. It was intriguing to see an ecological disaster, the reasons of which are not fully known. Aral Sea tours from Nukus lead to the town of Muynak, and the final step is a jeep ride into the desert (the former Aral Sea floor).
This review is not about the Aral Sea, I’d rather share my great impressions of Nukus. The city literally stunned me, because I could not imagine that it would attract me in any way. Nukus is not a tourism hub, and actually, there is not much information about it on the web. That was a misconception, and I had a chance to make many new discoveries.
Nukus tours from Tashkent are gaining popularity among foreigners, and this phenomenon is caused by the drying up of the Aral Sea. The graveyard of ships is a breathtaking sight, and the road along the deserted sea floor is a real extreme. The sand is studded with shells and shark teeth can be found all around, which is quite strange. In fact, there used to dwell small sharks, about a meter long.
The Tashkent Nukus train leaves late in the evening and arrives at the place by noon. I stayed in the two-story “Beskala” hostel with a pleasant turquoise exterior. Inside the hostel, there’s a welcoming atmosphere and the room is equipped with appliances and household stuff. There’s free Wi-Fi, but the internet speed is too low. This drawback is easily made up for by a hearty breakfast: boiled and scrambled eggs, omelette, pastries, flatbreads, pancakes, sausages, cheese, sour cream, nuts, and fruits.
My first sightseeing destination was the Savitsky Museum, which is considered a national pride here. I was surprised to learn that it was not an ordinary art museum, but a treasure trove of Uzbekistan’s fine arts. The collections of Karakalpak avant-garde art amazed me. All the exhibits were banned during the Soviet era and went on display only in 1991. Savitsky at the time saved them from destruction.
Next, I continued to explore the city on my own, because the Nukus tour didn’t include a rich excursion program. The purpose of the trip was to get to the Aral Sea, whereas Nukus and Muynak were a “transshipment point”. I managed to visit another local history museum Berdakh and the Central Park of Amir Timur with a huge Ferris wheel. I felt like going to historical places too, so the cab driver willingly took me to Khojeyli to see the ruins of the Gyaur-Kala fortress.
I liked the city because of its immaculate tidiness and the diversity of buildings. Modern buildings alternated with private houses made of clay. Green plants and yellow sunflowers were everywhere.
It’s important to say a few words about Karakalpak gastronomic masterpieces. There is a lot of fried fish and meat, and traditional Uzbek dishes like plov, shurva, samsa, lagman, etc. differ from the same dishes in other cities. Karakalpaks do not use a lot of spices but cook according to special local recipes.
Life in Nukus is calm and measured, people are friendly and very responsive. They always hurry to explain how to get to the required place when asked. Buy a Nukus tour and come to this sunny city without hesitation, it’s really worthwhile. Hotels in Nukus are around every corner, and most of them are private hostels. I recommend staying in Beskala Hostel, it’s an affordable cosy place with delicious breakfasts.