Aydar Lake, Uzbekistan (Photos, Location, & More)

Aydar Lake is a massive artificial body of water. This lake is part of the Aydar-Arnasay lake system in northeastern Uzbekistan and is 50 km from Nurata City. The entire system occupies an area of 4,000 square kilometers and consists of three saline lakes: Arnasay, Aydarkul, and Tuzkan. By checking the Aydar Lake map, you will realize that this lake is located exactly in the middle of a desert! The lakes are located in a saline depression in the southeastern part of the Kyzylkum desert.

This huge lake was created in 1969; at that time, the catastrophic spring floods caused people to drain the excess water of the Syrdarya River into the Aransay pit. Since then, Aydar is constantly growing in size. According to experts, this lake will become the largest lake in Uzbekistan in the next century. Several dozen species of fish, including zander, carp, bream, asp, Wels, snakehead, sabre fish, etc., can be found in this lake. This lake is home to many birds that have migrated to this area from the Aral Sea.

Uzbekistan’s Beautiful Lake

Lake Aydar is often known as the sea in the sand because of its wide sandy beaches and clear salt water. There is no human settlement in the vicinity of Aydar. That is why the lake is located in an atmosphere of absolute silence and solitude. There is no exact information about the Aydar Lake depth, but the maximum length and width of the lake are 250 and 15 square kilometers, respectively.

For experiencing Uzbekistan’s most thrilling and unusual recreation options, you should definitely include a visit to Aydar in your schedule. This lake has no drainage, and surprisingly it is not covered with ice during winter. Since the lake is located far from the settlements, there is a relatively small population, and about 200 local people live there.

Kyzylkum Desert

This desert is the eleventh largest desert in the world. The word Kyzylkum means red sand in Turkish. Kyzylkum is located in the middle of two rivers, Amu Darya and Syr Darya, and Central Asia. This huge desert is located in the countries of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and a part of Turkmenistan, and its area is 298,000 square kilometers.

These deserts are home to many rare and important animals, including the desert tortoise, the Russian tortoise, the Saiga antelope, and the Transcaspian lizard.

Aydar Lake in Uzbekistan

The length of these desert lizards sometimes reaches up to one meter and 60 centimeters. In 1971 in Bukhara province, an area called Kyzylkum was designated as a nature reserve with an area of 101 thousand square kilometers.

Location and Access of Aydar Lake

This lake is close to Bukhara, and you can reach the lake by car in about two hours from Navoi city. To reach Aydar Lake, you must first cross the desert and some mountains. The path to this lake is long, and the heat is annoying, but watching the Kyzylkum sands, which are very colorful, is worth all these hardships.

The Best Time to Travel and Visit Aydar Lake

The best time to travel to Aydar is determined by its purpose. Fishing is prohibited from May to August. However, because the lake’s water does not freeze even in winter, you can fish for 8 whole months. The period from May to July is completely suitable for bathing and leisure, but you must be careful of mosquitoes.

Attractions of Aydar Lake

Those who are interested in extreme sports and studying national characteristics are advised to visit the nearby yurt camps. You can live in a yurt. A yurt camp is an exotic traditional nomadic dwelling where you can spend a night in the middle of the natural wilderness, far from any civilization. The camp contains 8 yurts. There are also toilets and a mess room for eating, and the yurt camp is the most comfortable in the country. If you are looking for more traditional accommodation, there is an alternative to renting a room from a local resident. On the way to the camp, it is recommended to visit the mountain path known as Sarmysh, where you can see more than 3000 petroglyphs (rock paintings) from the Stone and Bronze Ages.

Lake Aydarkul

There are different breeds of birds in this lake. We can see waterfowl flying from the drying Aral Lake to Aydar Lake. One of the most popular pastimes of tourists visiting this lake is fishing. Various types of fish, such as snakehead, chekhon, catfish, carp, bream, asp, and others can be found in this lake. However, before you begin fishing, you need to get the proper license. In addition, by obtaining the necessary permits, you can also hunt ducks here.

Camel riding in the Kyzylkum desert is truly an unforgettable experience. Two-humped camels, called Bactrian camels, are domesticated and trained for riding. You can also try fermented camel milk. Of course, the drink is not to everyone’s taste, but many tourists like bitter Kumis, and it can fight thirst well.

Visiting the city of Nurata town on the border of the Nurata Mountains and the desert is another thing to do while at Aydar Lake. This city has a holy spring shrine where more than a thousand holy fish swim. You can also see the irrigation systems – the kyarizes, which until now supplied the underground water.

Final word

Aydar Lake is a unique geographical phenomenon that has emerged in the wild and waterless nature in the form of a lake. This lake, with an area of more than 2300 square kilometers, is definitely one of the most attractive natural sights of Uzbekistan. If you enjoy pristine nature and seeing many species of animals, and fishing, be sure to visit this beautiful lake on your trip to Uzbekistan.

Are you planning to travel to Uzbekistan? Check out our Uzbekistan tours and feel free to contact us. Maybe you will find more interesting things to do in Uzbekistan.