place
Nukus, capital of Karakalpakstan, is home to one of the most remarkable art collections in Central Asia. It is also the starting point for trips to Moynaq and the shrinking Aral Sea.
best time
April–May and September–October
highlights
At first sight Nukus is a quiet provincial city in the north-west of Uzbekistan. Yet it holds the Savitsky Museum, which collected tens of thousands of objects, including a large body of Russian and Central Asian avant-garde art that was officially unwelcome in the Soviet period. The story of how these works were gathered and protected far from Moscow is as interesting as the paintings themselves.
The region also tells one of the great environmental stories of our time. The Aral Sea, once one of the largest lakes in the world, has shrunk dramatically, and the former fishing port of Moynaq now stands far from the water.
Officially the State Museum of Art of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, it is named after Igor Savitsky, the artist and collector who founded it. Besides paintings, it holds Karakalpak jewellery, textiles and archaeological finds from ancient Khorezm. Only part of the collection is on display at any time. Plan at least half a day, ideally with a guide who knows the history.
Near the town of Khodjeyli, Mizdakhan is a vast hilltop necropolis with mausoleums from different periods and the ruins of an ancient fortress. Local legends link it to the end of the world, and it remains a place of pilgrimage.
The former port is a drive of a few hours north of Nukus. Rusting fishing boats sit on the dry seabed, and a small museum explains the history of the sea and the town. An annual electronic music festival has been held here in recent years, but dates vary.
The current shoreline is reached by 4x4 across the Ustyurt plateau, with canyons, cliffs and empty steppe. Trips usually include a night in a yurt camp. It is a long journey for travellers interested in remote landscapes and environmental history.
Spring and autumn are best. Summer is hot and dusty, and winter in the open steppe is cold and windy, which makes camping difficult.
Nukus has an airport with domestic flights from Tashkent and is on the railway line. Most travellers arrive by road from Khiva or Urgench; the drive takes a few hours. Our team arranges flights or trains, and 4x4 vehicles with experienced drivers for the Aral Sea.
Nukus is usually combined with Khiva: you can visit it as a long day trip or spend a night there before flying back to Tashkent. It works well at the end of a classic Silk Road route, adding a different perspective after the historic cities. Our overview of Silk Road history helps connect ancient Khorezm with the sites you see here.
Nukus has a few comfortable city hotels. In Moynaq and on the Aral route, accommodation is simple: guesthouses and yurt camps with shared facilities.
Send us your dates and how far you want to go, from the museum alone to the Aral Sea shore. We build the program with vehicles, guides and accommodation, and send you a quote.
Updated: 2026-10
For art lovers and travellers interested in the Aral Sea story, yes. The Savitsky Museum alone justifies a detour from Khiva.
One day is enough for Nukus and Mizdakhan. Add one day for Moynaq, and two to three days for a trip to the Aral Sea shore with an overnight camp.
Nukus has an airport with domestic flights from Tashkent and a railway station. From Khiva, the drive takes a few hours.
Yes, but the shore has moved far from Moynaq and is reached by 4x4 across the Ustyurt plateau. The trip is long and facilities are basic.
Khiva's inner town sits entirely within mud-brick walls, with minarets, palaces and madrasas packed into a few hundred metres. It feels like a city frozen in time, and it is best seen slowly, at dawn and dusk.
Uzbekistan holds the densest cluster of Silk Road cities in Central Asia. We plan private and group itineraries from our base in Tashkent, for independent travellers and for travel agencies.
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To: Global Destination
Where: Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Tel.: +998 99 760-82-33
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