From Samarkand to Bukhara: Cycling & a Yurt Stay in the Nuratau Mountains
Trade the highway for quiet mountain trails on this 2-day cycling tour with a yurt stay between Samarkand and Bukhara. Ride through the scenic Nuratau Mountains, passing villages, open ridgelines and rural landscapes, while a support vehicle carries your luggage.
Cross the Urtachekuv Pass, relax at Sayyod Yurt Camp, swim in the pool and enjoy dinner beneath the stars. On the second day, cycle towards Lake Aydarkul, where the mountains give way to the vast Kyzylkum steppe, before continuing by vehicle to Bukhara.
This journey combines active adventure, traditional yurt accommodation and authentic rural scenery in one memorable Uzbekistan Silk Road cycling experience.
Highlights of the Tour
Day 1 – Samarkand to Sayyod Yurt Camp by Bike: After breakfast, drive from Samarkand to Nurak village, where you will meet your cycling guide and begin a scenic 28 km ride through mountain villages and over Urtachekuv Pass. Enjoy a picnic lunch along the way before arriving at Sayyod Yurt Camp. Relax by the pool, enjoy dinner and spend the night in a traditional yurt.
Day 2 – Cycling Route & Transfer to Bukhara: After breakfast, choose between a longer 50 km ride towards Lake Aydarkul or a shorter 18.5 km loop around Mount Bugombir. Enjoy a picnic or camp lunch, then meet your driver for the transfer to Bukhara.
END OF THE TRIP
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Trip Details
Trip Details
- Tour Dates: Fixed group departures operate from mid-March to late October. Private tours can be arranged on any date to suit your travel plans.
- Seasonal Considerations: The optimal seasons for this tour are March to May and September to November.
- Meeting Point and Time: In Samarkand, meet at 8:40 AM at Gur Amir Mausoleum. Upon request, private and small groups (2-3 participants) can be picked up from their hotels. The departure time is 9:00 AM.
- Ending Point: In Bukhara, you will be dropped off at Lyabi Haus Pool around 6:00 PM. Upon request, private and small groups (2-3 participants) can be dropped off at their hotels.
Instructions
To find your driver:
Please be ready near the parking lot of Gur Emir Mausoleum and look for our driver holding a sign with our company name – NURATAU TRAVEL. For any issues or delays, contact our team using this emergency number: +998 90 2650680 (also WhatsApp).
Disclaimer: This tour starts in Samarkand but can also begin in Bukhara when booked privately.
- Bike Rental: Scott Contrail 20 hardtail mountain bikes and helmets.
- Accommodations: 1 night at Sayyod Yurt Camp (private yurt for 2 persons).
- Meals: 1 breakfast, 2 lunches, 1 dinner. Vegetarian and vegan available.
- Guided riding: A local English speaking cycling guide
- Support Vehicle: Transfers your luggage, carries basic bike spares, and offers a place to hop in if your legs need a rest.
- Transportation: Transfers include:
- From Samarkand to Nurak.
- From Sayyod Yurt Camp or Khanbandi to Bukhara.
- Registration: The registration will be issued by the staff of the Sayyod Yurt Camp, please present your passport upon arrival.
- Travel Insurance: All participants must have valid travel insurance for safe, worry-free activities.
- Personal Cycling Gear: Gloves and other personal riding gear are not provided.
- Optional Activities: Extra camp activities are available at an additional cost.
- Tips: Not mandatory but appreciated. Guideline: €3–€5 per person per day for driver, €5–€8 per person per day for guide.
- Yurt Camp Details: The camp features 18 yurts with a communal ablution block located separately. Bedding and towels are provided for your comfort.
- Amenities & Activities: Free Wi-Fi, an outdoor swimming pool, a fireplace, and garden seating areas. Guests can use a small telescope for stargazing, play table tennis, or try archery at no extra cost. A secure area is available for overnight bike storage.
- Standard Bike: Scott Contrail 20 hardtail mountain bikes with front suspension and off-road tyres. Helmets are provided and must be worn while cycling.
- Daily Bike Check: Your guide checks and adjusts each bike before departure each day.
- Spares & Tools: Spare tubes, a pump and a basic repair kit are carried in the support vehicle.
- Your Own Gear: Riders are welcome to bring their own pedals, saddle or helmet if preferred.
- Transfers: For groups of 2–3, transport is by sedan car. For groups of 4 or more, a minibus is used.
- Support Vehicle: A separate support vehicle follows the cycling route on both days, carrying luggage, water, snacks and spare parts, and offering a place to hop in if your legs need a rest.
- In-Tour Transport: Local drivers for smaller groups do not stay overnight at the yurt camp; minibus and support vehicle drivers remain at the camp as they are not local to the area.
- Guide Information: Guide Information: A local cycling guide with basic English will meet you in the village and accompany you throughout the cycling sections of the tour
- Minimum and Maximum Participants: The tour operates with a minimum of 2 participants and a maximum of 12 participants.
- Suitable for active travellers with good fitness and some experience cycling on unpaved roads or gravel tracks. The route includes climbs, descents and short steeper sections, so it is not recommended as a first off-road cycling experience. A support vehicle is available if riders need to skip sections. Minimum age: 16 years.
- Clothing:
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- Spring (April–May) and Autumn (September–October): Layered clothing for cool mornings/evenings and warmer midday riding; a light, packable jacket.
- Summer (June–August): Lightweight, breathable cycling or sports clothing; a cap or buff for sun and dust protection.
- Riding Gear: Padded cycling shorts (recommended for comfort), cycling or other closed-toe sports shoes, and gloves if you have them.
- Other Essentials: Sunglasses, sunscreen, a reusable water bottle, swimwear (for the camp pool and Lake Aydarkul), and a phone charger.
For detailed information on visas, currency, registration in Uzbekistan, luggage allowances on internal flights, health and medical guidelines, cultural etiquette, and more, please visit our dedicated information page by clicking HERE.
Please review our booking terms and cancellation policy on our Terms and Conditions page.
2-Day Cycling Tour with Yurt Stay | Samarkand to Bukhara
Day 1 – Cycle from Nurak to Sayyod Yurt Camp
After breakfast, leave Samarkand behind and enjoy a scenic 2.5-hour drive to the mountain village of Nurak, the starting point of your cycling adventure in the Nuratau Mountains. Meet your cycling guide, adjust your bike and begin riding through rolling hills, quiet villages and spectacular mountain scenery.
The route climbs steadily towards Urtachekuv Pass, rewarding you with sweeping views across the Nuratau range before descending on winding tracks through the villages of Khurbonhoji and Baland Osmon. A picnic lunch is served along the way before the final ride through Sayyod Valley to Sayyod Yurt Camp.
After settling into your traditional yurt, the rest of the afternoon is yours to relax. Take a refreshing swim in the outdoor pool, enjoy the peaceful mountain surroundings or simply unwind before dinner. As night falls, gather around the campfire beneath a sky full of stars.
Travel time & distance: Approx. 150 km / 2h 30m
Cycling: Approx. 28 km / 3h, (+649 m, –312 m)
Overnight: Sayyod Yurt Camp
(–/L/D)
Day 2 – Cycle to Lake Aydarkul or the Bugombir Loop
Today you can choose between two cycling routes before your transfer to Bukhara.
Option A – Cycle to Lake Aydarkul
After breakfast, cycle through the villages of Sayyod and Asmansay before leaving the mountains behind and entering the vast Kyzylkum steppe. Continue to the shores of Lake Aydarkul, where you’ll enjoy a picnic lunch and, during warmer months, the opportunity for a refreshing swim.
In the afternoon, continue cycling along the Pistalitau Ridge to the former mining town of Khanbandi, where your driver will be waiting for the transfer to Bukhara.
Cycling: Approx . 50 km / 5 h (+250 m, –810 m)
Travel time & distance: Approx. 338 km/5 h
(B/L/–)
Option B – Bugombir Loop
For a shorter and more relaxed ride, descend from Sayyod Yurt Camp through Sayyod Village before following quiet tracks along the foothills of Mount Bugombir. Ride across rolling hills towards Oqtepa, enjoying wide views over the Kyzylkum steppe and Lake Aydarkul, before climbing back to the yurt camp.
After lunch, meet your driver for the transfer to Bukhara, bringing your cycling adventure to an end.
Cycling: Approx. 18,5 km / 2 h, (+307 m, –309 m)
Overnight: Sayyod Yurt Camp
Travel time & distance: Approx. 344 km/5 h
(B/L/–)
END OF THE TRIP
Note: This tour can be arranged in reverse order—start in Bukhara and finish in Samarkand.
Map
Private Tour Enquiry
All our tours are available as private tours. To request private tour departure dates you can send us an enquiry here. Please fill in your details and select your preferred cycling tour in the form below and we will get back to you with available departure dates.
