To celebrate Uzbekistan’s Independence Day, 34 off-road vehicles set out on an expedition from Tashkent to the Aralkum under the banner Visit to the Aral, Kursiv Uzbekistan‘s correspondent reports.
The rally route passed through the country’s most iconic cultural and historic destinations, including Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva and the dried seabed of the Aral Sea.
Participants included popular Russian blogger Anton Gudim, journalists, activists and travellers from Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. In total, the convoy covered more than 1,200 kilometres.
The initiative was designed to draw attention to the environmental challenges of the Aral Sea, showcase the tourism potential of the Priaralye region and promote motor tourism in Uzbekistan. According to Umurbek Esanmurodov, chief specialist at the Tourism Committee, the country has developed all the necessary infrastructure for road trips, with a wide network of filling stations, sanitary facilities, eateries and accommodation.
In Nukus, the travellers were greeted with a concert by the band Kok Choy. Guests expressed gratitude for the warm welcome and praised Uzbekistan’s strong tourism opportunities.
Kursiv also reports that construction of a new tourist and recreation zone on the shores of Lake Akchakul in the Ellikkala district of Karakalpakstan has begun.
