Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan
Explore rusted Soviet fishing boats in the desert. Take a 4WD tour across 150 kilometers of dried seabed to reach the retreating water.
4.9 from 63 traveller reviews on Viator
Tickets & tours
Compare day trips and overnight yurt stays.
Most bookedJoin us on the incredible journey to the disappearing Aral sea. You will travel through the rocky desert, walk over the bottom of the dried sea, visit mysterious...
From$380per person
Best for: adventurers wanting the classic experience
Best valueThis Day Trip bridges the Khiva with the world-class collections of Nukus, the haunting reality of the Aral Sea environmental disaster in Muynak, and the sacred ruins of...
Top ratedTwo cars (one sedan and one 4x4) will serve during this round trip to Aral Sea shore. Total, around 1`000 kms will be driven in two days. Six important touristic...
Explore
From the former port town to the active shoreline.
3 spotsMoynaq TownGateway to the disaster, featuring stranded ships and local history.Explore Photo: tour listing on Viator
3 spotsDesert & PlateauHarsh landscapes formed as the Aral Sea evaporated.Explore Photo: tour listing on Viator
3 spotsAral Sea ShoreThe surviving stretch of hyper-saline water in the western basin.Explore Photo: tour listing on Viator
The Aralkum Desert now covers over 60,000 square kilometers of salty terrain.
Soviet 1960s irrigation projects caused the massive inland sea to vanish.
Plan your visit
Moynaq takes 2 hours. Full sea trips require 2 to 3 days.
Visit in April, May, September, or October. Summer exceeds 40°C (104°F).
Take a marshrutka from Nukus for 20,000 UZS. Taxis cost ~$60.
Cemetery entry is free. Multi-day 4WD tours cost $150 to $400+.
Moynaq was a thriving fishing port until the 1960s. Disastrous Soviet irrigation policies diverted its water sources. The sea receded, leaving fishing vessels stranded in the sand.
Today, 11 rusted ships sit directly below the former lighthouse viewpoint. You can view these for free. To reach the actual water, you must cross the Aralkum Desert.
Guided 4WD tours cover over 350 kilometers of off-road driving. You can learn more about History & Context or compare Booking Aral Tours for multi-day trips.
We check if tours use required 4WD vehicles or standard sedans.
We list operators departing from Nukus, Kungrad, or Khiva.
We note which trips cover yurt stays, meals, and museum fees.
From Viator
63 reviews of the aral sea discovery on Viator
An excellent tour. Excellent service from Askar, who was wonderful at communicating and make sure everything went smoothly. The driver Salamat was also great. The food at the yurt camp was fab and the yurts very comfortable and clean. The only downside was the loud music they played until 11pm. Not appropriate as it stopped us sleeping. The agency though was great throughout. Thoroughly recommend !
Perfect organisation, a really good car and driver (which matters since you're spending hours off-roading), and a super-knowledgeable, friendly student guide (thank you, Quwat!). The trip is not cheap, but the level of service matches the price.
If you are going out to Nukus, you should definitely spend a night and go to see the coast of the Aral sea. It's a very long way put, and that distance helps you appreciate the scale of the disaster. Plus the tour stop at the necropolis and the Tower of Silence was way cool! The drivers are great, friendly, and trustworthy. Just note that in the summer the Yurts are very hot and stuffy, so be prepared!
Incredible experience. Being able to swim in the Aral Sea was a once in a lifetime experience. The staff at the yurt camp and the drivers were very friendly and helpful. I would highly recommend
We had a great trip with Abdula! He is a great driver and made the experience very fun! Highly recommended!
In general amazing experience. I'd suggest this trip to everyone who is in Khiva and wants to deepen the story of the Khorezm region. Sanatbek was great, he was perfectly on time, the tour went perfectly as planned and he suggested us a good restaurant on the way.
Had such a fun time with Ulugbek!! Everything was perfect, he was so attentive to every detail to make the trip comfortable and was a very agile/excellent driver! I also always felt safe, as a solo female traveler and had a great time with him!
nice very good would recommend, our driver was super cool and friendly. he always opened the door of the car to us
we had fantastic time to travel to ex-Aral Sea port city - Muynak and Nukus. Despite cold weather, driver did this journey smooth and convenient
Travel tips
Booking Aral ToursCompare shared and private 4x4 tours from Nukus to the Aral Sea.Read 
Moynaq Bus GuideTake the budget-friendly daily marshrutka from Nukus to Moynaq.Read 
Best time to goLearn which months are safe to cross the Aralkum Desert.Read 
Packing GuideEssential gear for surviving the harsh Aralkum Desert.Read 
Swimming ConditionsWhat you need to know about floating in the highly saline Aral Sea.Read 
History & ContextUnderstand the Soviet irrigation projects that drained the Aral Sea.Read Disastrous 1960s Soviet irrigation projects caused the water to recede over 150 kilometers away. The sea was once the 4th largest lake in the world. It has shrunk to less than 10% of its original size.
Yes, if prepared. Do not drive into the dried seabed without a 4WD vehicle and local guide. Bring plenty of extra drinking water and your original passport for police checkpoints.
A daily marshrutka minivan leaves the Nukus bus station around 9:00 AM. Tickets cost 20,000 UZS for the 3-hour journey. You can also hire a private taxi for roughly $60.
The remaining water is hyper-saline. The mud near the water is incredibly thick and difficult to wash off. Running water and shower facilities are not available at the remote shores.
No, a western basin survives. However, the water has shrunk to less than 10% of its original volume. The exposed seabed created the 60,000 square kilometer Aralkum Desert.
The current shoreline of the Aral Sea is approximately 150 kilometers away from Moynaq. Reaching it requires 2 to 3 days of driving via specialized 4WD tours.
Pack high SPF sunscreen, your original passport, and a windbreaker.
