Discover Navoiy Province
Accommodation in Navoiy Province
Two petroglyph sites in Sarmishsay preserve a total of 10,000 ancient rock carvings. Most date from the Bronze Age, between 3000 and 900 BC. This exceptional cultural heritage makes Navoiy Province particularly interesting for travellers who want to take time during their trip not only for the landscape, but also for early evidence of human history.
To protect the rock art, Sarmishsay has bypass paths and viewing platforms. They are intended to reduce human contact with the carvings. The careful treatment of the site is therefore part of what makes it special, alongside the images themselves. Travellers who make rock art their main focus will find a specific theme for their trip here; those who prefer to combine different interests can consider the region’s cultural attractions alongside its landscapes and other visitor experiences.
Mountains and landscapes with their own character
The Nurota Mountains consist of three low western spurs of the Gissar-Alai system. Their highest peak is Hayatbashi, at 2,169 metres. The mountains lie in a transitional zone between the Pamir-Alai and Tian Shan mountain systems and the desert plains of Turan. This setting shapes distinctive plant life, with numerous endemic and relict species. For nature enthusiasts, this brings a different side of the province to the fore than on a trip focused mainly on historic buildings and cultural sites.
Aydarko‘l also extends geographically beyond Navoiy Province: its shoreline stretches from Nurota District in Navoiy Region to the Forish and Mirzacho‘l districts in Jizzax Region. The lake provides refuge for birds listed in Uzbekistan’s Red Book. Ethnographic excursions are offered at the yurt camps on Aydarko‘l. Those interested in nature and regional ways of life can take both aspects into account when choosing the focus of their trip.
Caravanserai, mosque and pilgrimage site
Raboti Malik is the ruin of an 11th-century caravanserai, located 23 kilometres from Navoiy. It served trading caravans from the 13th century until the beginning of the 18th century. Its long period of use gives the building its own historical context: it is interesting not only as a ruin, but also as evidence of a time when caravans found accommodation there.
Another destination for culture enthusiasts is Toshmasjid, a 16th-century architectural complex in the village of Vangoziy in Qiziltepa District. It includes a mosque, a minaret, a madrasa, a bathhouse and an old cemetery. Its various components give the complex more than a single architectural aspect. At Chashma majmuasi, meanwhile, thousands of people visit the monuments and come on pilgrimage. The Juma Mosque above the sacred spring has 40 wooden columns and a dome 16 metres wide. The spring’s water temperature remains steady at around 20 degrees Celsius.
Active days and regional discoveries
Sentob is an ecotourism route and recreational area in Nurota District. The guesthouses there offer horseback riding, mountain hikes and walks. Sentob can therefore be a focus for a trip centred on physical activity and time spent in the landscape. If your travel group has different interests, you can weigh these activity options against the province’s cultural themes rather than planning every day of the trip in the same way.
A tourist circular route through Navoiy Province is 340 kilometres long and includes more than 60 sites in Nurota, Karmana and Qiziltepa. It offers a regional framework for anyone wishing to explore several places. When looking for a holiday rental, it may help to first decide whether rock art and historic buildings, the landscape of the Nurota Mountains or activities in Sentob will be the main draw for your stay. This lets you choose your location based on the experiences that matter to you, without conflating the province’s different travel experiences.
Other districts
For further regional orientation, the districts of Malik and Karmana District are also worth considering.
For the broader travel overview: Uzbekistan.
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