Navoiy Province: Petroglyphs, Caravanserais and Nature

Two petroglyph sites, a caravanserai ruin and the Nurota Mountains showcase different sides of Navoiy Province. Other highlights include a pilgrimage site at a spring, the shore of Aydarko‘l, and local experiences such as embroidered products and guesthouse stays in Sentob. The themes range from archaeological rock art and architectural history to nature and activities.

Rock Art and Cultural Heritage

In Sarmishsay, in Nurota District in Navoiy Province, there are two petroglyph sites with a total of 10,000 ancient rock carvings. The carvings are generally dated to the Bronze Age, from 3000 to 900 BC. Conservation measures include detour paths and viewing platforms intended to reduce human contact with the rock carvings.

Rabati Malik is the ruin of an 11th-century caravanserai, located 23 kilometers from Navoiy. The caravanserai was built at the behest of the Karakhanid Shams-al-Mulk Nasr. It served as a caravanserai for trading caravans from the 13th century until the beginning of the 18th century.

Toshmasjid is a 16th-century architectural complex in the village of Vangoziy in Qiziltepa District. The complex includes a mosque, a minaret, a madrasa, a bathhouse and an old cemetery. Its different components make Toshmasjid a distinctive architectural feature within the province’s cultural landscape.

Chashma majmuasi also combines a religious site with remarkable architecture. Thousands of people visit the complex on pilgrimage and to see its monuments. Above the sacred spring stands the Juma Mosque, with 40 wooden columns and a dome 16 meters wide. The spring’s water temperature remains constant at around 20 degrees Celsius.

Mountains and Lakeshore

The Nurota Mountains consist of three low western spurs of the Gissar-Alai system. Their highest peak is Hayatbashi, at 2,169 meters. The mountains lie in a transition zone between the Pamir-Alai and Tian Shan mountain systems and the desert plains of Turan. Their unique flora includes many endemic and relict species.

The shore of Aydarko‘l stretches from Nurota District in Navoiy Province to the Forish and Mirzacho‘l districts in Jizzax Province. The lake provides refuge for birds listed in the Red Book of Uzbekistan. If you are interested in a particular species, check its current conservation status separately. Ethnographic excursions take place at yurt camps on Aydarko‘l.

Activities and Travel Information

Sentob is an ecotourism route and recreation area in Nurota District. The guesthouses there offer their guests horseback riding, mountain hikes and walks. These activities are tied to individual guesthouses, so check with the relevant property before your trip to confirm availability. Embroidered products in Nurota District have also become an experience of interest to tourists.

A tourist circuit published on December 17, 2024, is 340 kilometers long and includes more than 60 sites in Nurota, Karmana and Qiziltepa. Its contents may change, so check which stops are currently included before making specific plans.

Discover more destinations: Malik, Karmana District, Tashkent, Bukhara Province, Khorezm, Surxondaryo Province, Andijan Province and Ferghana Province.

For the overview of destinations across the country: Uzbekistan.