Sentob village, Nuratau mountains

The Nuratau is a long, narrow mountain range rising from the steppe between Samarkand and the Kyzylkum desert. On its northern slopes, small streams run down through valleys where villages have grown among orchards and walnut groves. Sentob is one of the best known. Its houses, built of stone and mud with flat roofs, climb the slopes of the valley along a clear stream, and the old walnut trees give shade in summer.

Many villagers are Tajik-speaking, and life follows a rural rhythm of gardens, livestock and family. It is a peaceful contrast to the busy monuments of Samarkand and Bukhara, and a good place to see village life in Uzbekistan up close.

Since the early 2000s, families in Sentob and nearby villages have welcomed travellers in their homes, partly with the support of projects linked to the protected area of the Nuratau. Guesthouses are simple but comfortable: rooms with mattresses (kurpacha) or beds, shared bathrooms that are usually clean and modern enough, and meals made from the family’s own produce.

Expect home-cooked plov, soups, fresh bread from the clay oven, apricots, walnuts and honey, and endless tea. Staying with a family is the highlight for many visitors: conversations (even with few common words), children, animals and the sound of the stream at night. Payment is usually per person with dinner and breakfast; agree it in advance or book through a tour operator.

The valley is ideal for gentle walking. Paths lead up the stream, through orchards and terraces, and over low ridges to the neighbouring villages, such as Asraf and Hayat, with views across the mountains to the plain. A walk between villages takes a few hours. Local guides can show you petroglyphs carved on rocks in the area and the remains of old water channels. In spring, the slopes are green and full of flowers; in autumn the walnut harvest is in full swing.

Paths are not always marked, so walk with a local guide or ask your host to show you the way. Wear good shoes and bring water.

The Nuratau mountains are home to a protected nature reserve, created to protect, among other animals, the rare Severtsov’s sheep (Nuratau wild sheep), a subspecies of argali. You are unlikely to see them near the villages, but the reserve also shelters birds of prey, juniper and pistachio trees, and wild fruit trees. The combination of desert, mountains and the lake makes the area one of the most varied in the region.

Sentob is about 3–3.5 hours by road from Samarkand, the last part on a mountain road, and about 1–1.5 hours from the yurt camps near Lake Aydarkul. The town of Nurata, with its fortress and holy spring, is also within reach. There is no regular public transport; travel by private car with driver.

A popular two-day route between Samarkand and Bukhara: day 1, drive from Samarkand to Sentob, walk in the valley and spend the night in a family guesthouse; day 2, drive to the yurt camps near Lake Aydarkul, ride a camel, swim in the lake in season and stay the night in a yurt; day 3, continue via Nurata to Bukhara. Even one night in Sentob adds a memorable rural experience to a classic Uzbekistan tour. We can arrange the car, the guesthouse and the yurt camp.