Upper Ukhum Village
Tucked away in the Nurata Mountains north of Samarkand, there are many splendid, wide valleys home to small, picturesque villages. One such magical spot is Ukhum Village, where the locals are pretty self-reliant and make almost everything they need by themselves - they grow their own veggies, tend to their orchards, herd their livestock, and even sew their own clothes. In the past, such villages were a hidden gem known only to the most adventurous travelers, but nowadays, ecotourism is starting to grow. There are guest houses popping up, letting tourists stay for a few days to soak up the laid-back rural life and breathtaking mountain scenery.
Home to about a thousand folks spread out over 180 households, Ukhum Village also has a small school and a mosque. The villagers mostly farm and breed livestock, but they're also really good at weaving carpets and knitting from sheep's wool. Tourists can witness all this and more when they visit the local guest house opened in 2018 by the Togaev family.
Ukhum Village is a place full of kind, hospitable people. Here, tourists get to see what life in the countryside is really like, learn how bread is baked and carpets are woven. Plus, there's always the option to go for a mountain hike to see petroglyphs or enjoy a donkey or horse ride. The charm of this place lies in its tranquility, its harmony with nature, and before you know it, you may find yourself not wanting to go back to the hustle and bustle of city life.
When you stay at the Togaev family's guest house in Ukhum Village, you'll be welcomed by comfortable facilities and a yard full of cows and goats providing fresh milk. But the real highlight is the carpet weaving. You'll get to see the entire process from start to finish: from making threads from sheep and goat's wool, dying the threads, preparing for the weaving, all the way to the actual weaving process. They make different types of rugs here, for the floor, for the wall, even for tables, and the best part? Most of these rugs are up for sale.
Ukhum Village is a serene, eco-friendly spot that will definitely win you over with its slow-paced rural lifestyle. It's one of the top spots for ecotourism in Uzbekistan and can easily be worked into a round trip through Uzbekistan - it's 200 km from Samarkand and 300 km from Bukhara. Plus, Lake Aidarkul is not too far off, where there are yurt camps letting you experience the contrast with the Nurata Mountains, allowing you to spend a night in the desert and even go on a camel ride during the day.