Yangikishlak: Cycling, Mountain Pass and Culture

When planning your trip to Yangikishlak, you can choose from a range of activities: a four-day cycling tour to Lake Aydarkul, horseback riding and cultural performances connected with Forish District. Cycling, rides and folklore each offer a different focus; during the warmer months, the cycling tour also offers the opportunity to swim.

Getting There and Finding Your Way

The D048 state road runs through Forish District and follows the 90 km route Jizzakh–Bog'don–Qizilcha–D191. Minibuses and shared taxis run regularly from Yangiqishloq to the Gorod bus station in Jizzakh. There is no direct public bus service from Tashkent to Yangiqishloq. Check current schedules before departure, as they may change.

The Sovurbel Pass connects Bog'don with Qarobdol and Garasha. It is considered especially scenic in spring. Tea houses have been built on the northern slope, at the foot of a spring, where travelers could rest. The pass, its spring landscape and its rest stops offer different points of reference for finding your way around the area.

Cycling, Hiking and Horseback Riding

The four-day cycling tour leads to Lake Aydarkul. It includes two nights at Sayyod Yurt Camp and one night with a host family in Asraf. During the warmer months, swimming is possible at the lake. The tour’s duration and two specific types of accommodation are therefore specified: a yurt camp and a stay with a host family.

Based in Bog'don, Nuratau Travel promotes community-based tourism in villages in the Nuratau Mountains. Organized activities include hiking tours, homestays, yurt camping and other ecotourism options. Horse-riding options include rides through the Uhum Valley and to Lake Aydarkul, as well as cultural excursions to the villages of Asraf and Hayat. Unlike the explicitly four-day cycling tour, the horseback-riding options lead to several named destinations and villages. Lake Aydarkul is a shared destination for cycling and horseback-riding options; swimming is possible during the warmer months.

Culture and History

A 2025 report by the National University of Uzbekistan describes the folkloric and ethnographic folk ensemble “Bogdon.” Its performances include songs, lapars, aitys and examples of oral folk art that reflect the history, customs and traditions of Forish District. In addition, a historic transit trade route passes through Bog'don and over mountain passes in the direction of Sughd. The performances and the historical trade connection offer different perspectives on the area’s culture.

Nature in the Wider Area

In Jizzakh Province, the Nurota Nature Reserve is located in the central part of the Nurota Mountains. It covers about 17,800 hectares and was established to protect the Severtzov argali population. The Oriental arborvitae is located near Ober-Mojrum in Forish District. The tree is 2,000 years old and designated as an ecotourism site.

In the wider surroundings of the Nurota Nature Reserve, a 16-hectare enclosure for keeping and breeding Severtzov argali is located near Ober-Hayot. Guesthouses operate in Ober-Hayot, Ober-Uhum, Asrof and Porasht. These places add specific accommodation options outside the tour stays described above to the area’s natural and cultural context.

For an overview of the wider region: Jizzakh Province.