If Uzbekistan is known for the beauty of its mosques and madrasas, a journey to this Central Asian country can also be an opportunity to visit the Aral Sea. Obviously, one does not go to the Aral Sea as if they were spending their vacation along the Mediterranean coast. Forget about white sandy beaches, seafood tastings, and lush landscapes.
The Aral Sea, once one of the four largest inland bodies of water globally, embodies the tragic history of overuse of water resources and the impact of the disproportionate nature of certain political decisions on the environment.
Yes, even though we adore beaches and relaxation (as seen in our trip to French Polynesia), we also enjoy learning new things during our travels!
Starting in the 1920s and 1930s, during Stalin’s rule, the USSR initiated a series of massive irrigation projects in Central Asia to increase cotton production and bolster the Soviet Union’s agricultural self-sufficiency. These projects continued after Stalin’s death in 1953. Water collection and redistribution policies were intensified in the 1960s and beyond, under the guidance of subsequent Soviet leaders.
From the 1960s, the substantial diversion of water from the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers, the main sources feeding the Aral Sea, for irrigation purposes led to a significant reduction in water flow into the Aral Sea.
Over the decades, the Aral Sea began to dramatically shrink and dry up due to the lack of water inflow. By the 1960s, it had already lost more than half of its initial surface area! In the 1980s and 1990s, the Aral Sea fragmented into several smaller bodies of water, resulting in disastrous consequences for local communities and the environment.
A majority of tourists in Uzbekistan only visit the Silk Road cities (Khiva, our favorite, along with Bukhara and Samarkand; check our two-week itinerary), but it’s entirely possible to detour from Khiva and go see the Aral Sea… or what’s left of it.
Today, despite the apparent desolation of this region, the Aral Sea offers tourists a unique opportunity to witness the disastrous consequences of governmental decisions made without a real understanding of the long-term environmental repercussions.
On the Uzbekistan side, you can visit the former port of Moynaq, now located more than 150 km from the shore! A small museum of limited interest faces the wreckage of abandoned boats, bearing witness to the tragic history of the region. The place is truly poignant: a landscape of desolation that deeply moved us.
However, reaching the Aral Sea requires a long and tiring journey. You’ll spend a lot of time in the car, partly on an unpaved route. After Moynaq, the 4×4 drives on what used to be the Aral Sea: there aren’t any proper roads, so the ride can get quite bumpy. It’s possible to make the trip from Khiva, but the days can be very intense: departure at 6 in the morning and return the following day in the early evening, with a good ten hours of driving on the first day.
We preferred breaking the outbound journey into two parts (the return journey is shorter because we don’t go back through Moynaq), spending a night in Nukus. The next day, we went straight back to Khiva, where we took some time to rest.
It’s possible to stop at Moynaq and return directly to Khiva, but we wanted to see the current shoreline. We don’t regret it at all because witnessing the former port, driving for hours on a dried-up sea, and finally reaching the current shoreline truly allows one to grasp the magnitude of the tragedy. As for the more enjoyable part, we spent a night in a yurt, facing the shore.
Lake Aral’s drying has exposed sediments rich in salt and toxic chemicals, contributing to the formation of dust storms. These storms carry fine particles and harmful substances, impacting the air quality in the region and causing respiratory health issues. Throughout the crossing of the dried-up part of the Aral Sea, one can witness whirlwinds of dust, resembling mini-cyclones.
The drying of the Aral Sea has left behind immense expanses of salt flats, causing increased salinization of the surrounding soils. Much of the land has become unsuitable for agriculture. The current shoreline is a striking example of this salinization: the beach is white, covered in salt.
Obviously, the consequences of the drying of the Aral Sea on the populations are dramatic. Local populations have been exposed to toxic chemicals, leading to health problems such as skin diseases, gastrointestinal issues, and severe health conditions. They’ve struggled to access a clean and safe water source. The collapse of the fishing industry due to the drying of the Aral Sea has also led to increased poverty, prompting many inhabitants to migrate.
In recent years, tourism has emerged as a glimmer of hope to revitalize the region somewhat.
So, what’s offered here isn’t landscapes of great beauty or a relaxing, soothing stay. Rather, it’s a powerful symbol of one of the greatest environmental catastrophes of the 20th century. And, one thing we can promise you: you’ll remember your visit to the Aral Sea for a long time.
To learn more about Uzbekistan, check out our itinerary and our Travel Reflections articles!
