The longest but best day - This trip was a long day but a very memorable. We left at 6am and got back at about midnight. We learned so much about this sad, but almost irreversible, man-made environmental disaster. Our tourguide was amazing and taught us not only about the Aral Sea, but about the life and people in the area both in the past as well as now. THis is one of the best things I did in all of Central Asia.

Once-in-a-lifetime experience! - Despite the lack of available flights to Nukus, the team managed to find a last-minute flight via Urgench. Also, the guide (Kuuatbay) and driver were lovely. I recommend this one-day trip as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Perfect for what it is - If you have an interest in what happened to the Aral Sea, and are on limited time, this is the perfectly tailored opportunity. Flights, pickups, and rides are all arranged, and my tour guide, Kamal, was a wealth of local knowledge of this region. Stops included a distinctive Necropolis, wonderful lunch at a guest house, and the centerpiece of the trip, the boat graveyard at Moynaq, with time to see the Visitors Center, and wander amongst the boats. The day concluded with a visit to a nicely curated art museum in Nukus. The drives to Moynaq and back are a bit lengthy, but this is understandable, given the care that has to be shown to the roads of this region. I was pleased to see that this opportunity to visit part of the former area of the Aral existed, and found it well-arranged.

A great way to learn about the Aral Sea tragedy - If you’re short on time, this is a great opportunity to see and learn about the tragic demise of the Aral Sea. I was picked up from my hotel and taken to the airport, where I boarded a flight to Nukus. On arrival there, my guide and driver were waiting for me (with a sign with my name on it), and we began our adventure. After a visit to the art museum, we headed out to the town of Moynaq. Note that this is a 3-hour drive, and the roads aren’t brilliant (although our driver did an amazing job avoiding all the potholes!). On arrival in Moynaq, we had a delicious lunch at a local home, before visiting the ‘ship cemetery’. There’s also a small museum to visit which shows a very informative film (although it was unavailable on the day though due to a power cut). It was then 3 hours back to Nukus, with a stop at the Necropolis on the way. The tour was extremely enjoyable and well-organised, with a very friendly guide and driver. NB - it’s worth noting that this is a LONG day, partly due to the fact that you are dependent on the scheduled flight times. I was picked up at 06:00 (for a 07:15 flight) and did not get back to my hotel until shortly after midnight. The tour itself concludes in Nukus early evening, but as you’ll likely have 3-4 hours before your flight leaves, be sure to ask your guide for a recommendation for somewhere to eat it Nukus that’s close to the airport - they’ll happily drop you off there!

Safe Experience - Very patient & respectful guide. We visited the following places: • Fine Arts Museum • Necropolis • Aral Sea Monument Note: This 1-day tour goes until the Aral Sea Monument - not the Aral Sea itself. Visiting the Aral Sea would take another day. Delicious lunch was provided at a guesthouse. I appreciate their ability to accommodate my request of having chicken, as they mainly serve beef or vegetarian meals. This was my first time in Central Asia. I felt safe all the while!

Once in a lifetime experience - My favorite part was arriving at what was once a bustling fishing industry village but is now a desert. Seeing the skeletons of the fishing boats that scoured the aral sea for fish. I was well looked after by the company who arranged the flight and guide. Ahmed and our driver looked after me pretty well. Ahmed was full of information and I am grateful for them for providing me with a wonderful experience. It is something I will never forget

Good experience overall - An interesting look at this environmental disaster! Guide Quay was fabulous and had excellent English. The museum filled out the day and was a nice contrast to the dried sea.