Tucked into the valleys of the Nuratau Mountains, ancient villages like Sentob, Ukhum, Asraf, Majrum, and Eski Forish offer a rare window into centuries-old Central Asian mountain life. Houses are built from mountain stone, donkeys remain the main transport, and bread is baked daily in clay tandyr ovens unchanged for a thousand years. These are living communities where you sleep under handmade quilts in family guesthouses, wake to roosters, and start the day with fresh yogurt and warm bread. In autumn, witness Kupkari — the wild horseback game where dozens of riders compete across open fields.
Highlights
- Sentob — ancient stone village with the legend of 'shining silver'
- Asraf — eco-friendly fruit orchards with cool microclimate
- Ukhum — traditional carpet weaving from sheep's wool
- Authentic family guesthouses operating since 2007
- Traditional plov cooking & tandyr bread baking
- Kupkari — wild horseback game (autumn spectacle)
The Villages
Sentob — a cluster of stone houses on a hillside above a rushing stream, named for the legend that the mountain once glowed with silver light. It has hosted travelers since 2007, pioneering community-based tourism in Uzbekistan.
Asraf sits in a cool, shaded valley filled with fruit orchards. Ukhum is known for carpet-weaving where women spin sheep's wool using techniques unchanged for centuries.
Daily Life & Experiences
Wake to roosters and fresh tandyr bread. Breakfast: homemade yogurt, flatbread, local honey, and herb tea. During the day, hike to hilltop viewpoints, ride donkeys or horses, join carpet weaving workshops, or help prepare plov.
In autumn, the community gathers for Kupkari — dozens of riders competing across open fields in an explosion of dust and cheering that captures the raw spirit of Central Asia.
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