Uzbekistan: Dara Valley Loop
Ўзбекистон: Долина Дара

The Dara Valley Loop is a popular picnic destination for locals from Samarkand and Bukhara looking to escape the desert heat for the cool of the mountains, but is only slowly becoming known amongst international tourists as an option for trekking in Uzbekistan as well. This easy loop trek explores the lower elevations of the valley in a rambling walk from the popular picnicking area near the river.

Total Km: 4.5km
Total Days: 1
Elevation Gain/Loss: 153m+ / 153m-
Start Point: Dara Valley Parking Lot
End Point:Dara Valley Parking Lot
GPS Files

This easy one to two hour hike is primarily for casual day-use visitors more than ‘serious’ trekkers, but is also great for travellers headed into the Nuratau Mountains from Samarqand, who can make a nice picnic stopover in the valley before continuing on to Nurata city or the mountain villages themselves. The small waterfall at the top of the loop is quite seasonal, and often dries up early into the summer, but pretty enough when it’s flowing.

The Dara Valley Loop walk starts from a parking area just at a bend in the small stream that runs through the valley – most local daytrippers will fan out somewhere nearby here to set up picnic blankets for the afternoon, so if you arrive late it can be difficult to find parking. Staying on the west side of the stream, climb towards the top of the first small hills just to the southwest for a nice look around the valley. Several homes in these hills attest to the fact that a few families live here year-round, and the valley is understandably popular for the wealth of flora that allow livestock to graze much more effectively than in the deserts on the lower plans to the north and south. Even in late spring, the area is still alive with green grass and wildflowers.

From the top of the hills, after a break for photos and the view, angle west to draw a line through the large rocky stand just beyond, climbing up and over then dropping to the far side to connect to a jeep road a little more than one kilometer since the parking lot. Follow this as it curves northwest then southwest around a large rock face, sheer in the beginning but giving on to beautiful complicated craggy patterns after, and keep an eye on the boulders surrounding the trail that appear to be volcanic basalt – an unusual terrain in Uzbekistan.

Eventually the jeep road continues down towards a stream bed – follow the stream as it curves due west towards a small rock face that, at least in winter and spring, has a small-to-medium waterfall pouring forth from the top.

From the small waterfall, retrace the path to the jeep road and continue back for about a half-kilometer retracing the road, but instead of turning off where we’d originally joined it, follow it for roughly another 1.5 kilometers back to the parking lot, passing en route several locals’ houses and the small local one-room schoolhouse.

In summer, especially, you’re certain to see a fair bit of livestock grazing throughout the hike. This area is uniquely lush compared to the surrounding deserts and even compared to many of the populated areas to be found in the main Nuratau Mountains range a little further to the north, and as such the land here is highly valued among these communities that still live a largely pastoralist lifestyle.

In all it’s a pleasant walk in a lovely landscape, perfect for stretching your legs after a drive or a long picnic meal, and a happy addition to any Nuratau Mountains itinerary.

Alternate Options for Dara Valley Loop

There is no real defined trail here – rather a mishmash of animal tracks and jeep roads, including routes which climb to the saddles of the larger rock outcrops for top-down views of the full Dara Valley and plains beyond. This is not the typical local usage for domestic visitors, and so hasn’t been incorporated into the GPS linked here, but keen hikers will have no trouble finding their way up the fairly obvious tracks that lead to the higher elevations.

Good To Know

There are no entrance fees to the Dara Valley and no special equipment necessary – though it can get quite hot and sunny even in late spring so be sure to pack a hat and sunscreen. Water is available from a small stream at the beginning of the hike and seasonally at the waterfall, but given the amount of people and livestock in the region you’ll absolutely want to bring a purification system if you plan to rely on this water.

We traveled throughout the region with Ruslan of Nurata Tours, and were happy with the service and prices. Our friend Shivya of The Shooting Star visited the Nuratau region with Responsible Tourism, another local operator, and also reported being pleased with the experience.

Getting to the Dara Valley

Though there is a small village called Turemas at the entrance to the Dara Valley, no regularly scheduled public transportation comes to here. You might be lucky to hitch a ride with locals from nearby Aktepa or Kyzyl Bulak in the desert to the south, but visitors in any sort of a hurry will want to arrange a ride in advance – either with a tour operator or local driver.

Where to Stay and Eat

Though there is one small village at the entrance to the Dara Valley and a few houses along the route of the Dara Valley Loop walk, there are no services or facilities as such and you’ll need to prepare to be self-sufficient for your day out in these hills – best to stock up in Samarqand or Bukhara if you’ll be coming from the south. Do look out for local ladies selling snacks on the roadside through the main village – they sometimes have fresh fruits and often have qurt, dried salty yogurt balls that are a popular snack (and quite tasty with a cold beer!).