Karakalpakstan is on the front line of the climate crisis. The shrinking of the Aral Sea created the world’s newest desert, the Aralkum; water levels are falling and summer temperatures are rising.
But Central Asia’s least well-known republic is fighting back, harnessing international support from development agencies such as UNDP and UNEP to mitigate the worst effects of climate change, protect biodiversity, and create economic opportunities for affected communities. And as exhibitions at this month’s Eco Expo Central Asia 2026 in Samarkand showed, ecotourism offers a beacon of hope for the destination, drawing tourists to Karakalpakstan, educating them about environmental challenges, and helping fund solutions.
The best way for travellers to learn firsthand about Karakalpakstan’s climate challenges is to visit the Aral Sea. Local tour operators Aral Sea Discovery and Ayimtour organise off-road jeep tours from Karakalpakstan’s capital, Nukus, which include driving through the Aralkum (the former seabed) to the current sea shore. It’s recommended to spend a night in the off-grid BesQala yurt camp: not only can you watch the sunset over the sea, but you can even have an early morning swim! This is also a superb location for stargazing and to learn about the geology and biodiversity of the Ustyurt Plateau.
There is rare wildlife around the Aral Sea, including endangered saiga antelope in the Saigachy Reserve, but it is easier to spot animals and birds in Karakalpakstan’s other protected areas. If you are keen on birding, the best location is Sudochye, a lake system that used to be connected to the Aral Sea and is both a Ramsar wetland and an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA). Local water management authorities use dams, channels, and pumps to ensure Sudochye’s water levels remain sufficiently high, as it is a vital location for native and migratory birds, including, surprisingly, pink flamingoes.
Bukhara Deer in the tugai
Further south is the Lower Amudarya State Biosphere Reserve, one of the largest tugai forests in Central Asia, which is under the protection of the Committee on Ecology and Climate Change. The tugai is the natural habitat of the Bukhara deer, a species which is on the IUCN Red List but has been brought back from the brink of extinction thanks to a successful breeding programme. Here, the rangers are compensating for falling water levels in the Amu Darya by pumping water from the river into the new canals which cut through the park and are used to irrigate the trees. This ensures the deer and other species which call the Lower Amudarya home have enough to eat, as well as shade and places to hide.
Karakalpakstan has invested heavily in its museums – the Savitsky Museum in Nukus is world famous for its art collection – and this includes museums with a focus on natural history. The former Aral Sea port city of Nukus has two small but well-formed collections, the Museum of the Aral Sea and the Ecological Museum of Muynak Region, as well as the outdoor “Ship Graveyard”, a popular visitor attraction where skeleton ships from what was once the Aral Sea fishing fleet are displayed in the desert beneath the lighthouse. A budget has also been allocated to design and build a major new Regional Climate Museum. This museum will be the first of its kind in Central Asia, and it is expected to open in Nukus in 2027.
Tree planting has become an activity of national significance in Karakapaktan. Uzbekistan has planted more than 2 million hectares of vegetation on the dried Aral seabed, and the Yashil Makon (Green Nation) initiative aims to plant another 100,000 hectares. Tour operators can arrange for green-fingered tourists to join local community groups planting saxaul, drought-resistant bushes and small trees which help combat desertification and reduce the occurrence of dust and sand storms. DMO Karakalpakstan, the local tourist office, sells saxaul seeds and can plant bushes on your behalf, and you can offset your carbon emissions by supporting regular fundraising campaigns organised by reputable organisations such as UNDP.
Tourism brings much-needed income and creates jobs in Karakalpastan’s most climate-affected communities. But tourists who have borne witness to the climate crisis also become ambassadors for Karakalpastan, its ecosystems, wildlife, and people. This awareness and advocacy help Karakalpakstan reach the ears of international decision-makers who can influence global conversations about climate and environmental policies, protections, and financing, so the potential for long-term impact goes well beyond the experience of an individual visitor on vacation.
Fact Box
Uzbekistan Airways flies to Nukus via Tashkent, with three departures a week from London.
Uzbekistan (including Karakalpakstan) is visa-free for more than 90 nationalities, including UK, US, and EU passport holders.
Bradt Travel Guides’ Karakalpakstan is the most comprehensive and up-to-date guidebook.