Duration: 2-2.5 h.
The best time for the tour:
In the morning: from 07:00 to 09:00 (spring & autumn – from 08:00 to 10:00)
In the evening: from 17:00 to 19:00 (spring & autumn – from 16:00 to 18:00)
For a tour unlike any other, head out to the Jeyran Ecocenter for a quick day-trip from Bukhara. The ecocenter holds animals that represent the native animals found in Uzbekistan, including Persian gazelles, Przhevalski’s horses, kulans, Bukhara urials, white-tailed eagles, ospreys, desert monitor lizards, and and Brandt’s hedgehogs. Many of these species are endangered or threatened, making a trip to the ecocenter extra special. The second part of the tour takes you to a group of saline lakes, where you can see some of these same animals in their native habitats.
Tour itinerary:
Day 1: Bukhara – Open-air cage complex – Lakes
Transfer from Bukhara to Ecocentre “Jeyran” (42 km., 40-45 min.). Tour in the open-air cage complex of the ecocenter. You will learn about the mission of the complex and its inhabitants. Many species are on the verge of extinction and included in the Red Book.
Continue the tour on the vast territory of the ecocentre. Walk through the sandy desert (1250 m.) to salty lakes. On the way, you will see the black saxaul, astragals and other desert flora. The area is home to desert lacertas and monitor lizards, Central Asian tortoises, kulans, Persian gazelles and Przevalsky's horses.
Visit the lakes complex that has four small lakes: Small saline, Beautiful, Duck and Big saline. All four lakes have different salinity and depth level. On the Small saline lake, you will see the watering point, which attracts black-bellied sandgrouses, kulans, Persian gazelles and Przevalsky's horses.
Banks of the Small saline and Duck lakes are favourite nest area of white-tailed lapwings, stilts and little ringed plovers. You might meet residents of the lakes: kingfishers, duck hawks, bald-coots, ducks, gannets and herons. Moreover, here you may even notice badgers, nutrias and muskrats.
Transfer to Bukhara. End of the tour.
Price includes:
- Bukhara – ecocentre – Bukhara transfer, a car to travel inside the ecocenter;
- English/Russian speaking interpreter from Bukhara;
- Entrance fees.
Price does not include:
- Tips are not included, but would be appreciated;
- Meals.
Prices per person
Winter discount of 10% valid until the end of February 2024.
Prices are for 2023 in US$ per person, with discounted prices for larger groups available on request.
Tour Request
The tour is private with your personal guide. There will be no other people joining the tour.
Our guides will follow your own pace.
The starting time of the tour is up to you and may vary from 09.00 am to 16.00 pm.
We are happy to offer this tour for air/train passengers too. Our guide will meet you at the arrival station.
Excursion to Jeyran Ecocenter from Bukhara Reviews
Author: Amy Thompson | Rating: 527 September 2016
I’m back in the UK now and just wanted to say thank you so much for all your help with arranging the tour at Jeyran Ecocentre. The driver and our guide were both lovely and helpful and we saw lots of jeyrans and a pair of przewalski’s horse with their calf!
Visited September 2016
Visited September 2016
