ARAL SEA

Once you've reached the Aral Desert, which stretches as far as the eye can see, you'll no doubt be tempted to drive on until you catch a glimpse of what's left of the sea. To do this, you'll need to spend 2 hours driving through the dunes and sand. Of course, this is impossible to do without a 4x4, so don't try to venture out in a sedan! You'll get stuck in the sand. Specialized agencies can organize the excursion for you, which we highly recommend: the scenery is magnificent, and you'll experience very contradictory emotions, between fascination and fear.

Warning: it's best not to venture out on your own, and without a guide, if you're unfamiliar with the route: there are no paths and no signposts (we're in the middle of the desert). Check the weather forecast before setting off. If rain is forecast, put it off: the Aral Desert is a basin below sea level (it's an ancient seabed) and with the region's violent rains, some basins can fill up with a meter of water in the space of 5 minutes! Improbable, yet common. Some unaware tourists have found themselves stuck on the roof of their jeeps for 24 hours without any help! In such cases, you'll have to wait for the sun to evaporate all the accumulated rain. On your return, make sure you clean your clothes and insist on wearing shoes: salt and pesticide residues carried by the waters of the past and accumulated in the sand are highly corrosive.