Life in Karakalpakstan: The 'stan within a stan'

Karakalpakstan, the largest province in Uzbekistan, is a region that is not widely known or frequently visited. Situated in the heart of Central Asia, it is an autonomous state within the landlocked Republic of Uzbekistan, bordering Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. The Indigenous Karakalpak people call this desert province home. The Aral Sea, a vast inland lake that has since shrunk to a fraction of its original size, used to dominate the region. This environmental disaster has spurred conservation efforts and has led to a growing interest in Karakalpakstan as a destination for eco-tourism.

Visitors are also starting to explore the region's cultural treasures. The Khorezm desert fortresses and the Mizdarkhan necropolis are among the most impressive archaeological sites in Central Asia. The Savitsky Museum in the capital city of Nukus, known as the 'Louvre of the Steppe', houses the world's second-largest collection of Russian avant-garde art and Karakalpak archaeological and ethnographic galleries. For adventurous travellers, Karakalpakstan offers a variety of landscapes and experiences.

Historically, Karakalpakstan was part of a region known as Khorezm. The people of Khorezm built mud-brick fortresses along their frontiers for protection against nomadic raiders. More than 50 of these desert castles have survived, including Ayaz Kala, which dates back to the 4th Century BCE and consists of two hilltop forts and a lower garrison. An ancient fire temple, believed to be the altar of fire-worshipping Zoroastrians, was discovered here. Zoroastrianism was practiced in Karakalpakstan before Islam arrived in the 8th Century.