Flamingos
Among the reeds.
Boris Nedosekov — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Boris Nedosekov — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Boris Nedosekov — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Boris Nedosekov — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Boris Nedosekov — CC BY-SA 4.0
Sudochye is a group of lakes in the Amu Darya delta in the Muynak District of Karakalpakstan, northwest Uzbekistan, about 57 km southwest of Muynak and 140 km northwest of Nukus in a straight line. The eastern cliff edge of the Ustyurt plateau runs along its western shore. Sudochye was once the largest lake in the delta, covering up to 350 square kilometres, linked to the Aral Sea and an important spawning ground for fish. Much of it dried up after the 1960s as the river's flow fell, and it split into several lakes now fed by farm drainage canals. It is one of the richest waters in Uzbekistan for birds, with more than 230 species recorded, 12 of them globally threatened. Shallow blue water stretches between thick reed beds, with flocks of pink flamingos, pelicans and cormorants and herons flying overhead. On nearby Cape Urga stand the ruins of a medieval mud-brick fortress, looking out over the lake and the desert. The lake is remote, and visitors usually reach it by four-wheel drive with a guide on Aral Sea trips from Nukus or Muynak. Spring and autumn are bird migration seasons; bring water, food and binoculars.
Among the reeds.
Mud-brick ruins.
On the west shore.
Muynak District, Republic of Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan
By 4x4 with a guide from Nukus or Muynak.
Spring or autumn, for bird migration.