Uzboy, Ancient river bed in western Turkmenistan.
The Uzboy is a dried riverbed that stretches roughly 750 kilometers across the desert landscape. The channel once flowed from the Amu Darya toward the Caspian Sea, connecting the region with water before it ran dry.
The river flowed from the 5th century BC until the 17th century, supplying water to settlements along its banks. After that, water stopped arriving and the bed remained dry.
The area shows traces of early settlement that archaeologists have found along the banks. Pottery fragments and building remains suggest people lived here for thousands of years and relied on the waterways.
The route is hard to reach and lies in a remote desert area with little developed infrastructure. Visitors should prepare for harsh conditions and hire experienced guides to explore the area safely.
People, not nature, made the river dry up by building dams and diverting water elsewhere. This human action reshaped the region and shows how much people can change the land around them.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
