Stone Forest
Jarakuduk TRACT

“Stone Forest” is a unique natural phenomenon which is located at the Jarakuduk tract, in the Kyzylkum desert. This unique place lies in the reserve part of the Mingbulak foothills at the altitude of 12 meters below sea level (near the highway Uchkuduk-Nukus). The Jarakuduk tract is a group of canyons with a total area of 30 km². They are consist of rocks of the Late Cretaceous period (80-100 million years ago). 

Ancient trees have been mineralized under the influence of climatic conditions and turned into real stones. The fossilized trunks of the ancient forest resemble organ pipes. Such phenomena have been found before only from Bulgaria and Chile. Some fossilized rocks have teeth of marine inhabitant marks. Thanks to this object, scientists managed to discover that once the territory of Kyzyl Kum was the bottom of the ocean, and at different times dinosaurs, crocodiles, sharks and rays lived here. 

If you wish to go to Jarakuduk track make sure to hire a professional guide who knows the way. Since there are no roads in the desert, just several kilometers of sands, away from the settlements and roads. Therefore it is easy to get lost in these vast deserted areas, rugged sands and exhausting heat, it can be potentially life-threatening.