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LBD → OVB
Which side of the plane to sit from Khudzhand Airport (Khudzhand) to Tolmachevo Airport (Novosibirsk)?
Right Side of the Plane
The right side provides a front-row seat to the stunning Lake Balkhash and the dramatic geographic shift from the arid Central Asian mountains to the lush Siberian river valleys.
Search flights from LBD to OVB
Tien Shan Foothills
Rugged mountain ridges of the Alatau range visible during the initial climb from Khudzhand.
Lake Balkhash
The massive, crescent-shaped lake featuring a unique contrast between its fresh and salt water halves.
Irtysh River
One of the longest rivers in Asia, snaking through the plains near the city of Pavlodar.
Siberian Forest Edge
The transition from yellow steppe to the deep greens of the West Siberian Taiga as you enter Russia.
Ob Reservoir
Also known as the 'Ob Sea', this massive man-made lake marks the final descent into Novosibirsk.
The right side is the clear winner for daytime flights. Lake Balkhash is the star attraction; it usually appears on the right about 45-60 minutes into the flight. Use a polarizing filter for photography to capture the vivid turquoise hues of the water. Ensure you are seated forward of the wing to avoid engine heat blur during the descent over the Ob River.
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Tashkent Outskirts
Distant views of the Uzbek capital's metropolitan sprawl shortly after takeoff.
Betpak-Dala Desert
The vast, desolate 'Hunger Steppe' of central Kazakhstan, showcasing a harsh but beautiful landscape.
Steppe Sunsets
On evening flights, this side offers uninterrupted views of the sun setting over the flat Kazakh horizon.
Novosibirsk Cityscape
As the plane banks for its final approach into OVB, the urban lights of Russia's third-largest city appear.
Choose the left side for evening departures to avoid the harsh glare of the setting sun on the right. While the terrain is flatter, the atmospheric colors over the steppe are spectacular at dusk. Keep an eye out for small, circular alkaline lakes that dot the northern Kazakh landscape.
Get eSIMs for Tajikistan
Get eSIMs for RussiaDistance: 1,904 km (1,183 miles)
Approximate Flight Time: 2 hrs 32 min
Departure: LBD (40.21540069580078, 69.6947021484375)
Arrival: OVB (55.012599945068, 82.650703430176)
Route Type: International
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