Khorezm
Quick facts
- District
- Khorezm region
- Recommended stay
- 1 day
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Typical cost
- $
The cradle of an ancient civilisation on the lower Amu Darya. Beyond Khiva itself, Khorezm hides dozens of desert fortresses.
Why visit
Beyond Khiva, Khorezm is the land of the Elliq Qala desert fortresses: clay citadels such as Ayaz-Kala and Toprak-Kala that guarded the oasis two thousand years ago and now stand alone above the Kyzylkum sand.
Tour Highlights
- ✦ Ayaz-Kala desert fortress
- ✦ Toprak-Kala palace
- ✦ Khiva Ichan-Kala
- ✦ Urgench old town
- ✦ Amu Darya landscapes
What you can do
Climb Ayaz-Kala at sunset, walk the ramparts of Toprak-Kala, visit Kyzyl-Kala and, if time allows, stay in a yurt camp by Ayaz lake for a night of desert silence.
Where to stay
Yurt camps below Ayaz-Kala offer simple bedding, shared washing facilities and dinner cooked on site. Otherwise stay in Khiva or Urgench.
Food
Yurt camp meals are usually shurpa and plov; vegetarian versions must be requested when booking, as camps cook a single pot for everyone.
How to get there
Base in Khiva or Urgench and drive north-east; Ayaz-Kala is about 1h30 from Khiva on the Nukus road. There is no public transport to the fortresses.
When to visit
April to May and September to October. The desert is punishing in July and August and windy and cold in midwinter.
Transport
Hired car or taxi from Khiva or Urgench. Roads are paved to the turn-offs, then packed sand tracks of a few hundred metres.
Practical information
There is no shade, no shop and no reliable phone signal at the fortresses. Bring at least two litres of water per person, a hat and closed shoes for loose clay slopes.
Safety
The main hazards are heat, dehydration and crumbling clay edges at the fortress walls. Go early or late in the day and keep back from the parapets.
360° Virtual Tour
Coming soon
We are filming this place ourselves. The 360° tour will appear here once it is ready, we do not publish tours we have not made.
Related experiences
Frequently asked questions
Can the fortresses be visited without a car?
Not practically. A half-day taxi or a driver hired in Khiva is the standard way, and lets you combine three fortresses in one loop.
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