Private Day Trip to Three Ancient Desert Fortresses from Khiva

The fortresses of ancient Khorezm

Long before Khiva became a great city, the lands along the lower Amu Darya river were the heart of Khorezm, one of the oldest civilisations of Central Asia. Irrigation canals turned the desert edge into farmland, and dozens of fortified towns and castles protected the oases and the early Silk Road routes. Today many of these ruins stand in Karakalpakstan, north of Khiva, and the area is often called the land of fifty fortresses.

This desert fortresses tour from Khiva visits three of the best preserved. The drive to the first stop takes about 1.5 hours across the river and the cotton fields, then out into the edge of the Kyzylkum Desert. Because the trip is private, you can stop for photos whenever the landscape opens up, and your driver adapts the timing to your pace and the heat of the day.

Ayaz Kala

Ayaz Kala is actually a group of three fortresses, known as Ayaz Kala 1, 2 and 3, built between about the 4th century BCE and the 7th century CE. The oldest, Ayaz Kala 1, crowns a steep hill above the desert, and climbing its sandy path rewards you with sweeping views over the plain, the salt-white bed of Ayaz Kul lake and the other two fortresses below. Its massive mud-brick walls still show the outlines of towers and loopholes.

Ayaz Kala was mainly a defensive post on the edge of the oasis, guarding the frontier against nomads. Early morning, when the walls glow golden, is the best time to visit Ayaz Kala for photos. Camel rides are offered at Ayaz Kala as an optional extra paid on site. Wear comfortable shoes, as the path is sandy and uneven, and bring sun protection, as there is little shade.

Toprak Kala

Toprak Kala, the earthen fortress, was a large fortified city built around the 1st and 2nd centuries CE. Unlike Ayaz Kala, it served as a royal residence and administrative centre of the rulers of Khorezm. Its rectangular walls enclose the remains of streets and houses, and at one corner rises the high platform of the palace, where archaeologists found rooms with wall paintings, sculptures and documents written on leather and wood.

Walking along the top of the walls, you can still make out the plan of the city and imagine the palace halls on their high base. Many of the finds are now in museums, but the scale of the site remains impressive. Toprak Kala is one of the most important archaeological sites of Central Asia and the heart of any visit to the fortresses of Khorezm.

Kyzyl Kala and Akchakul Lake

Kyzyl Kala, the red fortress, takes its name from the reddish colour of its mud-brick walls. Dating from the 1st to the 4th centuries CE, it is a compact square fortress, linked to nearby Toprak Kala, that served as a fortified residence and defensive post. Part of its walls and corner towers have been restored, which helps you picture how the other ruins once looked.

After the fortresses, you can stop for a local lunch by Akchakul Lake, an optional extra paid on site, before the drive back to Khiva. Halal food is the norm in Uzbekistan, and fish and plov are local favourites. The whole trip lasts about 6 hours, so you are back in Khiva by early afternoon, in time to rest or explore Ichan Kala later in the day.