Khiva - Nukus - Muynak - Yurt Stay

Chilpik Dakhma/Kala - This ancient Zoroastrian monument, known as Chilpyk (Shylpyk, Chilpak Kala), is over 2200 years old. Chilpyk is a circular, roofless tower, standing 15 meters tall and 65 meters in diameter, situated atop a rounded natural hill, 43 km from Nukus. Zoroastrians used it for the burial of the dead, where remains were left for birds of prey. Later, bones were collected in earthenware vessels called ossuaries and buried. This method aligned with Zoroastrian beliefs against contaminating the earth with decaying bodies. Originally, a 20-meter staircase was carved into the hill, leading from the tower’s base to the river. Around and inside the tower, clay and stone ossuaries were discovered, some of which are now displayed in museums in Nukus and Tashkent.

The Karakalpakstan State Museum of Art named after I.V. Savitsky - The Savitsky Art Museum in Nukus, the capital of Uzbekistan’s semi-autonomous Karakalpakstan Region, is a remarkable tourist destination. The museum’s creation is closely tied to the Khorezm Archaeological - Ethnographic Expedition, which in the 20th century explored areas in neighboring Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan’s ancient Khorezm and Karakalpakstan regions. The expedition’s leader, the renowned scientist Sergei Tolstov, described the region’s impressive fortresses and monuments as “Central Asia’s Egypt.” Savitsky, a member of this expedition, began independent research, collecting local artists’ applied folk art.

The Regional History and Aral Sea Museum - The Muynak Regional Studies Museum, also known as the Ecological Museum of Muynak, is one of Uzbekistan’s most unique museums. Though modest by city standards, with fewer than two hundred exhibits, it tells the poignant story of a bygone era when the region thrived, and the Aral Sea was so vast it was called a sea. The museum houses Soviet artists’ paintings, old photographs, flora and fauna specimens, canned goods from the local cannery, household items, and arts and crafts from the Aral Sea’s shores, creating a comprehensive picture of the Aral Sea’s past and present.

Ships Cemetery - In one of the most remote corners of the former Soviet Union lies a stark secret: the disappearance of the Aral Sea (Orol Dengizi), once the world’s fourth-largest inland sea, within a single lifetime. Moynaq (population 12,000), 210km north of Nukus, starkly illustrates the Aral Sea’s tragic decline. Once a major fishing port, it now stands 180km from the water. Moynaq’s rusting fishing fleet remains on the former seabed. Muynak (Moynoq in Uzbek Latin, Mojnak in Karakalpak) was once the Aral’s largest port, processing and canning a significant portion of the catch. In 1921, during a severe famine in the Volga region, Lenin appealed to the Aral fleet for aid, and within days, 21,000 tonnes of fish were dispatched, saving thousands of Russian lives.

7 Ancient Fortresses - Khiva

Ayaz-Kala - Ayaz-Kala is an archaeological site in Ellikqala District, Karakalpakstan, northern Uzbekistan, dating from the 4th century BCE to the 7th century CE. Perched on a hilltop overlooking the Kyzylkum Desert, it includes the ruins of an ancient Khorezm fortress. At the southern end is a square gateway, typical of Khorezm frontier fortresses. Approaching enemies were vulnerable to attacks from above. A massive gateway, defended by two rectangular towers, leads into a small rectangular chamber, overlooked by high walls from which bowmen could shoot at intruders breaching the first gate.

Fortress Toprak Kala - Toprak Kala dates to the Kushan period, around the 2nd and 3rd centuries CE, and served as the royal residence of Khorezm’s kings. Initially a royal sanctuary, it was briefly abandoned in the early 4th century, then restored and used as an administrative citadel.

GULDURSUN - Guldursun Kala is a fortified town with exterior walls and towers dating to the 12th century CE. Archaeological excavations uncovered ancient and medieval pottery, bronze items, and coins, indicating the last occupation period was around 1220, during Muhammad Khorezmshah’s rule and the Mongol invasion of Khorezm.

Read more about - Daytrip to Ancient Fortresses of Khorezm - https://www.viator.com/tours/Khiva/Daytrip-to-Ancient-Fortresses-of-Khorezm/d50862-322876P3?mcid=56757

Kyzyl Kala - Kizil Kala was initially built in the Late Antique period, 1st to 4th centuries CE, then abandoned and rebuilt in the 12th-13th centuries before the Mongol invasions. Scholars debate its ancient use, with some suggesting it was a garrison barracks, while others propose it was an early example of fortified manor houses typical of early medieval Khorezm.

Itchan Kala - Duman Kala consists of three sections: a square-shaped western enclosure with corner towers, a smaller square-shaped citadel, and an irregular four-sided northern enclosure, now mostly gone. The western citadel is the best-preserved part, especially along its northern side, though only a small section of the eastern enclosure remains.

• Private transportation
• In-vehicle air conditioning
• Hotel Pickup (from Khiva or Nukus) and drop off in Khiva (or Urgench))
• Audio-Guide will be provided. The driver will take you to the locations.

• Yurt Overnight Accommodation - USD 50/day that offers dinner and breakfast
• ticket to museums (Savitsky museum USD 10. Muynak museum USD 7) and fortresses (around USD 2)

Visitors can delight in exploring the cities of Muynak and Nukus, as well as the top seven fascinating fortresses of the Ancient Khorezm Khanate. An overnight stay is planned in the heart of the Kyzylkum Desert, near the Ayaz Kala fortress. At night, the stars illuminate the sky, offering the serene beauty of the desert night. Visitors can experience the traditional lifestyle of Karakalpakstan, observing local customs and desert living. Camels roam the area, and their milk is available to drink from local families.

• The youngest age we can accommodate is 7 years old.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.