The upper fort
On the hilltop.
Jean-Pierre Dalbéra from Paris, France — CC BY 2.0 · THORSTEN — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Fulvio Spada from Torino, Italy — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Arian Zwegers — CC BY 2.0 · Bgag — CC0 · Bgag — CC0 · Bgag — CC0
Three mud fortresses on the edge of the Kyzylkum Desert, built between the 4th century BCE and the 7th century CE as part of a chain of forts that shielded the farming oases of Khorezm from nomad raids. The oldest, Ayaz Kala 1, sits on a hilltop about 100 m high and dates from the late 4th or early 3rd century BCE, when Khorezm broke free of Persia. It is rectangular, 182 by 152 m, with its southern gate guarded by two towers. The two other fortresses lie lower down, and from the ramparts wide views open over desert and plains. Ayaz Kala is one of the most striking of the «fifty fortresses» of ancient Khorezm, and a yurt camp beside it offers overnight stays. Visitors report a ticket of about 20,000 som, per visitor guides. The climb to the upper fort calls for good shoes; arrive in the morning or before sunset. It is usually visited on a day trip from Khiva together with Toprak Kala.
On the hilltop.
Over the Kyzylkum.
For a night.
Kyzylkum Desert, Ellikqala district, about 100 km northeast of Khiva
On a day trip from Khiva together with Toprak Kala; tickets are about 20,000 som per visitor guides, and you can stay the night in the yurt camp.