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Khiva Desert Fortresses Half-Day Trip by Private Car: Ayaz Kala and Toprak Kala

5–6 hoursPrivate tour

The two best-known fortresses of ancient Khorezm in half a day from Khiva: Toprak Kala's palace city and the hilltop walls of Ayaz Kala, by private car with driver. Morning or afternoon, pickup at your hotel.

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About this trip

Two thousand years before Khiva's minarets, the oasis of Khorezm was ringed by fortified towns built of mud brick. Their walls still stand in the desert of Karakalpakstan, about an hour and a half's drive from Khiva across the Amu Darya. This half-day trip takes you to the two most impressive, with a private car and driver who waits for you at each site.

What you see

  • Toprak Kala, a walled city of the first centuries AD with a palace complex at one corner. Its rooms and corridors are still easy to read, and the walking is mostly level.
  • Ayaz Kala, three fortresses on and around a lonely hill. From the upper fortress you look across the desert to the line of the Sultan Uvays mountains. The climb is steep and sandy; lower viewpoints show the layout too.

How the trip goes

About five to six hours, door to door. Leave in the morning, or after lunch for the softer evening light at Ayaz Kala. In July and August we start early so you are back before the heat of the afternoon.

At the foot of Ayaz Kala there is a yurt camp. You can add lunch there as an option; when the camp is closed in the colder months, lunch is at a café on the way.

Half day or full day?

This trip is car and driver only. Your driver knows the way and the sites, but he is not a guide. If you want the history explained, a third fortress and lunch included, choose our full-day fortress tour with guide. To read up first, see our guide to the desert fortresses.

Good to know

Bring a hat, sunscreen and shoes with grip: the paths are sand and loose earth. Karakalpakstan is part of Uzbekistan, so no extra permit is needed; carry your passport as usual. More than 6 travellers, or a pickup in Urgench: message us on WhatsApp.

Day by day

  • Pickup in Khiva

    Your driver collects you from your hotel. The road crosses the Amu Darya into Karakalpakstan and runs out through cotton fields to the edge of the Kyzylkum desert.

  • Toprak Kala

    A rectangular walled city of the first centuries AD, with a raised palace complex at one corner. Walk along the walls and through the excavated rooms; the ground is uneven but mostly level.

  • Ayaz Kala

    Three fortresses on and around a desert hill. The climb to the upper fortress takes 15–20 minutes on a steep, sandy path, with wide views from the top. The lower fortress and the viewpoints below are easier. Optional lunch at the yurt camp at the foot of the hill.

  • Return to Khiva

    The drive back to your hotel in Khiva, about an hour and a half.

What's included

  • Private car with driver (sedan for 1–3 travellers, minivan for 4–6)
  • Pickup and drop-off at your hotel in Khiva
  • Driver waits for you at each fortress
  • Bottled water

Not included

  • Guide — choose the full-day tour if you want one
  • Entrance tickets, paid on the day
  • Lunch, unless you add it as an option
  • Tips for the driver
  • Personal expenses
  • Travel insurance — required for every traveller

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