Chilpik - Savitsky Museum - Aral Sea

Chilpik Dakhma/Kala - This ancient Zoroastrian monument, known as dakhma 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 deceased, 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, which forbade contaminating the earth with decaying bodies.

The Karakalpakstan State Museum of Art named after I.V. Savitsky - The Nukus Museum of Art, officially the State Museum of Arts of the Republic of Karakalpakstan named after I.V. Savitsky, is located in Nukus, Karakalpakstan. It houses the world’s second-largest collection of Russian avant-garde art, along with galleries of antiquities and Karakalpak folk art. Established in 1966 by Moscow artist Igor Vitalievich Savitsky (1915-1984), the museum boasts the largest art collection in Central Asia, with approximately 100,000 items spanning over four millennia.

Aral Sea - The Aral Sea shore offers opportunities for swimming and observing the local climate and environment from hills and rocks that were once part of the Aral Sea.

Muynak Ship Cemetery - Mizdakhan

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 metropolitan 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 considered a sea.

The museum features paintings by Soviet artists, old photographs, flora and fauna specimens, canned goods from the local cannery, household items, and arts and crafts from the peoples who lived along the Aral Sea shores, creating a comprehensive picture of the Aral Sea’s past and present.

Ships Cemetery - Muynak (Moynoq in Uzbek Latin, Mojnak in Karakalpak) was once the largest port on the Aral, where a significant portion of the Aral catch was processed and canned. In 1921, during a severe famine in the Volga region, Lenin appealed to the Aral fleet for assistance, and within days, 21,000 tonnes of fish were dispatched, saving thousands of Russian lives. Today, it is a desolate town with stagnant, corrosive pools and abandoned factories, a casualty of a Soviet campaign to conquer nature. No fish can survive in the sea, 10,000 fishermen have lost their jobs, and the port of Muynak has lost its purpose. Visitors come to witness the sea’s demise and the striking sight of numerous abandoned fishing boats rusting in the sand, 160 kilometers from the shoreline. Many ships have been sold for scrap in recent years, so exploration may be necessary.

Mizdakhan Necropolis - The Mizdakhan necropolis, an ancient cemetery located near the remnants of the Gyaur-Kala fortress, is one of Karakalpakstan’s oldest and most visited pilgrimage sites. The fortress was named during the Arab conquest, meaning “a fortress of disbelievers,” as scientists discovered that its inhabitants were Zoroastrians before the Arab conquest.

Mizdakhan emerged near the city of the fire-worshipers around the 2nd-4th centuries BC, later becoming one of Central Asia’s most revered Muslim shrines. The city of Khojali, situated on the Amudarya’s bank near Karakalpakstan’s capital, Nukus, means “the land of pilgrims.” The Mizdakhan necropolis (4th century BC - 14th century AD) is a vast complex of diverse antiquities, including one of Central Asia’s oldest cemeteries.

Visit to 7 Fortresses

Ayaz-Kala - Ayaz-Kala is an archaeological site in Ellikqala District, Karakalpakstan, northern Uzbekistan, constructed between the 4th century BCE and the 7th century CE. Perched on a hilltop overlooking the Kyzylkum Desert, the site includes the ruins of an ancient Khorezm fortress. At the southern end is a square gateway, a typical feature of Khorezm frontier fortresses. The enemy’s approach runs parallel to the southeast walls, making invaders vulnerable to attacks from above. A massive gateway, defended by two rectangular towers, leads into a small rectangular chamber, overlooked on all sides by high walls from which bowmen could shoot at the enemy if the first gate was breached.

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

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 period of occupation was around 1220, during Muhammad Khorezmshah’s rule and the Mongol invasion of Khorezm.

Kyzyl Kala - 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 period of occupation was around 1220, during Muhammad Khorezmshah’s rule and the Mongol invasion of Khorezm.

Koi Krylgan Kala - Kizil Kala was initially built in the Late Antique period, 1st to 4th centuries CE, but was abandoned and later rebuilt in the 12th-13th centuries, just before the Mongol invasions. There is some debate about its ancient use, with some scholars suggesting it was a garrison barracks for troops, while others propose it was an early example of the fortified manor houses typical of Khorezm in the early medieval periods.

Itchan Kala - Duman Kala consists of three adjacent sections: a square-shaped western enclosure with corner towers, a smaller square-shaped citadel, and an irregular four-sided northern enclosure, the remains of which are no longer visible. The western citadel is the best-preserved section, especially along its northern side, but only a small portion of the eastern enclosure remains.

• Private transportation
• Hotel pick up and drop off
• In-vehicle air conditioning
• Audio guide materials

• Aral Sea Museum (in Muynak) - entrance ticket is USD 3/person
• Savitsky museum (Nukus) entrance ticket is USD 7/person
• Accommodation: 1) Aral Sea yurt camp: USD 40; 2) Ayazkala yurt camps USD 50. Both include dinner
• Lunch
• Entrance fee for fortresses (each around USD 2)

Two vehicles, a sedan and a 4x4, will be utilized for this round trip to the Aral Sea shore and surrounding fortresses. In total, over 1,200 kilometers will be covered in three days. The itinerary includes visits to 19 significant tourist attractions: Chilpik Kala Fortress, Savitsky Museum, Muynak Ship Cemetery, Muynak Museum, Aral Sea Shore, Ustyurt Canyons, Kurgancha Kala, Urga, Qibla Ustyurt, Sudoche Lake, Mizdakhan Necropolis, Amudarya River, Ayazkala, Tuprakkala, Kyzylkala, Duman Kala, Guldursun Kala, Koi Krylgan Kala, and Angka Kala. Skilled drivers ensure a smooth journey through desert conditions. The tour can commence or conclude in Khiva, Urgench, or Nukus, based on the visitor’s preference. Participants will enjoy an immersive cultural experience in Karakalpakstan, gain insider insights into the Aral Sea region, and have memorable interactions with local traditions in the western part of Uzbekistan.

• Disclaimer: transportation time is included in the total duration
• Minimum age is 15 for this tour

If you cancel at least 3 full day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.
If you cancel within 3 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.