# Ayaz-Kala fortress near Khiva > Ayaz-Kala is three mud-brick forts of ancient Khorezm on a hill at the edge of the Kyzylkum desert, 100–110 km from Khiva. Allow 1.5–2 hours' drive each way, 90 minutes on site. It is an open ruin with no set hours; entry is a token fee of **roughly $1–4** (unofficial). Best early or near sunset, in spring or autumn. Web page: https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/ayaz-kala - City: [Khiva](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva), Uzbekistan - YesGo score: 28/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h 30 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Token fee: 15,000–20,000 UZS for all the forts in one source, about $4 per circuit or $1–2 per site in others; sometimes nobody is there to collect it - Hours: No set hours — it is an open-air ruin; go in daylight - Closed: Never - Payment: Cash in som only — no ATMs or card terminals out here; get money in Khiva - From Khiva: ≈ 100–110 km, 1.5–2 hours by car via Urgench, the Amu Darya bridge at Beruniy and Bo‘ston - Public transport: None direct — hire a car for the day, join a tour or book a transfer - Yurt camp: At the foot of the hill: overnight with dinner and breakfast, camel rides; roughly March to November - Time needed: ≈ 90 minutes at the fort; 6–8 hours for the whole trip with Toprak-Kala - Location: Ellikqala District, Karakalpakstan, above Lake Ayazkol - Coordinates: 42.00972, 61.02722 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **4th–3rd c. BC** — age of the upper fortress, Ayaz-Kala 1 — the oldest of the three (source: English Wikipedia 'Ayaz-Kala'; Orexca (Russian Wikipedia dates the complex to the 3rd–2nd c. BC)) - **3 fortresses** — on the hilltop, on a lower hill next to it and at the foot (source: English Wikipedia 'Ayaz-Kala'; Orexca; Advantour) - **≈ 100–110 km** — from Khiva by road, 1.5–2 hours by car (source: Advantour (110 km); Khiva day-tour listings (≈ 100 km, ≈ 1.5 hours)) - **Up to 10 m** — surviving height of the upper fortress walls (source: English Wikipedia 'Ayaz-Kala'; Orexca) - **182 × 152 m** — the walled rectangle of Ayaz-Kala 1 — almost 3 hectares (source: English Wikipedia 'Desert castles of ancient Khorezm'; Orexca (almost 3 ha)) - **Fire temple** — inside the Ayaz-Kala 2 palace — a Zoroastrian cult site (source: English Wikipedia 'Ayaz-Kala'; Orexca) - **40 rooms** — in the large corner house of the lower fort, Ayaz-Kala 3 (source: English Wikipedia 'Ayaz-Kala'; Eurasia Travel) - **Sergey Tolstov** — his Khorezm Expedition first dug here in the late 1930s (source: English Wikipedia (1938); Russian Wikipedia (1939–1940); Orexca) - **Lake Ayazkol** — the salt lake below the hill, its crust shining like ice (source: Russian Wikipedia 'Аяз-Кала'; Orexca; Advantour) - **UNESCO Tentative List** — part of the 'Desert Castles of Ancient Khorezm' series (source: English Wikipedia 'Desert castles of ancient Khorezm'; Orexca) - **Kyzylkum** — the fort guarded the oasis frontier against desert nomads (source: Russian Wikipedia 'Аяз-Кала'; Orexca; Eurasia Travel) > **It's a full day out, not a Khiva sight** Ayaz-Kala is 1.5–2 hours' drive from Khiva each way, and no bus goes there. The hill has no shade, water or toilets — those are only at the yurt camp below. In summer climb early or late, and bring water, a hat and som in cash. ## What is Ayaz-Kala? Ayaz-Kala is really **three forts** at different heights. On the hilltop stands **Ayaz-Kala 1**, a rectangle of mud-brick walls from the 4th–3rd century BC, about 182 by 152 metres and up to 10 metres high in places. On a lower hill beside it are the remains of **Ayaz-Kala 2**, a palace with a fire temple. At the foot sits **Ayaz-Kala 3**, the largest enclosure, from the first centuries AD. The forts guarded the northern frontier of ancient Khorezm, where the irrigated Amu Darya oasis ran into the sands of the Kyzylkum. Garrisons here watched the caravan routes and the farmland for nomad raids — from the top you can see for tens of kilometres. Soviet archaeologist **Sergey Tolstov** and his Khorezm Expedition first excavated the site in the late 1930s. There's no museum, visitor centre or signage — just raw adobe ruins. What you come for is the scale of the walls, the emptiness and the view over the desert, the Sultanuizdag ridge and the white salt lake below. Unlike the restored [Itchan Kala](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/khiva-itchan-kala), nothing here has been rebuilt. ## How to get to Ayaz-Kala from Khiva 1. Hire a car and driver for the whole day — ask at your guesthouse, at the Ota Darvoza West Gate, or book a tour. There is no public transport to the fort, and hitching in the desert is not a plan. 2. Agree the fare up front: the drive out, waiting time at each fort and the return. A stop at [Toprak-Kala](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/toprak-kala) on the way is normally included. 3. The road runs north from Khiva through Urgench, across the Amu Darya bridge near Beruniy, then through Bo‘ston, the Ellikqala district town. It's about 100–110 km, 1.5–2 hours. 4. Toprak-Kala to Ayaz-Kala is about 20 km. The car parks at the foot of the hill, next to the yurt camp. 5. Walk up the path to Ayaz-Kala 1 — about 15–20 minutes at an easy pace. You'll be back in Khiva by evening. ## Ayaz-Kala tickets and entrance fee Entry is cheap, but there's no official price list. A Russian travel blog from May 2026 puts it at **15,000–20,000 UZS** for Ayaz-Kala, Toprak-Kala and Kyzyl-Kala together. One Khiva tour listing says **about $4 per person** for all the forts; another operator says $1–2 per site. Sometimes there's simply nobody collecting. **Paying.** Bring Uzbek som in cash — there are no ATMs or card terminals in the desert. Visa and Mastercard work at banks, ATMs and bigger hotels in Khiva and Urgench, so withdraw or exchange US dollars or euros there and keep small notes. If someone asks for money with no ticket and no posted price, ask politely for a ticket. The real cost is transport. A car for the day or a tour costs many times more than the entry fees, so share the ride and combine Ayaz-Kala with Toprak-Kala in one trip. ## What to see at Ayaz-Kala - **Ayaz-Kala 1 on the summit** — the highlight: walls up to 10 metres high with half-round towers, a maze-like gateway and an arched gallery at the base of the wall. Walk the full circuit; every side has a different view. - **The view** — the Kyzylkum desert to the horizon, the Sultanuizdag ridge and the white salt crust of Lake Ayazkol. This panorama is the reason to come. - **Ayaz-Kala 2** — the palace on the lower hill, with traces of a fire temple. Less survives, but you see the whole defensive layout from here. - **Ayaz-Kala 3 at the foot** — the largest enclosure, with towers and a gate, built to shelter the farming settlement around it. - **The yurt camp** — tea, lunch and camel rides; stay the night for sunset and stars over the desert. ## How long do you need, and when to go? Give Ayaz-Kala itself **about 90 minutes**: the climb, a loop of the upper fort and the walk down to the lower ones. With the drive from Khiva and a stop at Toprak-Kala, it's a 6–8-hour day. Set off early — by midday the hill is baking. Spring and autumn are best: warm but not brutal, with soft light on the desert. In summer there is no shade at all, so climb only at dawn or late afternoon. Winter is cold and windy, but you'll likely have the ruins to yourself. Sunset is the most photogenic moment, when the adobe walls turn orange. To catch it without driving back in the dark, sleep at the yurt camp. ## Is the Ayaz-Kala yurt camp worth a night? The camp sits at the foot of the hill: several yurts with thick mattresses and quilts, a dining yurt, showers and toilets, and full board. Booking sites say it takes guests roughly from March to November. By day you can just stop for lunch and shade after the climb. Stay over if you want sunset, a sky full of stars and sunrise over the Kyzylkum without rushing. Many Khiva–Bukhara transfers work this way: forts by day, a night in a yurt, then on to Bukhara. If you're heading back to Khiva the same day, lunch and a camel ride are enough. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Car and driver for the full day, or a tour, booked - [ ] Som in cash, small notes — for entry and the camp - [ ] At least a litre of water per person - [ ] Hat, sunscreen and sunglasses - [ ] Closed shoes for the loose, sandy path - [ ] An early start — or a night at the yurt camp ## Ayaz-Kala vs Toprak-Kala | | Ayaz-Kala | Toprak-Kala | Itchan Kala | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Three forts on a desert hill | Palace-city of ancient Khorezm on the plain | Khiva's walled old town | | Age | From the 4th–3rd c. BC | First centuries AD | Mostly 18th–19th-century buildings | | Highlight | Desert and lake views | The palace and town layout | Minarets, museums, streets | | Climb | 15–20 minutes up a path | Short, onto the palace platform | None | | From Khiva | 1.5–2 hours by car | ≈ 1.5 hours by car | It is central Khiva | | Time needed | ≈ 90 minutes | ≈ 1 hour | 3 hours to a full day | If you only go into the desert once, do both: they share the road, and Ayaz-Kala gives you the view Toprak-Kala lacks. ## Historic sites around Khiva compared Every historic site in and around Khiva rated by YesGo. - [Kalta Minor](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/kalta-minor) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free, outside view - [Juma Mosque](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/khiva-juma-mosque) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Itchan Kala ticket, ≈ 250,000 UZS - [Islam Khodja Minaret](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/islam-khodja-minaret) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Climb ≈ 100,000 UZS - [Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/pahlavan-mahmud-mausoleum) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · ≈ 20,000–30,000 UZS, separate - [Nurullabay Palace](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/nurullabay-palace) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · ≈ 80,000–120,000 UZS - [Tash-Hauli Palace](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/tash-hauli-palace) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Itchan Kala pass ≈ 250,000 UZS - [Kunya-Ark](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/kunya-ark) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · ≈ 250,000 UZS pass; tower extra - [Itchan Kala](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/khiva-itchan-kala) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · ≈ 250,000 UZS, valid 48 hours - [Ayaz-Kala](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/ayaz-kala) — YesGo score 28/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Token fee, about $1–4 - [Toprak-Kala](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/toprak-kala) — YesGo score 24/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ 10,000–20,000 UZS, cash ## The desert fortresses in a day Ayaz-Kala first while it's cool, Toprak-Kala on the way back, then sunset from the Kunya-Ark watchtower and an evening stroll in the old town. 1. [Ayaz-Kala](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/ayaz-kala) — YesGo score 28/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Token fee, about $1–4 2. [Toprak-Kala](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/toprak-kala) — YesGo score 24/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ 10,000–20,000 UZS, cash 3. [Kunya-Ark](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/kunya-ark) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · ≈ 250,000 UZS pass; tower extra 4. [Itchan Kala](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/khiva-itchan-kala) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · ≈ 250,000 UZS, valid 48 hours ## Not to be confused with 'Kala' (qala) simply means fortress, so the word is everywhere in Khorezm. Ayaz-Kala is a desert ruin in Karakalpakstan; Itchan Kala is Khiva's walled old town. The area around is called Ellikqala, 'fifty fortresses' — Kyzyl-Kala, Toprak-Kala, Ayaz-Kala and more. ## Tips - Climb to Ayaz-Kala 1 first while you have the energy and the light, and see the lower forts on the way down. - Pair it with Toprak-Kala: they're 20 km apart on the same road. - The path up is loose and sandy — wear closed shoes, not sandals. - It's windy at the top even on hot days: hold on to your hat and phone near the wall edges. - Don't climb on the walls or pull out bricks — the ruins aren't stabilised and are eroding. - Good trip with kids: camels and yurts below, a short climb up. Keep small children close near the drops. - Travelling Khiva to Bukhara anyway? Book the transfer via the fortresses — nearly the same road, a far better day. ## Questions ### Where is Ayaz-Kala? In Ellikqala District, Karakalpakstan, on a hill at the edge of the Kyzylkum desert — about 100–110 km from Khiva and some 20 km from Toprak-Kala. Lake Ayazkol and a yurt camp lie below. ### How do I get to Ayaz-Kala from Khiva? By car only: a taxi hired for the day, a tour or a transfer. The drive via Urgench, the Amu Darya bridge at Beruniy and Bo‘ston takes 1.5–2 hours. There's no direct bus. ### Can I visit Ayaz-Kala without a tour? Yes — hire a car and driver in Khiva and agree the price, waiting time and return up front. There's almost no signage on site, so read up on the history before you go. ### How much is the Ayaz-Kala entrance fee? A token amount: unofficially 15,000–20,000 UZS for all the forts together, or $1–4 according to tour operators. There's no official price list and sometimes no one to pay. Bring som in cash. ### How long do you need at Ayaz-Kala? About 90 minutes for the climb, the upper fort and the walk down. With the drive from Khiva and Toprak-Kala, plan a full 6–8-hour day. ### How old is Ayaz-Kala? The upper fort, Ayaz-Kala 1, dates from the 4th–3rd century BC; the Ayaz-Kala 2 palace and the lower Ayaz-Kala 3 are from the first centuries AD. Russian Wikipedia dates the complex to the 3rd–2nd century BC. ### Can you stay overnight at Ayaz-Kala? Yes, at the yurt camp at the foot of the hill: yurts with mattresses, dinner and breakfast, camel rides. It runs roughly March to November; book ahead. ### When is the best time to visit Ayaz-Kala? Spring or autumn, early morning or around sunset. Summer middays are scorching with no shade; winter is cold and windy. ### Ayaz-Kala or Toprak-Kala — which is better? Do both; they're 20 km apart. Ayaz-Kala is for the hilltop desert view, Toprak-Kala for the layout of an ancient palace-city. ### Is Ayaz-Kala worth it? Yes, if you like ancient ruins and desert landscapes and have a spare day in Khiva. With only one day in Khiva, spend it in Itchan Kala — the fortress trip takes the whole day. ## How we checked Ayaz-Kala is an open-air ruin with no official website, ticket office or timetable, so the fee, hours and camp season are marked unofficial. Fees differ: 15,000–20,000 UZS for three forts per Porusski.me (May 2026), about $4 for all the forts per Extraguide, $1–2 per site per GetYourGuide — we show all three. Distance from Khiva: 110 km per Advantour, about 100 km in tour listings, 70 km per Orexca; Wikipedia's coordinates give about 90 km in a straight line, so we drop the 70 km figure. Dates differ: English Wikipedia and Orexca put the upper fort in the 4th–3rd century BC, Russian Wikipedia the complex in the 3rd–2nd century BC; we show both. First excavations: 1938 in English Wikipedia, 1939–1940 in Russian Wikipedia, so we say 'late 1930s'. Sources disagree on the hill's height (about 100 m vs 60 m), so we leave it out. The 15–20-minute climb is unofficial. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: 'Ayaz-Kala', 'Desert castles of ancient Khorezm' - Russian Wikipedia: 'Аяз-Кала'; Wikidata Q792827 - Orexca: 'Ayaz-Kala, Karakalpakstan' — history, the three forts, Lake Ayazkol - Eurasia Travel: 'Ayaz-Kala' — layout of the forts - Advantour: Ayaz-Kala yurt camp — facilities, distances, the Beruniy bridge - Porusski.me, May 2026: Khiva travel notes — entry fee - Extraguide: 'Ancient fortresses of the Kyzylkum from Khiva' tour — entry fees, drive time - GetYourGuide: Ayazkala, Toprakkala and Kizilkala tour from Khiva — fee per site --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.