Daytrip to Seven Fortresses

Daytrip Duration: 9-10 hours
Sightseeing time: 4-5 hours
Driving time: 5-6 hours
Driving Distance : 330 km.
Included: Hands-Free Brochures, a good drivers with new Cars with AC, pick up and drop off at your location and Mineral water (0.5l. per person)
Not Included: Entrance tickets, meals, camel riding, Yurt Camp stay & etc

We offer pick-up services from the Airport, Train Station, or your hotel in both Khiva and Urgench to start our day trip. It is recommended to begin the excursion in the morning after breakfast. The journey to the first castle, Duman Kala, takes approximately 90 minutes.

1. **Duman Kala:** Comprising three adjacent sections — a square-shaped western enclosure with corner towers, a smaller citadel, and a northern enclosure — Duman Kala’s best-preserved section is along its northern side, though only a small portion of the eastern enclosure remains visible.
2. **Guldursun Kala:** This fortified town features exterior walls and towers dating back to the 12th century CE. Archaeological excavations have unearthed ancient pottery, bronze items, and coins dating to around 1220 CE, during the Mongol invasion of Khorezm under Muhammad Khorezmshah.
3. **Angka Kala:** Dating from the Late Antique period (1st to 3rd centuries AD) of Khorezm, Angka Kala guarded the main caravan trade route to the east. It fell into decline between the end of the Afrighid feudal period and the first millennium.
4. **Janbas Kala:** Known for its archaic fortification system from the Early Antique period, Janbas Kala lacks towers on its outer walls but compensates with steeply inclined loopholes for archers, reflecting strategic military architecture.
5. **Ayaz Kala:** One of the most spectacular fortresses in the region, Ayaz Kala consists of three clustered fortresses on a prominent hill at the Eastern end of the Sultan-Uiz-dahg range. Established around the 7th to 8th centuries CE during the Afrighid period, it served as defense against nomadic raids. Between Toprak Kala and Ayaz Kala lies **Akchakul Lake**, surrounded by yurt camps and restaurants offering local meals and drinks. During summer, visitors can swim and enjoy sand baths in the lake.

6. **Toprak Kala:** Dating to the Kushan period (2nd-3rd centuries CE), Toprak Kala was initially a royal sanctuary and later an administrative citadel after restoration in the early 4th century.
7. **Kizil Kala:** Originally constructed in the Late Antique period (1st to 4th centuries CE) and rebuilt before the Mongol invasions in the 12th-13th centuries, Kizil Kala’s purpose remains debated among scholars, suggesting it served as either a garrison barracks or a fortified manor house typical of early medieval Khorezm.

After visiting all seven fortresses, the return journey takes about 90 minutes to Khiva. Our driver will drop you off at Urgench Airport, Urgench/Khiva Train Station, or your hotel in Khiva or Urgench at the end of the trip at no extra charge.