Uzbekistan: Khorezm oasis and Louvre in the desert

After breakfast we set off to explore the inner city of Ichan-Kala. Here, literally at every step, you will find monuments of the past that were built over centuries. Ichan-Kala is the first World Heritage Site in Central Asia. Walking along the ancient streets inside the powerful fortress walls, you will see the majestic architectural complex of Pakhlavan-Mahmud with majolica cladding and elegant ornaments, the tallest minaret of the city, the unusual Juma mosque with wooden carved columns, the Tash-Khauli palace complex, where the khan and his harem lived. We will also visit the monumental Kunya-Ark fortress, which can literally be called a “city within a city.”

Today you will see two unique archaeological sites.
First we will go to the ruins of the Ayaz-Kala settlement. Local fortifications were erected in the 3rd-2nd centuries BC, during the time of Zoroastrianism. The entrance to the fortress is protected by a labyrinth, and the remains of impressive ancient walls evoke thoughts both about the transience of time and about how the creations of human hands outlive their creators for many centuries. Then you will get acquainted with the Toprak-Kala fortress, built at the beginning of our era. During excavations, it was discovered that the local palace had 150 halls and rooms, most of which were decorated with masterpieces of painting and sculpture. It was Toprak-Kala that was the first capital of the ancient state of Khorezm. We will have lunch on the picturesque Lake Akhchakol, and then get to the city of Nukus.

In the morning we go to Muynak.
It is here that one can assess the scale of the environmental catastrophe - the sharp shallowing of the Aral Sea. In Soviet times, Muynak was a fishing town; one of the largest fish canning factories in the USSR operated here. However, due to the shallowing of the sea caused by natural causes and the destructive influence of man, the busy harbor turned into a skeleton in the desert. There is also a cemetery for ships that formerly stood in the port. We will go up to the observation deck, from which we can see the bottom of the sea, now overgrown with hard, dry bushes. After lunch at a cafe, we go to the Mizdakhkan necropolis. On its territory there are burial places of different eras and different religions and two ancient fortresses. The necropolis is surrounded by legends: it is believed that the tomb of Adam, the first man according to Christianity, or Gayomard, the first man in Zoroastrian beliefs, is located here. Return to Nukus.

Nukus is the capital of the sovereign republic of Karakalpakstan within Uzbekistan.
The city, surrounded by the Kyzylkum, Karakum and Aralkum deserts, is the most important center for the Karakalpak people, the indigenous population of the republic. But Nukus is interesting not only for its immersion in local culture and customs. Here, in an oasis among the endless sands, lies a real pearl, which is called the “Louvre in the desert.” The Savitsky Museum of Art contains a huge collection of paintings dating back to the avant-garde period of the early 20th century, as well as exhibits relating to the life and culture of Ancient Khorezm - in total more than 9 thousand objects. After a tour of the museum we return to Khiva.