Last Updated on: 26th June 2026, 02:36 pm
Death was the theme of this long excursion from Khiva. The long journey took us to the mysterious Chilpik Kala, an ancient tower where the dead were laid – not for burial, but for the vultures to come and devour. We then headed to the Mizdakhan Necropolis. More than just a graveyard, local legends associate its landmarks with both the origin and the ultimate destruction of humanity.
Out of all the day trips that I took from Uzbekistan’s main touristic cities, this would have to be my favorite. With that said, it may not appeal to everybody.
In the following guide, we’ll be covering how to arrange a tour to Chilpik Kala and Mizdakhan Necropolis (along with the Nukus Museum of Art if you so desire), while you can learn more about accommodation in Khiva at the end of the article.
Arranging a Tour
Day trips to Chilpik Kala and the Mizdakhan Necropolis are easily arranged in Khiva. You have the option of either booking in advance or just wandering around town and having drivers approach you with offers. Or, you can step inside official tour operators like Islambek Travel. Tours can also be booked on GetYourGuide for a higher price.
In addition to Chilpik Kala and Mizdakhan Necropolis, your driver should also be able to take you to the Nukus Museum of Art, a longtime favorite amongst foreign travelers. While my driver wouldn’t have charged me extra, entrance to the museum costs 100,000 som, and I ultimately decided not to visit.
There are also longer versions of this tour, with some taking you out to the Muynak Ship Cemetery. But that would add a considerable amount of both time and money to the excursion. Such tours can also be booked online.
The previous day, I’d hired Islambek Travel to take me to various Khiva fortresses, and everything went smoothly. However, I decided to hire an independent driver I’d met near my hotel for this excursion, as he was offering a slightly reduced fee.
I paid around $50 to see Chilpik Kala, the Mizdakhan Necropolis and Nukus with no time limits. The driver, Gulam, turned out to be reliable and interesting to chat with, so if you’re interested, you can reach him at +998 90 578 3926.
The price I paid was for the car and not per person. So had I been able to find other travelers wanting to go, we could’ve split the fare. Unfortunately, I had no such luck.
Chilpik Kala
We started the day at Chilpik Kala, about a two-hour drive from Khiva. At the time of writing, access costs 20,000 som.
Despite its remoteness, this is a fairly well-known attraction, and a large Uzbek family was on their way down as I approached. But fortunately, I’d largely have Chilpik Kala to myself.
The imposing structure was built atop a natural hill. And while it might appear as a fortress at first glance, it was originally built with a very different purpose in mind. It’s known as a dakhma, which in English is often referred to as ‘Tower of Silence.’
This is a more recent term coined by the British Raj in the 19th century, however. In any case, dakhmas were used by Zoroastrians as part of their unique burial custom known as sky burials.
The Zoroastrians maintain a dualistic perspective of the world, making clear distinctions between good and evil or pure and impure.
And since a human corpse was considered impure, rather than let it dissolve into the earth, which itself was considered sacred, it was best to have animals come and devour it.
But one could also argue that there’s a symbolic aspect to sky burials as well, as the vultures would eat the meat before taking a person’s remains upwards toward the heavens. In many ancient cultures, birds have long symbolized the transmigration of the soul after death.
In any case, once the body was devoured, the bones would be left to dry before being collected. They would then be placed in special ceramic boxes called ossuaries and buried ceremonially.
Chilpik Kala was established as early as the 1st century BC. Notably, this was after Alexander the Great had helped free Khorezm from the Persian Achaemenid Empire. But Zoroastrian traditions nevertheless persisted.
And as we’ll cover below, lots of people believe that Zoroastrianism originated right here in ancient Khorezm.
Chilpik Kala was rebuilt sometime between the 7th and 9th centuries AD. With the Amu Darya River marking a natural boundary between two territories, Chilpik Kala came in handy as a signal tower for defensive purposes.
Perhaps that’s why parts of it resemble the remains of some of Khorezm’s ancient fortresses. But the tower fell out of use entirely after the 13th-century Mongol invasion.
Chilpik Kala was then rediscovered in the 19th century, appearing in sketches by artist Nikolai Nikolaevich Karazin in 1873.
But it wouldn’t be properly surveyed until 1940 by archaeologist Sergey Tolstov and his ‘Khorezmian Expedition’ team.
Today, Chilpik Kala still seems to be regarded as sacred, as at the top, I encountered countless pieces of fabric tied to metal bars which appear to be ritual offerings.
Furthermore, a large monolith in the center has been covered in various carvings. Some of the writing is surely recent graffiti, but one wonders if there are far more ancient messages waiting to be deciphered.
While there’s not a whole lot to see at the top besides the aforementioned objects, the views Chilpik Kala offers of the surrounding desert and the Amu Darya below are fantastic.
Aside from that, this is one of those places that really seems to have a special power to it. But no words can prepare you for it until you’re up there yourself.
Coming down from the very top, you’ll find a pathway that encircles the base of the manmade portion of the structure. Walking the path allows you to see the dakhma and its surroundings from a new perspective.
Back in the car, our next stop would be the Mizdakhan Necropolis, though we would pass by the city of Nukus on the way. Still unsure if I wanted to stop there, we’d also be passing through it again on the way back to Khiva, so I still had time to decide.
The Mizdakhan Necropolis
Finally arriving in Mizdakhan – about an hour outside of Nukus – we passed the necropolis, and my driver first took me to what’s left of a hilltop fortress to its west.
Khodjeyli Gyaur-kala
It turns out that this landmark, dubbed ‘Khodjeyli Gyaur-kala,’ is the location of the now-lost city of Mizdakhan. Amazingly, this hill was settled as far back as the 4th century BC.
It then continued to thrive during the Kushan era, which lasted from the 1st-4th centuries AD.
While there’s some debate over whether Khorezm was ever part of the Kushan Empire, the discovery of coins and statues in ancient fortresses reveals that the region was at least heavily influenced by the Kushans.
Archaeological excavations have revealed layers up to 10 m deep. And the area was home to numerous residences and shops.
Eventually, a citadel was established sometime between the 9th to 11th centuries. But as with nearly every major historical monument in the region, it was destroyed by the Mongols in the 13th century.
Afterward, locals rebuilt a settlement below the hill, but it was eventually abandoned in the 14th century.
Notably, as we’ll cover shortly, many of the significant structures in Mizdakhan Necropolis actually date from the 14th century when Khorezm was ruled by the Golden Horde, a division of the Mongol Empire.
‘Khodjeyli Gyaur-kala’ translates to ‘Fortress of the Infidels.’ When the Arabs invaded in 712, they faced strong resistance from the local Zoroastrian population, whom they of course saw as infidels.
But even after Islam was officially adopted in the region, some ancient customs and rituals persisted.
Exploring Mizdakhan Necropolis
Not only is Mizdakhan Necropolis visually fascinating, but many of its landmarks are the center of compelling backstories. Therefore, if you’re at all interested in local myths and legends that captivate the imagination, this is a destination for you.
Today, Mizdakhan Necropolis is home to eight special landmarks for visitors to seek out. And you’ll find special plaques placed in front of each one, seemingly put there recently with help from the US Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation.
But despite my best efforts, I only managed to find seven out of the eight.
Also note that the Mizdakhan Necropolis is free to enter at the time of writing. This was confirmed by my driver, while no on-site signage indicates any kind of fee.
That doesn’t mean that some locals won’t try to take advantage of unwitting foreigners, but you can just ignore them and go about your way.
The Madamin Khan Mausoleum
The closest of the eight main landmarks to the entrance is the Madamin Khan Mausoleum. It’s also the most recent of the bunch, dating from the 19th century.
It’s said to be the mausoleum of Muhammad Amin Khan, the seventh khan of the Uzbek Kungrat dynasty. He was responsible for Khiva’s largest madrasa, and he was also behind the Kalta Minor Minaret, the city’s iconic short and stout tower.
But as this structure appears empty inside, there’s still some doubt over whether or not the former khan was ever buried here.
The Maslumkhan Sulu Mausoleum
Just behind it is the Maslumkhan Sulu Mausoleum, one of Mizdakhan’s most eye-catching structures – at least from the inside. Descending the staircase, you’ll be greeted with beautiful turquoise tilework. But who’s entombed within?
According to legend, a woman named Maslum was buried here. She was the daughter of a local ruler who declared that she could only marry a man who was capable of creating something special.
And so her lover built this unique subterranean structure, with nothing but a dome visible from the outside. And then after the couple died, they were buried within.
Historians, on the other hand, believe that this was originally a khanaka (Sufi gathering place) constructed for followers of a saint named Sulaiman al-Haddadi. And then it may have later been converted to a mausoleum in the 15th century.
In any case, this structure originally dates from sometime between the 12th and 14th centuries.
Kyrk Shopan
Another of the main landmarks is Kyrk Shopan, which dates to the 13th-14th century and entombs seven individuals.
It’s believed that they were members of Mizdakhan’s Christian community during the rule of the Golden Horde. The mausoleum was later reconstructed at some point, which is why it appears so new.
Shakhab Gumbaz Mausoleum
This mausoleum dates from the 12th-14th centuries. Despite it being one of the eight prominent landmarks, there’s almost no information about it either on-site or online.
Khalifa Erejep
Next, I walked to Khalifa Erejep, one of the most interesting structures at the Mizdakhan Necropolis. Though you wouldn’t know that just by looking at it.
Carbon dating puts its construction date sometime between the second half of the 12th century to the middle of the 13th century. Therefore, it was likely built by the Anushteginid dynasty, the rulers of Khorezm before the Mongol invasion.
The structure was then renovated during the Golden Horde era, and it may have started functioning as a mausoleum from this time.
Oddly, this is the full extent of Khalifa Erejep’s backstory that any of the on-site signage will tell you. But this structure is the center of what I find to be Mizdakhan Necropolis’s most interesting tale.
Khalifa Erejep is also known as the ‘Doomsday Clock.’ According to local belief, when this humble brick building collapses, the world as we know it will end!
And locals have long visited Mizdakhan Necropolis to place fallen bricks back into it in order to prevent (or at least prolong) the apocalypse!
But recently, due to restorations by the US Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation, much of the structure has been covered in mud or plaster.
While this may help protect the fate of the world, it does seem a lot like cheating. And having come out to Mizdakhan with prior knowledge of the legend, I was a bit disappointed to not see any fallen bricks lying around.
Shamun Nabi Mausoleum
Shamun Nabi was a renowned healer and it was believed that he could even work miracles. And he was buried in this extraordinarily long mausoleum sometime in the 13th or 14th century.
The mausoleum is so long, in fact, that it’s topped by no less than seven domes.
Djumart-Kassab Mound
In the center of the necropolis stands another one of Mizdakhan’s most important landmarks. This one isn’t a building, but an earthen mound. It stands about 4 m high and measures out to 20 m wide.
Archaeologists believe that it was originally created by Zoroastrians sometime between the 2nd and 8th centuries AD. And it was likely used as a dakhma, though it’s obviously tiny compared with Chilpik Kala described above.
Bones have been discovered deep inside the mound, so it’s possible that the mound doubled as both a Tower of Silence and a burial site for the clean bones.
Then, from the 9th-14th centuries, local Muslims started performing burials here. But according to local legend, Djumart-Kassab’s backstory goes much, much deeper.
Some believe that this mound may very well be the spot where, according to Zoroastrian cosmology, the first human being was created by Ahura Mazda.
The mound’s name, Djumart, is an alternate spelling of Gayomart, the primordial first man in Zoroastrian mythology.
Though Gayomart was ultimately killed by Ahriman, the counterpart of Ahura Mazda and the Zoroastrian personification of evil, his seed was absorbed by the earth. And it eventually sprouted the human couple, Mashya and Mashyana, or the Zoroastrian Adam and Eve.
Many believe, in fact, that Zoroastrianism has its roots right here in Khorezm, and that Zoroaster himself may have been born here. (Others, however, say that he was born in Balkh.)
But as mentioned, the mound is now called Djumart-Kassab. And ‘kassab’ means ‘butcher!’
According to a more recent local legend, a butcher, who happened to be named Djumart, handed out free meat to locals during a famine. In return, he merely requested that after his death, visitors to his grave offer him a handful of soil. Out of respect, many did so, and ultimately this mound formed.
The butcher Djumart also came to be known as a patron of herdsmen. And when herdsman started losing cattle, they would come to the mound and encircle it seven times for good luck.
But this all ties in with the original myth, as the mythological Djumart was said to have the head of a bull and the body of a man.
Searching For 'The White Khanaka'
As mentioned above, I managed to find seven of the eight main listed landmarks. The remaining one was listed as the ‘White Khanaka,’ but despite exploring the necropolis thoroughly, I was ultimately unsuccessful at finding it.
The search did, at least, give me an excuse to explore much more of Mizdakhan than I otherwise would have. While the ancient city of Mizdakhan may be long gone, the necropolis itself now feels – and looks – like a city of sorts.
Nukus
The city of Nukus, the capital of the autonomous republic of Karakalpakstan, is most known for Nukus Museum of Art. It’s also known as the ‘Savitsky Museum’ after the museum’s first curator, Igor Savitsky.
And it’s considered to have the world’s second-largest collection of Russian avant-garde art. A lot of visitors, in fact, come to this region with the Nukus Museum of Art as their main place of interest.
In any case, since you’ll be passing through Nukus twice on this day trip, your driver shouldn’t charge you any extra money for a stop here. But I ultimately decided not to visit.
At the time of writing, entrance to the museum for foreigners costs 100,000 som, or about $8 USD. While I would’ve gone in for that price, they are very strict about photography with anything other than a cellphone.
To use a regular camera, one would have to pay a fee multiple times higher than the basic admission price!
I’d also previously watched a YouTube video of someone walking through the museum. And even though I’d consider myself an art aficionado, I frankly didn’t get what the hype was about based on what I saw.
The museum also hosts ancient archaeological artifacts which I would’ve liked to see. But without being able to capture high-quality photographs, I decided to save 100,000 som and just head back to Khiva.
Additional Info
Khiva has plenty of accommodation options, many of them budget-friendly. And you have the choice of staying within the Ichon Qala or somewhere outside of it.
I stayed within the Ichon Qala at Muhtasham Hotel located near the North Gate. This was one of my better stays in Uzbekistan, as I got a spacious private room and bathroom for an affordable price. And a hearty breakfast was included as well.
Furthermore, the staff were very pleasant and more than happy to answer any questions. Despite this being a standard hotel, I found the staff a lot more accommodating than what I experienced at ‘homestays’ in Bukhara and Samarkand.
Other popular options within the Ichon Qala include Islambek Hotel (also a popular tour operator) and Khiva Siyovush Hotel.
Budget-conscious travelers might want to stay outside (but still within walking distance) of the Ichon Qala. Doing so gives you easier access to less touristy restaurants and shops. Garden Palace Khiva and Central Park Hostel are both popular options.
Note that when visiting Uzbekistan, you’re supposed to collect little slips from each accommodation proving where you stayed and for how many nights. You may then be asked to show them when leaving the country.
A lot of hotel owners will tell you that the system is digitized now and therefore it shouldn’t matter anymore. There are also many cases where the officers won’t ask anything at all.
But the reality on the ground is that immigration officers are indeed still sometimes asking for the paper slips. And I’ve met some travelers who got themselves into trouble when they couldn’t provide them.
I entered and exited the country twice, and though I wasn’t asked anything during my first exit, I was asked during my second. Fortunately, I had them on me.
Generally speaking, Uzbekistan is one of the easier countries to travel through in Central Asia thanks to its rail network. You can easily book tickets online or via the official Uzbek Railways app. And despite being situated in a remote part of the country, Khiva is easily accessible by train.
Coming from Samarkand, the journey lasts a little over five hours if you take the fast morning train. Otherwise, slower trains take as long as ten hours. I ended up traveling to Samarkand from Khiva, with the train departing around 2 pm and not arriving until 1 am!
Add several more hours if you’ll be traveling to or from Tashkent.
From Bukhara, the journey can last either around three hours or six depending on which train you take.
For those in a rush, it’s also possible to fly from Tashkent to the city of Urgench, from which you can take a taxi or bus to Khiva (about 1 hour).