Urgench, in western Uzbekistan, is the administrative centre of the Khorezm oasis watered by the Amu Darya and the airport city of the region, with a population of around 150,000. With its wide Soviet planned avenues and market it is an ordinary provincial capital; the reason to fly here is Khiva, 35 kilometres to the southwest: its walled inner city Itchan Kala, Uzbekistan's first UNESCO World Heritage site in 1990, is the best preserved Silk Road town in Central Asia. The name was inherited from nearby Old Urgench, the former Khorezm capital that now lies across the border in Turkmenistan. Out in the desert, on the far bank of the Amu Darya, stand the two thousand year old mud brick fortresses of Khorezm.
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See flights to Urgench →When to visit Urgench
April to May and September to October are the easiest periods, with daytime temperatures of 22C to 28C and comfortable visits to the desert fortresses. From June to August the desert heat reaches 38C to 42C by day and the stone lanes of Khiva empty at midday, so sightseeing shifts to early morning and sunset. November to March is cold and dry; January days hover around freezing and nights fall well below, but Itchan Kala is uncrowded.
Things to do in Urgench
Itchan Kala, Khiva
Khiva's inner city, ringed by 10 metre mud brick walls, covers 26 hectares and holds more than fifty monuments and hundreds of houses from the 18th and 19th centuries; in 1990 it became Uzbekistan's first UNESCO site. Entry is by the west gate and a single ticket covers most of the monuments. The walls can be walked, and at sunset the mud brick turns copper coloured; caravanserai hotels inside the walls take guests.
Kalta Minor Minaret
Just inside Khiva's west gate, the stubby minaret of 29 metres and 14 metres across, covered top to bottom in turquoise and green tile, was begun in 1855 as an 80 metre tower meant to be seen from Bukhara; it was left unfinished when the khan died in battle the same year. The name means short minaret in Uzbek and it is the most photographed structure in Khiva. The Muhammad Amin Khan Madrasa beside it is now a hotel.
Islam Khoja Minaret
Built in 1910 by Islam Khoja, the reforming vizier of Khiva, the 57 metre minaret is the tallest structure in the city; its tapering shaft is wrapped in bands of turquoise and brown tile. The 118 narrow, dark steps can be climbed, and from the top the inside of the walls, the rooftops and the desert beyond are all in view. The madrasa beside it holds the museum of Khorezm crafts.
Kunya-Ark Citadel
Built in the 17th century as the fortress palace of the khans of Khiva, the Kunya-Ark leans against the western walls; the throne room, the tiled summer mosque and the harem courtyard are on the visit. The Akshikh Bobo watchtower at the northeast corner of the citadel can be climbed, and all of Itchan Kala and the Kalta Minor are in view from there. It is Khiva's best known sunset spot, with a separate entry fee.
Tash Hauli Palace
Built in eight years in the 1830s for Allah Kuli Khan, the palace in the eastern half of Itchan Kala carries the richest tilework in Khiva across its 160 rooms and three courtyards. The five iwans of the harem court are tiled in blue and white to the ceiling, with carved wooden columns on marble bases. The round platform in the reception court was the site of the khan's tent. The courtyards are best seen in morning light.
Ayaz Kala Fortress
Eighty kilometres northeast of Urgench, in the Kyzylkum desert across the Amu Darya, the remains of three mud brick fortresses dating back to the 4th century BC stand on a hill; it is the grandest of the chain of desert fortresses of Khorezm. The ramparts give a panorama of the desert and the lake below. A yurt camp nearby takes overnight guests; it is visited on the same day as Toprak Kala and the drive by taxi is an hour and a half.
Flights from Turkey to Urgench
Direct flights to Urgench from Turkey leave from Istanbul Airport, operated year round by Turkish Airlines on several days a week, with Uzbekistan Airways also on the route, and take about 3 hours 40 minutes. Urgench International Airport is just north of the city centre, about 3 kilometres away; Khiva, the real destination, is 35 kilometres and 40 minutes by taxi from the airport, and most hotels arrange a transfer. A domestic connection via Tashkent and the six hour road from Bukhara are the other options.
Urgench FAQ
How many days do you need in Urgench?
Khiva's Itchan Kala takes a full day, and a second night is worth it for the walls and the sunset. A third day goes to the desert fortresses. An Uzbekistan tour combined with Bukhara and Samarkand runs from a week to ten days.
How far is the airport from the city centre?
Urgench Airport is about 3 kilometres from the city centre and 35 kilometres from Khiva. A taxi to Khiva takes 40 minutes with the fare agreed beforehand or called through the Yandex Go app; there are also frequent minibuses between Urgench and Khiva, reaching it in an hour from the centre.
Do you need a visa for Uzbekistan?
Uzbekistan is visa free on a Turkish passport for stays of up to thirty days. The passport must be valid for at least three months from the date of entry. Hotels register your stay, and since the registrations can be asked for on departure it is useful to keep the hotel slips. Crossing to Old Urgench on the Turkmenistan side needs a separate visa.
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