Konye Urgench, Turkmenistan--not to mention the border!

Najd-ed-Din Kubra mausoleum across from governor's mausoleum

Konye Urgench, once the greatest city in the Khorezm Oasis, dates to the 6th century BC, but reached it's peak in the 11th century AD when it became the capital of the Seljuk dynasty.

While little remains of this once busy city, it is slowly undergoing excavation and reconstruction of some of its finer monuments, including the twin tombs of the governor of Konye Urgench and the city's most prominent and beloved scholar and founder of the Kubra Sufi order of Islam, Najm-ed-din Kubra.

Nearby is the tallest minaret in Central Asia, tilting slightly at the top where the last 90 feet are being rebuilt.  Tamurlane finally put an end to the city in the 14th century. 

If you visit Turkmenistan, this site is worth a visit, but requires a 50 minute flight to Dosoguz from Ashgabat and a 1 1/2 hour drive from there.  We went on to the Uzbekistan border from Konye Urgench, a story in itself.

Choosing to cross the Turkmenistan/Uzbekistan border by road requires a bit of patience and energy.  It's a big of a slog since you have to walk about a kilometer between the first Turkmenistan check point and the final Uzbekistan check point.  That would be just fine, but we did this in 105 degree F heat in the early afternoon under a blazing sun, lugging our suitcases (thankfully, just carry-on size and weight) and backpacks.  If you want to go part way by car, you must get permission in advance, which our guide hadn't thought to do.

But, that's just the walking part.  There are 3 passport checks (considerable scrutiny of your passport and visas each time).  Once inside the stifling customs house, our bags were searched for contraband (i.e., any item over 50 years old, particularly carpets).  Since our bags were stuffed with dirty clothes with no room for a carpet, it all seemed kind of silly.  The final passport check came beyond this point and then another walk about 1/4 mile to the first Uzbekistan checkpoint (note that if your visas don't specify the exact date of your arrival in Uzbekistan and the exact date of your departure from Turkmenistan you can be left in this desolate, steaming no-man's-land until someone works out a new visa for you.  This has, indeed, happened to some luckless tourists.).

In the Uzbekistan customs house, everything was searched.  I had to removed all my medications from my bag and explain in detail what every pill was for.  They are looking for a long list of prohibited drugs.  The final push comes when you get to walk another 100 yards or so, past the final passport check, and slump into your (hopefully) air conditioned car.  Finally in Uzbekistan.

From there to Khiva, our first destination in Uzbekistan, it's nearly 4 hours on a broken asphalt road.  There is another checkpoint closer to Khiva if you decide to bypass Konye Urgench--but then, why fly to Dosoguz; just fly to Tashkent and on to Khiva.


lovely tomb of unknown occupant

Kutlug Timor minaret

Turabeg Khanym mausoleum