Urgench airport closed

[apf]

Hi,

We'll be flying from Tashkent to Urgench next week, however we've just discovered that Urgench airport will be closed until 10th August. http://tashkenttimes.uz/national/2625-t ... ch-airport

There's very few information about it, but it seems that all flights are diverted to Nukus and then Uzbekistan Airways provides a bus service back to Urgench. Has anyone know more about it?

Our idea was to arrive at Urgench first thing in the morning and take a taxi to Khiva and stay there two nights, then go to Bukhara. This has changed our plans and we´ve got different possibilities now:

a) Follow our original idea and just spend an extra 3h on the bus from Nukus to Urgench.
b) Take advantage of the situation and visit the musuem in Nukus that morning, then take a taxi to Urgench. This would mean that we´ll only have 1 day to spend in Khiva.

What do you think? And do you have any information at all about the bus serviced provided by Uzbekistan Airways?

Many thanks

[leela]

Unless you're super enthusiastic about the museum in Nukus, I'd go straight to Khiva. A day isn't enough.

[steven]

I'd say most people are happy with 1 day in Khiva. You'll still have 2 nights right? Sunset is the best time, so you'll get 2 of those, and you get the bonus of the Nukus museum (which is really great). You can also detour to one of the qala ruins along the way from Nukus.

[blakep76]

I'm not an artsy person, but would say the museum in Nukus is really something special. The quality of the artwork is fantastic. They have statues, stone carvings etc from ancient Persia/Greece etc also. It really feels like the type of place that would fit in in New York or Paris, not scruffy, run down Nukus. My wife and I had the whole museum to ourselves when we visited. A couple of hours is probably enough and you can then ask the staff to help you arrange an onward taxi to Khiva for $40 or so.

[mattfitc]

Hi all,

I have seen the article from the Taskhent Times (above post has the link) saying it should be opening on 10th August but is this realistic? I am getting an early morning flight on 18th August and only spending 1 night in Khiva (we are on a tight timeframe) so just want to know as I might be able to change the route of the trip to not 'waste' the little time we have.

Cheers
Matt