Khiva, Uzbekistan: Things to Do, How Many Days & Getting There

30.09.2026 12:55

Khiva in short

Khiva, Uzbekistan is a walled Silk Road town in the far west of the country, close to the border with Turkmenistan. Its inner town, Itchan Kala, became Uzbekistan's first UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990.

Inside the mud-brick walls you'll find mosques, madrasas, palaces and minarets packed so tightly that you can walk from one gate to the other in about 15 minutes. People still live there, and no modern buildings break up the old streets.

Khiva sits far from Samarkand and Bukhara, so many travelers skip it. This guide helps you decide if the trip is worth it and how to plan it.

Is Khiva worth visiting?

Yes, if you are already going to Samarkand and Bukhara. Khiva is the most complete of Uzbekistan's old towns, and it gives you something the other two don't: a whole walled city you can see in a day.

Pros

• Everything inside the walls is walkable, so you won't need taxis between sights.
• One combined ticket covers most of the museums in the old town.
• Evenings are quiet after the tour groups leave, and that is the best time for photos.

Cons

• It's far. Bukhara is 450 to 480 km away, depending on the route, across the Kyzylkum Desert.
• The main streets are lined with souvenir stalls, and parts of the old town can feel like an open-air museum.
• Summer afternoons often pass 40°C, and the old town has little shade.

The short version: Khiva is worth the detour, but only if you stay the night. Most of the crowd arrives mid-morning and is gone by late afternoon.

Where is Khiva?

Khiva is in the Khorezm region of western Uzbekistan, near the Amu Darya river. The nearest airport is in Urgench, about 30 km away, or roughly 40 minutes by taxi. Khiva also has its own train station, a short walk from the old town walls.

The town has two parts. Itchan Kala is the walled inner town with most of the monuments. Dishan Kala is the outer town around it, where locals live, shop and eat.

How many days in Khiva?

Plan for one full day and two nights. Arrive in the afternoon, explore the next day, and leave the morning after.

• One day is enough for the main sights if you start at 8 am, but you will rush.
• Two days is the best choice for most people. You can climb a minaret, see the palace outside the walls and still have time for a slow evening.
• With three days, add a day trip to the ancient desert fortresses north of Khiva.

Here's a full day that works well:

1. Buy your ticket at the West Gate as soon as it opens and start at Kunya Ark before the tour buses come.
2. Visit the Juma Mosque and Tash Hauli Palace before noon.
3. Rest through the hottest hours, then visit the madrasas and climb the Islam Khodja Minaret late in the afternoon.
4. Watch the sunset from the Kunya Ark watchtower or a rooftop café.
5. Walk the empty streets after dark, when the monuments are lit up.

Our 5 Stans tour follows this plan. You reach Khiva in the evening after the desert drive from Bukhara, spend a full day on a guided walk that includes the Islam Khodja Minaret climb, and continue the next morning.

Things to do in Khiva

The combined ticket, sold at the West Gate, covers most museums inside Itchan Kala. The minaret climb and the Kunya Ark watchtower cost extra, so keep some cash on you.

Inside the walls

1. Kunya Ark was the fortress and home of Khiva's khans. Its watchtower has the best view over the town.
2. Kalta Minor is the short, wide minaret covered in blue and green tiles. Work on it stopped in the 1850s, and it was never finished.
3. The Juma Mosque has more than 200 carved wooden columns holding up its roof. Come in the morning, when light falls between them.
4. Islam Khodja Minaret is the tallest in Khiva. The stairs are narrow and steep, but the view is worth it.
5. Tash Hauli Palace has some of the finest tilework in town, especially around the harem courtyard.
6. The Pahlavon Mahmud Mausoleum honors Khiva's patron saint, and many local families visit it.

Outside the walls

Nurullaboy Palace, the home of the last khans, mixes local style with European details. The market near the East Gate is the place to see daily life, buy dried fruit and try fresh bread.

How to get to Khiva

Most people come by train or by car from Bukhara, or fly in from Tashkent. Travel times below are approximate, and timetables change often, so check them before you book.

From	Best option	Approx. time
Bukhara	Train or private car (450 to 480 km)	6 to 7 hours by train, 8 to 9 by car
Tashkent	Flight to Urgench, then a taxi	About 2 hours in total
Tashkent	Overnight train	14 to 15 hours
Samarkand	Train via Bukhara, or break the trip in Bukhara	Most of a day

Our advice: book train tickets as early as you can for spring and autumn trips, because they sell out. If you are going by car from Bukhara, leave early to cross the desert before the midday heat.

If you'd rather not deal with tickets and transfers, our guided Central Asia tour includes the train from Tashkent to Samarkand and Bukhara and all road transport to Khiva.

Best time to visit Khiva

April to May and September to October are the best months. Days are warm but comfortable, and evenings are pleasant for walking.

Summer, from June to August, is very hot, often over 40°C. If you visit then, sightsee from 7 to 11 am and after 5 pm. Winter is cold and can drop below freezing, but the old town is almost empty and hotels are cheaper.

Where to stay and eat in Khiva

Stay inside Itchan Kala or right next to its walls. You'll be close to everything early in the morning and late in the evening, which are the best hours in Khiva. The choice ranges from small family guesthouses to hotels in restored madrasas, where guests sleep in the old student cells.

For food, look for two dishes from the Khorezm region:

• Shivit oshi, green noodles made with dill, served with meat stew and yogurt
• Tukhum barak, soft dumplings filled with egg

Many restaurants in the old town have rooftop terraces. Book a table for sunset in spring and autumn, since the best spots fill up.

Khiva vs Bukhara vs Samarkand

Each city gives you a different kind of Silk Road experience.

City	Best for	What it feels like
Samarkand	The biggest monuments, like the Registan	Grand sights inside a large modern city
Bukhara	A living old town with trading domes	Relaxed and easy to explore
Khiva	The most complete walled town	Compact and quiet after dark

If you only have a week, visit all three by train. Khiva works best as the start or end of the trip, since it sits at the far west of the route.

Day trips from Khiva

The ruined fortresses of ancient Khorezm, such as Ayaz Kala and Toprak Kala, are in the desert north of Khiva. Hire a driver for a full day. A trip to the Aral Sea is possible too, but it is long and works better as a separate two or three day tour.

Khiva is also the gateway to Turkmenistan. The Shavat-Dashoguz border is about an hour's drive away, and from there it's roughly 270 km to the Darvaza gas crater. Our 5 Stans tour takes exactly this route, and we provide the invitation letter you need to get a Turkmen visa at the border.

Practical tips for your visit

• Carry cash in Uzbek som. Many small shops and guesthouses don't take cards.
• Cover your shoulders and knees when entering mosques and mausoleums.
• Bring a hat, sunscreen and a refillable water bottle from spring to autumn.
• Hire a licensed local guide for your first morning. The stories behind the buildings make the rest of your visit much richer.
• Compare prices before buying carpets, ceramics or fur hats, and expect to bargain.

Khiva is calm and safe to walk at night. The real risks are heat, dehydration and overpriced souvenirs.

Planning your trip to Khiva, Uzbekistan

Khiva, Uzbekistan takes more effort to reach than Samarkand or Bukhara, but it pays you back with the most complete walled town on the Silk Road. Give it two nights, visit in spring or autumn, and do your sightseeing early and late in the day. Book train tickets early, stay inside or near the walls, and save the evening walk for when the day visitors have left.

See Khiva on a guided Central Asia tour

Our 5 Stans tour combines Khiva, Bukhara, Samarkand and Tashkent with Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan in 21 days. Groups have 6 to 15 travelers, with local English-speaking guides and a Penguin tour leader for groups of 10 or more. Past travelers rate it 4.74 out of 5.

See the full itinerary and dates or ask us for a quote.