Two Days in Khiva: The Magic of the Walled City

Khiva is one of Uzbekistan’s most beautiful cities, but it’s often one that travellers skip as it’s harder to get to than the likes of Bukhara or Samarkand. If you’re going as part of a guided tour, Khiva might already be on your itinerary, but for a self-planned trip, here’s your itinerary for two days in Khiva.

Like the other itineraries I’ve written for Bukhara and Samarkand, I’ve stuck to two days in Khiva as I feel it’s enough to give you an introduction to the city, especially if it’s as part of a wider exploration around Uzbekistan. Naturally, if you’ve got more time to spare, or you’re on a second visit to Uzbekistan, you can stretch this out, and I’ve added some ideas of activities and further trips if you’ve got that extra time.

I’ve also tried to keep this itinerary light on the stories and histories behind the sights of Khiva, to make it easier to scan and plan. If you want the full story, I’ve got a post on things to do in Khiva where I talk all about the tales behind the monuments.

For now though, let’s dive into how to make the most out of two days in Khiva.

Handling Entrance Fees in Khiva

If you’re doing a self-guided tour of Central Asia, pre-booking museums or entrance fees can be confusing. It’s a very different setup to the way we’d book tickets to the Louvre or Colosseum in Europe, and a lot of business information is shared casually on Telegram or Facebook, rather than dedicated websites.

If you book tours, they’ll usually handle all the entrance fee admin for you, but if you’re self-guided, this is where an open mind and the spontaneity of travel comes in.

For Khiva specifically, there’s usually one main combined ticket that you buy at the West Gate (usually where you come into the city, and right by the Kalta Minor). This usually costs about 250,000 UZS and acts as an “entrance fee” for two days in Khiva. It’ll give you access to almost all the madrasahs, the Juma Mosque, the Toshhovli Palace, and the Museum of Scholars.

If you enter Khiva through a different gate, you can still get into the city, but you’ll need the QR-code of the main Itchan Kala ticket to get inside the buildings.

What’s not included?

There are three specific places that are almost never included in the main ticket, and if you want to visit any of them, you’ll pay as you go:

• Pahlavon Mahmud Mausoleum: About 25,000 UZS.
• Islam Khodja Minaret climb: About 100,000 UZS.
• Kuhna Ark Watchtower: Around 20,000 – 50,000 UZS.

What this itinerary costs

If you do a self guided tour for your two days in Khiva and follow this itinerary, expect to pay about 400,000 UZS total in entrance fees. Or, about £25 GBP / $33 USD.

Day 1 in Khiva: The Gateway to the Old City

Arrival and Check In

If you’re travelling to Khiva from within Uzbekistan, you’re probably either getting in by car from Bukhara or rail from anywhere around the country. Whatever way you’re getting there, you’ll likely start your two days in Khiva outside the gates of the old city.

Hotel Recommendation

There are plenty of great places to stay in Khiva, but my absolute number one recommendation is the Orient Star Hotel.

This is where I stayed on my own two days in Khiva, and believe me, it is an incredible experience. The hotel was originally built as the Muhammad Amin Khan Madrasah. Today, its student cells have been converted into hotel rooms. You’ll sleep in the incredibly soundproof, thick walled bedrooms, before opening your door in the morning to the gorgeous courtyard in front of you.

Khiva is famous for its history and staying in this hotel means you get to place yourself right in the heart of it. I’ll list some other hotel and guesthouse recommendations further down in this post, but if you see your dates available for your trip to Khiva, I genuinely cannot recommend the experience enough – it’s the type of place that even if you weren’t staying as a guest, you’d end up going as part of your itinerary anyway.

Afternoon

Once you’ve had a chance to check into your hotel, drop your bags, and maybe even take a quick nap, you’ll want to head back out to make the most of your first day in Khiva.

The Kalta Minor & Muhammad Amin Khan Madrasah

The first stop is the Kalta Minor. If you’re staying in the Orient Star hotel, you’ll already be right next to it. Otherwise, make your way over to the startlingly blue, unfinished minaret. This is one of Khiva’s most famous monuments, and you’ll even see it on the 100,000 UZS banknote.

Construction of the minaret started in the early 1850s, but stopped very suddenly in 1855. It was originally designed to be the tallest minaret in the world, at about 80 metres, but never made it past 29. There are a couple of local legends as to why, which you can read about here.

Even in its unfinished state, it’s still absolutely breathtaking, covered in shimmering blue mosaic tiles.

Next to it, you’ll find the Muhammad Amin Khan Madrasah, which is also known as the Orient Star Hotel these days.

The Kuhna Ark Citadel

After marvelling at the Kalta Minor, walk across the square to the Khan’s old residence: the Kuhna Ark Citadel. Here, explore the open-air throne room and summer mosque. If you’re feeling up to it, you can climb the watchtower for your first view over the city walls.

The Kuhna Ark is open from about 8am to 6pm daily, although in summer it may be open until 20:00.

Evening

Sunset Dinner at Terrassa

Once the sun starts to go down, make your way to the Terrassa restaurant. It’s a favourite in Khiva, and I’m not ashamed to admit I ate here three times during my time in the city, including twice on the same day. The restaurant is multi-levelled, with a gorgeous rooftop area, and balcony seating on the lower floors. You’ll get an incredible view of the city walls, the Kalta Minor, and the town square.

If you’re here for sunset, watch as the Kalta Minor and the walls light up for the night.

For my fellow vegans, you’ll actually find more than just bread here. Try the pumpkin manti, and Khivan-speciality barak dumplings. (Just avoid the sour cream they usually come with!) If you’re looking for other tips about navigating Uzbekistan as a vegan, I’ve got you covered here.

Day 2 in Khiva: The Deep Dive

Morning

Start with breakfast in your hotel, or a coffee in on of Khiva’s cafes. Terrassa opens at 7am, and no judgement if you want to go back for breakfast. It gets hot around midday, so start your second day in Khiva early to make the most of the cooler morning hours.

For your morning activities, entrance is usually included in the Itchan Kala ticket.

Juma Mosque

As soon as you’re done breakfast, head out to the Juma Mosque. If you get there for when it opens at 9am, you’ll be able to explore it in the silence of the early morning, before the crowds arrive. Walking through the “wooden forest” of 212 wooden columns is a quiet, peaceful experience. Look out for the unique pattern on each pillar.

The Scholarly Quarter

After the Juma Mosque, make your way to the Museum of Scholars. It’s a small museum, but a great way to escape the increasingly warm sun, and learn more about Khiva’s history, including where algebra and algorithms come from.

Afternoon

Long Lunch & Rest

Khiva is surrounded by desert and gets hottest in the early afternoon, so build in time for a long lunch or a midday nap. I know you might be thinking that you could easily have fit in some more activities in the morning, but honestly, the city is so labyrinthine and beautiful that you’ll definitely have gotten distracted by a beautifully carved wooden door, or stopped to pet a local cat, or wandered into a little craft shop by now.

If you’re anything like me, a 5 minute walk will suddenly turn into 20 in Khiva because there’s so much to look at and so much you’ll want to grab photos of.

Take a couple of hours to just sit with some tea and non bread, or grab lunch somewhere that caught your eye earlier, or go for a quick siesta before setting out again in the afternoon.

Pahlavon Mahmud Mausoleum

After a recharge over the lunch period, head to the Pahlavon Mahmud Mausoleum. Its namesake was both a famed philosopher and wrestler. It’s an incredibly beautiful place, and the interior is a glimmering jewellery box of tiles.

If you bought the Itchan Kala ticket at the start of your two days in Khiva, the Pahlavon Mahmud Mausoleum is almost never included, so you’ll need to pay another small entrance fee here. Usually around 25,000 UZS (about £1.50 GBP / $2 USD).

Toshhovli Palace (Stone Palace)

Head over towards the East Gate to explore the Toshhovli Palace. Here you’ll find over 160 rooms, and several hidden courtyards. The harem courtyards are particularly striking, although the history of the enslaved concubines gives a sobering reminder of the Khanate’s brutal past.

Entrance here is usually included in the Itchan Kala ticket.

Evening

Once the evening starts to creep in, you’ll want to make the most of your last night in Khiva by experiencing the city at dusk.

Islam Khodja Minaret Climb

Ending your day sightseeing by tackling the 175 steps of the city’s tallest minaret will give you the perfect view out over the Kyzylkum Desert.

The number of visitors here is limited, to ensure it’s safe for everyone to get up and down the narrow stairs to the top, so you may need to wait a moment before heading skywards. There’s also an entrance fee here, which can vary – it seems a bit dependent on the guards’ mood. Expect to pay up to around 100,000 UZS (About £6.15 GBP / $8.50 USD)

Dinner and an Evening Stroll

Finally, once you’re done with your desert gazing, go for a walk through the old city. The Itchan Kala takes on a much quieter, peaceful vibe after dark when the day-trippers have left for the day. Walk from the West Gate to the Ak Mosque (White Mosque), or get lost in the winding alleys.

Street traders still have their stalls out in the early evening, so it’s a good time to pick up any souvenirs or just browse the local crafts. Khiva’s particularly well known for wood carving, so it’s a good gift to bring home.

Finish your day with dinner. Maybe there’s somewhere that caught your eye earlier, or maybe you’re like me and beelining back to Terrassa for one last starlit dinner gazing out at the Kalta Minor.

Day 3: The East Gate and Departure

The Madrasahs of the East Gate

So your two days in Khiva are coming to an end. If you’re not travelling onward until later in the day, your final morning is the time to explore some of the madrasahs in Khiva.

If your two days in Khiva really are on a tight schedule, this could be something you build into the afternoon on your first day, or make day 2 a bit more full. Either way, don’t skip them.

Go towards the East Gate, and see the Kutlug Murad Inaq madrasah, where a wall was famously broken to bring in a body.

Then, stop by the Alla Kouli Khan Madrasah, which was built on top of the old bazaar.

Both of these are stunning buildings, and can be admired from the outside if you’re pressed for time, but I’d still recommend lingering over the tilework and architecture. It’s also where you’ll get some wonderful last photos of the city.

Last Chance Souvenirs

The alleys around the East Gate are filled with wood carvers and other crafts on sale. This is the best time to pick up a handcrafted souvenir before heading on – so much better than a plastic magnet, right?

Departure

Whatever way you’re heading onwards next, you’ll probably want to head back towards the West Gate to catch your transport out of the desert and wave goodbye to Khiva. Hopefully your two days in Khiva were as magical as the city itself.

Best Tours and Activities in Khiva

Khiva doesn’t just look like something from a storybook, it’s a city absolutely dripping in history and local legends. It’s very easy to do a self guided two days in Khiva, and I’ve written about many of the local tales in this post, but sometimes you just want to hear it straight from a local expert.

If you’re planning to mix some tours and activities into your two days in Khiva, or you’ve got more time and want to really immerse yourself in the local culture, here are some I’d recommend:

City Tours

• A six hour walking tour of all the main sights.
  • This will take you to almost everywhere on this itinerary, and if you get in early enough on Day 1, it’s the perfect intro to the city. They do have a minimum participant number for the tour, so it won’t be right for solo travellers (unless you’re okay with covering the cost of the other spots yourself).
• This walking tour is shorter, at 3 hours, but there are no minimum participant numbers.
  • They have two departures each day: 9am and 2pm, making it easier for many to squeeze into their first day in Khiva.
• For the history buffs, a Khorezm Empire tour of Khiva.
  • This tour focuses on the Khorezmian Empire, the wars, and the history that shaped Khiva into the city it is today.

Day Trips

If you’ve got more than two days in Khiva, and want to explore further afield, some great options:

• An overnight yurt stay.
  • Spend the night under the stars in the desert, and feel like you’re part of your own storybook.
• A detour to Turkmenistan.
  • For the truly adventurous, a 4 day tour from Khiva into the most closed off Central Asian country: Turkmenistan. Turkmenistan is not the easiest country to visit if you’re self-guiding, so if you have the time in your Khiva itinerary, it’s the best opportunity you’ll have to add a new country to your list.
• A day trip to the Aral Sea.
  • Once the biggest inland sea in Central Asia, now 90% dried up, the Aral Sea is essentially a ship graveyard in the desert. Go to learn more about the causes, the changes to the environment, and the history of the region.

How to Get to Khiva

If you’re travelling to Khiva by rail from other parts of Uzbekistan, I’ve got a guide to Uzbekistan’s rail system here. At the time of writing, Uzbekistan is about to launch the Jaloliddin Manguberdi high speed train that links Tashkent to Khiva.

Like the other high speed rail service, the Afrosiyob, these tickets are likely to book out quickly once the 45 day booking window opens on the UzRail site. If that’s the case, your choice is going to be limited to the older sleeper trains connecting Tashkent to Khiva.

If you’re travelling by plane, the closest airport to Khiva is Urgench International Airport (UGC). The flight between Khiva and Tashkent is about an hour, and its an easy flight – it’s what I did on my own visit to Khiva.

From Bukhara, there are tours that will collect you in Bukhara and drop you in Khiva, stopping at lakes and fortresses along the way. I’ve done the drive from Bukhara to Khiva, and as stunning as the desert drive is, it can be a long, bumpy ride. Breaking it up with tour stops makes it a lot more enjoyable.

Where to Stay in Khiva

If you’re planning to spend two nights in Khiva, then my absolute number one accommodation recommendation is always going to be The Orient Star hotel. I’ve mentioned it elsewhere in this post, but when else are you going to get the chance to stay in the student cells of a historic madrasah with the Kalta Minor right next to you?

If that hotel is booked out, or you’re looking for a different vibe, some other great options in the city:

• The Nazira Boutique Hotel
  • This hotel is right next to the Terrassa restaurant, with a great terrace of its own overlooking Khiva. It’s a homestay style guesthouse, decorated in a traditional Uzbek style, and very affordable for a two night stay.
• Shaherezada Boutique Hotel
  • If you’re looking for something a little more grand, but still very Uzbek, this might be the right spot for you. It’s just by the South Gate, and easy walking distance to all the main sights of Khiva.
• The Farovon Khiva Hotel
  • If you’re looking for a 5 star experience, go for the Farovon Hotel. It’s located outside the walls of the Itchan Kala, so you will need to use a Yandex or local taxi to get in and out of the city each day. But if you want a more modern hotel, with a swimming pool, this is one of the only 5 star resort type experiences around the area.

Final Thoughts

Khiva is often the favourite stop on many Uzbek itineraries, even though it’s often the city that’s the first to get the chop when the logistics get tough. With the launch of the high speed train, it’ll make visiting Khiva much easier, but even without it, Khiva is still a city worth making a detour for.

When I visited Khiva myself, it was at the same time as their melon festival. Which is exactly what it sounds like: an entire festival dedicated to melons, one of Uzbekistan’s biggest crops. There was a real buzz to the city, and at night when the streets were calmer, it was a magnificent place to walk around.

Even without planning for the sights on this itinerary, it’d be very easy to spend two days in Khiva just roaming around and marvelling at the architecture of the Itchan Kala. It’s like a cross between Star Wars’ Tattooine and Tales from 1,001 Nights.

Uzbekistan is like nowhere else I’ve travelled, even within Central Asia. I’m planning a return visit this summer, and I cannot wait to be back amongst the blue tiles and desert sands again.

If you’re planning your own two days in Khiva, I hope this itinerary has been helpful to you, and I hope you love it as much as I did.