36 Hours in Khiva: Turquoise Tiles and Silk Road Tales

After the modernist architecture of Almaty and Tashkent, Khiva was a shock to my system — in the best of ways. I spent 36 hours exploring the walled city, marvelling at the myriad madrasas, mosques, mausoleums and minarets on every corner of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Khiva's origins date back more than 2,500 years. It became a minor trading post on the Silk Road and was later ruled by khans for many centuries. Khiva became part of the Russian Empire in 1873 and later fell under Soviet rule until Uzbekistan gained independence in 1991.

Despite its rich history, Khiva's remote location means it's sometimes skipped on Uzbekistan itineraries. But it's now easier than ever to get to Khiva: new high-speed trains have drastically reduced the journey time from Bukhara, Samarkand and Tashkent. Nearby Urgench Airport is upping its capacity too.

I visited Khiva as part of an 8-day small-group tour of Uzbekistan with Advantour. I'll write more about my experience of the tour in a separate post, but the TLDR is that it was a convenient and efficient way to see Uzbekistan's main Silk Road cities, albeit with a fairly packed itinerary.

We spent 36 hours in Khiva, arriving late at night on a flight from Tashkent to find the Ichan Kala (walled inner city) all lit up. The view from our hotel's rooftop made it all worthwhile! We had the whole of the following day and night in Khiva, before flying to Bukhara the next morning.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO IN KHIVA

On my only full day in Khiva, I got up early to see the city come to life. I also wanted to get some of my gawping out of the way before my guided tour. Even so, I’d taken so many photos by lunchtime that my camera battery was almost dead and I had to go back to the hotel to get my spare!

Our group's four-hour guided tour covered most of the main sights. We then had a free afternoon and evening to explore at our own pace. The few hours I spent wandering Khiva's labyrinthine lanes with no destination in mind were my favourite part of my stay.

Entering the Ichan Kala 

The sheer number of well-preserved historic buildings in Khiva's Ichan Kala make it feel like an open-air museum. Many Khiva residents now live outside the walled city, after converting their homes to guesthouses, restaurants and shops.

You can see all the Ichan Kala highlights in one day. There's a single ticket for most sights, which costs 250,000 Som (about £15.60) and is valid for two consecutive days. Show your ticket (or QR code) at building entrances to get inside.

Muhammad Amin Khan Madrasa and Kalta Minor

Most visitors enter the Ichan Kala via the Ota Davorza (West Gate) and from there, you'll immediately spot the huge turquoise-tiled minaret. This is Kalta Minor.

Commissioned by Muhammad Amin Khan in 1851, the minaret's height was meant to be six times that of its base diameter and allow you to see all the way to Bukhara (280 miles away). But when its patron died four years later, it remained uncompleted.

The adjacent Muhammad Amin Khan Madrasa is now a now a hotel. The setting is superb but you do run the risk of opening your hotel room door to find a large group of camera-bearing tourists. It sounds like my experience as a student at St John's College, Cambridge, TBF!

Spot the blogger!

Kuhna Ark

The fortified palace of Khiva's rulers, Kuhna Ark was built in the 12th century by Ak Sheikh Bobo and expanded by the khans in the 17th century. 

Stepping inside, we first admired the ornate blue and white tiling of the (al fresco) summer mosque. This was my first colour-coordination of the day — a recurring theme of the trip, since my wardrobe is mostly navy blue and turquoise. 

We also visited the small and fairly dry historical museum and peeked inside the mint and the throne room. There's a separate entrance (and 100,000 Som charge) if you want to climb the Ak Sheikh Bobo Watchtower — a nice golden hour or sunset activity.

Toshhovli Palace

Because one palace was not enough, Toshhovli Palace was built in the 19th century as a grander alternative to Kuhna Ark. There are nine courtyards and over 100 rooms. 

The khan's chamber is, as you would expect, very ornate but I preferred the colourful motifs of the concubines' quarters.

In one courtyard was a yurt, which was where the khan would have received high-ranking nomadic visitors.

Muhammad Rahim Khan Madrasa

Across the square from the Kuhna Ark is the 19th century Muhammad Rahim Khan Madrasa. It's now a history museum — there are some historical photos and English translations but it's not the most engaging presentation.

Later on, I took one of my favourite photos of the trip of the madrasa reflected in a piece of broken mirror resting against the wall. Looking at the photo now, it almost looks like a painting, right down to the shadowy photographer I captured.

Not a painting!

Pahlavan Mahmoud Mausoleum

Dedicated to one of the earliest multi-hyphenates, the Pahlavan Mahmoud Mausoleum was built in 1326. It honours the poet-philosopher-wrestler who went on to become a sort of patron saint of Khiva.

You can spot the mausoleum's jade green dome all over the city and the chamber inside is just as beautiful. It costs 40,000 Som (£2.50) to visit. While we were there, we saw a wedding party who had come to have the marriage blessed.

Juma Mosque

The Juma (Friday) Mosque of Khiva was built in the 18th century on the site of an earlier 10th century structure. It is characterised by its 218 wooden pillars, made with elm wood imported from India (Uzbekistan's deserts aren't especially conducive to tall trees). 

Islam Khoja Complex

The Islam Khoja Minaret was built in 1910. At 56 metres tall, it's the tallest minaret in Khiva and the only one you can climb. You'll need to buy a ticket (100,000 Som; £6.20) and be aware that it's a short but very steep and narrow climb to the top.

The view is well worth the climb: you can see all across the Ichan Kala and beyond. It's especially nice at golden hour or sunset but those also tend to be the busiest times. I was glad I visited first thing in the morning where there were very few other visitors.

Walking the walls

Walking on the walls of Khiva's Ichan Kala was a great golden hour activity. You'll need to buy a separate ticket (40,000 Som; £2.50) from the ticket office at the North Gate. 

We got there about 30 minutes before sunset and wandered over to the West Gate to soak up the views of Khiva's skyline.

You can also walk round to the East Gate, but the time we got back to the North Gate it was getting dark, so we climbed down the steep steps and headed off for our dinner reservation.

Markets and shopping

Khiva, like all of the major Silk Road cities in Uzbekistan, has plenty of opportunities for retail therapy, with everything from quilted silk jackets to the fluffy chugurma fur hats we saw many of the Uzbek tourists trying on.

I'd read that the shopping was much better in Bukhara and Samarkand so I decided to wait. Most of the items I liked — especially a turquoise and pink quilted jacket, which was too big for me anyway — looked mass-produced. 

I found that Allakuli Khan Tim Market had the best selection. The only thing I regret not buying was a ceramic Kalta Minor Christmas tree ornament or magnet. Sadly, I didn't end up finding them elsewhere in Uzbekistan.

WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK

Throughout my time in Uzbekistan, I tried to sample as many different Uzbek dishes as possible. I rarely paid more than 100,000 Som (£6.20) for a main dish, salad/side and a soft drink. All the restaurants I ate at in Khiva had English menus.

Tandiriy. Located just outside the Ichan Kala, Tandiriy's terrace has lovely views of the city walls. Inside, the décor is attractive and modern. I had my first plov there and it was a tasty incarnation of the Uzbek national dish of rice, carrots, dried fruit and spices, though I didn't love the kazy (horse sausage).

Arxi Terrasa. As it was a cool evening, we sat inside rather than on Arxi's terrace where the Ichan Kala views are lovely. Book in advance if you have a seating preference! The food was tasty: I started with a beetroot salad, followed by shivit oshi (dill noodles with beef and potatoes; a Khiva speciality) and my first slice of honey cake (thumbs up!).

Terrassa. We stopped here for a tea break. The views overlooking the Kuhna Ark, especially on the upper terrace, are the real selling point. I've seen mixed reviews of the food, but it was a nice place to stop for a drink.

WHERE TO STAY IN KHIVA

I stayed at Twins Hotel, a small hotel on the edge of the Ichan Kala. My room was a little basic but quiet, clean and comfortable, and the included breakfast was fine. 

Ask for a room with a view: some of my tour mates could see Kalta Minor from their rooms (sadly, mine just overlooked a quiet back street). Either way, go up to the rooftop terrace for superb views of the walled city.

Khiva's old town is so small that pretty much any hotel within the Ichan Kala will have a good location. I'd look for a hotel with a rooftop terrace and then check the rating and reviews for any red flags on Booking.com

Many of Khiva's hotels get booked up in advance by tour groups like mine during high season, so you may not have much choice. But keep in mind that you won't be spending much time in your room!

HOW MUCH TIME TO SPEND IN KHIVA

Khiva's walled city is compact enough that you can see the main sights in one full day — and that includes returning to your favourites to see them at different times of day.

As Khiva is so far away from the other main tourist destinations in Uzbekistan, you'll almost certainly be staying at least one night there. I recommend getting up a little early so you can explore the Ichan Kala before the day-trippers arrive. That was also when I climbed the Islom Hoja Minaret.

As part of my Advantour tour, we had a four-hour sightseeing tour with a local guide, which finished around 2 pm. We then had the rest of the day free to explore (or rest!). I revisited a few places I'd seen earlier in the day, walked on the city walls at sunset and then strolled around Khiva after dark.

GETTING THERE & AROUND

As my group tour had a pretty packed schedule, flying from Tashkent to Urgench Airport (40 minutes' drive from Khiva) and then Urgench to Bukhara was the best option. Both flights were with Uzbekistan Airways, and took about 1.5 hours and 50 minutes, respectively.

New high-speed Jaloliddin Manguberdi trains now run daily, reducing the journey time to Khiva to 7 hours from Tashkent, 5.5 hours from Samarkand and 3.5 hours to Bukhara. You'll need to book tickets well in advance or use a travel agency like 12Go.

Khiva is only 5 miles from the Turkmenistan border, so if you're combining your trip to Uzbekistan with a visit to Turkmenistan, you'll probably make a land border crossing. One of my tour-mates joined us in Khiva, having spent a rewarding (if sometimes challenging) six days in Turkmenistan.

The walled city is best explored on foot, though there are some golf cart taxis around too. Yandex Maps is much more accurate for navigation than Google.

If you're travelling beyond the Ichan Kala, I'd book a taxi with your hotel or use Yandex Go, a local Uber equivalent. You'll need to set your account up before leaving home or get a local SIM card, and you'll probably need to pay in case for your ride.

KHIVA NEED TO KNOW

When to go: Late April to May and late September to October are the best times to visit Khiva: these months are the sweet spot between the scorching summers and freezing winters. 

During my visit in mid-October it was sunny every day with highs of around 20 to 22C, dropping down to about 7C overnight (bring a jacket for the evenings). It was pretty busy in Khiva, in part because we were there on a Sunday, which meant there were a lot of Uzbek tourists, but still very manageable.

Languages: Uzbek is the national language, and while Russian isn't an official language, it is widely spoken. I found that at least some staff working in tourism and hospitality spoke some English, but try to learn a few Uzbek phrases — rahmat ('thank you') as a minimum.

Time zone: Uzbekistan Time is five hours ahead of London (GMT) and 10 hours ahead of New York (EST). During daylight savings time, which Uzbekistan doesn't observe, the country is four hours ahead of London (BST) and nine hours ahead of New York (EDT).

Money: Uzbekistan's currency is the Som (UZS), sometimes spelled S'om or Sum. At the time of writing, there are 16,000 Som to £1, and about 12,000 Som to US $1. I was able to pay by credit card in most restaurants and tourist attractions. But you may need cash for smaller eateries, shops and some sights.

Power: Uzbekistan uses type C (two round pins) plug sockets, also found in many European countries.

Staying connected: I used a Nomad eSIM throughout my trip in Uzbekistan, which cost about £8.50 for 10Gb. It was easy to set up and the coverage was generally OK, though I did sometimes need to turn Airplane Mode on and off to restore my connection. My tour mates had similar issues and it's probably due to Khiva's super-thick city walls.

Want to try an eSIM on your next trip? Sign up to Nomad using my referral code — REBEXSAXQK — and we both get $5 credit.

What to wear: Throughout my time in Uzbekistan, I mainly wore long-sleeved tops with trousers or a long skirt, in line with local dress. This also worked well with the warm, but not too hot, autumn weather. I carried a scarf with me to cover my hair when required at some mosques and mausoleums.

And yes, my capsule wardrobe was very well coordinated with Khiva's turquoise and cobalt blue architecture! 

Planning a trip to Central Asia? Check out my other travel guides: Almaty city guide, Almaty specialty coffee guide, Charyn Canyon & Kolsai Lakes, Tashkent city guide, Tashkent specialty coffee guide, Bukhara guide, Samarkand guide, 10 days in Uzbekistan guide, packing for two weeks in Central Asia.

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