Khiva

Khiva is one of the three great UNESCO-listed Silk Road cities of Uzbekistan, alongside Samarkand and Bukhara, yet it remains the most overlooked. The compact Ichon-Qala (walled old city) contains centuries of Islamic architecture compressed into an area of less than 3 km, making it ideal for walking. Khiva's long history as a slave-trading post sandwiched between the Kyzylkum and Karakum deserts has given way to a quiet, sleepy oasis that now awaits busloads of tourists instead of caravans of captives.

Khiva is divided into two distinct sections: the older, museum-like Ichon-Qala (literally 'within the wall') where striking examples of Islamic architecture were built over 600 years, and the modern Dichon-Qala ('outside the wall') where the majority of the population lives and modern buildings exist. The Soviets restored the historical areas to a scrubbed, squeaky-clean look in the 1970s, so visitors should temper expectations of discovering an authentic living city. Khiva is 35 km from the regional capital Urgench and 5 km from the border of Turkmenistan.

Khiva has a two-season climate with slivers of spring and autumn in between frigid winters and blazing hot summers. The chill lasts from November to mid-March with temperatures between -10°C and 5°C, just in time for the Navruz holiday. Spring usually lasts around a month and a half and is one of the best times to visit. Summer arrives quickly with temperatures reaching as high as 45°C by August, but it's a dry heat with negligible rainfall and humidity, so walking around the city isn't too much of a burden.

Khiva is 470 km from Bukhara, 740 km from Samarkand, 1020 km from Tashkent, 200 km from Nukus, and 35 km from the regional capital Urgench. When arriving via Urgench by bus or shared taxi, you might be charged higher fares because you look like a tourist—ask a guide or local for the correct price. You will be expected to haggle for cab fares everywhere, with the unusual exception of the taxi from the Urgench bazaar to Khiva. Airfares to Urgench are usually fixed.

There are no taxis inside the Ichon-Qala, but it's so compact that a leisurely stroll is easy. Outside the walls, Khiva is still very walkable. You can access the main bazaar through the caravanserai via the Ichon-Qala east gate, or walk around the walls on the north side until you see produce sellers near the western wall. To explore the residential northern and western ends of town, flag down an informal taxi and negotiate a fare, which should run between 1,500 and 3,000 som per hour.

Most hotels lie within the Ichon-Qala, with a few exceptions in Dichon-Qala. Budget options include B&B establishments like Meros, Mirzaboshi, Lali Opa, Otabek, and Ganishon Afanshi. Homestays are a great idea for budget travelers and offer a chance to experience the overwhelming hospitality unique to Uzbekistan and Central Asia. Mid-range options include Hotel Islambek (US$15-20) with folklore shows on the roof terrace, and Khiva Khan (US$27 with breakfast). Higher-end hotels include Malika Khiva and Orient Star Khiva (converted Mohammed Amin Khan madrassah).

Several good restaurants lie within a half-kilometre of the Ichon-Qala walls, along with beer stands. Zerafshan Chaikhana (1,500 som) serves Khorezm specialities in the old Tolib Maksum Medressa near the Islam Hojar minaret. Bir Gumbaz (2,000 som) offers fine views of the Kalta Minor. Farrukh (2,000 som) features a decorated yurt with nice atmosphere. Parvoz (1,000 som) is outside the old town in Dishon-Qala. Khorezm Art Restaurant offers salads at 2,000 som, soups at 6,000 som, and mains from 8,000 som. Tap water is generally not potable—carefully check the bottom of water bottles for deposits.

Take a walk in Ichon-Qala—it's compact and full of old beautiful buildings, giving you a good overview if you're short on time. You don't need a ticket to just walk around; tell the guards you'll just walk around and not enter museums. Visit the silk workshop (not the silk museum) and wood workshops for chats with locals. Take a meal in the evening at one of the rooftop restaurants. For a different perspective, walk the city walls (entrance 40,000 som, 2025). Key sights include the Kalta Minor (iconic unfinished minaret next to Orient Star Hotel), Juma Mosque (212 carved wooden columns dating to 12th-15th century), Kuhna Ark fortress, Tash Chauli palace, Pahlawan Mahmud Mausoleum (25,000 som), Islam Khoja Minaret (45 m high, 100,000 som to climb), and the Mohammed Rakhim Khan Medrassah.

Because of Khiva's importance as a tourist town, most staff and locals go out of their way to keep you safe. In and around the Ichon-Qala, the biggest risk is being asked by local children for gifts like pens, in which they will probably be shooed away by a stern adult. In the Dichon-Qala, especially late evening or at night, you may run the risk of harassment by local drunk men, but these incidents are rare and perpetrators are easily scared away with stern words. Aside from the main road, Khiva gets very dark at night, so carry a torch if exploring in the evening. Stay hydrated in summer—the heat bouncing off mud walls can make Khiva feel like a broiler, risking heat exhaustion.

Khiva and the highway from Urgench have 4G from all Uzbek carriers. As of September 2024, 5G has not reached the town. The Malika Kheivak is one of the few hotels in Khiva with internet access.

Bukhara (470 km) is best reached by train with daily connections; the journey takes 7.5 hours and costs about 160,000 som (plackart, 2025). Nukus is the capital of Karakalpakstan and offers the Savitsky Museum with the second largest collection of Russian avant-garde artwork in the world; reach it via Urgench by minivans and shared taxis (100,000-150,000 som, 2025). The Aral Sea and Moynaq, once a thriving fishing town now sitting 250 km from the current coastline, offer haunting ecological devastation tours. Urgench is a great launching point for trips to Khiva, Nukus, and surrounding areas, including ancient Zoroastrian archaeological sites.

The ancient fortresses of Toprak-Kala, Koj-Krylgan-Kala, and Ayaz-Kala in the deserts surrounding Khiva offer archaeological insights into the region's history. Arda Khiva tourist complex is like Ichon-Qala but all-new, according to locals. The UNESCO-sponsored silk workshop in Qqozi Kalon Medressa sells unique silk handcrafts and supports workers directly.

There are many souvenir vendors in Khiva, and they all will want to sell you something, trying to attract your attention with some knowledge of English. Souvenirs might be more expensive than in Samarkand and Bukhara, but you can bargain quite a lot and get some very good deals. The UNESCO-sponsored silk workshop in Qqozi Kalon Medressa sells unique silk handcrafts; although more expensive than elsewhere, you support the workers there directly. The Khiva Silk Carpet Workshop (Monday-Friday 09:00-18:00) offers live carpet making demonstrations—complete carpets take three months of work.