How Many Days Do You Need in Khiva? (Tips for 1, 2, or 3 Days)

Khiva is on many Uzbekistan Silk Road itineraries but it can require more planning than other cities in the country due to its remote location. So, how many days do you need in Khiva?

In this guide, I will break down my thoughts about how many days you need in Khiva, including some tips for visiting (this will help you plan!), suggested itineraries for 1, 2, or 3 days in Khiva, and some frequently asked questions answered.

If you have any questions relating to your Khiva itinerary or how to fit Khiva into your current Uzbek travel plans, feel free to leave a comment below or send me a message, as I’d be happy to help!

How Many Days Do You Need in Khiva? (Overview)

So, here’s the thing… Khiva is remote. And getting to Khiva has traditionally required a lot of time on a train or a flight from Tashkent that can be delayed a lot of the time.  That travel time has been reduced due to a new fast train operating in Uzbekistan, but it still requires a lot of effort.

Because of this, if Khiva is on your list of places you want to visit in Uzbekistan, I would never waste my time going out there if I weren’t planning to spend 2 full days there (ideally 3 if you don’t have an Aral Sea tour or trip to Nukus planned).

I have this guide outlined so that it covers the following:

• 1 day in Khiva: highlights of the Itchan Kala (including food)
• 2 days in Khiva: see the rest of Khiva and take a workshop or two
• 3 days in Khiva: visit the Khorezm desert fortresses (can do as a day trip or part of a transfer to your next city)

The way this post is curated is that you can follow it in the order I wrote it, or you can move things around. I put the desert fortresses trip on the last day because you can either do it as a day trip from Khiva or you can plan it so that you do it as a transfer to another city, like Nukus or Bukhara, with a company as part of a transfer, eliminating the need to take a train.

But either way, I 100% recommend getting out of Khiva a bit and doing this.

Where to Stay in Khiva

I have written an entire guide about where to stay in Khiva, but there are two places there that I absolutely loved! Here is where I stayed:

• Polvon-Qori Boutique Hotel (a converted madrasah that has affordable rooms and a gorgeous courtyard, delicious breakfast, and its own minaret; located just outside the eastern gate)
• Khiva Siyovush Hotel (a family-owned hotel inside the Itchan Kala with a variety of different rooms and a tasty breakfast)

If you are planning to stay at Polvon-Qori Boutique Hotel (or the other madrasah hotel, Orient Star Khiva Hotel), be sure to book asap because they sell out fast!

Things to Know Before Visiting Khiva

1. There’s now a fast train to Khiva.

Fortunately, as of May 2026, Khiva has become a bit easier to get to with the introduction of a fast train called the Jaloliddin Manguberdi. The train times from other cities in Uzbekistan are as follows:

• Tashkent to Khiva: 7 hours, 31 minutes
• Samarkand to Khiva: 5 hours, 8 minutes
• Bukhara to Khiva: 3 hours, 17 minutes

You can find more about the express train to Khiva here. Do know that this sells out fast. So if you can’t secure tickets directly on the Uzbek Railways official website, you can check 12Go’s website as they often have some for sale.

2. Otherwise, you can take the old overnight train.

This is a cheaper option for travelers and will double as accommodation for the night. Whether or not you get sleep is up for debate!

This train is around 14 hours from Tashkent. It still needs to be booked in advance as much as possible to ensure availability, but you can check 12Go’s website if it is sold out on the Uzbek Railways’ site as well.

3. A walking tour of Khiva may help maximize your time.

A good way to maximize your time in Khiva is to take a walking tour of the Itchan Kala. Having a local expert with you to explain Khiva’s history and take you through the most important historical sites is valuable and helps you understand the city so that you can explore at your own pace after the tour.

I recommend booking a tour with Anna Pasha, a local guide who grew up in the Itchan Kala and knows the city like the back of her hand. She can take you to Tosh-Hovli, Kuhna Ark, and some other gems in between.

Since she knows everyone inside the Itchan Kala, you will get to meet some craftsmen and craftswomen that you otherwise wouldn’t have had a chance to meet. She speaks English, Uzbek, Russian, French, and Japanese.

To inquire about rates and availability, send her a WhatsApp message at +998 91 436 37 80. She is very quick to reply!

4. If you do a walking tour, you can likely squeeze a workshop in on the same day.

If you only have two days in Khiva and one of those days is a day tour to see the desert fortresses, it may be worth squeezing a workshop/masterclass in on your city day! I took a shivit osh masterclass as well as a wood-carving workshop while I was in Khiva and I recommend both.

They are good ways to learn more about the crafts, culture, and food of the Khorezm region and will only take around 1.5 hours maximum to do.

5. Khiva requires one ticket for the Itchan Kala, but it does not include all sites inside.

Something that makes visiting Khiva’s old town, the ‘Itchan Kala’, easy is that there is one ticket for almost all sites inside the city walls. This includes the famous Tosh-Hovli Palace and Kuhna Ark Palace. While the 250,000 UZS (around $20), 2-day ticket covers most places, there are four prominent sites that it does NOT include. These are:

It is a good idea to carry some cash if you plan to visit these on your trip.

6. It is best to book reservations at restaurants ahead of time, particularly for dinner.

I had no issue getting into places for lunch, but dinner would have been another story had I not pre-booked a reservation at places. I have an entire guide to my favorite restaurants in Khiva that you can check out and it also contains information about table reservations.

1 Day in Khiva Itinerary

Have only 1 day in Khiva? While I don’t recommend heading all the way to Khiva for merely one day, you can certainly see most (if not ALL) of the main sites within that day. The Itchan Kala ticket, which is 250,000 UZS is good for 2 days and there is no one-day option, so you will need to pay that price regardless.

Here are the places I recommend visiting with only one day in Khiva:

• Tosh-Hovli Palace
• Kuhna Ark Palace
• Kalta Minor (can only see the outside of it)
• Juma Mosque
• Islom Khodja minaret (must pay 100,000 UZS to climb it)
• Pahlavan Mahmoud Mausoleum (50,000 UZS)
• Sayid Allauddin Mausoleum
• Mohammed Rakhim Khan Madrasah (can be seen from Terrassa Restaurant)
• Nurullaboy Palace (this is outside the Itchan Kala and requires an entrance fee of 60,000 UZS)

In addition to these sites, I would suggest having lunch at Sultan Restaurant or a samsa/bread from Bread & Samsa. An afternoon tea at Terrassa Cafe & Restaurant. And dinner at Arxi Terrasa.

If you have extra time, you can do a wood-carving workshop or a shivit osh masterclass (these only occur at 10am and 4pm which are odd times, but you can plan your day around it).

2 Days in Khiva Itinerary

Have two days in Khiva? If you only have 2 days in total and do not have plans to hit up the desert fortresses on your way to another destination like Nukus or Bukhara, I would book a day trip from Khiva to see them! I will discuss that more on your third day in Khiva below.

Otherwise, continue enjoying Khiva at a slower pace. Here are a few additional things to do in Khiva if you have an additional day in the city:

• Haris Baba Mausoleum
• Museum of Handicrafts
• The Exhibition of Akmechet Mennonites
• Wood-carving workshop
• Bread-making masterclass
• Shivit osh masterclass (dill-infused noodles that are a signature dish of the Khorezm region)
• Try tukhum barak at a restaurant (I had them at Sultan and Terrassa but you can find them almost anywhere that serves Khorezm food)

This is also a good day to flee the heat and head into Mirza Boshi Tea House and enjoy some local tea. They are also a fantastic place to get some lunch, too. Other food options are Tandiriy (located slightly outside the Itchan Kala) and Khiva Moon.

3 Days in Khiva Itinerary

If you are not visiting the desert fortresses on a transfer to Bukhara or Nukus, I highly encourage spending a day doing so. I would do this on Day 2 if that’s the case, but I think most people will be visiting them as part of a transfer, so I am listing them here so you can shift your itinerary around accordingly.

There are plenty of tours leaving Khiva to see the desert fortresses. I visited 4 on a transfer (and another on a separate transfer), and I did this all on a private trip with Islambek Travel. We went to the following fortresses:

• Ayaz Kala
• Topraq Kala
• Kyzyl Kala
• Chilpiq Kala

I do not believe you will be swinging by Chilpiq Kala on a day tour unless you specifically request it, since it is further away.

You can also visit a few fortresses as part of a group tour with Islambek Travel or one that you can book with a local company here. The prices are pretty affordable.

If you are planning a desert fortress day trip with one of the aforementioned companies, be sure to have reserved a spot for dinner that evening in advance. You can check out my recommendations here.

FAQ About How Many Days You Need in Khiva

Is Khiva worth visiting?

Yes, I believe Khiva is worth visiting, but I do think it is not worth heading out to if you only have one day to spend there (sorry!). It is a lot of train travel and I think that time can be better spent exploring Bukhara or Samarkand more deeply, or doing a workshop in one of those cities instead.

Khiva is an ancient city and its Itchan Kala is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so that definitely makes it worth putting on your Uzbekistan itinerary, however!

How do I get to Khiva?

The best way to reach Khiva is by the new express train from Tashkent, Samarkand, or Bukhara. You will need to book these tickets well in advance from Uzbek Railways as it sells out in a flash. If you miss your chance at tickets, you can scour 12Go Asia for them, or opt for a slower train, private transfer with Islambek Travel, or a flight to Urgench.

Can I take a train from Khiva?

Yes, you can take a train to Khiva from Tashkent, Samarkand, and Bukhara. There is a new express train that has cut the travel time to Khiva in half. It is called the Jaloliddin Manguberdi and the journey can be booked on the Uzbek Railways official website.

Can I do a day trip to Khiva?

I would not recommend this at all, unless you’re looking to do a day trip from somewhere closer like Nukus. Khiva requires extensive travel to get to.

What are the best places to stay in Khiva?

My favorite places to stay in Khiva are Polvon-Qori Boutique Hotel and Khiva Siyovush Hotel. Another popular place to stay (if you have a slightly larger budget) is the Orient Star Khiva Hotel. Be sure to book your hotel ahead of time during peak travel season (April/May and September/October).

Final Thoughts

Khiva is a worthwhile stop on an Uzbek itinerary if you have the time, but I would never recommend heading there if you only have one day in Khiva. I would only recommend going for 2-3 days, and the suggested itineraries I mentioned above will help you maximize your time in the Khorezm city and make it worth the journey out there!

If you have any questions, please let me know in the comments. Thanks!

More Khiva Travel Guides

• Things to do in Khiva
• Where to stay in Khiva
• Woodcarving workshop in Khiva
• Shivit osh class in Khiva
• Should you visit Khiva?
• Best restaurants in Khiva

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