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

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Post overview: In this guide, I cover how many days you realistically need in Bukhara and exactly what you can do with 1, 2, or even 3 days in Bukhara. So if you’re questioning how many days you need in Bukhara, stick around because I’ve visited multiple times and will share my thoughts (and mistakes) with you.

Bukhara is a must. No way around it. If this is your first time in Uzbekistan, it should be on your itinerary. But how many days do you need in Bukhara?

I have visited Bukhara three times this year and in various seasons. This guide breaks down how many days I think you need, along with some suggested itineraries for 1, 2, or 3 days in Bukhara. At the end, I will also answer some frequently asked questions.

If you have any questions pertaining to your upcoming Bukhara itinerary, please feel free to send me a message! I’ll help you sort things out. You can also leave a comment below. Thanks!

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

Unlike Khiva or Nukus, Bukhara is relatively easy (and quick) to get to. There are plenty of trains going there daily; you just need to book ahead. It also only takes half a day to get from Tashkent down to Bukhara.

Because of its location and the ease with which you can pair it with Samarkand (only two hours away by fast train), I would recommend a minimum of two days in Bukhara. This gives you one full day of sightseeing and one day to take some workshops or see places outside the historic center of Bukhara.

I have created this guide so that it includes what to see and do in three days. These are meant to be chronological, so I would stick to the order if you can. It’s also important to note that Bukhara is hot in summer and parts of the shoulder season, so this may affect how much you can see in one day.

If you’re visiting during the hot season (this can also include May/September), I would definitely spend extra time there if your trip allows it. You may lose full afternoons due to the heat.

Here is a quick overview of my Bukhara itinerary:

• 1 day in Bukhara: highlights of the historic center (and landmarks surrounding it)
• 2 days in Bukhara: workshop(s) and Sitorai Mohi Khosa (Summer Palace) 
• 3 days in Bukhara: another workshop and a trip to Chor Bakr necropolis

The way this post is curated is that you can follow it in the order I wrote it, or you can move things around if you don’t want to take workshops while in Bukhara. But I would ensure that your first day sees as many of the important sites as possible.

Where to Stay in Bukhara

I stayed at two different places during my time in Bukhara. One trip was part of a group tour, so I didn’t get to choose accommodation, but it turned out to be a wonderful place, so I am excited to recommend it here (and it’s more budget-friendly than the other). Here is where I stayed:

• Duston Boutique Hotel (stayed here throughout two trips and spent a lot of time inside my hotel room on the second trip because I couldn’t hack the heat; lovely breakfast, friendly staff, and a rooftop you can hang out on)
• Rayhon Hotel (small family hotel near Bolo Hauz Mosque that had friendly staff and a beautiful little courtyard; breakfast was also tasty)

Rayhon was more affordable than Duston, so you can price them accordingly for the dates you plan to travel. Duston is located right at the historic center entrance, and Rayhon was slightly further away but only a 5-minute walk to the center.

Things to Know Before Visiting Bukhara

1. Several trains are going from Tashkent and Samarkand to Khiva… but they sell out FAST.

The trains that go from Tashkent to Bukhara (via Samarkand) are the Sleeper (slowest), Sharq (takes around 6 hours), Jaloliddin Manguberdi (3 hours and 55 minutes; new fast train), and the Afrosiyob (about 4 hours).

The Jaloliddin Manguberdi and Afrosiyob sell out super fast, so if you can’t find tickets and are booking things last minute, it may also be worth checking out 12Go Asia for train tickets, as they usually buy a bundle.

Another thing worth noting is that travel agencies will purchase bundles of tickets, are unable to sell them, and then return them to Uzbek Railways somewhat last minute. So even if you plan another form of transportation that is cancelable, do check to see if train tickets become available for your dates to Bukhara.

2. A walking tour will help you maximize your time in Bukhara.

I had two amazing walking tours when in Bukhara. The first was with a woman named Kamilla who I found for my first trip after extensive research. She is a local and planned the most interactive day for me. I was so grateful I got to see Bukhara through her eyes on my first trip.

The second tour guide was Nilufar, another local woman who was also an amazing guide. She was part of my group tour (that later went into Turkmenistan).

No matter how many days you have in Bukhara, I would do a walking tour with a local. This is a great way to put some money into the economy and support a local business. But it also enriches the entire experience. I would never have gotten the same info had I searched on Google for it!

You can contact Kamilla on WhatsApp at +998 97 300 69 99. She is pretty quick to reply in between her tours, and she speaks fantastic English.

3. If you do a walking tour of Bukhara, you can probably also do a workshop or masterclass that same day.

While I think it is best to do this on your second day, if you’re pressed for time, you can usually squeeze a workshop in on the same day you do a city tour. I did both miniature painting and suzani making in Bukhara, as well as a plov-making masterclass (turns out I didn’t master that so well, but it was delicious).

This is a great way to learn more about the crafts and culture of the Bukharan people and I think everyone visiting the Silk Road city should take one! Click here to check workshops with Craft&Culture in Bukhara.

4. The landmarks in Bukhara require different tickets.

Unlike Khiva, you need to pay for sites separately in Bukhara. So if you don’t go inside, you don’t pay. Here are some of the main landmarks and their entrance fees:

• Abdulaziz Khan Madrasah (to visit the entire complex, you need 2 tickets: one for the mosque and one for the courtyard… they are 15,000 UZS and 20,000 UZS)
• Ark of Bukhara (60,000 UZS)
• Chashmai Ayub Mausoleum (20,000 UZS)
• Sitorai Mohi Khosa Palace (60,000 UZS)
• Ismail Samani Mausoleum (15,000 UZS)
• Kalan Mosque (15,000 UZS)

Most places take cards, but sometimes they randomly won’t, so I would just grab out cash in many denominations and work with that when you’re sightseeing.

There are a few ATMs around Bukhara, but the one I always went to was near the Ark of Bukhara and a coffee shop called Kofexona (39.776545, 64.411038). I had some issues getting cash out of other ones, but this one never failed me.

5. Bukhara is more traditional than Tashkent, and you should dress modestly.

Anytime you enter a mosque, you should dress modestly, but I would wear modest clothing around the entire city of Bukhara. No tank tops, shorts, or crop tops. If you’re a man and want to enter Kalan Mosque, they will give you a cover-up for your legs, so you may want to also consider wearing pants.

Linen clothing is the best, as Bukhara is hot from parts of April into October. I found I was cooler in loose linen clothing in Bukhara than when I wore tank tops and tighter pants in less-conservative places in Central Asia.

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

Getting into places for lunch was pretty easy in Bukhara, but dinner was another story during the high season! I would always book ahead, especially if you’re eating at a place in the historic center.

1 Day in Bukhara Itinerary

Only have 1 day in Bukhara? No worries… while I think that is too short, you definitely can see all the major landmarks in one day!

Here are the places I’d recommend if you have only one day in Bukhara:

• Abdulaziz Khan Madrasah (to visit the entire complex, you need 2 tickets: one for the mosque and one for the courtyard… they are 15,000 UZS and 20,000 UZS)
• Bolo Hauz Mosque (just the outside of it)
• Ark of Bukhara (I would NOT enter inside, as I don’t think it is worth it for the ticket price)
• Chashmai Ayub Mausoleum (20,000 UZS; can leave it off, but it is in an easy location to visit)
• Ismail Samani Mausoleum (15,000 UZS)
• Nodir Devonbegi Madrasah
• Kalan Mosque (15,000 UZS)
• Labi Hovuz square
• Mir-i-Arab Madrasah (was closed for maintenance when I was there, so I never went inside, but I hope you can visit if it has reopened; unsure of new pricing)
• Ulugbek Madrasah
• Magoki Attori Mosque (very historic and just worth seeing the outside of it)
• Chor Minor (requires a small walk but a must-visit)

You can easily see all of this in one day on foot. Ulugbek and Abdulaziz Khan Madrasahs are right across from one another. Kalan Mosque (and Minaret) and Mir-i-Arab Madrasah are both in Po-i-Kalyan Square. A lot of things are pretty close to each other aside from Ismail Samani Mausoleum, which requires a stroll through a park to get to.

If you need a break from mosques and madrasahs, pop into Markaziy Bozor (the Central Market) of Bukhara, which is located by Chashmai Ayub Mausoleum.

For lunch and dinner, I recommend Ayvan Restaurant (situated in an old synagogue in Bukhara with jaw-dropping design) and dinner at Minorai Kalon Restaurant & Terrace. Minorai Kalon Restaurant & Terrace has the best view over the city, in my opinion.

While I didn’t love their menu because I wished it had more Uzbek dishes on it, it was still tasty food. I ordered grilled vegetables and vaguri there. Reservations are a must for both places.

You can also end your evening with tea at Pavillon Kalon, but it will be crowded.

2 Days in Bukhara Itinerary

Do you have two days in Bukhara and want to dive deeper into the city? You can plan to see more of what you haven’t seen on day one, but I also think that two days allow for workshops and masterclasses, as well as a taxi ride to another part of the city to see a spectacular palace.

Here is what I recommend for day two in Bukhara:

• Sitorai Mohi Khosa (Summer Palace, which requires a short taxi ride to get to; entrance is 60,000 UZS)
• Suzani workshop in a beautiful studio (the studio took my breath away)
• Miniature painting workshop with a master
• Plov masterclass in a gorgeous location (this takes place at the same place as the suzani workshop… you could technically sign up for both that day!)

Food-wise, I think two places I would recommend enjoying on your second day in Bukhara are Old Bukhara and Joy Restaurant. Old Bukhara is touristy, but the food was really tasty and the atmosphere was vibrant. Joy has multiple parts to it (courtyards and interior), and I enjoyed their vaguri lamb. I would make reservations for both if you can.

3 Days in Bukhara Itinerary

I do think that two days is plenty to see most of Bukhara, but if you have an additional day, here are some unique things to do that can help you learn more about the city.

Additional things to do and places to see for day three:

• Try balaza (this is a soup with chickpeas, meat, and veggies; you can try it at Chinor outside of the city or at Xon Atlas in the historic center)
• Wood-carving masterclass
• Chor Bakr necropolis (this place is located a bit outside the city and requires a taxi to get to; there are also hyper-local restaurants on the M37 near the complex where you can get a banging olot samsa)
• Check out what’s left of Bukhara’s Soviet monumental art
• Take a pottery class in Gijduvon with Craft&Culture
• Puppet-making workshop

FAQ About How Many Days You Need in Bukhara

Is Bukhara worth visiting?

Yes, 100%. While I was a bit more apathetic about other cities in Uzbekistan (solely because most visitors have time constraints), Bukhara is an absolute must. It is simple to reach and an easy add-on to a trip to Samarkand. Bukhara’s historic center is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and holds a lot of Islamic and Silk Road history in Central Asia.

How do I get to Bukhara?

The easiest way to reach Bukhara is by train from Tashkent or Samarkand. There are four different types of trains that go there, but you will need to book your tickets well in advance from Uzbek Railways or agents like 12Go Asia.

Can I do a day trip to Bukhara from Samarkand?

I mean, you can, but I would spend at least one full day there with an overnight on either side. The days can be hot in Bukhara, and the city is best visited in the mornings and evenings if you’re traveling from April to October.

Final Thoughts

I think Bukhara is a must-visit in Uzbekistan and Central Asia. I have been there multiple times and am always finding new pieces of the city to appreciate. The city is rich in art, and I would also try to stay long enough so that you can take a workshop or masterclass while there.

Have any questions about how many days you need in Bukhara? Let me know your questions and comments below. Thanks!