Khiva & Khorezm Travel Guide
Khiva’s walled inner town, Itchan Kala, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that feels like an open-air museum: madrasahs, palaces, the turquoise Kalta Minor minaret and the Juma mosque with its forest of carved wooden columns. Around it lies the ancient land of Khorezm on the lower Amu Darya.
- Regional centre
- Urgench
- Area
- 6,300 km²
- Population
- 1,900,000
- UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- 1
Top places to visit in Khiva and Khorezm
- Itchan Kala — Khiva
- Kalta Minor Minaret — Khiva
- Khiva Desert Yurt Stay — Khiva
- Khiva Evening of Song and Dance — Khiva
- Juma Mosque of Khiva — Khiva
- Khiva Silk and Embroidery Bazaar — Khiva
- Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum — Khiva
- Muhammad Amin Khan Madrasa — Khiva
- Khorezm Wood Carving Workshop — Khiva
- Koshkupir Camel Farm — Koshkupyr
- Khorezm Museum-Reserve — Urgench
- Khorezm Traditional Dress Experience — Khiva
- Urgench Bazaar and New City — Urgench
Plan your trip to Khiva and Khorezm
When is the best time to visit Khiva & Khorezm?
April–May and September–October. Summers are very hot and winters cold and windy, but Itchan Kala is lovely in the evening light in any season.
How do I get to Khiva and Khorezm?
Fly or take the train to Urgench, about 30 km (40 minutes) from Khiva; trains also run to Khiva itself, including overnight trains from Tashkent. By road, Bukhara is about 6–7 hours away across the Kyzylkum desert.
How many days do I need in Khiva and Khorezm?
One full day covers Itchan Kala. Stay a second day for the outer town, sunset from the city walls and a trip to the desert fortresses of nearby Karakalpakstan.
Tours in Khiva and Khorezm
- Khiva: Two-Day Tour by Night Train — Khorezm
Where to stay in Khiva and Khorezm
- Khiva Heritage Guest House — Khiva
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