Khiva Travel Guide 2026: Best Things to Do, Where to Stay & How Long You Need
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Khiva is a beautiful walled city in western Uzbekistan, famous for its centuries-old architecture and rich Silk Road history. Surrounded by towering fortress walls, the UNESCO-listed old town of Ichan Kala feels like walking around a museum, with its blue-tiled minarets, mosques, madrasahs and palaces. Despite its relatively small size, Khiva is one of Uzbekistan's most atmospheric destinations and is a must-visit for anyone exploring Central Asia.
How Long Should You Spend in Khiva?
Within the walls of Khiva, the main area is less than 0.5 km², meaning that it is quite easy to walk around and see most of the city in a day.
If you are happy to see the main sights and spend some time exploring the streets, I think 2 nights in Khiva is enough. If you want to see more of the museums, explore the walls in more detail and take things a little slower, you could definitely add a third night to be more comfortable.
We stayed for 2 nights and felt like this gave us enough time to see the things we wanted without feeling too rushed.
👉 Read our guide to Tashkent here:
A Quick Guide to Tashkent
👉 Read our guide to Samarkand here:
Samarkand Travel Guide: Everything You Need to Know
👉 Read our guide to Bukhara here:
Bukhara Travel Guide: Best Things to Do, Where to Stay & More
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How to Get to Khiva
Khiva is the westernmost city on the classic Uzbekistan tourist route, which means getting there can take a little longer than travelling between Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara. You can get there by train or by flying, even if you are travelling from elsewhere within Uzbekistan.
If you are coming from Samarkand or Bukhara to Khiva, the train is your best option. It can take anywhere from around 4 hours on the faster train from Bukhara to around 11 hours on the slower train from Samarkand. If you can fit it into your budget and the faster train is available for your dates, we definitely think it is worth it.
If you are coming straight from Tashkent to Khiva, which some people do before travelling back east through Uzbekistan, you can either fly or take the train. The train takes around 14 hours and costs roughly $25 USD, whereas flying takes less than 2 hours but can cost around three times the price.
Keep in mind that Uzbekistan's train schedules, journey times and prices can change. These were the approximate times and prices available around our trip, so make sure you check the current options for your travel dates before planning your itinerary around them.
We booked our Uzbekistan train tickets through 12Go, as we found it much easier than using the Uzbek Railways website or app.
Best Things to Do in Khiva
Khiva's walls contain pretty much everything you will want to see during your stay, which is one of the things that makes the city so easy to explore.
The main pass for Ichan Kala gives you access to around 17 sights within the walls and is valid for 2 days. This ticket costs 200,000UZS per person, which is definitely worth it.
You can also buy extra tickets for some attractions and viewpoints, such as climbing up above the West Gate, which we definitely recommend doing.
The Darboz (acrobatics) performers are also a great evening activity, although the show only runs depending on attendance. We would recommend going to the entrance of the Qutlug’ Murod Inoq Madrasah at around 4:30pm and asking whether the show is running that evening and what the ticket situation is.
The timing of the show is generally somewhere between 5pm and 7pm depending on the season. You may need to buy a separate ticket at the East Gate, so we recommend confirming that the show is actually running before buying one.
In our opinion, these are the best things to do in Khiva:
- Kalta Minor Minaret
- Climbing above the West Gate
- Kuhna Ark
- Pahlavan Mahmoud Mausoleum
- Darboz at Qutlug’ Murod Inoq Madrasah
Otherwise, one of the best things to do is simply enjoy exploring the city. Walk through the smaller streets, see the famous minarets, wander around the walls and take your time looking at the buildings. Because everything is so close together, you don't really need a strict plan for exploring Khiva.
How to Get Around Khiva
Bring comfortable walking shoes!
Getting to and from Ichan Kala, whether from the train station, airport or accommodation outside the walls, is very easily done using Yandex Go. When you are leaving, you can also arrange to be picked up from close to your hotel if you are staying within the old city.
Getting around within the walls is, of course, done on foot. Expect 10,000+ steps every day, but everything is close together, so you are rarely walking for more than 10 minutes at a time.
Where to Eat in Khiva
If you like to eat on a terrace, Khiva is the place for you!
Like the other Uzbek cities we visited, Khiva has plenty of good food, but these are the places we personally tried and can vouch for:
- Sultan - Great meat and a rooftop view
- Arxi Terrassa - Shaded terrace, great for an earlier dinner on a hot day
- Terrassa Cafe & Restaurant - Good spot for breakfast and coffee to start the day near the West Gate
- Restoran Tandiriy – Just outside the West Gate, but great food
Where to Stay in Khiva
The most important thing when booking accommodation in Khiva is the location. We recommend staying within Ichan Kala or very close to one of the gates. If you do, you will have a much easier and more enjoyable time exploring, and you can easily head back to your hotel during the day if you need to.
We stayed at Khiva Euroasia Hotel. The location was excellent, the bed was big and comfortable, and it was affordable, so if those are your priorities, we would recommend staying there.
Otherwise, you can find nicer hotels and guesthouses with rooftop terraces, traditional courtyards or bigger breakfasts for a higher price if that works better with your budget.
👉 Check prices for Khiva Euroasia Hotel on Trip.com
Is Khiva Worth Visiting? Our Honest Opinion
Khiva is a must-do in Uzbekistan!
Although you don't need as much time in Khiva as you might in some of Uzbekistan's other cities, it was one of the highlights of our trip because of how unique the city is and the amount of history packed within the walls.
It also feels completely different to Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara, which is why we definitely wouldn't recommend skipping it just because it is further west.
Take a couple of days to explore it, understand and appreciate the history, and I promise you will leave with a big appreciation for the stories you can find within the walls.
Planning a Trip to Uzbekistan?
If you're travelling through Uzbekistan, check out our other guides to help plan your trip:
For most people, we think 2 nights in Khiva is the perfect amount of time, or add a third night if you want to slow things down and explore more of the museums and historical sights.
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