Khiva Highlights Walking Tour

Khiva Highlights Walking Tour runs through Tourmania Uz. Rated 4.6 across 326 reviews. Runs 4 hours. From $15.

Overview

This four-hour afternoon walk concentrates on Itchan Kala, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Khiva, with a professional guide leading the way between its main monuments. The route begins at the Allakuli Khan Madrasah, a piece of 19th-century Islamic architecture, then moves to the Islam Khoja Minaret, the Pakhlavon Makhmud Mausoleum and the Juma Mosque, known for its wooden columns. Time inside Itchan Kala itself rounds out the visit. Tours run in English, and there is no hotel pickup, so travellers make their own way to a meeting point that depends on the option selected.

Reviewers said Khiva rewards time with a guide to understand it, and several praised guides who explained the places being visited and answered questions. One noted the route covers the major sites well enough that you can return to any of them afterwards for photographs at your own pace.

Entrance tickets are not part of the price. The guide helps buy them at the start of the tour, so that extra cost should be factored in before you set off.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet your guideThe meeting point depends on the option selected, and there are two possible starting locations. Check the live booking page for the exact spot before you go.
2. Allakuli Khan MadrasahA photo stop, visit and guided tour of this 19th-century madrasah, lasting 20 minutes.
3. Islam Khoja MinaretThirty minutes at the minaret with a guided tour, photo stop and a walk. It is one of the most recognisable landmarks in the city.
4. Pakhlavon Makhmud MausoleumA 20-minute visit and guided tour at the mausoleum of the revered Sufi saint, with sightseeing and a walk.
5. Juma MosqueTwenty minutes at the mosque, admired for its wooden column architecture. Guided tour and walk included.
6. Itchan KalaForty minutes inside the historic site itself, with a guided tour, photo stop and walk. Entrance tickets are extra and purchased with the guide's help at the start of the tour.
7. Tour endsThere are two drop-off locations, depending on the option selected.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points will help you get the most out of the afternoon.

• Buy tickets at start. Entrance tickets are not included. The guide assists with purchasing them at the beginning of the tour, so plan for that extra cost.
• Comfortable shoes. The listing recommends comfortable walking shoes and preparation for varying weather. This is a walking tour across the whole four hours, with walks listed between nearly every stop.
• Sun and water. Bring water, sunscreen and a hat in warmer months, per the listing's own advice. The listing also advises being prepared for varying weather conditions.
• Photography rules. Photography is allowed but flash photography is prohibited inside certain sites.
• Guide quality. Reviewers praise the guides as knowledgeable, friendly and professional. One reviewer described the pace as perfect and the guide's English as easy to understand.
• Respectful conduct. The listing asks visitors to be respectful of the cultural and religious significance of the sites visited. This applies throughout the tour.

Common issues. Entrance tickets are excluded and bought on the spot, and some travellers have found start time and ticket coordination could be clearer, which occasionally means a little waiting at the beginning. One reviewer wished for more coverage of Khiva's earlier history, noting that most sites in the city focus on the Khanate period. There is no pickup, so travellers must arrange their own arrival at the correct meeting point for the option booked. Flash photography is not allowed inside certain sites.

Choosing Well