Uzbekistan Khiva Tours

Khiva sits at the edge of the Kyzylkum Desert, and its walled old town, Itchan Kala, has changed little in appearance since the era when it served as a Silk Road trading stop and a slave market controlled by the khans of Khorezm. Minarets, madrasas, and mud-brick walls give the city a compressed, self-contained feel that differs from the sprawling layouts of Samarkand or Bukhara. Travelers mapping a broader route can review the full list of Uzbekistan tours to see how Khiva fits into a wider Silk Road itinerary.

With 12 tours available, Khiva is generally visited as part of a longer route rather than alone, given its distance from Uzbekistan's other major cities. The walled old town itself is compact enough to explore on foot in a day.

Itchan Kala, the Walled Old Town

Itchan Kala's outer walls enclose the historic core of Khiva and were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990, largely for the density and preservation of its monuments within such a small area. Unlike Bukhara or Samarkand, where historic and modern city blend together, Khiva's old town remains physically separated from newer development by its original walls.

Minarets and Madrasas

The unfinished Kalta Minor minaret, covered in turquoise tilework, is one of Khiva's most recognizable structures, intended to be the tallest in the Islamic world before construction stopped in the 1850s. The Islam Khoja minaret, completed later, gives panoramic views over the old town's rooftops for visitors willing to climb its narrow interior stairs. Several former madrasas within the walls now house museum collections related to the city's history and crafts.

A Stop on the Silk Road Route

Because Khiva sits further from Tashkent and Samarkand than Bukhara does, most visitors reach it by a longer train or road journey, often as the final or opening stop on a multi-city itinerary. 8 Days Uzbekistan Silk Road Discovery Tour is one route that builds Khiva into a fuller circuit through the country's main historic cities.