Khiva Private Guided Tour: 4-5 Hours Through Ichan Kala

Four to five hours on foot through Khiva's walled city, one guide, no group.

A private guided walking tour of Khiva's Ichan Kala (old city) lasting 4-5 hours, led by a professional English or Russian-speaking guide, with hotel pickup included. The tour visits 11 landmarks including Pahlavan Mahmoud Mausoleum, Toshhovli Palace, Kalta Minor Minaret, Islam Khoja Complex, and the Friday Mosque. The itinerary is customizable, and tea or coffee stops can be arranged on request.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Khiva's ancient landmarks

• Visit Kunya-Ark Fortress
• Explore Pahlavan Mahmud Complex
• Tour Tash-Khawli Palace
• See Kalta-Minor Minaret
• Visit Islam Khoja Complex
• Explore Juma Mosque and Minaret
• Walk through Tim of Allakuli Khan
• Visit Allakuli Khan Madrasah
• See Seyyid Allauddin Mausoleum
• Tour Muhammad Rahim Khan Madrasah

The experience

Four to five hours on foot means you move through Khiva at a pace that lets a guide actually explain what you're standing in front of. The tour starts with hotel pickup and takes you into Ichan Kala, the walled old city, where the stops are close enough together that you're not rushing between them. A professional guide who speaks English or Russian walks the whole route with you: no group, no other travelers, no waiting for anyone else to catch up or finish taking photos.

The landmarks themselves are the reason people come to Khiva. Pahlavan Mahmoud Mausoleum has the city's largest turquoise dome and tilework from the 19th century. Toshhovli Palace (also called Tash-Khawli) contains over 150 rooms with carved wooden columns and painted ceilings. Kalta Minor Minaret is the wide, unfinished one near the west gate, decorated in blue and green tiles and one of the most photographed spots in the city. The Friday Mosque holds 213 wooden columns, many centuries old, and the Islam Khoja Complex includes Khiva's tallest minaret at 56.6 meters. You'll also see Kunya-Urgench, the Tim of Allakuli Khan (a covered bazaar from the 1830s), the Allakuli Khan Madrasah, Seyyid Allauddin Mausoleum, Muhammad Rahim Khan Madrasah, and Nurullaboy Palace.

The route is customizable, so if you want to linger at one site or skip another, the guide adjusts. Tea and coffee stops can be arranged if you ask. Museum entry tickets (around 15 USD per person) are separate, as are meals and drinks. The tour is wheelchair accessible, and the pickup itself is on foot from your hotel, so the walk begins as soon as you leave.

What’s included

• Professional guide in English or Russian.
• hotel pickup.
• customizable route.
• tea and coffee stops on request.
• online support.
• taxes.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day17 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 16:00

Book up to6h before

AgesAdult (11 to 90 years) · Under 11: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Russian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportNot recommended with heart problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by UzLocalGuide

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to move through Khiva's landmarks at your own pace without coordinating with other travelers. A private guide means you set the speed, choose which sites matter most to you, and get explanations tailored to what interests you: ideal for photographers, history readers, or anyone who finds group tours rushed.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Russian.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How many people will be on this tour with me?

It's a private tour, so it's just you and your guide. No other travelers are part of the booking.

What is Pahlavan Mahmoud Mausoleum and why is it important in Khiva?

Pahlavan Mahmoud Mausoleum honors a 13th-century poet, philosopher, and wrestler who became Khiva's patron saint. Originally a modest tomb, it was rebuilt in the 19th century into a grand complex with the city's largest turquoise dome, intricate tilework, and carved wood and brass details. It also serves as the burial place for Khiva's Qungrat khans, including Muhammad Rahim Khan I.

Will my hotel pickup be included, or do I need to meet the guide somewhere?

Hotel pickup is included. The guide will collect you from your hotel, and the walking tour begins from there.

Can I customize the stops or the route?

Yes, the itinerary is customizable. If you want to spend more time at certain landmarks or skip others, the guide can adjust. Tea and coffee stops can also be arranged on request.

What is Kalta Minor Minaret, and why is it so recognizable?

Kalta Minor is an iconic, unfinished minaret near the west gate of Ichan Kala, commissioned in 1851 but left incomplete after the khan's death in 1855. Despite being only about 29 meters tall, it is unusually wide and covered in glazed blue and green tiles, making it one of Khiva's most photographed landmarks.

Do museum tickets and meals come with the tour?

No. Museum entry tickets cost around 15 USD per person and are paid separately. Meals and drinks are also not included, though the guide can arrange tea or coffee stops during the tour.