Khiva to Bukhara

Tue 2/6/26

Today would be a long 6 hour journey by train from Khiva to Bukhara, covering a distance of 450km with desert terrain. Our train was scheduled to depart at 1525 and arrive at 2132.

There was no bullet train scheduled today, so we had to take the sleeper train. The 2 pax VIP coupe class was also not available, and there was no bottom bunk seat availability for the 4 pax coupe (cabin), so we had to take the open class sleeper, and managed to get the bottom bunks.

We bought the train ticket about 2 weeks before via the Uzbek railway app. You would have to choose the 'Stripe' option for foreign card. The tickets costs UZS 157.1K (RM 48) per person. 

Not much activity for today. After breakfast we ventured out to Itchan Kala for the last time to buy a fridge magnet for UZS 30K (RM 10) - the seller said it was a hand painted porcelain, hence costed more.

After checking out from the hotel at 11.30am (I tried to ask for late check out, but was denied as there was an upcoming reservation), we had lunch outside of the walled city at ATA Gamburg where we had kebab sandwich and beef shashlik with a pot of black tea for 130K UZS (RM 40), paid by cash.

kebab sandwich and beef shashlik

After lunch, we performed our prayers at Sayid Niyoz Sholikor masjid, the only functioning mosque, located just outside of the Itchan Kala East Gate. We didn't hear any call for prayer in Khiva. The azan call was only heard in the mosque, as there was no loud speaker used. For ablution, we had to use the WC facility (with ablution facility) near the East Gate which cost UZS 3000 (RM 1) per person.

prayer room for female

Sayid Niyoz Sholikor masjid

We waited a bit at the hotel before calling for our Yandex ride to the Khiva Vokzali (train station), just 10 minutes by car. Since there was only a narrow passage to access our hotel (only 1 vehicle can pass through at a time), we decided to wait at the North Gate to get our Yandex taxi. The short Yandex ride cost 10K UZS (RM 3)

At the train station, we were allowed to embark on the train 30 minutes before departure. It was sweltering hot in the train with no air conditioning and ventilation. The only respite was from a narrow opening of the window. I checked on my Uzrail app that the rest of the seats in our 6 person 'compartment' was still empty. However, not long before departure, 2 women parked themselves at the seats in front of us. And then the train conductor joined them while seated on the other end of my bed (I was sitting at the time).

our sleeper compartment

our compartment when still empty

the train conductor sat on my bed chatting with the ladies

the sleeper aisle

After about an hour after departure, the 2 women climbed on the bunk bed above us and closed the window while kept on talking for about another hour. There was no line as well, so we couldn't watch the live match of Roland Garros, so Partner In Crime went ahead to sleep, although it was only 5.30pm. I just watched the desert view outside the window. Then the train conductor converted the seat in front of us into a bed and landed himself to sleep. 

watching the desert view outside

Tea is life here. We saw local people bringing teapots back and forth from the water boiler, making tea. 

We finally arrived at Bukhara train station as per schedule and ordered Yandex taxi to our accommodation at Istat Boutique Hotel. However, drama ensued as the Yandex driver insisted for us to pay by cash although our ride order was already charged to our credit card (UZS 22.5K or RM 8). The driver said there was a problem on his side and kept on insisting for us to pay in cash until we almost reached our hotel. We were left some distance from the hotel (about a 10 minutes walk) as the driver said the road was blocked. 

We didn't have small cash to pay him, so we just took our belongings and left him, walking the remaining distance to our hotel. When we reached the hotel, a taxi dropped another customer right in front of the hotel, who was also checking in like us. So there was indeed no road block, there is another route to reach the hotel. 

We did check again the next day: the Yandex payment via card was successful. So we concluded that the Yandex driver might have tried to get some money from us.

For the accommodation at Istat Boutique hotel, it costs RM 820 for 3 nights with breakfast, paid by credit card.

our room at Istat boutique hotel

the courtyard at Istat boutique hotel

Karakalpakstan

Mon 1/6/26

Today we took an excursion to the 3 ancient fortresses of Khorazm, located in the autonomous republic of Karakalpakstan, about 100km from Khiva. We booked the tour with our hotel for a driver and a car for USD 50 for both of us, which we paid by card.

We departed from our hotel  after breakfast at 9am. It was sunny and hot today, unfortunately the driver didn't switch on the car air conditioning, only opening the car window. We passed by Urgench and Amu Darya river, which serves as the border between Karakalpakstan and Khorazm region. 

Our first destination was Ayaz Kala fortress at the Kyzylkum desert, which we reached at 10.45 am. We were stopped by an elderly woman after we alighted from the car, demanding 40K UZS from the 2 of us for 'parking' and 'toilet' fees, which of course was unofficial. I managed to negotiate the fees down to 30K UZS. Partner In Crime did go to the toilet here. There were also yurt camps here for rent.

We walked a bit on the desert and climbed towards the ruins of the Ayaz Kala no.1 fortress. The fortress functioned as protection of the agricultural settlements from attacks by nomads. (from Wikipedia). From Ayaz Kala no. 1 fortress, there is a viewpoint of the second Ayaz Kala fortress. 

Kyzylkum desert with Ayaz Kala fortress in the background

Ayaz Kala no 1

Ayaz Kala no 2 view from Ayaz Kala no 1

Ayaz Kala no 1

Ayaz Kala no 1

Ayaz Kala fortress

Next destination was Toprak Kala ruins, located about 34km from Ayaz Kala fortress. It was an ancient palace city and the capital of in Chorasmia in the 2nd/3rd century CE (from Wikipedia). Again we were stopped by an elderly woman, however this time we were stopped in the middle of the road, before parking. I tried to negotiate for 20K UZS this time, as there was no toilet facilities, but failed. Since we didn't want to hold up traffic, we relented with 40K UZS 

Toprak Kala ruins

Toprak Kala ruins

Toprak Kala - stairs look newly built

The last fortress for today was Kyzyl Kala, just 4km away. Again we were stopped by yet another woman, but younger this time, again in the middle of the road, so there was no time for negotiation, hence we paid 40K UZS.

The Kyzyl Kala looked artificially re-built and didn't have much of its original ruins. It was first built in the 1st-4th century CE, possibly as a fortified defense for the site of Toprak-Kala (from Wikipedia). You could skip this one if you wanted to save 20K UZS 'parking' fee per person.

Kyzyl Kala fortress - looks artificially re-built

Kyzyl Kala - new stairs

Kyzyl Kala ruins 

On the way back, we stopped by a rest area by the Akhchakol lake, where local families were seen swimming to get a respite from the hot sun. We didn't eat at the restaurant here, there wasn't any menu or prices displayed. There was no 'parking' fee here. 

Akhchakol lake

We then returned to the hotel and reached back by 4pm.

We rested in our room for the remaining of the afternoon before going out for dinner at 7pm. We had dinner at Parvos restaurant, just outside the North Gate of Itchan Kala. We had the Khiva lagman (pulled noodle), spinach manti (dumpling) and lamb shashlik with a pot of tea for 156.4K UZS (RM 48), paid by cash.

Khiva lagman noodle, shashlik and manti

inside Parvos restaurant decor

Khiva

Sun 31/5/26

We ventured out after sunrise at 6am to capture Itchan Kala, a Unesco Heritage Site, minus the crowd of tourists. We re-visited Kalta Minor minaret, Kunya ark citadel and Mohammed Rakhim Khan madrasah in the calm of the morning, then walked around the walled city of Itchan Kala, visiting Islam Khoja Madrasah and its taller minaret; with the Juma mosque beside it with its own minaret Jummi minaret, then walked to Pahlavan Mahmoud mausoleum which was already opened at 7am, then walked back towards Mohammed Amin Khan madrasah near Kalta Minor minaret at the West gate.

Kalta Minor minaret

Islam Khoja Madrasah minaret

Islam Khoja Madrasah

Pahlavan Mahmoud mausoleum with Islam Khoja Madrasah minaret in the background   

Mohammed Amin Khan madrasah near Kalta Minor minaret at the West gate

Pahlavan Mahmoud mausoleum courtyard

Toshovli palace facade

The Juma mosque and madrassahs in Khiva are no longer functioning and only served as museums for tourists with tickets required. There are also caravansarays from the past which now houses restaurants and teahouses (or chaykhanas). 

wooden columns and courtyard in Juma mosque

Kunya ark citadel wall

Kunya ark citadel entrance door

The Itchan Kala walled city has 4 gates - we entered via the North Gate (Bakcha Darvoza) yesterday (the only gate that allows vehicles to enter), East Gate , Stone Gate or South Gate; and West Gate which is the busiest gate where tour buses are parked. 

Kunya ark citadel outside wall near West Gate

We walked back to our hotel for breakfast at 8am where we had a sumptuous meal of omelets, local bread, somsa, fried brinjal, salad and fruits and nuts. We enjoyed having our breakfast with the owner of the guesthouse kept offering freshly fried brinjals or somsas on our plate.

buffet breakfast spread at Ulli Oy 

breakfast at Ulli Oy

After resting a bit, we headed out to the local market by walking to burn the calories gained from breakfast. The walk to the market took about 30 mins which is located 2km from our hotel. We bought 1kg of cherries for 60K UZS (RM 18), which is about half the price in Malaysia. 

Khiva market

We then tried to find a restaurant outside the walled city to have a local flavour, but they were closed or only had somsa available, so we walked back to our hotel. On the way back, we stopped by at a park to sit and enjoy the view. Luckily today wasn't as hot as yesterday.

one of the parks outside Itchan Kala walls

It rained that afternoon not long after we reached our hotel. So we decided to have tea and cherries bought just now at the hotel rooftop while watching the Itchan Kala view in the rain. 

After it stopped raining, we walked back out of the walled city via the North Gate and had late lunch at Tohir & Zhura café. We had manti, manti soup and samsa with a pot of black tea for 143K UZS (RM 43), paid by cash.

manti and manti soup

samsa

Back at Itchan Kala by 4.30pm, the walled city is now full of tourists and souvenir stalls busy with customers. 

busy with tourists and souvenir stalls

At night, it was still busy at 9pm, so we decided to go out again at 11pm hoping to get a deserted night view of Itchan Kala. However, there were still people and some last stalls still standing. Finally some lights near the Kalta Minor minaret were switched off at 11.30pm, then we returned back to our hotel to retire for the day.

Islam Khoja Madrasah minaret at night

Islam Khoja Madrasah minaret at night

Kalta Minor minaret at night

Mohammed Rakhim Khan madrasah at night

TAS-UGC

Sat 30/5/26

Since it was summer and there is no daylight saving in Uzbekistan, sunrise is very early at 5am but we would have to wait another 2 hours for breakfast to start at 7am.

breakfast at Avant Wellness Hotel Tashkent

No plans today, only flying to Urgench via Uzbekistan airways and then take Yandex taxi to Khiva. It would take 14 hours one way if we take a train from Tashkent to Khiva, so a one way flight is more feasible to us. There is no airport in Khiva, and the nearest airport is Urgench. Then we would break our journey via train from Khiva to Bukhara, Samarkand and back to Tashkent.

After checking out from the hotel at 11am, we made our way to TAS domestic airport terminal 3 via Yandex taxi (19.5K UZS = RM 6.6)  which took about 10 minutes only.

Our flight to Urgench is at 1345 and the check in counter only opens 2 hours before at 1145 am so we waited a bit. While waiting, we withdrew cash of 1.5 Mil UZS (RM 508) from the ATM with Wise card. There was nothing much at the small domestic airport, so we didn't have to arrive early. 

One peculiar note is that we bought the most expensive economy ticket via the Uzbekistan airlines website online so we could choose our seats, and we selected our seats at 5E and 5F. However, during check in we were bumped to the middle of the flight at seat 17 in the old A320 plane. Also, we didn't receive the e-ticket, only the e-ticket number in our email, with no reference number. The one way flight ticket cost RM 360. We were served with a sandwich and water (the other options being carbonated soft drinks only)

A320 TAS-UGC

meal in Uzbek air TAS-UGC economy seat

Our flight departed on time and we landed at 3.15pm. After waiting briefly for our luggage, we took the Yandex taxi to our accommodation in Khiva at Ulli Oy boutique hotel, located within the walled city of the Unesco heritage site of Itchan Kala. The Yandex cost UZS 96.5K (RM 33) for a 50 minute (37 km) ride. The Yandex taxi entered Itchan Kala via the North Gate. Our hotel cost RM 745 for 3 nights with breakfast, paid with credit card. 

our room at Ulli Oy boutique hotel Khiva

Ulli Oy boutique hotel courtyard

We had dinner tonight at Old Terrace restaurant at the rooftop. Since we didn't have a reservation, we were seated a bit behind, but still had the view of Itchan Kala's . For dinner, we had Kazan kebab, manti spinach(dumpling) and Khiva plov with a pot of fruit tea for UZS 369K (RM 123) paid by card

having dinner at rooftop - spinach manti and fruit tea

Kazan kebab and Khiva plov

view from restaurant rooftop

interior decor of the restaurant with wooden column

After dinner, we walked briefly around Kalta Minor minaret, Kunya ark citadel and Mohammed Rakhim Khan madrasah at sunset. We then made our way back to our hotel to rest for the day and watch the final of the Champions League between Arsenal and PSG on the hotel rooftop to get better 4G coverage.

view of Itchan Khala from our hotel rooftop