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