Top places to visit in Bukhara

• Kalon Minaret & Mosque Complex

  mosque & minaret · 4.7 rating · about 1.3 h · check the fee at the gate

  The 47-metre Kalon Minaret ('Great Minaret') built in 1127 is one of the great medieval towers of the Islamic world — so imposing that Genghis Khan reportedly ordered his army to spare it during the 1220 sack of Bukhara. The vast Kalon…

• Lyab-i Hauz

  historic pool & square · 4.7 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  Bukhara's most beloved public space — a 17th-century pool (hauz) surrounded by mulberry trees, teahouses, and three of the city's finest madrasas. In the evening the pool becomes a mirror for the surrounding domes and the social heart of…

• Ark Citadel

  ancient citadel · 4.5 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  A massive mud-brick fortress continuously inhabited for 1,500 years — the seat of the Bukharan emirs until Russian conquest in 1920. The Ark looms over the city like a miniature walled town, containing palaces, mosques, a prison, stables,…

• Bukhara Covered Bazaars (Toki)

  silk road bazaar · 4.4 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  Three 16th-century domed bazaars (Toki) — Toki Sarrofon (money changers), Toki Telpak Furushon (hat sellers), and Toki Zargaron (jewellers) — where specific trades have been conducted under the same mud-brick domes for 500 years. Today…

• Samanid Mausoleum

  samanid mausoleum · 4.6 rating · about 0.8 h · check the fee at the gate

  The oldest intact Islamic monument in Central Asia — a small, cubic mausoleum built c.905 AD by the Samanid dynasty, the first Persian renaissance rulers of Khorasan. Its decorative brickwork creates a hypnotic pattern that changes…

• Poi Kalyan Complex

  religious-complex · 4.8 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  Bukhara's spiritual heart: the Kalyan Minaret, Kalyan Mosque and Mir-i-Arab Madrasah grouped around one square.

• Chor Minor

  gatehouse · 4.5 rating · about 0.3 h · check the fee at the gate

  Whimsical four-towered gatehouse of a vanished madrasah, one of Bukhara's most photographed small monuments.

• Bolo Hauz Mosque

  mosque · 4.6 rating · about 0.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  Elegant "Mosque of Forty Pillars" facing the Ark, its wooden iwan reflected in the pool in front.

• Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa Palace

  palace · 4.3 rating · about 1 h · check the fee at the gate

  Summer palace of the last Emir of Bukhara, mixing Russian and traditional Bukharan decorative styles.

• Chashma-Ayub Mausoleum

  mausoleum · 4.2 rating · about 0.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  Shrine marking a legendary spring said to have been struck by the Prophet Job (Ayub), with a distinctive conical roof.

• Char Bakr Necropolis

  necropolis · 4.2 rating · about 0.8 h · check the fee at the gate

  Sprawling "City of the Dead" necropolis of Sufi sheikhs and their descendants on Bukhara's outskirts.

• Ulugbek Madrasah

  madrasah · 4.5 rating · about 0.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  One of the oldest madrasahs in Central Asia, built in 1417 by the astronomer-king Ulugbek.

Things to do

• Old City Heritage Walking Tour Heritage · 3 h · from UZS 87,400 per person
• Lyab-i Hauz Evening Folklore Performance Entertainment · 2 h · from UZS 99,900 per person
• Bukhara Carpet Weaving Workshop Cultural · 2 h · from UZS 125,000 per person
• Bukhara Suzani Embroidery Workshop Cultural · 2 h · from UZS 120,000 per person
• Ark Fortress Sound & Light Show Entertainment · 1 h · from UZS 60,000 per person
• Bukhara Jewish Quarter Heritage Walk Heritage · 2 h · from UZS 90,000 per person
• Bukhara Pottery & Miniature Painting Workshop Cultural · 2 h · from UZS 110,000 per person

Day trips and tours

• Bukhara Old City Heritage & Craft Tour 9 h · from UZS 350,000

Where to stay in Bukhara

• Lyab-i Hauz & Old City about UZS 50 per night

  The heart of Bukhara's 2,500-year-old historic centre — staying here means stepping out of your guesthouse door directly into a living UNESCO World Heritage Site. The mulberry-shaded Lyab-i Hauz pond is the social hub.

• New Bukhara about UZS 35 per night

  More modern accommodation options outside the historic walls — larger hotels, easier parking, and a quieter environment. 15-minute walk or short taxi to all old city attractions.

Hotels

• Sasha & Son B&B 2-star · UZS 150,000 to UZS 280,000 per night
• Hotel Minorai Kalon 4-star · UZS 700,000 to UZS 1,500,000 per night
• Amelia Boutique Hotel 3-star · UZS 400,000 to UZS 750,000 per night
• Minzifa Boutique Hotel 3-star · UZS 400,000 to UZS 800,000 per night
• Emir Boutique Hotel Bukhara 3-star · UZS 450,000 to UZS 800,000 per night
• Grand Bukhara Hotel 4-star · UZS 700,000 to UZS 1,300,000 per night

Where to eat

• Lyab-i Hauz Chaikhona Uzbek, Central Asian · about UZS 90,000 per person
• Old Bukhara Plov House Uzbek, Central Asian · about UZS 25,000 per person
• Minzifa Restaurant Uzbek, Central Asian · about UZS 200,000 per person
• Chinor Restaurant Uzbek · about UZS 90,000 per person
• Doston House Uzbek · about UZS 40,000 per person
• Old Bukhara Restaurant Uzbek · about UZS 95,000 per person
• Silk Road Tea House Bukhara Uzbek · about UZS 30,000 per person
• Caravan Bukhara Restaurant Uzbek · about UZS 80,000 per person

Getting to Bukhara

Airport: Bukhara (BHK)

How visitors arrive in Bukhara

• Train from Tashkent via Samarkand By train from Tashkent, Samarkand · common

  The main station is in the suburb of Kogon, served by trains from Tashkent via Samarkand and Navoi, plus Urgench and Khiva. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

• Flight from Tashkent By air from Tashkent · common

  A small airport near the centre has flights from Tashkent, Urgench, Moscow and Istanbul. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

• Bus or shared taxi By road from Tashkent, Samarkand · common

  Buses from Tashkent and Samarkand reach the bus station north of the centre; shared taxis also come from Qarshi, Shakhrisabz and Termez. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

From the airport to the centre

• Taxi from Bukhara airport

  The airport is small and close to the centre, so a taxi is the usual way in. Booking through your accommodation or the Yandex app is more reliable than street taxis. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

• Taxis at arrival points often overcharge visitors; book through your accommodation or Yandex. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

From the railway station to the centre

• Taxi from Kogon railway station

  Bukhara railway station is in the suburb of Kogon, well outside the city. Arrange a taxi through your accommodation or a ride-hail app for the transfer into town. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

• Taxis at arrival points often overcharge visitors; book through your accommodation or Yandex. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

From the bus terminal to the centre

• Local bus from the bus station

  The bus station is north of the centre near Kar-von bazaar, with local buses linking it to the centre. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

• Taxis at arrival points often overcharge visitors; book through your accommodation or Yandex. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

Getting around

• Bicycle
• Taxi

  The railway station is in Kogon, some way from the centre; taxis can be ordered through your accommodation or a ride app such as Yandex.

• Walking

Safety and scams to avoid

• Carpet Shop Pressure Tactics

  Bukhara Old City craft lanes

  Shopkeepers invite tourists in for tea, then create social obligation to purchase an expensive carpet after a lengthy sales pitch.

  How to avoid it: You are never obligated to buy after accepting hospitality. A polite "thank you, I need to think" ends the interaction.

• Fake Silk "Ikat" Fabric

  Bukhara craft bazaar

  Machine-printed polyester fabric is sold as hand-woven ikat silk at silk prices (200,000+ UZS/metre).

  How to avoid it: Genuine ikat has slight irregularities in pattern alignment visible up close. Buy only from producers with looms on display, like Yodgorlik in Margilan.

Best time to visit Bukhara

• Jan 7°C
• Feb 10°C
• Mar 17°C
• Apr 24°C
• May 31°C
• Jun 36°C
• Jul 37°C
• Aug 36°C
• Sep 30°C
• Oct 23°C
• Nov 15°C
• Dec 8°C

More in Uzbekistan

• Samarkand
• Tashkent
• Khiva
• Shahrisabz
• Fergana
• Nukus

Frequently asked questions about Bukhara

How many days do you need in Bukhara?

A typical trip to Bukhara is 2-3 days.

What are the top-rated places to visit in Bukhara?

The highest-rated places in our Bukhara guide are Poi Kalyan Complex, Kalon Minaret & Mosque Complex, Lyab-i Hauz, Samanid Mausoleum, Bolo Hauz Mosque.

Where should I stay in Bukhara?

Our guide covers these areas to stay in Bukhara: Lyab-i Hauz & Old City, New Bukhara.

How do I get around Bukhara?

Ways to get around Bukhara covered in our guide: Bicycle, Taxi, Walking.

What scams should I watch out for in Bukhara?

Scams reported to us for Bukhara include Carpet Shop Pressure Tactics; Fake Silk "Ikat" Fabric. Each is explained in the guide, with how to avoid it.

What is the weather like in Bukhara?

Average daytime highs in Bukhara run from 7°C in Jan to 37°C in Jul.

Which airport is nearest to Bukhara?

The nearest airport to Bukhara has the code BHK.