Uzbekistan Bukhara Old City Tour 2026: A Private Silk Road Journey

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I embarked on my very first Central Asia trip!

Uzbekistan, a place I'd only ever dreamed of!

I thought a 7-night, 8-day itinerary was quite long,

but looking back now, it feels incredibly short..!

As soon as we arrived at Tashkent Airport,

we immediately took a sleeping train to Bukhara,

and after arriving in Bukhara and checking in,

we promptly went on a small-group historical tour of Bukhara's Old City.

We booked it through Klook,

and exchanged messages via WhatsApp.

WhatsApp truly is essential for international travel!

The small-group historical tour we booked

runs four times a day,

and we secured a spot for the first slot.

It's all about making the most of your itinerary, right? Hehe!

The tour kicked off near Lyab-i Hauz, our meeting point,

right in front of the Hodja Nasreddin statue.

Luckily, it ended up being a private tour just for the two of us!

Woohoo!

The tour began around Lyab-i Hauz, which literally means 'by the pond'.

Seeing the magnificent entrance of Nadir Divan-Beghi Madrasah,

I truly felt like I had stepped into the very heart of the Silk Road!

Although this place is called a Madrasah,

it wasn't initially built as an Islamic theological school,

but rather as lodging for Silk Road merchants.

Later, it was repurposed and used as an Islamic theological school.

The courtyard is now used as a restaurant,

and also hosts various shops.

Many people were taking photos in front of the statue of Hodja Nasreddin, a legendary figure,

and there were tons of locals and tourists alike snapping pictures here.

It's definitely one of the top photo spots in Bukhara's Old City!

Across the pond is the Nadir Divan-Beghi Khanaka,

a place where pilgrims and ascetics once meditated and prayed.

You can think of it as a monastery and religious facility combined!

This place, too, currently houses small museums or

galleries, selling traditional ceramics,

and handicrafts.

Even the Caravanserai, which was once used as a hotel,

has now been entirely transformed into shops or workshops selling carpets, ceramics,

and silk.

There were also various trading domes,

and it's said that in the past, markets were divided by type here.

The huge dome in the center has small skylights,

and true to its nature as a trading center, the echo is no joke! lol

Our guide told me to shout, so I did,

and was so surprised by the echo that I stumbled back! haha

And I found so many handicrafts,

among them, the one I really wanted to buy

was chess!

Since it was a key hub on the Silk Road,

merchants played a lot of board games, like chess,

in the caravanserai, and that's how it spread to other countries.

They say it's one of Uzbekistan's souvenirs,

so if you're traveling there, definitely pick one up!

The ancient public bathhouse from the Silk Road era, Hamam!

They were still investigating something among the ruins.

Right next to the Hamam was the

Magoki Attori Mosque and Carpet Museum

You can see that the front of the building is lower than the ground,

which is why it's called "the mosque in the pit."

That's how it got the name Magoki!

I briefly explained the trading domes earlier, and there are still three large trading domes remaining in Bukhara Old City:

Taqi Sarrafon, where money was exchanged,

Taqi Zargaron, where jewelry and ornate precious metals were traded,

and Taqi Telpak Furushon, where traditional hats and scarves were sold.

And we also got to see a Hamam, similar to our public bathhouses.

It's a really popular spot, with bookings consistently coming in even now.

It's built in the Turkish style, and what's truly amazing is that the further you go inside,

you can feel that unique humid, bathhouse + sauna vibe;;

Along the roadside shops, you could also find a variety of handmade goods.

Bargaining is a must here!

They tend to quote very high prices for tourists,

so always try to bargain for about half the price, and watch the merchant's expression! lol

This is called a Hujra,

a dormitory and private classroom, and also a room inside an Islamic madrasah.

Given its ornate exterior, I expected the interior to be equally lavish,

but it was much smaller and simpler than I imagined,

and the duplex stairs on one side were used to go up to the roof or as a sleeping area.

As for the Abdulaziz Khan Madrasah,

it's one of the most ornately decorated madrasahs in Bukhara.

It was started in 1652 during the reign of Abdulaziz Khan, but it's said that it was never fully completed due to the collapse of the Khan's era.

Surprisingly unique for Islamic architecture,

you'll even find carvings of Chinese dragons and birds!

Right across, you'll find the Ulugh Beg Madrasah.

This magnificent building was erected in 1417 by the brilliant astronomer and ruler,

Mirzo Ulugh Beg, himself.

It’s renowned as one of the oldest surviving madrasahs

in all of Central Asia.

Rather than dazzling extravagance, its beauty lies in blue constellations

and geometric motifs, a testament to its past as a madrasah that taught diverse subjects

like astronomy, mathematics, and philosophy.

As we journeyed through the Old City, soaking in all the fascinating insights

from our Bukhara Old City small group history tour guide,

time truly seemed to fly by!

And with so many beautiful handicrafts around,

browsing was an absolute joy!

When you think of Bukhara, Uzbekistan,

the magnificent Poi Kalyan complex is absolutely unmissable!

The Amir Alim Khan Madrasah, built by Bukhara's very last ruler,

is said to have primarily functioned as a grand library.

Today, it has transformed into a vibrant marketplace,

selling exquisite handcrafted carpets and silk textiles.

The majestic 46-meter Kalyan Minaret holds an incredible tale:

when Genghis Khan conquered Bukhara, his helmet reportedly fell.

As he bowed to pick it up, he narrowly dodged a passing arrow, saving his life at that precise moment.

Genghis Khan was known for never bowing his head to anyone or anything,

yet this minaret is said to be the one (and only?) structure he bowed to and spared from destruction!

The Mir-i-Arab Madrasah, a true architectural masterpiece of Poi Kalyan Square.

Distinguished by its two rounded blue domes on either side,

this isn't a place converted into shops or a museum.

Instead, it has functioned as a genuine Islamic seminary since the Soviet era,

where theological students still study the Quran and Islamic law, and live on site.

As such, access deep inside the building's interior is restricted!

And across the square, the Kalyan Mosque

is renowned as one of the largest mosques in Central Asia.

It's said to accommodate an astonishing 10,000 to 12,000 worshippers

at once during Friday's grand prayers!

Its magnificent courtyard boasts 288 rounded dome roofs

and an impressive 208 columns, stretching as far as the eye can see!

Poi Kalyan is truly stunning at night as well, so

instead of an early morning tour like ours, a night tour

would also be a fantastic option!

▼ Bukhara Old City Small Group History Tour in Uzbekistan ▼

And as you stroll through Bukhara's Old City,

you'll discover a fascinating array of vintage items

dating back to the Soviet Union era.

You could even find old Soviet military hats, wristwatches from the Soviet era,

and pocket watches!

It seemed like the perfect spot for vintage lovers.

This is the winter palace of the Emir of Bukhara:

the Ark Fortress.

It's the main gate of the Ark Fortress, a colossal stronghold where rulers once lived.

If you take the elevator up the Shukhov Tower, designed by Vladimir Shukhov

during the Soviet era,

you can get a panoramic view of Bukhara's Old City.

It's currently used as an observation deck!

You could also spot caravan and camel sculptures, honoring the caravanners

who traded between East and West.

The Bolo Hauz Mosque,

which boasts an impressive 20 columns.

Its reflection in the Hauz (pond) right in front of it is truly beautiful,

but it's a shame the photos don't quite capture its charm.

The Bolo Hauz even earned the nickname 'Mosque of 40 Columns' because its magnificent columns,

intricately carved from walnut wood, reflect like a mirror in the Hauz.

The Samanid Mausoleum, constructed entirely from baked mud bricks.

It's one of the oldest Islamic architectural marvels in Central Asia,

and unlike other buildings, it was built solely with baked mud bricks, without any ornate tiles.

With our guide, we also briefly explored the market in Bukhara's Old City.

Since we planned to explore traditional markets in Samarkand and Tashkent,

we only took a quick look here!

Finally, we wrapped up our Uzbekistan private Bukhara tour

at Chashma-Ayub, associated with the legend of Job.

The legend says that Job struck the parched ground with his staff to help the suffering people,

and clear spring water gushed forth.

What's unique is its distinctive architecture, featuring a pointed roof unlike other buildings.

Honestly, for Bukhara's Old City, where everything is concentrated in one area,

I initially wondered if a separate guide was even necessary.

However, despite the language barrier (our guide couldn't quite grasp English fluently),

having a guide truly makes all the difference in experiencing the authentic local vibe.

Plus, our guide was a born-and-bred Bukharan!

Haha!

The guided tour was incredibly satisfying,

and it was a truly meaningful time to delve deeply into Bukhara's history and culture, even with a short itinerary.

Since the recommended travel period for Uzbekistan is until November,

I truly hope you get to visit before then!

Completely captivated by the enchanting allure of Central Asia,

this is Annyeongheeya signing off for now!

Happy travels!

▼ Uzbekistan Bukhara Old City Private Tour ▼