# Things to do in Bukhara: top sights and where to go

> Bukhara's old town is made for walking: the Lyabi-Hauz pool, the covered trading domes, the Kalyan Minaret with the Mir-i-Arab Madrasa and the Ark fortress line up along one street within a 15–20 minute walk, with the Samanid Mausoleum in the park behind the Ark and Chor Minor in the lanes to the east. Spend day one in the old town; keep the emir's summer palace, Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa, 4 km north, and the Chor-Bakr necropolis, 7 km west, for day two.

Web page: https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara

## Ready itineraries

- [One day in Bukhara: an itinerary in the best order](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/in-1-day.md): Chor Minor's four towers, the Lyabi-Hauz pool, the 16th-century trading domes, the Kalyan minaret, the Ark citadel and Bolo-Hauz — the old town on foot.
- [2 days in Bukhara: a day-by-day itinerary](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/in-2-days.md): The old town with Lyabi-Hauz, the Kalyan minaret and the Ark first, then the last emir's summer palace, the brick Samanid Mausoleum and Chor-Bakr necropolis.

## All 10 places with the YesGo score

- [Lyabi-Hauz](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/lyabi-hauz.md): YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free. Lyabi-Hauz is the square around a pool dug in 1620 in Bukhara’s old town, framed by the Kukeldash Madrasa and the Nadir Divan-Begi madrasa…
- [Mir-i-Arab Madrasa](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/mir-i-arab-madrasa.md): YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free; usually no entry past the foyer. Mir-i-Arab is a 16th-century madrasa on Po-i-Kalyan square in Bukhara, facing the Kalyan Mosque, with a tiled portal and twin turquoise…
- [Chor Minor](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/chor-minor.md): YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free from outside. Chor Minor (“four minarets”) is the 1807 gatehouse of a vanished madrasa: a small brick building with four towers under turquoise domes…
- [Bolo-Hauz Mosque](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/bolo-hauz-mosque.md): YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free. Bolo-Hauz is the working Friday mosque of Bukhara’s emirs, built in 1712 on Registan Square opposite the Ark gate. Its tall iwan stands on…
- [Trading Domes](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/bukhara-trading-domes.md): YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free. Bukhara’s trading domes are four 16th-century covered bazaars between Lyabi-Hauz and the Kalyan Minaret: Toqi Sarrafon, Toqi Telpak…
- [Ark of Bukhara](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/ark-of-bukhara.md): YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · ≈ 60,000 UZS for foreigners. The Ark is the fortress-residence of Bukhara’s emirs, an artificial hill on Registan Square with walls 16–20 metres high. Inside are a…
- [Kalyan Minaret](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/kalyan-minaret.md): YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Square free, mosque ≈ 15,000 UZS. The Kalyan (Kalon) Minaret is a 46-metre brick tower from 1127 and the symbol of Bukhara, at the heart of the Po-i-Kalyan ensemble. The…
- [Samanid Mausoleum](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/samanid-mausoleum.md): YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · ≈ 20,000 UZS, under 7s free. The Samanid Mausoleum is the family tomb of Ismail Samani, built in the late 9th or early 10th century — a small cube of fired brick under…
- [Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa Palace](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/sitorai-mokhi-khosa.md): YesGo score 32/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · ≈ 60,000 UZS for foreign visitors. Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa is the summer palace of Bukhara's last emir, 4–6 km north of the old town and now a museum of decorative arts. Foreign…
- [Chor-Bakr Necropolis](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/chor-bakr.md): YesGo score 30/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ 10,000–15,000 UZS. Chor Bakr is a 16th-century necropolis of the Juybari sheikhs in the village of Sumitan, 5–6 km west of Bukhara: a mosque, madrasa and…

## Bukhara travel guide

Before you go: Lyabi-Hauz and the trading domes, the Kalyan Minaret and the Ark, getting there, weather by month.

## Trip essentials

- How many days: 2 days: the old town on foot
- When to go: April–May and September–October
- From Samarkand: Afrosiyob train ≈ 1.5 h
- Visa: Visa-free for many passports, often 30 days
- Time zone: UTC+5

## Key facts

- **1993** — the historic centre of Bukhara joined the UNESCO World Heritage List (source: UNESCO World Heritage List, No. 602)
- **1127** — the Kalyan Minaret, ≈ 46 m tall, was built (source: Wikipedia, “Kalyan Minaret”)
- **10th c.** — the Samanid Mausoleum was built — one of Central Asia’s oldest monuments (source: Wikipedia, “Samanid Mausoleum”)
- **17th c.** — the Lyabi-Hauz ensemble of madrasas grew around its pool (source: Wikipedia, “Lyab-i Hauz”)

## Things to do in Bukhara

Bukhara’s highlights are the Lyabi-Hauz ensemble, the trading domes, the Kalyan Minaret with the Mir-i-Arab Madrasa, the Ark fortress and the Bolo-Hauz Mosque. Further out are the Samanid Mausoleum, Chor Minor and the summer palaces. Every place with its YesGo score is in the list above; the “Map” button shows them on a map.

| Where | What to see | Time |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Lyabi-Hauz** | [Lyabi-Hauz](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/lyabi-hauz), [Trading domes](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/bukhara-trading-domes) | 2 h |
| **Poi-Kalyan** | [Kalyan](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/kalyan-minaret), [Mir-i-Arab](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/mir-i-arab-madrasa) | 1–2 h |
| **The Ark** | [Ark](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/ark-of-bukhara), [Bolo-Hauz](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/bolo-hauz-mosque) | 2 h |
| **More** | [Samanid](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/samanid-mausoleum), [Chor Minor](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/chor-minor) | 2 h |
| **Outside town** | [Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/sitorai-mokhi-khosa), [Chor-Bakr](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/chor-bakr) | ½ day |

Rather not plan it yourself? The list above has ready itineraries, with places in a sensible order.

## Bukhara weather by month

The best time to visit Bukhara is April–May and September–October. Summer brings desert heat up to 38 °C; winter is cool, about 7 °C by day.

- **January in Bukhara**: day ≈ 7°C, night ≈ -3°C, rainy days: 7. Cool.
- **February in Bukhara**: day ≈ 10°C, night ≈ -1°C, rainy days: 7. Cool.
- **March in Bukhara**: day ≈ 16°C, night ≈ 5°C, rainy days: 9. Spring, Navruz.
- **April in Bukhara** (best time): day ≈ 24°C, night ≈ 10°C, rainy days: 7. Warm — a great time.
- **May in Bukhara**: day ≈ 30°C, night ≈ 16°C, rainy days: 5. Warm, already hot by day.
- **June in Bukhara**: day ≈ 36°C, night ≈ 20°C, rainy days: 1. Heat.
- **July in Bukhara**: day ≈ 38°C, night ≈ 22°C, rainy days: 0. Peak heat, up to 38°.
- **August in Bukhara**: day ≈ 36°C, night ≈ 20°C, rainy days: 0. Hot.
- **September in Bukhara** (best time): day ≈ 30°C, night ≈ 14°C, rainy days: 0. Warm — one of the best months.
- **October in Bukhara** (best time): day ≈ 22°C, night ≈ 7°C, rainy days: 3. About 22° — the best month.
- **November in Bukhara**: day ≈ 14°C, night ≈ 2°C, rainy days: 4. Cool.
- **December in Bukhara**: day ≈ 8°C, night ≈ -2°C, rainy days: 6. Cool.

In summer go out early and in the evening — the streets are very hot by day.

## Bukhara ticket prices

The old town and Lyabi-Hauz are free. You pay for the Ark, the mausoleums and the summer palace.

- [Lyabi-Hauz](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/lyabi-hauz) — Free
- [Mir-i-Arab Madrasa](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/mir-i-arab-madrasa) — Free; usually no entry past the foyer
- [Chor Minor](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/chor-minor) — Free from outside
- [Bolo-Hauz Mosque](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/bolo-hauz-mosque) — Free
- [Trading Domes](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/bukhara-trading-domes) — Free
- [Ark of Bukhara](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/ark-of-bukhara) — ≈ 60,000 UZS for foreigners
- [Kalyan Minaret](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/kalyan-minaret) — Square free, mosque ≈ 15,000 UZS
- [Samanid Mausoleum](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/samanid-mausoleum) — ≈ 20,000 UZS, under 7s free
- [Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa Palace](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/sitorai-mokhi-khosa) — ≈ 60,000 UZS for foreign visitors
- [Chor-Bakr Necropolis](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/chor-bakr) — ≈ 10,000–15,000 UZS

## Tips

- Dine by the water at Lyabi-Hauz in the evening — the town’s most atmospheric spot.
- Haggling is normal in the trading domes.

## Questions

### Is Bukhara worth visiting?

Yes — a living old town of madrasas, domed bazaars and the Kalyan Minaret, best explored slowly on foot over two days.

### How do I get from Samarkand to Bukhara?

By Afrosiyob train in about 1.5 hours.

## Sources

- UNESCO World Heritage List, No. 602
- Wikipedia, “Bukhara”; “Kalyan Minaret”; “Samanid Mausoleum”

Facts checked: 09.11.2026

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