2 days in Bukhara: a day-by-day itinerary
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- 4 of 10 free; 6 paid — see “Cost”
- Duration
- 2 days, 9:30 to 16:07 each day
- Start and finish
- Chor Minor → Chor-Bakr Necropolis
- On foot
- ≈ 37 min in total
- Transport
- 2 rides, ≈ 1 h 3 min
- Lunch
- around 12:17
- With kids
- fine: short walks
- Best time
- Spring and autumn. Sitorai and Chor-Bakr in the morning, before the heat.
Day-by-day plan
Times include walking and lunch. Drag a stop by ≡, remove it with the cross or add one nearby — the plan updates.
Day 1 · Bukhara09:30–16:07 · 7 places · 6 h 40 min
Chor Minor
· 20 min · Free
- 11 min on foot
Lyabi-Hauz
· 45 min · Free
- 8 min on foot
Trading Domes
· 1 h · Free
- 3 min on foot
Mir-i-Arab Madrasa
· 20 min · Free
- Lunch · 1 h
- 3 min on foot
Kalyan Minaret
· 45 min · Square free, mosque ≈ 15,000 UZS
- 8 min on foot
Ark of Bukhara
· 1 h 30 min · ≈ 60,000 UZS for foreigners
- 4 min on foot
Bolo-Hauz Mosque
· 20 min · Free
Day 2 · Bukhara09:30–14:33 · 3 places · 5 h
Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa Palace
· 1 h 30 min · ≈ 60,000 UZS for foreign visitors
- 31 min · transport or taxi
Samanid Mausoleum
· 30 min · ≈ 20,000 UZS, under 7s free
- Lunch · 1 h
- 32 min · transport or taxi
Chor-Bakr Necropolis
· 1 h · ≈ 10,000–15,000 UZS
What the route costs
4 of 10 are free; 6 charge entry — prices below, check them on site.
| 5 | Kalyan Minaret | 39 | 45 min | Square free, mosque ≈ 15,000 UZS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Ark of Bukhara | 43 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ 60,000 UZS for foreigners |
| 7 | Bolo-Hauz Mosque | 44 | 20 min | Free |
| 8 | Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa Palace | 32 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ 60,000 UZS for foreign visitors |
| 9 | Samanid Mausoleum | 38 | 30 min | ≈ 20,000 UZS, under 7s free |
| 10 | Chor-Bakr Necropolis | 30 | 1 h | ≈ 10,000–15,000 UZS |
| Other 4 places | 2 h 30 min | Free | ||
| Total | 8 h | 4 of 10 free |
Tips for each stop
Day 1
- 1
Chor Minor. Start at the 1807 gatehouse with four turquoise-domed towers — free from outside, at any time.
- 2
Lyabi-Hauz. The square round a 1620 pool with the Kukeldash and Nadir Divan-Beghi madrasas. Free.
- 3
Trading Domes. Four 16th-century covered bazaars on a pedestrian street: Toki Zargaron, Toki Sarrofon and more.
- 4
Mir-i-Arab Madrasa. A 16th-century madrasa opposite the Kalyan mosque — a working school; you see the portal and domes.
- 5
Kalyan Minaret. The 1127 tower, about 46 m high — the symbol of Bukhara. The square is free, the mosque courtyard about 15,000 sum.
- 6
Ark of Bukhara. The emirs' citadel on an artificial mound: the throne room, a mosque and museums. About 60,000 sum for foreigners.
- 7
Bolo-Hauz Mosque. Finish at the emirs' 1712 Friday mosque opposite the Ark: an iwan on 20 carved columns.
Day 2
- 8
Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa Palace. Day two — the last emir's summer palace 4–6 km north, now a museum of applied art. About 60,000 sum for foreigners.
- 9
Samanid Mausoleum. A baked-brick cube from the late 9th–early 10th century in Samanid Park behind the Ark. About 20,000 sum; free from outside.
- 10
Chor-Bakr Necropolis. The 16th-century necropolis of the Juybari sheikhs in Sumitan, 5–6 km west: a mosque, a madrasa, a khanqah. About 10,000–15,000 sum.
Who this route is for
- A weekend in Bukhara
- An Uzbekistan trip with two nights here
- On foot in the old town, by taxi outside it
- The Bahauddin Naqshband complex is not included — it can be added to Sitorai
- Summer afternoons are hot — start day two at opening time
Spring and autumn. Sitorai and Chor-Bakr in the morning, before the heat.
How to spend 2 days in Bukhara
Day one is the old town, as in the one-day itinerary: all on foot. Day two: Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa in the north in the morning, then the Samanid Mausoleum in the park on the west side of the old town, lunch, and Chor-Bakr after it.
The stops on day two are about 30 minutes apart by taxi. One car for half a day is the easiest option.
How to get to Sitorai and Chor-Bakr
To Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa — a Yandex Go taxi from Poi-Kalyan square, 15–25 minutes. To Chor-Bakr — a taxi from the old town, about 15 minutes, about 15,000–20,000 sum. The Samanid Mausoleum is 10–15 minutes' walk west of the Ark.
Visiting Chor-Bakr
Chor-Bakr is a working cemetery: do not step on gravestones or railings. Take a guide or read up first — without the story of the Juybari sheikhs the courtyards look alike.
How to do it right
- Keep small notes in sum: there may be no change at the gate.
- At Sitorai photography may be restricted in some halls or cost extra.
- In summer Samanid Park has shade — a good place to wait out the heat.
- Uzbekistan uses the sum (UZS). Cards work in the cities, but bazaars, taxis and small ticket desks prefer cash. Many monument prices are unofficial — check at the desk.
- For mosques and mausoleums cover shoulders and knees; women need a headscarf.
Questions
Is 2 days in Bukhara enough?
Yes: the old town on day one, the surroundings on day two.
What to do in Bukhara in 2 days?
Day one: Chor Minor, Lyabi-Hauz, the trading domes, Mir-i-Arab, Kalyan, the Ark and Bolo-Hauz. Day two: Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa, the Samanid Mausoleum and Chor-Bakr.
How much does a 2-day trip cost?
The Ark about 60,000 sum, Sitorai about 60,000, the Samanid Mausoleum about 20,000, Chor-Bakr 10,000–15,000 sum. The squares and domes are free.
How do I get to Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa?
By Yandex Go taxi, 15–25 minutes from Poi-Kalyan square.
How much is the Samanid Mausoleum?
About 20,000 sum, free for children under 7; the outside and the park are free.
How do I get to Chor-Bakr?
By taxi from the old town, about 15 minutes.
Can I do it without a tour?
Yes: the old town on foot, day two by taxi.
Is it good with kids?
Yes: Sitorai has peacocks in the garden, and under-7s are free almost everywhere.
Where to stay for 2 days in Bukhara?
In the old town near Lyabi-Hauz.
How do I get to Bukhara from Samarkand?
By train, about 1.5–2 hours.
Sources and fact-check
- Prices, opening hours and time on site come from each place's page, with its own sources and check date
- Wikipedia: Sitorai Mohi Hosa, Samanid Mausoleum, Chor-Bakr
