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Bukhara Vacations, Tours, Travel Packages & Experiences

  • Bukhara, Uzbekistan
  • Carpet shop, Bukhara, Uzbekistan
  • Kalyan minaret and mosque, Bukhara, Uzbekistan
  • Ark fortress, Bukhara
  • Bukhara, Uzbekistan

Bukhara is Central Asia’s holiest city with a history and buildings spanning thousand of years. The old centre retains the look it had two centuries ago.  During Uzbekistan travel, the city is crammed with madrasas, minarets, a huge royal fortress and the remnants of a once-vast market complex. On Uzbekistan tours, it takes at least two days to do justice to the city with its over 140 protected buildings. It has been called a city/museum. Once again, it benefitted from its location on the Silk Road and served as a centre of trade, scholarship, culture and religion. The historic centre of Bukhara has been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.  Due to an inadequate water system, Bukhara has a plague which wiped out many inhabitants in the 19th Century. However, this was subsequently modernized. 

Some of the major sites on Uzbekistan tours to Bukhara include the following. The Kalan Mosque completed in the 16th Century is approximately the same size as the Bibi-Khanym Mosque in Samarkand. It can accommodate 12,000 people.  The Kalan Minaret was known as the Tower of Death as it was where criminals were executed by being thrown off the top. It dominates the historical centre of Bukhara as it is 46 metres/150 feet high. The spectacular-looking Ark, a town-within-a-town, is Bukhara’s oldest structure and was occupied from the 5th Century until 1920 when it was bombed by the Red Army. Most of it is in ruins except for some remaining royal quarters which house several museums including an archaeological museum and a nature museum. You can see the remains of the coronation court, the treasury and the harem. 

There are several ancient madrasas which include the Mir-i Arab Madrasa with its luminous blue domes and the Abdul Aziz Khan Madrasa, both from the 16th Century. The latter is an unrestored gem. The highlight is the prayer room, now a museum of wood carvings. 

The Maghoki-Attar Mosque and a shrine are one of the oldest monuments in Bukhara. It is probably the city’s holiest place. Archaeologists found parts of a 5th Century Zoroastrian temple and an earlier Buddhist temple on the site. The building now functions as a museum exhibiting Bukhara carpets and prayer mats. 

The Char Minar is a building constructed by a wealthy Bukharan in the 19th Century.  It is a four-towered structure and is actually a complex of buildings with two functions, ritual and shelter. Each tower has different motifs recognizing Christianity, Buddhism, Islam and Zoroastrianism.  The main building is a mosque with an unusual shape. The Char Minar is now surrounded mainly by small houses and shops, all to be enjoyed on Uzbekistan travel. 

 

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Bukhara, Uzbekistan

  • The Legendary Silk Road Railway: Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan & Kazakhstan

    FIRST-CLASS | RAIL: Follow the legendary Silk Road back in time across three countries, weaving your way along ancient trade routes aboard a private train. Explore seven stunning UNESCO World Heritage Sites spread across Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan, and experience the colours, sounds, and spirit of medieval market cities.
    Duration:
    14 Days
    Prices:
    On request
    Trip Type:
    Bucket List Travel Ideas, Multi Country Vacation Ideas, Rail Travel Ideas, Small Group Touring
    Turkmenistan See Trip Details
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