Bukhara to Khiva across the Kyzylkum: 450 km of desert highway

The road from Bukhara to Khiva is unlike any other journey in Uzbekistan. There are no towns every half hour, no orchards along the highway and hardly any roadside cafes. About 450 km of tarmac stretches across the Kyzylkum desert, and only in the second half of the trip does the Amu Darya river come close to the road. It is not a difficult route, but it deserves a little more preparation than the drive from Tashkent to Samarkand.

Route essentials

• Bukhara to Khiva: about 450 km.
• Bukhara to Urgench: about 420–430 km; Urgench is 30–35 km from Khiva.
• By car: usually 6–7 hours, up to 8 with stops.
• By train: about 6–8 hours depending on the service.
• There is no regular flight between Bukhara and Khorezm: direct flights appear only occasionally, so the real choice is train or car.

Train across the desert

The railway to Khorezm crosses the desert parallel to the highway, and in recent years trains have run all the way to Khiva rather than stopping in Urgench. The train is the relaxed option: you can read, sleep, watch the dunes and forget about fuel. The downside is that there are few departures, and in high season they sell out early. Timetables and journey times change, so check them on the railway's website or app before you travel.

Remember that Bukhara's station is in Kogon, around 12–15 km from the old town. If your train leaves early in the morning, book a taxi with time to spare.

By car: what to know about the highway

The Kyzylkum highway has improved noticeably in recent years: most of it is smooth road where you can drive at a normal speed. But it has its own quirks.

Fuel and water

Distances between settlements are long here. There are fuel stations on the highway, but not as often as in the centre of the country, and if the car runs on gas, stations with the right fuel are rarer still. The rule is simple: fill up completely before leaving Bukhara and do not skip a station when you see one halfway.

Bring plenty of water even in an air-conditioned car: at least one and a half to two litres per person in summer. If the car breaks down in the desert, help can take a while to arrive.

Heat and departure time

In summer the Kyzylkum gets above 40 degrees Celsius, the asphalt bakes and the air shimmers over the road. So leave early, at 6 or 7 am: most of the drive will fall in the cooler hours and you will reach Khiva by lunchtime or earlier. In spring and autumn an 8 or 9 am start is perfectly comfortable.

Avoid driving the desert highway at night: there is almost no lighting, and animals sometimes wander onto the road.

The Amu Darya

Roughly in the second half of the trip the highway approaches the Amu Darya. The river is wide here, with sandy banks and a green strip of riverside forest, and the far bank is already Turkmenistan. It is the best place to stop for a few minutes and take photos, but do not go down to the water or approach border areas: the state border runs along this section.

Mobile signal

There is mobile coverage on most of the highway, but it drops out in places. Download offline maps and tell someone when you are leaving.

Khiva or Urgench

Many travellers do not realise they do not have to go to Khiva itself. Urgench is the administrative centre of Khorezm, more transport goes there, and Khiva is just 30–35 km away. If you are travelling on business or staying with relatives, the Bukhara — Urgench route is more convenient. Tourists staying inside the old walled town of Itchan Kala are better off going straight to Khiva.

Sharing a ride across the desert

Crossing the desert together is reassuring, and paying for a seat is cheaper than paying for a whole taxi. On Yo'ldosh, drivers publish trips on the Bukhara — Khiva route, with the departure time, price per seat and driver's profile. Book a seat in the app and use the chat to confirm the time, the pick-up point in Bukhara and where you will stop for lunch. Experienced drivers on this route know where to refuel and where to get tea.

Comparing options

Checklist before you leave

1. A full tank and checked tyres if you drive yourself.
2. Water: at least one and a half litres per person.
3. A hat and sunscreen: the sun is harsh at stops.
4. Cash in case a roadside teahouse does not take cards.
5. An offline map and a charged phone.
6. In summer, leave no later than 7 or 8 am.

Khiva, with the walls of Itchan Kala, the Kalta Minor minaret and sunset over its clay rooftops, is worth the drive. Look for trips on the Bukhara — Khiva and Bukhara — Urgench routes on Yo'ldosh, and other directions on the routes page.

Cover photo: Petar Milošević, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.