Navoi to Qiziltepa: Along the Zeravshan Valley and On to Bukhara

The road from Navoi to Bukhara follows part of the old caravan route along the Zeravshan, and Qiziltepa sits right on it. For locals it is a district town with a bazaar and cotton fields; for travellers it is a handy waypoint, with Bukhara not far beyond and one of Uzbekistan's best-known caravanserais along the way from Navoi. Here is how to get there and how to plan the onward journey.

Distances and travel times

These figures are approximate: in Bukhara a lot depends on whether you are heading to the railway station in Kogon, the bus station or the old town.

Getting from Navoi to Qiziltepa

Minibuses and buses

Minibuses to Qiziltepa leave from the Navoi bus station and from stops on the western exit of the city. Buses and minibuses to Bukhara also pass through Qiziltepa, and many stop in the centre, so ask the driver.

Taxis

A shared taxi is faster. If you want to stop at monuments on the way, it is easier to hire the whole car and agree on stops in advance.

Shared rides

Yo'ldosh lists the Navoi to Qiziltepa route. You can find a driver leaving at the time you need and book a seat. This suits both local trips and travellers who want to head towards Bukhara without being tied to bus timetables.

What to see on the way

Rabat-i-Malik

Between Navoi and Qiziltepa, right by the highway, stand the ruins of the Rabat-i-Malik caravanserai. Of this grand Karakhanid-era building, the famous portal survives: a monumental entrance instantly recognisable from photographs. It is one of the best-known roadside sights in the country.

The Malik sardoba

Opposite the caravanserai, across the road, is a sardoba, an ancient domed underground cistern. Structures like this supplied caravans with water on desert stretches for centuries. The Malik sardoba is well preserved and gives a sense of how the Silk Road's infrastructure worked.

30 to 40 minutes is enough to see both monuments. If you are travelling by minibus, ask the driver to drop you at Rabat-i-Malik, but bear in mind you will then need to flag down transport on the highway. A taxi or shared ride makes it easier: just agree the stop in advance.

Qiziltepa

Qiziltepa is a district town surrounded by the fields and orchards of the Zeravshan valley. It has a bazaar where you can grab a bite and buy fruit. There are few tourist sights in the town itself, but it is a convenient place to pause before continuing.

Continuing to Bukhara

Transport from Qiziltepa to Bukhara runs all day:

1. Through buses and minibuses from Navoi and Samarkand pass Qiziltepa and stop by the highway.
2. Shared taxis leave local stands when full.
3. Shared rides. Yo'ldosh lists the Qiziltepa to Bukhara route: book a seat and get dropped in the part of Bukhara you need.

On the way to Bukhara many people make one more stop, in Gijduvan, famous for its ceramics. If you are interested in crafts, discuss this stop with your driver in advance.

Where to go in Bukhara

Decide in advance where you need to end up:

• The old town and Lyabi-Hauz, if you are staying at a guesthouse. Some old-town streets are pedestrian, so the car may stop a few minutes' walk away.
• The railway station, which is in Kogon, a separate town next to Bukhara. If you are catching a train, tell the driver.
• The bus station, for onward trips around the country.

Practical tips

• Heat. Summers in the Zeravshan valley are very hot. Visit Rabat-i-Malik in the morning or late afternoon.
• Water and a hat. There is little shade at the roadside monuments.
• Cash. Minibuses and roadside sellers do not take cards.
• Highway safety. This is a busy road: do not cross it except at proper crossings and do not stand right next to the traffic.
• Prices. Fares change, so check before you travel.

When to go

• April to May is the best time, with green fields and mild weather.
• June to August is hot, so set off early in the morning.
• September to October is warm, with the harvest in the bazaars and comfortable sightseeing.
• Winter is cool, but the road is open and the monuments are almost empty of tourists.

The Navoi to Qiziltepa to Bukhara road shows how an ordinary transfer can become a small Silk Road journey. A caravanserai, a cistern, a district bazaar and an evening in Bukhara all fit into a single day. See other routes on the routes page.

Cover photo: Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons.