Khiva: the free Khiva Audio Tour app
Khiva has an official GPS audio guide for the old town (Itchan Kala), launched by the regional tourism committee together with the museum-reserve. The app works from your location: you walk, and it starts telling you about the nearest monument. It also shows photos and text. When we checked, it was available in Russian and English and was free to download for Android and iPhone; free copies were also offered at the information centre inside Itchan Kala.
Download it before you arrive and check that the language you need is available. For tickets and opening hours see Khiva in one day.
Bukhara: self-guided audio walks
Several operators sell a self-guided audio walk for Bukhara: you buy it online, receive the audio on your phone and walk the old town in any order. One popular listing delivers the tracks through a Telegram channel: you need internet once to open it and download the audio, then it works offline. It costs about $10 per person, covers thirteen sights from the Ismail Samani Mausoleum to the Trading Domes and takes around six hours at an easy pace. At the time of checking it was in Russian only.
- Take headphones and a charged phone or a power bank.
- Save the area in an offline map (Google Maps, Yandex Maps or Organic Maps) so you do not need mobile data.
- Entrance fees for the sights are not included: see Bukhara in one day for current prices.
Samarkand: audio tours of the city
For Samarkand, platforms such as WeGoTrip offer a self-guided audio tour that passes the Registan and ends at Shah-i-Zinda. You open it through a link, no app is required, and you can pause and resume at any time or download it to listen offline. Part of the route is within walking distance and part is on the outskirts, where you will want a taxi. Listings for the Registan alone start from about $5, but the offer changes often, so check what is available on the day.
Tashkent
We did not find a widely used official audio guide for Tashkent. Some museums offer audio guides at the ticket office, and the Tashkent metro stations with decorated halls are easy to see on your own: see the metro guide.
Audio guide or live guide?
| Audio guide | Live guide | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free to about $10 | Usually much higher, agreed directly |
| Pace | Yours: pause and skip | Set by the guide and group |
| Questions | Not possible | Yes |
| Languages | Often only Russian or English | Depends on the guide |
| Best for | Walking on your own | Hard-to-reach places, families, special interests |
You can combine them: walk with audio, then ask a question you cannot get answered. UzGidAI is an AI guide that answers questions about any sight, price, train or restaurant in 17 languages; its own audio mode is in development. If you prefer a person, the app also has a list of local guides (Profile → Guides).
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