Nilufar.
About this host
Nilufar is a certified guide based in Bukhara, where she has been guiding English-speaking travelers since 2007. She grew up with a grandfather who sparked her interest in history and a grandmother who taught her embroidery, and that background still shapes how she talks about the city.
Her tours focus on Bukhara itself: the Ark fortress, the Poi Kalon complex, the Samanids mausoleum, the old trading domes and craft workshops, with some itineraries extending to a nearby village to see silk-making and bread baked in a tandoor. Most of her tours run one or two days.
Guests consistently mention her deep, detailed knowledge of Bukhara's history and architecture, her fluent English, and her flexibility in adjusting the programme to a traveler's interests, pace and hotel location. Several note that pre-trip communication with her was quick and helpful.
Nilufar guides personally and works with a driver for transport and multi-day tours; guests have praised the comfort and cleanliness of the car. She tailors the walking route and pace to the group, and is known for wanting visitors to leave Bukhara with more than a list of monuments, but with a feel for its crafts and traditions.
6 Listings
Nilufar was a superb, highly professional guide. More than that, she became our friend and companion and we hope to see her when we visit Bukhara again! I give her our highest recommendation!
We booked a two-day tour of Bukhara with Ninufar. Unfortunately, she told us that she was unavailable on our dates and offered either to cancel the booking or to find a substitute. She found Gulya, who contacted us and proposed some slight changes to the itinerary for the first and second days, including skipping the visit to the Fayzulla House-Museum. As we were not familiar with Bukhara, we agreed to these changes. However, once the tour started, we realized that the tour had been drastically shortened. Instead of a full two-day tour as originally booked, the first day lasted only from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., including a tea break, and the second day from 9:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., without any break. Moreover, we did not visit the Ark or the bazaar, although both were included in Gulya’s proposed programme. We had assumed that Gulya was aware of the original booking and its conditions, including the duration of the tour. She seemed to know the agreed price, and we paid her the remaining €180 as agreed, but the actual amount of time spent on the tour was considerably shorter than what we had booked. On the positive side, Gulya’s explanations were very good, knowledgeable and academic. We learned a lot about the history and architecture of Bukhara, and she clearly has a strong command of the subject. Nevertheless, we felt that the tour did not really correspond to the full two-day experience we had booked. We would also have appreciated more conversation about everyday life, social changes and the evolution of Bukhara’s society. This was something our guides in Tashkent, Nuratau and Samarkand did particularly well, giving us a much better understanding of contemporary life in Uzbekistan, beyond its monuments and history. Overall, Gulya was knowledgeable and professional in her explanations, but the substantially reduced duration and the omission of places included in the programme left us disappointed.
We would highly recommend booking a tour with Nilufar. We had a fantastic time on this two-day tour - Nilufar was friendly, had extensive knowledge and her English was perfect. The driver was polite and had a super comfortable car. I would for sure book a tour in Uzbekistan with Nilufar in the future. Thank you so much for showing us your city !!
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