Craft workshops and master classes in Bukhara
Learn the crafts of the ancient city first-hand: pick a master class and send a request — we will confirm your booking.
All master classes
- Miniature: painting in the Bukhara tradition — Paint your own miniature with natural pigments on handmade paper. $60 per person
- Craft & Culture: Bukhara's Old Town and Artisans in One Day — A guided walk with a licensed guide through workshops and landmarks, plus two hands-on classes: handmade paper and plov or miniature painting. $150 per person
- Papier-mâché puppets in a workshop by Lyabi-Hauz — Paint the head of a traditional Bukhara puppet and learn to bring it to life. $55 per person
- Potter's wheel and Gijduvan ceramic painting — Throw a bowl on the potter's wheel and paint it with a traditional pattern. $55 per person
- Bukhara plov "oshi sofi" in a family courtyard — Cook real Bukhara plov in a kazan and share lunch with the family. $60 per person
- Watercolor: the domes of old Bukhara — Paint the Kalyan minaret and domes with a local artist in an old-town courtyard. $50 per person
- Carpet weaving: knot by knot — Sit at the loom and tie your first knots on a real carpet. $55 per person
- Copper chasing by the trading domes — Hammer a chased pattern into a copper plate with the master's tools. $50 per person
- Wood carving: a Bukhara ornament by your own hand — Carve a floral or geometric ornament into a wooden board with chisels. $55 per person
- Tandoor bread — Knead the dough, stamp the bread with a chekich and bake it in a tandoor. $50 per person
- Tandoor samsa — Fold samsa with lamb and onion and bake them in a tandoor. $50 per person
- Handmade mulberry paper — Follow the path from mulberry bark to a smooth sheet of paper. $50 per person
Things to do in Bukhara: hands-on craft workshops with local artisans
Bukhara is one of the few cities in Central Asia where traditional crafts still live in workshops rather than museum cases. Coppersmiths still work under the 16th-century trading domes, artists paint miniatures and papier-mâché puppets in the old town, and families bake bread in tandoor ovens and cook plov in a kazan in their courtyards.
Artisan Experience brings together workshops where you don't just watch a craft — you make something yourself: paint a miniature or a puppet, tie knots on a carpet loom, chase a pattern into copper, sit at a potter's wheel, cook Bukhara plov "oshi sofi", bake tandoor bread and samsa, or make a sheet of paper from mulberry bark.
Each class takes one and a half to three hours and is made for beginners — no experience needed. Groups are small, up to 6–8 people, and the artisans speak Uzbek, Russian and English. It's an easy way to spend half a day in Bukhara between walks through the old town — and to take home something you made with your own hands.
Frequently asked questions
How do I book a master class in Bukhara?
Pick a class in the catalog, press "Book" and fill in a short form: name, phone, e-mail, preferred date and number of guests. We check the time with the artisan and send a confirmation to your e-mail.
Where do the classes take place?
In workshops and family homes in Bukhara, most of them in the old town. We send the exact address and a map pin to your e-mail once the booking is confirmed.
How much does a class cost?
A regular workshop costs $50 to $60 per person; the full-day Craft & Culture tour with a guided walk and two workshops is $150. Materials and ingredients are included, and what you make at a craft class can usually be taken home. Each class page lists exactly what's included.
How do I pay?
On the spot, no prepayment. Our escort will meet you and take you to the master — you pay them directly. We don't take online payments yet, so booking is free of obligation: just wait for the confirmation email.
Do I need any experience?
No. The classes are designed for beginners: the artisan shows every step and helps you throughout.
Can I bring children?
Yes. If a class has a minimum age, it's shown on its page — usually 6 to 10 years. You can add ages and wishes in the booking comment.
What language are the classes in?
The artisans speak Uzbek, Russian and English — the languages are listed on each class page.
How long does a class take?
One and a half to three hours — the duration is shown on each card, so a class fits easily into a day of sightseeing in Bukhara.
Can we come as a large group?
Groups are usually up to 6–8 people. If you are more, mention it in the booking comment and we'll find a time or split the group.
Are there any discounts?
Yes: book two workshops and get a discount on the next one. It applies to any workshops in the catalogue.
Who leads the tours?
Old town walks on the Craft & Culture tour are led by licensed guides; the workshops are taught by the artisans themselves.
Book 2 workshops — get a discount on the next one Valid for any workshops in the catalogue.