On the first day of our trip, we will gather at Dushanbe Airport. After everyone has arrived, we will take a transfer to the hotel. Check-in is after 14:00.
The city of Dushanbe derives its name from the Tajik word for "Monday". This is because trade traditionally began here on Mondays, at the crossroads of several routes. To experience authentic Tajik culture, we will visit the Mehrgan bazaar, where we will immerse ourselves in the sights and sounds of an oriental market.
In Dushanbe, many streets are named after writers and poets. These 'literary' streets will take us to the King Ismail Samani monument, vibrant mosques and mausoleums. At the National Museum of Antiquities, we will see a collection of ancient artifacts, including a 13-meter statue 'Buddha in Nirvana'.
After that we will leave Dushanbe to the majestic Gissar fortress, built in the 13th century.
We will return to Dushanbe for the night.
On this day, we will observe local traditions in Margeb (Yagnob). We will listen to the unique Yaghnobi language, observe shepherds at work, and learn about the traditional methods of milk processing. Of course, we will also taste some local products!
After lunch, we will head up to one of the region's most stunning lakes, Iskanderkul. Don't forget your camera—the views are incredible!
For the night, we will stay in a cozy little house.
We will start the day with an easy walk to the gorge near the Iskanderdarya River, where we will see the Niagara of the Fann Mountains – a roaring 43-meter waterfall.
After admiring the beauty of nature, we'll head to Penjikent. The city was founded more than 5500 years ago, and we'll visit the ruins of its ancient settlement from the 5th to 8th centuries. There are foundations of houses, a citadel, and temples that date back to Penjikent's time as the major cultural and craft center of Zoroastrian-Sogdian culture, with its beauty compared to Pompei.
We'll also visit the museum dedicated to the local poet Rudaki.
Today we'll continue exploring the area around Penjikent, heading to the ancient city of Sarazm that is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Back in the day, the Lapis Lazuli Corridor, and later the Silk Road, went through this town. You can feel the atmosphere of that era among the ruins of the significant buildings and palaces.
After lunch, we'll head to the Haft Kul Valley with its seven magical chameleon lakes. We'll leave the mountain trails to have a picnic here.
Then we will return to Penjikent for the night.
On this day, we'll go on a scenic trip through the winding mountain roads of the Shakhristan Pass (3 378 m) to the city of Istaravshan.
Istaravshan is known for its craftsmen, who create beautiful pottery, leather, and wooden items. We'll visit a workshop to see how knives and leather items are made. After that, we'll have an excursion to the Mug Teppe Fortress, Kuk Gumbaz Mosque, and Khazrati Shokh Complex.
In the evening we will go to Khujand, the second largest city in Tajikistan. During the Silk Road times, it was an important trade, cultural, and scientific center. It is also said that Khoja Nasreddin lived here.
We'll explore the city and visit the Panjshanbe market, where we can buy souvenirs and gifts.
On the first day tourists arrive at Dushanbe Airport (DYU) at any convenient time. Transfer to the hotel is included in the price. When choosing a flight, please keep in mind that check-in at the hotel is after 14:00.
On the last day, tourists take any convenient flight from Khujand airport. Transfer to the airport is included in the price.
You can take any convenient flight to Dushanbe Airport (DYU). Transfer to the hotel is included in the price. There are no group excursions on the first day. Tourists check into the hotel after 14:00 and spend their free time as they wish.
On the last day, tourists take any convenient flight from Khujand airport.
During the trip we will travel by rented Hyundai Starex minibuses.
We’ll stay in double rooms with facilities in comfortable hotels (5 nights) and a lakeside cottage (1 night).
Single accommodation is available at an extra cost of $130. Ask the managers for the details.
Examples of accommodation:
The national currency is somoni. Dollars and euros are accepted for exchange. Payments with bank cards may be difficult, so we recommend taking cash with you.
This tour doesn’t require any special skills, but the participants should be in good physical condition.
Children are allowed to participate from the age of 10 and only if accompanied by their parents.
The price of the tour includes breakfasts in hotels from the 2nd to the 8th days of the tour, lunches on the 3rd and 5th days, dinner on the 3rd day. Other meals are at extra cost.
Note: Since this is a group tour, the food is the same for all participants. Unfortunately, we cannot prepare an individual meal for you. If you have an intolerance or allergy to any of the products, please notify the manager in advance. We will pass this information on to the guide or accommodations. However, we kindly ask you to follow up on this matter during the trip. If you have strict dietary restrictions, we recommend bringing suitable food with you or buy it on the spot.
In this eventful program, in 7 days we will see different aspects of this sunny country. We will walk through three ancient cities of Tajikistan, visit an ethnic village, and experience the local traditions and way of life. We will also visit the mountains, where we will see unusual colored lakes, and even the "Fann Niagara".
A whole range of activities is waiting for us! We'll go on walks with picnics up in the mountains, have exciting excursions in the biggest cities, and get to know the way of life of native people. We'll also visit a workshop, watch the process of tanning leather and making knives. And, in a mountain village, we'll learn about traditional ways of processing milk.
We're going to walk through a real noisy oriental bazaar full of aromatic spices, delicious sweets and lots of fruits. We'll try some local flatbread, pilaf, shish kebabs, cheese, and we'll definitely taste different sweets. In Tajikistan, you can find all sorts of sweets besides the usual churchkhela and halva – navat, parvarda, pashmak, and pilita.
This program doesn't have any serious physical activities. We'll take leisurely walks in nature, admiring the beautiful scenery. And in the cities, we'll travel on a comfortable bus. After a day full of adventures, we'll relax in cozy hotel rooms and spend one night at a house by the lake.
On our journey we will: