What to see in Tajikistan: 8 must-sees
Discover what to see in Tajikistan: 8 must-see destinations, from Dushanbe to Pamir Highway. Predominantly natural and city; each entry includes the best time to visit and the link to its official source.
Natural(4)
Admire the Pamir Highway, one of the remotest and highest routes on Earth, crossing Gorno-Badakhshan between snowy summits, arid plateaus and high-mountain deserts. Along the way you pass beside the Panj River, which marks the border with Afghanistan, and through Pamiri villages where life keeps a rhythm of its own. You can hike, watch marmots and, with luck, a snow leopard, and sleep in family guesthouses above 4,000 meters.
Walk the shores of Iskanderkul Lake, in the Fann Mountains of northern Tajikistan, where the turquoise water mirrors snowy peaks and rocky slopes. Follow the trails winding among junipers and alpine meadows up to viewpoints over the lake's surface. Watch birds of prey wheeling over the valley and marmots among the stones. Camp by the shore, swim its cold water in summer or climb to the nearby waterfall the locals call the Fann fan. Local legend links its name to Alexander the Great — Iskander in Persian — whose army is said to have passed through these mountains.
Explore the Fann Mountains, in the Sughd region, walking the seven turquoise lakes strung along the Shing Gorge, each of a different tone according to its depth. Climb shepherd trails to viewpoints over peaks of more than 5,000 meters, such as Chimtarga, the roof of the massif. Camp by Kulikalon Lake, cross passes where mountaineers share the route with caravans of loaded donkeys, and sleep in the family guesthouses of the valleys, where tea and non bread open each morning. The short season — June to September — concentrates here one of Central Asia's best treks, accessible from Penjikent.
Pause in the Yaghnob Valley, in Sughd Province, where its villages keep Yaghnobi — a language descended directly from the old Sogdian spoken along the Silk Road. The isolation of this gorge in the Fann Mountains has preserved an agropastoral way of life: families drive the cattle up to summer pastures, grow barley on terraces above the river and bake bread in clay ovens. Between villages of stone and adobe you follow trails linking settlements without road access, and in the cheese season you can try the cured local cheese churgot. Access by 4x4 from the Dushanbe-Ayni highway.
City(1)
Descend the Rudaki Boulevard among century-old plane trees and head over to the Green Bazaar, where stalls of melons, nuts and spices set the daily rhythm of Dushanbe. Before the Nowruz Palace and the statue of Ismoil Somoni, the Tajik capital mixes Soviet buildings, new towers and recently built mosques. The panels of the national museum tell the story of the region, and in the background the mountains ringing the city recall that the Pamirs lie a few hours' drive away.
UNESCO Heritage(1)
Immerse yourself in Hulbuk Fortress, in Khatlon Province, former capital of the Banijurid Sultanate between the 9th and the 12th centuries. Walk its reconstructed mud portals, the remains of the governor's palace and the walls guarding the route between the Vakhsh Valley and the silk cities. From the top of the tell you will see the course of the Kyzylsu River crossing the plain, and in the adjoining museum you can examine glazed ceramics, coins and artefacts unearthed in the excavations. The site figures on the UNESCO tentative heritage list.
National Park(1)
Walk Pamir National Park, in Gorno-Badakhshan, among summits over 6,000 meters and glaciers feeding barely inhabited valleys. Follow hiking routes across high plateaus where yaks graze and golden eagles fly, and watch for the rare snow leopard or the Marco Polo sheep in its habitat. The Pamiri villages offer shelter and hot tea after long days at altitude. Camp beneath clean skies, cross mountain passes and understand why this region is one of Central Asia's remotest high-mountain destinations.
reserva(1)
Walk the trails of Tigrovaya Balka, in Khatlon Province, among tugai woods, dense reed beds and channels fed by the region's rivers. Here lived until the mid-20th century the Caspian tiger — now extinct — and the reserve preserves the riverine landscape that was its last refuge in Tajikistan. Watch wild boars, jackals, Bokharan deer and waterbirds among the tamarisks and poplars. Local rangers know the areas where traces of wildlife can still be seen at dawn. Wear closed shoes and carry enough water, because the trails cross damp ground and the Khatlon summer heat exceeds 40 degrees.
New destinations and itineraries, by email
Subscribe to receive newly published destinations and itineraries, plus seasonal travel ideas. One email, only when there is news.
Anything to correct or add about Tajikistan?
If you have spotted incorrect or outdated information, or want to suggest additional details about destinations in Tajikistan, leave us your comment. We review every one personally.