Classic Tajikistan

Upon your arrival mid-night, you'll be greeted at the airport by our representative and transferred to your luxurious 5 star hotel. Take a moment to settle in and get refreshed before stepping out to explore the vibrant city. After Soviet troops overthrew the emir, Dushanbe (then dubbed Stalinabad) was named the capital of the new Tajik soviet state and underwent rapid industrialization and reconstruction. Similar to other Soviet-planned cities in Central Asia, Dushanbe features wide, straight, tree-lined boulevards with large public buildings and statues. Later in the evening, enjoy a welcome dinner with a music and dance performance that will give you a taste of the local culture. 

Today you will explore the capitol city. Begin with a visit to the Buddha in Nirvana at the Museum of Antiquity. At over 39 feet high, this reclining Buddha statue is the largest Buddha in Central Asia and is believed to be 1,600 years old. Your next stop is the Navruz Palace, an extraordinary modern building decorated by hundreds of artisans from all over Tajikistan. Most of the rooms are now used for official government meetings, or for international conferences, but one room is open to the public and used as a popular wedding venue. Afterwards, you will visit the handicrafts center to meet master craftsmen, including those involved in the creation of the Navruz Palace. After lunch, you will visit the statue of Ismail Somoni in Rudaki Park. This large monument commemorates the 1,100th anniversary of the Samanid State, a Golden Age of the Tajik nation, when science and arts flourished. From there take a stroll through Rudaki Park, which is dedicated to the great Persian poet Rudaki, who also lived during the Samanid period, in the 10th century. 

It’s a moderately long but scenic drive out of Dushanbe to Iskanderkul. Along the way you will stop to have lunch in Sarvoda village arriving in the early afternoon to Iskanderkul Lake, a triangular lake named after Alexander the Great (“Iskander” is the Persian form of Alexander). It is considered to be one of the most exquisitely beautiful lakes in all of the former Soviet Union. In addition to admiring the views there will be time for a short hike to Iskander Waterfall and Snake Lake before dinner. You will spend the night in cottages on the lake shore, where the rooms have private bathrooms.  

After breakfast you will drive toward the Penjikent region. Reaching the Gazza village you check into your guesthouse and have lunch. After lunch enjoy leisure time at the guesthouse or walk and explore the village. For dinner you will have an opportunity to experience cooking master class followed by a local folklore show either here or in Penjikent. 

After breakfast you will be transferred to the one the most iconic and authentic village in the Zerafshan valley – Voru village. Vuro is a mountain village, it is located on the left bank of the Archmaydon river. The houses in the village are built in a steep gorge which allows for the rooftop of one house to serve as the yard for the house above. You will be hosted by them and have a chance to meet some of their family members. In the evening you will arrive to reach Penjikent, known as Pompeii of Central Asia. After checking in to your hotel you’ll have an opportunity for sightseeing of Old Penjikent ruins. 

Your day trip will start with a bumpy ride into the mountains to explore the area of the Seven Lakes. This mountain valley is not far from Penjikent, but due to the bad road conditions, the trip takes a full day. You will drive up the valley to the sixth lake. It is then a short and easy hike of about two hours (both ways) to the seventh and highest lake, Hazorchashma. There will be time to enjoy the scenery and wander along the lake shore before hiking back down to the sixth lake and returning by road to Penjikent. On the way down you will stop for a walk in a couple of villages and have a lunch at a guesthouse in Noffin village.

It is time to leave the mountains behind and return to urban life, journeying to the city of Khujand in northern Tajikistan. Khujand is situated on the Syr Darya River in the Fergana Valley. It is an ancient city with a history dating back to Cyrus the Great and Alexander the Great. On the way you will visit Istaravshan, a city founded by Cyrus the Great in the 6th century BC which recently celebrated its 2,500th anniversary. Istaravshan’s artisans are highly regarded across Central Asia and the city is well known for its blacksmiths, who hand-craft knives of excellent quality. You will visit the blacksmiths’ workshops near the entrance to the city’s market, and also meet a woodcarvers workshop and a comb maker’s house. There will be time to see the main historical sights – the Kok Gumbaz and the Hazrat Shoh Mosque – before continuing on your way to Khujand arriving in the evening to check in at your hotel. 

After breakfast, visit Khujand’s main market, Panjshabe Bazaar, Tajikistan’s largest market. Continue touring the city with visits to the Maslihaddin Mosque, the Lenin Monument, and Arbob Cultural Palace, where you will also visit a small factory that produces traditional Tajik textiles. Lunch will be served at Anora, a house museum where you can appreciate traditional interior designs and experience the authentic atmosphere of a Tajiki house. The friendly family members are always happy to welcome guests from different cultures and to exchange experiences with interested travelers. After lunch drive to your final attraction, the women's factory, Khujand Atlas. Khujand Atlas was one of the leading textile factory that use silk for production of traditional Atlas textile. During your visit, get an inside look at the production process and learn about the history of the factory and its significance in the local economy. Here you will have the opportunity to purchase some of their products for souvenirs before departing the country for your return home or other touring.