Blog articles

Here you find travel reports on trekking adventures in the mountains of Tajikistan, articles about the Tajik culture and history, and much more! Inform yourself and get inspired for your visit to Tajikistan.

People selling stuff in a busy market on the border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan

Tajik culture

Tajik-Afghan border markets

30 December 2023

Throughout the Pamir Mountains, there is lively cross-border trade between Tajikistan and Afghanistan. The Panj River in the Pamirs forms a sharp border between the Tajik and Afghan side. Bridges connect both countries all along the Panj. On these border crossings, you can often find markets, where trade and cultural sharing create a special meeting point between Tajikistan and Afghanistan.

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Person with two hiking poles walking up a rock slope towards Chimtarga Pass

Hiking

Hiking trails in Tajikistan

24 October 2023

Hiking trails in the Tajik mountains remain very uncharted. Trekking routes typically consist of small shepherd trails leading through remote landscapes. In the most desolate regions, however, even such simple trails may be absent requiring you to navigate scree slopes and cross rivers. A lack of technical skills for hiking on rugged terrains can lead to a sub-optimal trekking experience, so selecting an appropriate route is essential. Given the challenging nature of the Tajik hiking trails...

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Silhouette of a person sitting on his sleeping mat in a homestay with the morning lights shining around him

Travel guide

Homestays in the Tajik mountains

21 October 2023

First-time visitors to Tajikistan often find themselves uncertain about the accommodations during their mountain trek. Given the absence of mass tourism, homestays are the most common form of lodging. Homestays offer more than just a place to rest your head, providing unique insight into Tajik hospitality, traditions and everyday life. But what is an homestay precisely from a practical point of view and what facilities do they provide? Across Tajikistan, there are quite some regional...

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Inside overview of the Mehrgon market in Tajikistan

Tajik culture

Tajik Cuisine – Traditional Food of Tajikistan

18 September 2023

Tajikistan has several unique dishes that anyone has to try when visiting. The Tajik cuisine particularly uses lots of rice, bread, meat and dairy products. With food being very affordable, there are no excuses to taste everything Tajikistan has to offer. Read on to find out about the food not be missed in Tajikistan.

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Virtual view over the Pamir Mountains visiualized with CesiumJS

Website

Virtual tour through Tajikistan in 3D

3 September 2023

Most of the amazing places to visit in Tajikistan are quite unknown to those interested in visiting the country. That makes it difficult to oversee where the different highlights are located and how far they are apart. We have prepared a 3D viewer that can help out to get the clear overview of everything that Tajikistan has to offer!

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View over Dushanbe with the presidential palace and flagpole in the background

Travel guide

Dushanbe – City Highlights

20 August 2023

Dushanbe transformed from a small market village into the buzzing capital city of Tajikistan in only about 100 years. With a population just below a million, Dushanbe is a Soviet-style city with a modern feel to it. The city is in continuous construction with new buildings and monuments arising at a fast pace. Dushanbe is the main gateway to Tajikistan when traveling by airplane, so most people who visit Tajikistan at some point end up in Dushanbe. Find out here 9 must-sees of the capital...

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Two hikers walking on a trail towards the Kulikalon plateau

Website

Interactive trek profiles: From Google Earth to the web using elevation APIs and Chart.js

28 April 2023

New profiles for our trekking routes are now on the website. The heights of the trekking routes in Tajikistan are one of the most frequently asked questions. Altitudes and elevation differences are the most important factor determining the difficulty of a trek. For that reason it is important to give clear insight into the altitudes that can be expected. Here an example of how to achieve this with Google elevation data, ChartJS and some basic Python scripting.

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Hiker walking on a snow-covered road down from Anzob Pass in the Zerafshan Range

Travel report

Ziddi to Yaghnob – Hiking the Anzob Pass

26 June 2022

You can reach the Yaghnob Valley directly from the M34 highway. But why always take the easy road? The challenging alternative is to enter the Yaghnob Valley from the Ziddi Valley in the south. From the Ziddi Valley, there are several passes crossing the mountain ridge to the north. Most frequently used are the one at Leilakul and the somewhat easier Anzob Pass. May 2022 – we packed our bags to visit Yaghnob Valley starting from Ziddi. The traverse did not turn out to be as...

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Mountain guide overlooking the Fann Mountains in Tajikistan

Travel guide

Ultimate guide to trekking in Tajikistan

2 March 2022

Trekking through the high mountains of Tajikistan is a unique and unforgettable adventure. Traversing the breathtaking landscapes is something any trekking adept needs to experience. At the same time, trekking in extreme conditions through touristically under-developed regions comes with particular challenges. Trails are not indicated, public transport to the mountains is lacking and accommodation options are limited. Traveling to the end of the world under such circumstances requires a...

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Green car driving over a gravel road in the village of Javshangoz

General information

Getting from A to B in Tajikistan

16 February 2022

When traveling in a foreign country, it is convenient to be able to move around without too much hassle. As for Tajikistan, this does not really apply. The country lacks a regional public transport system. There are no easy bus or train connections for an easy transfer to the beautiful nature outside the city limits. If you want to travel large distances, you rather need to find a shared car or use your own transport. With sometimes sketchy road conditions, traveling around in Tajikistan is...

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Snowy mountain range in the Pamirs with a hiker in the foreground

General information

Geology of Tajikistan

2 February 2022

Tajikistan lies right in the collision zone of two continents. Over millions of years, extreme tectonic forces have shaped the country into a rugged landscape of mountain ridges, valleys and peaks. And the mountain building is still ongoing! Over 90% of Tajikistan is mountainous with most of the country higher than 3.000 meters. The geology is complex, but knowing the basics will give an extra dimension to your trip when traveling through the mountains of Tajikistan.

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Street scene in the center of the city of Norak in the west of Tajikistan

Travel guide

Norak – The powerhouse of Tajikistan

20 December 2021

Norak is a small yet versatile city along the Vakhsh River in Central Tajikistan. Most importantly it is the largest powerhouse of Tajikistan owing to the huge Norak Dam right next to it – the second tallest dam in the world. Apart from this huge megastructure, Norak hosts a space monitoring center on a nearby hilltop and a military base. The city is also a popular place for locals to hang out and relax at one of the many lakes along the river. If you are in Dushanbe and have some time...

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The main gate of the Hisor fortress near Dushanbe in Tajikistan

Travel guide

The Hisor Fortress

19 November 2021

The Hisor Fortress is one of the best preserved historical sites in Tajikistan. Strategically located on a hilltop, the fortress was built around 2500 years ago. Throughout the turbulent history of the region since then, this ancient stronghold has witnessed many changes in power, being demolished and rebuilt numerous times. Less than a one hour drive from Dushanbe, the Hisor historical site is ideally suited for a day-trip from the capital for those interested in the Tajik history.

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Waterfall with a person standing in front in a narrow gorge near Varzob in Tajikistan

Hiking

Day hike in the mountains near Varzob

28 October 2021

Are you in Dushanbe and want to get active? With this leisurely day hike, you can explore the Tajik mountains at a stone's throw of the busy capital. Starting from the village of Varzob, the trail runs along a river for a few kilometers and ends at a picturesque waterfall. An easygoing hike that is ideal if you have a day to spare in Dushanbe.

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Trekker with backpack hiking on a small trail in the Pamir Mountains

Travel report

Trekking in corona times

21 August 2021

Corona brought a big blow to the tourist industry around the world. The tourism sector of Tajikistan is not left unaffected either. Every single homestay we have visited lately shares one and the same story – the tourists have largely disappeared. Rooms remain empty. The income has dried up. The hiking trails remain nearly completely free of tourists. The abrupt corona pandemic strongly impacted those relying on tourism, as we find out each time we move around in the mountains these...

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Person about to cross a river with lake Turumtaykul in the background

Travel report

Early-season trekking to Chapdarkul and Turumtaykul

9 July 2021

The Pamirs are among the most impressive destinations for ultra-high trekking expeditions. Most hiking trails in the Pamir Mountains are unfortunately covered by snow most of the year. When summer approaches and temperatures rise, we are – like many – eager to hit the trails as quickly as possible. The early season may still be very snowy and comes with extra challenges on top of the already tough trekking conditions under normal circumstances. We hit the trail in spring to visit the...

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