Day hike in the mountains near Varzob
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.
Length
9 km
Duration
3 hours
Difficulty
Easy
With 90% of Tajikistan covered by mountains, nice hikes are almost always nearby wherever you are in Tajikistan. This is also true for Dushanbe, from which impressive mountain landscapes rise up directly towards the north. For this day hike, the starting point is in the village of Varzob that can be reached within approximately only half an hour from Dushanbe.
Many cars go to Varzob from the stand place at the intersection of Rudaki Avenue and Omar Khayam Street in the north of Dushanbe. Simply ask for Varzob and you will quickly be directed to a shared car that can take you directly to Varzob. After arriving in Varzob, there are several shops where you can buy some drinks and snacks if you still need to fuel up before setting off.
When you are all set and ready, you can start hiking straight from the center of the village. From the main road, you head to the street that goes up through the valley to the east. This is straightforward as there is only one real street going out of Varzob to the east.
The first part of the hike continues through the village. Varzob is a bit higher than Dushanbe and has a more pleasant climate in summer. For this reason, Varzob is a popular place to build a dacha for the wealthy people living in Dushanbe. Particularly higher up in the valley, you get to see some decadent houses of the Tajik rich, which is quite a contrast compared to the life of most people in the mountains.
After leaving Varzob, the path continues for several kilometers through the valley. Along the way, you have to cross several bridges over the river. To reach the waterfall, you have to turn left into a narrow side valley after about 4 km from the starting point in Varzob. The turn is right before you cross one of the bridges (see photo below). Be aware that the turn can be difficult to spot – there is no sign pointing you in the right direction.
The last bit of the hike is more difficult. Walking through a narrow gorge – sometimes jumping from rock to rock – you finally reach the waterfall after a few hundred meters. The waterfall is about 10 meters high and has some space at its bottom to take some rest.
You need to take the same way back to get to Varzob again. Once you arrive in Varzob, shared taxis and vans leave regularly to Dushanbe from the center. The waiting time is usually not too long.
Do not hesitate to contact us if you need help and prefer to go with a guide.
