Lonely Planet Central Asia (Travel Guide) by Various

Isfara, Tajikistan A single mustard yellow 299
minibus (%077-881 7887) shuttles through 2010 Osh riots but also the 2013 skirmishes
the border three times daily each way, stop- around the Uzbek enclave of Sokh.
ping very briefly at Batken bus station at
8.30am, 11am and 2pm (40som, 40 minutes) The national economy is disproportion-
to pick up passengers. Isfara shared taxis (per ately reliant on the Canadian-owned Kum-
seat/car 100/300som) leave from Razzakov tor mine (p270). During 2013, there were
street around the corner from the main admin- major disturbances on the south coast of
istrative building. Issyk-Köl as demonstrators cut roads and
power supplies to the high-altitude mine,
UNDERSTAND ostensibly to demand reparations for sup-
KYRGYZSTAN posed environmental damages. Or perhaps
to persuade the company to renegotiate a
joint-venture agreement giving the state a
substantial stake in the business.

Kyrgyzstan Today History K yrgy zstan UKGeyntrdtgeirynzsgsttaTanhnderTKeoyd&ragAyywzasytan

For years, Kyrgyz politicians have been Early Civilisations
navigating a geopolitical tightrope between
China, Russia and the US over the Manas The earliest recorded residents of what is
Air Base. From 2001 it was used by the US now Kyrgyzstan were Saka warrior clans
to conduct cargo and fuel sorties to Af- (aka Scythians). Rich bronze and gold rel-
ghanistan; it is now the main gateway from ics have been recovered from Scythian bur-
which US troops are being withdrawn from ial mounds dating between the 6th century
that war. However, true to Almazbek Atam- BC and the 5th century AD. Thereafter the
bayev’s presidential pledge, the base is due region came under the control of various
to close by July 2014. Meanwhile Russia’s air Turkic alliances with a sizeable population
base at Kant, 20km east of Bishkek, will con- living on the shores of Lake Issyk-Köl. The
tinue to function. Some analysts see this as a Talas Valley was the scene of a pivotal bat-
major geopolitical victory for Moscow. tle in 751, when the Turks, along with their
Arab and Tibetan allies, drove a large Tang
Kyrgyzstan maintains good relations with Chinese army out of Central Asia.
its eastern neighbour and biggest trading
partner, China. Seemingly endless trucks The cultured Turkic Karakhanids ruled
bring goods across the Torugart and Irkesh- from the 10th to 12th centuries, instilling
tam Passes but worryingly for the economy, Islam as a generalised creed from multiple
almost all return empty. city-centres including Balasagun (the site of
the now-lonely Burana Tower) and Özgön
Kazakhstan is both the figurative and (Uzgen), at the edge of the Fergana Valley.
literal big brother to Kyrgyzstan, with Ka-
zakhstan owning 40% of the nation’s banks. Ancestors of today’s Kyrgyz people prob-
Relations with Uzbekistan are contrastingly ably lived in Siberia’s upper Yenisey Basin
tense, with an ongoing war of words over until at least the 10th century, when, un-
water and energy usage exacerbated by eth- der the influence of Mongol incursions,
nic tensions, notably the fallout of the June they began migrating south into the Tian
Shan – more urgently with the rise of Chinggis

SOVIET SECRETS

The town of Chong-Tash, 10km from Kashka-Suu village, holds a dark secret. On one
night in 1937, the entire Soviet Kyrgyz government – nearly 140 people in all – were
rounded up, brought here and shot dead; their bodies dumped in a disused brick kiln on
the site. By the 1980s almost no one alive knew of this, by which time the site had been
converted to a ski resort. But a watchman at the time of the murders, sworn to secrecy,
told his daughter on his deathbed, and she waited until perestroika to tell police.

In 1991 the bodies were moved to a mass grave across the road, with a simple memo-
rial, apparently paid for by the Kyrgyz author Chinghiz Aitmatov (whose father may have
been one of the victims). The remains of the kiln are inside a fence nearby.

Minibus 365 runs daily to Chong-Tash from near Osh Bazaar in Bishkek.

K yrgy zstan UGHenitsdtteiornrsygtaTnhderKey&r gAywzasytan300Kyrgyz Independence
(Genghis) Khan in the 13th century. Present-
day Kyrgyzstan was part of the inheritance of Elections for the Kyrgyz Supreme Soviet
Chinggis’ second son, Chaghatai. (legislature) were held in traditional Soviet
In 1685, the arrival of the ruthless Mon- rubber-stamp style in February 1990, with
gol Oyrats of the Zhungarian (Dzungarian) the Kyrgyz Communist Party (KCP) walking
empire drove vast numbers of Kyrgyz south away with nearly all of the seats. After mul-
into the Fergana and Pamir Alay regions, tiple ballots a compromise candidate, Askar
and on into present-day Tajikistan. The Akaev, a physicist and president of the Kyrgyz
Manchu (Qing) defeat of the Oyrats in 1758 Academy of Sciences, was elected as leader.
left the Kyrgyz as de-facto subjects of the On 31 August 1991, the Kyrgyz Supreme So-
Chinese, who mainly left the locals to their viet reluctantly voted to declare Kyrgyzstan’s
nomadic ways. independence, the first Central Asian repub-
lic to do so. Six weeks later Akaev was re-
The Russian Occupation elected as president, running unopposed.

As the Russians moved closer during the Land and housing were at the root of
19th century, various Kyrgyz clan leaders Central Asia’s most infamous ‘ethnic’ vio-
made their own peace with either Russia lence, during which at least 300 people were
or the neighbouring khanate of Kokand. killed in 1990, when violence broke out be-
Bishkek – then comprising only the Pishpek tween Kyrgyz and Uzbeks around Osh and
fort – fell in 1862 to a combined Russian– Özgön, a majority-Uzbek area stuck onto
Kyrgyz force. The Kyrgyz were gradually Kyrgyzstan in the 1930s.
eased into the tsar’s provinces of Fergana
and Semireche while Russian settlers ar- Akaev initially established himself as a
rived steadily over subsequent decades. In persistent reformer, restructuring the execu-
1916 the Russian Imperial army attempted tive apparatus to suit his liberal political and
to ‘requisition’ Krygyz men for noncombat- economic attitudes, and instituting reforms
ant labour battalions as part of World War considered to be the most radical in the Cen-
I mobilisation. The result was a revolt that tral Asian republics.
was put down so brutally that over 120,000
died – nearly a sixth of all Kyrgyz in the em- In the late 1990s the country faced a new
pire. A similar number fled to China in what threat – Islamic radicals and terrorism. In
became known as the urkun (exodus). 1999 and 2000, militants from the Islamic
Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU; based in
After the Russian revolutions, Kyrgyz Tajikistan) staged a series of brazen kidnap-
lands became part of the Turkestan ASSR pings of foreign workers and climbers in the
(within the Russian Federation, 1918), a province of Batken. Kyrgyz security forces
separate Kara-Kyrgyz Autonomous prov- largely contained the threat while IMU lead-
ince (Oblast) in 1924, then a Kyrgyz ASSR ership fell to US bombs in Afghanistan.
from February 1926, which became a full
Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR) in December The Tulip Revolution
1936, when the region was known as Soviet
Kirghizia. By the early 2000s, Kyrgyzstan’s democratic
credentials were once again backsliding in
Many nomads were settled in the course the face of growing corruption, nepotism
of land reforms in the 1920s, and more and civil unrest. The 2005 parliamentary
were forcibly settled during the cruel collec- elections were plagued by accusations of
tivisation campaign during the 1930s, giv- harassment and government censure. Dem-
ing rise to a reinvigorated rebellion by the onstrators stormed government buildings
basmachi, Muslim guerrilla fighters. Vast in Jalal-Abad and civil unrest soon spread
swathes of the new Kyrgyz elite died in the to Osh and Bishkek. On 24 March the rela-
course of Stalin’s purges. tively peaceful Tulip Revolution effectively
overthrew the government amid bouts of
Remote Kyrgyzstan was a perfect place for looting and vandalism. President Akaev fled
secret Soviet uranium mining (at Mayluu- by helicopter to Kazakhstan and on to Mos-
Suu above the Fergana Valley, Ming-Kush in cow – subsequently resigning and becoming
the interior and Kadji-Sai at Lake Issyk-Köl), a university lecturer. New presidential elec-
and naval weapons development (at the tions were held in July 2005; the opposition
eastern end of Issyk-Köl). Kyrgyzstan is still leader and former prime minister, Kurman-
dealing with the environmental problems bek Bakiev, swept to victory.
created during this time.

301

THE KIDNAPPED BRIDE K yrgy zstan UGPentodtpeilrnesgtaTnhderKey&r gAywzasytan

Kyrgyz men have a way of sweeping a woman off her feet – off her feet and into a wait-
ing car. Distinctively Kyrgyz, ala kachuu (bride kidnapping) is a very hands-on way to
find a wife. There is some dispute as to how ‘traditional’ the practice is and it’s officially
illegal, but it’s once again on the upswing, with some villages apparently seeing a ma-
jority of marriages starting with an abduction. Many locals say the practice is a reas-
sertion of national identity. Others point to the rising cost of wedding celebrations and
the expense of the traditional ‘bride price’. If both sides tacitly agree, a well-executed
abduction can in fact prove a clever way to dramatically slash wedding costs. But not all
ala kachuu grabs are quaint money-saving devices. In the case of a genuine kidnap, the
woman does still have the right to refuse if she can sustain hours of haranguing by the
groom-thief’s female family members, who attempt to make her wear a symbolic bridal
headscarf. But often she’ll succumb, fearing an implied shame or worse if she refuses:
according to human rights campaigners Restless Beings (www.restlessbeings.org), over
20% of non-consentual abductions result in ‘rape and sexual torture’. And the girl’s
family, once contacted, often pressure her to agree to the marriage.

The issue of ala kachuu came to the fore with the 2007 Kyrgyz movie Boz Salkyn.
In English, there are several enlightening online documentaries notably by Petr Lom
(www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/kyrgyzstan) and Thomas Morton (www.youtube.com/
watch?v=DKAusMNTNnk) showing real-life kidnap stories.

The Bakiev Era ripples in southern Kyrgyzstan, where local
politicians saw the changes as an attempt to
Bakiev’s first term in office was hardly a bed weaken their position. When a ‘power grab’
of tulips. The one-time opposition leader by Bakiev loyalists in Jalal-Abad was coun-
soon faced the same criticisms levelled at tered by a local militia consisting partly of
his predecessor – corruption and abuse of ethnic Uzbeks, the result was an explosion
power. Wide-scale street demonstrations in of politicised riots which culminated in the
2006 and 2007 forced him into concessions June 2010 Osh riots. While the exact cir-
that curbed his presidential power. Bakiev’s cumstances remain highly controversial, the
promises of peace and security were also de- result was over 400 deaths (74% of these Uz-
railed by a spate of high-profile political as- beks) and more than 100,000 ethnic Uzbeks
sassinations – three members of parliament fleeing, at least temporarily, to Uzbekistan.
were murdered in the late 2000s.
People
Bakiev was re-elected in July 2009 amid
widespread accusations of ballot rigging Of approximately 80 ethno-linguistic groups
and media censure. Voters, unable to unseat in Kyrgyzstan, the main trio are:
Bakiev with the ballot, reverted to a tried ¨¨Kyrgyz: 66%
and true method of overthrowing Kyrgyz ¨¨Uzbek: 14%
leaders – revolution. On 6 and 7 April 2010, ¨¨Russian: 10%
opposition crowds massed in Talas and Notable minorities include Ukrainians,
Bishkek. What was intended to be a dem- Uyghurs and Dungans (Hui Muslims origi-
onstration against the government turned nally from China).
into a riot in both cities. Security forces were
overwhelmed and the protestors stormed Since 1989 there has been a major exodus
the halls of government. By the end of the of Slavs and Germans, but Kyrgyz (along
day some 88 people had been killed and with Kazakhs) remain probably the most
more than 500 injured in the fighting. Russified Central Asian people. Russian
remains the lingua franca in Bishkek and
Bakiev fled, first to southern Kyrgyzstan, northern Kyrgyzstan, but is less commonly
then Kazakhstan and finally to Belarus. The spoken in the south. About one fifth of work-
Kyrgyz opposition set up an interim gov- ing adults are overseas, sending home remit-
ernment with Roza Otombayeva as its new tances, most notably from Russia.
leader. While many in Bishkek saw Bakiev’s
overthrow as positive in the fight against
corruption, his removal caused serious

K yrgy zstan RUGenltditegirinsogtnaTnhderKey&r gAywzasytan302which are also revealing looks at Kyrgyz life
and culture, are Djamila (1967), The White
WHO ARE KYRGYZ? Steamship (1970), Early Cranes (1975) and
The term Kyrgyz derives from kyrk Piebald Dog Running Along the Shore
(40) for the 40 Kyrgyz tribes of the (1978); the latter was made into a prize-
Manad epic, each of which is repre- winning Russian film in 1990.
sented by a ‘flame’ on the sun-circle
of the national flag. Confusingly, Rus- MANAS
sians colonising the region originally The Manas epic is a cycle of oral legends, 20
used the term Kyrgyz more generally times longer than Homer’s Odyssey. It tells
for both Kyrgyz and Kazakhs, of the formation of the Kyrgyz people with
the former being initially specified as the original narrative revolving around the
‘Kara-Kyrgyz’ (Black Kyrgyz). exploits of batyr (heroic warrior) Manas as
he carves out a homeland for his people in
About two-thirds of the population lives the face of hostile hordes. Subsequent sto-
in rural areas. Regional clan identities are ries feature his son Semetei, grandson Seitek
relatively strong with a north–south cultural and widow Kanikey.
division that’s a potentially destabilising fac-
tor within society, along with the tensions The epic was only first written down in
between ethnic Kyrgyz and Uzbek groups. the mid-19th century (by Kazakh ethnogra-
Although generally invisible to visitors, such pher Chokan Valikhanov) and even today it
tensions have occasionally boiled over very remains very much part of oral tradition.
violently, notably in 1990 at Özgön, and in Akyns who can recite or improvise from the
June 2010 in Osh and Jalal-Abad. epics are considered in a class by themselves
and are known as manaschi. According to
Religion tradition, bona fide manaschi find their role
in life after a long illness or life-changing
The population is overwhelmingly Muslim. dream.
Northern Kyrgyz are more Russified and
less likely to follow strict Muslim doctrine Since independence, the Manas epic has
than their cousins in the south. Nonethe- become a cultural rallying point for the Kyr-
less, Islamic observance is growing rapidly, gyz. Manas statues grace virtually every city.
partially as a reaction against perceived Although there’s much dispute as to the age
corruption in the secular sphere. Dwindling of the epics, Kyrgyzstan celebrated what was
communities of Russian Orthodox Chris- purported to be the 1000th anniversary of
tians are still visible, particularly in Bishkek Manas’ birth in 1995. There’s also a tomb
and Karakol, both of which have active Or- near Talas touted as being the hero’s final
thodox cathedrals. resting place, a legend that certainly encour-
ages local pilgrims.
Arts
Other Arts
Literature
Kyrgyzstan’s Aktan Abdykalykov is one of
Central Asian literature has traditionally Central Asia’s most accomplished filmmak-
been popularised in the form of songs, po- ers. His 1998 bittersweet coming-of-age Be-
ems and stories by itinerant minstrels or shkempir (The Adopted Son) was released
bards, called akyn in Kyrgyz. Among the to critical acclaim, and Maimil (The Chimp)
better-known 20th-century Kyrgyz akyns received an honourable mention at Cannes
are Togolok Moldo (aka Bayymbet Abdyra- in 2001.
khmanov), Sayakbay Karalayev and Sagym-
bay Orozbakov. Tengri: Blue Heavens (2008) is a French-
made film that follows the romantic pair-
Kyrgyzstan’s best-known author is ing of a down-on-his-luck Kazakh fisher-
Chinghiz Aitmatov (1928–2008), whose man with a Kyrgyz widow, set and shot in
works have been translated into English, Kyrgyzstan.
German and French. Among his novels,
Kyrgyz traditional music is played on a
mixture of two-stringed komuz lutes, a ver-
tical violin known as a kyl kyayk, flutes,
drums, long horns and mouth harps (temir
komuz, or jygach ooz with a string).

Pop and rap music sung in both Rus- 303K yrgy zstan EUGentvdtieirnosgntmaTenhndetrKey&r gAywzasytan
sian and Kyrgyz are popular among young
urbanites. Look out for CDs by pop singers Food & Drink
Aya Sadykova and Sezdbek Iskenaliev, and
rapper Tata Ulan, all of whom mix tradi- As everywhere in Central Asia, finding local
tional lyrics about their homeland with 21st- meat-free meals is a tall order. In big cities
century beats. your best hope will likely be in Chinese or
Italian restaurants.
Environment
Tea is liquid hospitality and cups should
Wildlife & Reserves only be half-filled – adding more suggests
that one’s in a hurry to get away. Bread is
Kyrgyzstan offers an annual refuge for holy and should not be thrown away with
thousands of migrating birds, including standard rubbish nor placed upside down
rare cranes and geese. The country is be- on a table.
lieved to have a population of a few hun-
dred snow leopards with Sarychat-Ertash A great resource on Kyrgyz cuisine is
a closed reserve partially intended to pre- www.tastes.kg.
serve them. Issyk-Köl and Sary-Chelek
lakes are Unesco-affiliated biosphere Typical Kyrgyz dishes include:
reserves. ¨¨Laghman: Mildly spicy, fat noodles
generally served in soup, though bozo
Environmental Issues laghman is fried. There are numerous
other variants.
Fresh water, locked up in the form of gla- ¨¨Beshbarmak: Literally ‘five fingers’,
ciers, is one of Kyrgyzstan’s greatest natu- since it is traditionally eaten by hand. The
ral resources, but the glaciers have been usual recipe sees large flat noodles topped
shrinking alarmingly – albeit not perhaps with lamb and/or horsemeat cooked in
as catastrophically as a 2008 UN report vegetable broth.
feared. ¨¨Kesme: Thick noodle soup with small
bits of potato, vegetable and meat.
Despite a well-established seasonal rota- ¨¨Mampar: Tomato-based meat stew with
tion, there are problems with over-grazing gnocchi-like pasta pieces.
of meadows near villages. And contrast- ¨¨Shorpo: Mutton soup.
ingly there’s a simultaneous under-grazing ¨¨Jurkop: Braised meat and vegetable dish
of more distant jailoos made inaccessible with noodles.
by the increasing costs of transport or lack ¨¨Hoshan: Fried and steamed dumplings,
of infrastructure. similar to manty (stuffed dumplings); best
right off the fire from markets.
In Soviet days, the Kyrgyz SSR’s uranium ¨¨Ashlyanfu: Cold rice-noodles, jelly,
mining sector earned the sobriquet ‘Atomic vinegar and eggs.
Fortress of the Tian Shan’. A number of ¨¨Fyntyozi: Spicy, cold rice noodles.
former mine sites still threaten to leak ¨¨Gyanfan: Rice with a meat and
their radioactive contents into rivers and vegetable sauce.
groundwater. Meanwhile there remain ma- ¨¨Kymys: Fermented mare’s milk, mostly
jor controversies over the ownership and available in spring and early summer; the
operation of active mines, notably the mas- national drink.
sive Canadian-run Kumtor Gold Mine. Ac- ¨¨Bozo: Thick, fizzy drink made from
cording to the BBC, this operation report- boiled fermented millet or other grains.
edly produces around 12% of Kyrgyzstan’s Jarma and maksym are fermented barley
GDP, but its high mountain location at drinks, made with yeast and yoghurt.
the source of many river systems makes ‘Shoro’ is the best-known brand name with
its environmental credentials particularly vendors serving from chilled barrels at
sensitive. In 1998 a Kumtor truck carrying most street corners in Bishkek and Osh.
almost two tonnes of cyanide and sodium ¨¨Boorsok: Empty ravioli-sized fried
hydrochloride fell into the Barskoön River dough-parcels to dunk in drinks or cream.
leading to a widespread evacuation, though ¨¨Kurut: Small, very hard balls of tart,
the exact number of casualties remains a dried yoghurt; a favourite snack.
source of considerable dispute.

K yrgy zstan DS uIiRrEveCicTvtaOolrRyYGuAi–dZe304 When staying at cheaper local hotels, double
Horsemeat sausages known as kazy, karta check whether a price quoted is per room or
or chuchuk are a popular vodka chaser. per person. If the latter it may mean a random
Also try the steamed buns made with stranger plonking his backpack on the bed be-
jusai, a mountain grass of the onion family. side you, dormitory style.
In homes, but not restaurants, tea is tra-
ditionally made very strong in a pot then The main cities (Bishkek, Osh, Jalal-Abad and
diluted when served. Karakol) all now boast new midrange hotels.
Top-end accommodation is so far limited to
SURVIVAL GUIDE Bishkek and a few of the resorts scattered
88 Directory A–Z around Issyk-Köl.

ACCOMMODATION ACTIVITIES
Homestays are the bedrock of accommodation Horse Riding
in rural Kyrgyzstan, with bed and breakfast Kyrgyzstan is the best place in Central Asia
(B&B) rarely costing more than 700som. There’s to saddle up and join the seasonal nomads on
an approximate rating system of one, two, or the high pastures. CBT offices throughout the
three edelweiss, but even some of the best country can organise horse hire for around
options are likely to have an outside toilet. The 700som per day. Jumping on a horse without
lowliest will have a long drop and bucket-water pre-booking is easiest at the yurt camps of
bathing. Batai-Aral (beside Song-Köl) and in the Grigo-
rievka Valley of northern Issyk-Köl. Several
Yurtstays – easiest to arrange around Song- agencies advertise organised horse treks
Köl and Tash Rabat – work on a homestay basis, though most simply sub-contract. For a well-
with mats on the floor and shared longdrop organised tour with decent horses it’s worth
somewhere nearby. There are also private tour- approaching reputable providers directly, in-
ist yurt camps where you might get a bed and cluding Shepherds Way (p270) and AsiaRando
some privacy, and even a sit-down (but still (p246). There’s also Pamirtrek (% 077-343
outside) toilet. The latter cater mostly to groups 8032, 031-230 4640; [email protected]), an
on pre-arranged tours but are open to anyone if association of independent Pamir equestrian
there’s space. guides.

Bishkek and Osh are developing new back- Some self-sufficient travellers have occasion-
packer-style hostels that are a good notch above ally purchased their own horses/donkeys for
the thrown-together apartment-hostels of the around US$1000/300 at animal markets in Osh
last decade. Surviving Soviet-era hotels can or Özgön (where prices are relatively reason-
often prove horribly decrepit or only half-heart- able) and, after a month or two riding or cajol-
edly reconstructed. Such places are sometimes ing them across the mountains, sell them again
useful as rock bottom crash-pad options but a in Bishkek, conceivably for a modest profit.
few, notably in Bishkek, think themselves ‘real’ In reality such an idea requires considerable
hotels and ask discriminatory foreigner prices, experience and relies on finding a well-trained
thereby negating any possible logic for suffering animal, not the cheapest one around.
the burping old plumbing.
A good source of equestrian insight, notably
about the sturdy Kyrgyz breed, is Kyrgyz Ate
(www.atchabysh.org).

HOME SWEET YURT

Nothing gets the nomadic blood racing through your veins like lying awake in a yurt at
night under a heavy pile of blankets wondering if wolves will come and eat your horse.

Yurts (bosuy in Kyrgyz, kiiz-uy in Kazakh) are the archetypal shepherd shelters –
circular homes made of multilayered felt (kiyiz or kiiz) stretched around a collapsable
wooden frame (kerege). The outer felt layer is coated in waterproof sheep fat, the inner-
most lined with woven grass matting to block the wind. Long woollen strips secure the
walls and poles.

The interior is richly decorated with textiles, wall coverings, quilts, cushions, camel
and horse bags, and ornately worked chests. Floors are lined with thick felt (koshma)
and covered with bright carpets (shyrdaks or ala-kiyiz), and sometimes yak skin.

Look up: the central wheel-like tunduk that supports the roof is none other than the
design depicted in the middle of Kyrgyzstan’s national flag.

Learn more with Celestial Mountains’ online Yurt Site (www.yurts.kg).

305

Mountaineering & Climbing CUSTOMS REGULATIONS
For those seeking real expeditions, Kyrgyzstan Exporting antiques is heavily restricted. If
offers the allure of three 7000m+ peaks, notably you’ve bought anything that looks remotely old
the majestic Khan Tengri and relatively ‘easy’ and didn’t get a certificate saying it’s not, you
Peak Lenin (partly in Tajikistan but accessed can get one from the 1st floor of the Foreign
from Kyrgyzstan). The latter is also probably Department of the Ministry of Education,
the world’s most accessible and inexpensive Science & Culture (Map p234; % 62 68 17; Rm
peak to climb but don’t let those relative terms 210, cnr Tynystanov & Frunze, Bishkek)
fool you into complacency. It can still be a killer.
There are many unclimbed peaks, notably in the DANGERS & ANNOYANCES K yrgy zstan DS uIiRrEveCicTvtaOolrRyYGuAi–dZe
Kokshal range bordering China, and a remark- Whatever news reports might imply during the
able series of cliffs and ridges in southwestern country’s very occasional riots and revolutions,
Kyrgyzstan. The granite walls of the Karavshin Kyrgyzstan is a pretty safe place to travel. For
area are world class, but their popularity has those planning adventure activities in wild,
yet to fully recover from an infamous episode in open mountainous spaces, precautions should
2000 when four rash American climbers were be obvious: be aware of rapidly changeable
kidnapped by IMU militants on the 750m-tall Yel- weather patterns, extreme mountain terrain
low Wall. The tale, thought by some to be highly and the easily under-estimated effects of
over-dramatised, was the subject of Greg Child’s altitude sickness before setting off. Always let
2002 book Over the Edge. someone know where you are going and when
you expect to be back.
For climbers and mountaineers wanting less ¨¨Driving If possible before engaging a ride,
full-on challenges, there are lots of options in double check the road readiness of the vehi-
the valleys south of Bishkek. The Kyrgyz Alpine cle and the sobriety of your driver. Reputable
Club’s useful website (www.kac.centralasia.kg) tour operators might charge slightly more but
is blocked by some servers as a security threat. have an image to maintain.
¨¨Theft Kyrgyz cities are generally safe
Rafting but theft can happen, especially at night in
Silk Road Water Centre (p233) organises rafting Bishkek and Karakol. Keep valuables locked in
on the Kökömeren (Grade IV), Chuy (Grade III), your hotel and consider taking taxis if ventur-
Naryn (Grade IV) and Chong-Kemin (Grades II ing out late.
to III) rivers. The season runs from 25 June until ¨¨Police Trouble Although generally limited
mid-September. Wetsuits are essential in the to a few annoying hotspots (Osh Bazaar in
glacial melt water. Bishkek is one), travellers continue to report
shake-downs from corrupt cops wanting an
Skiing excuse to fine you or simply rifle through your
Despite the fact that 94% of the country aver- cash and reappropriate some of it. The best
ages over 2700m, skiing in Kyrgyzstan is still approach is generally not to hand over your
in its infancy. Currently the only ‘ski fields’ are passport to plain-clothes officers until you
around Bishkek and Karakol. The season runs have reached an official station, though in
from mid-November until mid-March. With the reality this isn’t always as easy as it sounds,
advent of heli-skiing, Russian-built MI-8 helicop- especially as legally you are supposed to
ters are ferrying adrenalin-junkies to altitudes of carry your passport at all times.
over 4500m for descents of up to 5km. ¨¨Flowers In country areas (including Sokuluk
Canyon) don’t pick flowers, especially not the
Trekking pale-blue bell-shaped ones known as Issykul-
Covered in mountains and lakes, Kyrgyzstan of- skiy Koren. Though attractive, this is in fact
fers unrivalled opportunities to take to the hills. aconitum soongaricum, a highly toxic variant
The areas around Bishkek, Karakol, Kochkor, of wolfsbane which can cause fatal heart at-
Naryn, Arslanbob and Sary-Chelek are the major tacks if the sap is ingested.
trekking regions, although any CBT office will ¨¨Ticks Recent research suggests that life-
suggest countless alternatives. threatening strains of tick-borne encephalitis,
Border area permits are required to access already present in Kazakhstan, have recently
some of the most important mountaineering become a potential danger in Kyrgyzstan. The
areas, notably the Central Tian Shan (Khan first recorded human fatality was bitten at
Tengri), Ak-Suu/Karavshin and Peak Lenin Ala-Archa in 2009. Tick-repellant and suitable
regions. Agencies can organise these as part protective clothing are thus recommended if
of a package but many are increasingly reticent walking and camping, especially during June/
to do so for non-guests. The cost is typically July in long grass at around 2000m.
around US$30 and agents advise leaving a
month for the processing, but some agents can
speed things up and have the documents within
a couple of days.

K yrgy zstan DS uIiRrEveCicTvtaOolrRyYGuAi–dZe306 Embassies & Consulates in Kyrgyzstan
For letters of support, try travel agencies such
EMBASSIES & CONSULATES as Kyrgyz Concept (p246) and CAT (p246). The
For a full list of embassies see the website of the nearest Turkmen embassy is in Almaty (p126).
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (www.dcsmfa.kg). Afghan Embassy (Map p240; %0312-54 38
02; J Pudovkin (Pravda south) 24, Bishkek;
Kyrgyz Embassies in Central Asia h9.30am-4pm Mon-Thu, 9.30am-noon Fri)
There are Kyrgyz diplomatic missions in Almaty Visa availability depends on your discussion
and Astana, Kazakhstan (p126); Ashgabat, Turk- with the consul and, presumably, your ability
menistan (p401); Dushanbe, Tajikistan (p126); to show you understand the security situation
and Tashkent, Uzbekistan (p222). where you plan to head. Some travellers report
success, with visas issued within a day or two
Kyrgyz Embassies & Consulates (transit/tourist US$30/60).
For most Western nationals, tourist visas are Chinese Embassy (%0312-59 74 85; http:
no longer required; embassy listings have been kg.chineseembassy.org/rus/lsqw; Mira 299/7,
reduced to a few regional countries where Bishkek; h9.15am-11.30am Mon, Wed & Fri;
those who do need visas might apply en route. g8, 265, 295, 307) The embassy is way down
Kyrgyz Missions in China (%010-6468-1297; Mira (Tynchtyk). Get off bus 8 or marshrutka
www.kyrgyzstanembassy.net; Xiaun Road, 295, 265, or 307 at Rakhat Cafe, follow the
King’s Villas No 18, H 10/11; happlications pylons west for one block, then walk diagonally
9am-11am Mon, Wed & Fri) One month visa across a playing field. The consular entrance is
costs 1360/745/465 Chinese Yuan processed at the far (western) side, but as of late 2013 no
in one/three/seven days. Chinese citizens will longer accepts visa applications from non-
need to get visa approval from Bishkek which resident foreigners.
adds around US$15 and up to ten days. The French Embassy (Map p234; %0312-30 07 11;
Ürümqi Consulate (38 Hetan Beilu; hnoon- [email protected]; Bokon-
2pm Mon-Fri) is at the Central Asia Hotel. bayevo 113, Bishkek)
Kyrgyz Missions in Iran Mashhad (%051- German Embassy (Map p234; %0312-90
818444); Tehran (%021-229 8323, %021-283 50 00; www.bischkek.diplo.de; Razzakov 28,
0354; [email protected]; Bldg 12, 5th Bishkek)
Naranjastan Alley, Pasdaran St). Indian Embassy (%0312-21 78 06; embassy
Kyrgyz Missions in Russia (%095-237 4571, ofindia.kg; 15a Aeroportinskaya St, Bishkek;
095-237 4882, 095-237 4601; fax 237 4452; h10am-12.30pm Mon-Fri) Two blocks west of
Bolshaya Ordynka ulitsa 64, Moscow) Also in Mira behind the Ak-Keme Hotel.
Ekaterinburg. Iranian Embassy (Map p234; %0312-62 12
Kyrgyz Missions in Turkey Ankara (%312- 81 after dialling press 2 then 0; Razzakov 36,
446 84 08; [email protected]; Boyabat Bishkek; h9.30am-noon Mon-Fri) You’ll need
Sokak 11, Gaziosmanpasa); İstanbul (%212- an invitation letter (best arranged in advance
235 6767; [email protected]; 7 Lamartin Caddesi,
Taksim).

HORSING AROUND

Horse sports are very popular in Kyrgyzstan and have seen a revival in recent years. The
most unforgettable of these is an all-out mounted brawl over a headless goat whose
body must be thrown into a circular ‘goal’. Known as kok boru, ulak-tartysh or buzkashi,
the Kyrgyz term meaning ‘grey wolf’ reveals its origins as a hunting exercise. The form
played in Kyrgyzstan is essentially a team sport in contrast to the free-for-all version
of Tajikistan, but either way it’s a remarkably full-on event at which riders and horses
can take an incredible battering. A national competition comes to a climax in Bishkek
during Nooruz on 21 March. Games are also often incorporated into Independence Day
celebrations and other festivals.

Other classic games include at chabysh, a horse race over a distance of 20km to
30km; jumby atmai, horseback archery; tiyin enmei, where contestants pick up coins
off the ground while galloping past; and udarysh, horseback wrestling. Then there’s
kyz-kumay (kiss the girl) in which a male rider furiously chases a woman on horseback
in an attempt to kiss her. Then in the return leg, the woman gets to chase and whip her
pretend ‘suitor’. Ah, young love. This allegedly began as a formalised alternative to bride
abduction.

Community tourism outfits can often arrange demonstrations upon request if you
give several days’ notice.

307

but possible for $10 in around two or three During Nooruz (21 March) celebrations there K yrgy zstan DS uIiRrEveCicTvtaOolrRyYGuAi–dZe
weeks through Persia Agency; p309). Once you are numerous sporting events, traditional
have the letter, the visa application takes two games and music festivals.
days and costs €50 for most nationals, €180
for Brits. The Birds of Prey Festival, held early August
Japanese Embassy (Map p234; %0312-32 in Bokonbayevo, offers an excellent opportunity
53 87; www.kg.emb-japan.go.jp; Razzakov 16, to see eagle hunters and falconers compete.
Bishkek)
Kazakhstan Embassy (%0312-69 20 95; www. INTERNET ACCESS
kaz-emb.kg; Mira (Tynchtyk) 95A, Bishkek; Internet clubs are fairly common but do double
h9am-noon Mon-Tue & Thu-Fri; g8, 265, 266, check whether you’re being charged a flat rate
295) Bus (not trolleybus) 8 gets you handily per hour or if there’s a ‘traffic’ fee on top (ie
close from Jibek Jolu via Shopokova (south of a per megabyte charge) which can mount up
Sakura Guesthouse), Soviet (after Chuy), along alarmingly fast due to underlying programme
Gorky from Vefa then down Mira. updates even if you don’t think you’re down-
Russian Embassy (Map p234; %consular loading or streaming anything.
section 0312-61 26 14; www.kyrgyz.mid.ru;
Manas 55, Consular entrance on Kiev, Bishkek; Wi-fi is increasingly widespread, and often
h1-3pm Tue & Thu) The consular department free in hotels and smarter city cafes, but
is around the back, reached from Kiev St. speeds can be variable. Mobile 3G internet
Russian Consulate Osh (%0312-263 04; is also variable but increasingly widespread;
http: rusconsosh.kg; Bobulova (Lumumba) 77, if you have a laptop it’s well worth investing
Bishkek) in a dongle to allow you mobile wi-fi almost
Tajikistani Embassy (Map p240; %0312-51 anywhere there’s a phone signal. Dongles
16 37; www.tajikemb.kg; Kara-Dar’inskaya (around 1000som plus SIM-card) tend to be
36, Bishkek; single-/double-entry tourist visa company-specific. We found Beeline’s to work
US$75/85 plus 100som; h9am-1pm & 2-5pm consistently well, and for 33som per day you
Mon-Fri) As long as the consul’s in town, one- can get unlimited internet usage (no refund for
month tourist visas are available in 24 hours, unused days).
often the same day or even while you wait dur-
ing quieter periods. The GBAO permit is free if MAPS
you ask for it. The embassy is two blocks north GeoID (p244) in Bishkek is usually the cheapest
of Akhunbayev or 500m east of Yunusaliev St source of maps by Goskartografiya, the state
(Karl Marx) via Suvanberdiev, which ends out- cartography unit. Their excellent (if mostly
side. Numerous Asanbai-bound marshrutkas Cyrillic script) topographic maps include:
can drop you at the Yusunaliev/Suvanberdiev Ala-Archa (1:50,000) In English.
junction (Yusunaliev 85) including routes 212 Kyrgyz Range/Kungey Ala-Too 1:100,000
from Kiev via Vefa Mall, 196 from Moskov, 175 topographical map covering the mountains
on a long loop including Goin and the east bus south of Bishkek on one side, and the trekking
station, and 122 from Tsum via Pravda). Trol- area south of Tamga (Issyk-Köl) on the other.
leybus 17 (12) works too. Northern Issyk-Kul 1:100,000 topographical
Turkish Embassy (Map p234; %0312-90 59 map covering trekking routes between Grigo-
00; www.bishkek.emb.mfa.gov.tr/; Moskva 89, rievka and the Chong-Kemin Valley.
Bishkek) Sokh (1:200,000) Alay Mountains.
UK Embassy (Map p234; %0312-30 36 37; South-East Issyk-Kul Lake Coast 1:100,000
www.gov.uk/world/kyrgyzstan; Erkindik 21, 4th map showing trekking routes south of Karakol,
fl, room 404, Bishkek) including the Jeti-Öghüz, Altyn-Arashan and
US Embassy (%0312-55 12 41; http:bishkek. Ala-Köl areas. Backed by a 1:1,300,000 country
usembassy.gov; Mira (Tynchtyk) 171, Bishkek) map showing archaeological sites and historic
Uzbekistan Embassy (Map p234; %0312-66 ‘Silk Routes’.
20 65; Tynystanov 104/38, Bishkek; h10am- Tsentralniy Tyan-Shan (1:150,000) Schematic
1pm Tue-Fri, phone for appointment 2pm-4pm map of Inylchek Glacier and around.
Mon-Fri) Far from friendly.
Orux (www.oruxmaps.com) is a very powerful
FESTIVALS & EVENTS map source and viewer for Android smart-
Kyrgyzstan offers a number of festivals in sum- phones.
mer, though many of them seem to be put on for
tourists. The best and most authentic events Soviet era 1:200,000 topographical maps
are the horse games at the end of July and covering the whole of Kyrgyzstan can be down-
August (notably Independence Day, 31 August) loaded from mapstor.com for US$35.
at Bishkek, Cholpon-Ata, Karakol and the jailoos
around Song-Köl and Kochkor. MEDIA
The Times of Central Asia (www.timesca-europe.
com), Bishkek’s English-language newspaper, is
free from some top hotels.

K yrgy zstan DS uIiRrEveCicTvtaOolrRyYGuAi–dZe308 rdaks make great presents and are available in
most towns through community tourist offices
MONEY and souvenir shops; OVOP (p262) and Tumar
Banks and licensed moneychanger booths (p244) have particularly fine collections. US res-
(marked obmen balyot) exchange US dollars pro- idents can order imaginative, if pricey, versions
vided the notes are post 2003 and unblemished, back home through Aizada (www.kyrgyzfelt.
in near-mint condition. Trying to get change for com). Other typical mementos include pottery
a 5000som note will likely be met with a look of figurines, miniature yurts, embroidered bags,
horror. horse whips, kymys shakers, leather boxes, felt
slippers, Kyrgyz musical instruments and chess
There is no black market for currency transac- sets featuring Manas and his entourage.
tions and changing money back again is not
problematic. We quote prices in the currency TELEPHONE
that the businesses themselves use. That’s Mobile numbers are 10 digits, landlines have
normally som, but can be US dollars or euros for five or six digits. SIM cards are very inexpensive
some hotels and tour companies. and are often given away to arriving passengers
at Manas Airport. No registration is required.
If you need to wire money, MoneyGram has Calls are only a few som per minute and a mobile
services at main post offices and Western Union phone can prove highly useful when hoteliers
works through many banks. aren’t home when you arrive.

Travellers cheques are hard to cash but ATMs Central telecom offices usually offer booths
are increasingly common in all major towns. with Skype-computers for cheaper international
Most dispense both US dollars and som and calls.
work with Visa, but the whole country has under
20 ATMs that accept MasterCard or Maestro, TRAVEL PERMITS
mostly Kazkommertzbank. These are most Many frontier areas and virtually any place with-
usefully in Bishkek (10 locations), Osh (3) and in 50km of the Chinese border require military
Cholpan-Ata (1). border permits. Peak Lenin base camp and the
whole Khan Tengri area fall into such zones. For
POST around US$30, CBT (p246) or trekking agencies
Airmail postcards cost 30som (plus 14% tax!) can usually get one for you. Applications can
to any country. Courier agents DHL (p245) and take anywhere from two days to a month de-
FedEx (www.fedex.com) are represented. pending on the agent. If you’re travelling to/from
an open border crossing with a valid onward
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS visa, you are generally exempt from the permit
Muslim festivals change dates annually requirement, but special (easy if pricey) permis-
(see p469 for more information). The most sion is required for the Torugart Pass crossing.
important, Orozo Ait (Eid-al-Fitr, the end of
Ramadan) and Kurban Ait (Eid-al-Azha, Feast VISAS FOR ONWARD TRAVEL
of Sacrifice), are national holidays. Other dates Some visa applications require a Letter of Invita-
are fixed, but might actually be celebrated on tion (LOI), usually an expensive formality organ-
the nearest Monday or Friday: ised through a travel agency or online fixer.
1 January New Year’s Day
7 January Russian Orthodox Christmas Afghanistan
23 February Army Day Visa costs vary by nationality, starting from
8 March International Women’s Day US$30/60 transit/tourist. Issuance takes only a
21–23 March Nooruz (Novruz) day or two but seems to depend on your discus-
1 May International Labour Day sion with the consul (p306) and, presumably,
5 May Constitution Day your ability to demonstrate you understand the
9 May WWII Victory Day security situation where you’re planning to head.
31 August Independence Day
7 November Anniversary of the October China
Revolution Until late 2013 it was possible to get a Chinese
visa within around two weeks through agencies
REGISTRATION including Bishkek’s Kyrgyz Concept (p246) or
If you’re one of the unlucky nationalities to need Osh’s Eastern Visa (% 077-090 8900; df-@live.
a visa you might also need to register within cn; Pekin Complex; h 9am-7pm). However, for
three days of arriving in Kyrgyzstan. Ask your now China has ceased issuing visas to any non
hotel or at OVIR (p245). resident foreigners.

SHOPPING India
The classic souvenir is a traditional kalpak hat, Tourist visas cost 2025som from the Indian
available in a range of qualities from as little as embassy in Bishkek (p306). Non-Kyrgyz
80som from bazaars, much more from souvenir
shops. Classic feltwork including colourful shy-

nationals must pay an extra 480som to cover 309K yrgy zstan SGeuEtrTtvTiI NnvagGlTGHhueEirRdeEe& AwWaAyY
the cost of faxes sent to the Indian embassy in in getting a tourist visa issued within three days.
your home country (allow around one week). But don’t make any assumptions.
Tajikistan
Iran Providing that the consul (p307) is in town,
Once you have a visa clearance code from Tehran 30-day visas (or 45-day visas on request) are
the visa application takes two days and costs painlessly available for US$75/85 single/
€50 for most nationals, €180 for Brits. Ameri- double entry, plus a 100som processing fee. A
cans can only visit by tour. The sensible way to be full GBAO permit is stamped in on request at
sure of getting visa clearance is applying online no extra cost. One photograph, no need for LOI.
through a reputable travel agency like www. The process usually takes one day, but can last
key2persia.com or www.persianvoyages.com, only 15 minutes if there’s no queue. But if the
ideally allowing several weeks for the procedure, consul’s away there’s no visa issuance at all.
which you can start from anywhere – you simply Uzbekistan
need to know which embassy you plan to collect Call between 2pm and 4pm Monday to Friday
it from. In principle such clearance can be ar- to be put on the visitors’ list (usually possible
ranged much more cheaply (US$10) in Bishkek for the next working day, but not Mondays).
through Persia Agency (Map p234; Soviet 166b), Fill in the online application form at evisa.mfa.
but we have not tested the theory ourselves. uz, then turn up at the appointed hour (usually
Some nationalities report getting a five-day 10am with everyone else) bringing a 3x4cm
transit visa without supporting documents in photo and a copy of your passport including
around one week. every page with any kind of stamp. Most na-
tionalities pay US$75/105 to receive the visa
Kazakhstan in four/seven working days but Americans pay
One-month tourist visas cost US$30/60/90 more and things can take considerably longer
for single/double/triple entries from the Kaza- if the embassy is busy. Fortunately they usu-
khstan embassy (p307) and are usually ready ally allow you to keep your passport during
three days later. Single/double transit visas cost processing so you can apply then head off to
US$20/40 and are generally available the next the hills. Alternatively, visas can be issued the
working day. same day if you have a pre-arranged agency
LOI, but that requires advanced planning and
Fees for your visa need to be paid several more money.
kilometres away at Kazkommertsbank (p245).
Most travellers arrive at the embassy as it opens 88 Getting There & Away
then dash to the bank to return with the receipt
before 11.30am (return taxi fare 250som), but AIR
if you know the right fee, it can prove easier to Bishkek’s Manas airport (% 69 31 09, 69 37
pre-pay and bring the receipt to start with. 98; www.airport.kg) is the main hub with
relatively inexpensive international connec-
Russia tions on Turkish and Pegasus (via İstanbul),
Applications at the Russian embassy (p307) are Flydubai (via Dubai), Ukrainian International
only accepted from 1pm to 3pm Tuesday and (via Kiev) and Aeroflot (via Moscow). Osh
Thursday. With an original LOI and health insur-
ance certificate some travellers have succeeded

VISAS FOR KYRGYZSTAN

Around 60 nationalities can stay for 60 days or longer without a visa, including citizens
of most major Western and former Soviet countries, plus Koreans and Japanese. Israe-
lis, Serbians, Romanians and Bulgarians are not included, but are amongst a list of 21
nationalities (including citizens of several Southeast Asian and South American coun-
tries) who can get visas without a LOI, often on the spot for US$110/125 single/double
entry. Nationalities not on either list – including Chinese citizens – generally require a
visa-support LOI approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (p245) in Bishkek.

If you need a visa and there is no Kyrgyz embassy in your country, going through
a Kazakh embassy instead is sometimes possible. Some Bishkek travel agencies
including Dostuck Trekking (p246) claim they can organise visas on arrival given
suitable preparation.

Visa Extensions
Visa extensions can prove fiddly. It’s often easier and far cheaper to simply leave the
country and return.

K yrgy zstan SGeuEtrTtvTiI NnvagGlTGHhueEirRdeEe& AwWaAyY310first two passport checks, but say goodbye at
(p295) is also increasingly well linked via the upper Chinese customs station. Here your
İstanbul, Dubai and various Russian cities. Both passport is checked but not stamped while your
cities have flights to China via Ürümqi. bags, camera, computer, iPad, books etc are
For airline listings see p247. very extensively searched for anything suspi-
cious (films watched, photos checked, files
LAND opened).
To/From China
There are two land routes to Kashgar in Xinjiang, Once a decent number of travellers have been
China, where the official time zone (‘Beijing thus checked, their passports are collected and
Time’) is GMT+8, though unofficial ‘Xinjiang given to an approved taxi driver who will drive
Time’ is GMT+6, ie the same as Kyrgyzstan in you the whopping 140km to the main Chinese
summer. border station (Heiziwei; h10.30am-2pm &
4-8pm Beijing Time, which is two hours ahead
Both routes are fiddly and essentially take of Kyrgyz time). This costs 100/160 Chinese
a very long day so start early and bring food Yuan per person in a four-seat taxi/10-seat van,
and drink. Both are scenically inspiring (the but if you’re alone you might have to pay for the
Torugart route more consistently so) and cross whole vehicle. This cost should reduce once the
high mountain passes. Beware of intense cold excellent new highway is opened. For now the
and potential road closures when snow-bound old road runs tantalisingly alongside the new
in winter. highway for a gruelling five hours’ of seemingly
endless bumps.
Both borders close at weekends and public
holidays. Be careful if travelling on Fridays in You get stamped into China at a big, airport-
case there’s a delay or road closure (landslide, style complex. There’s no bank but there is usu-
unexpected holiday) meaning you’re stuck until ally a moneychanger lurking just after customs
Monday. offering a not unreasonable US$1=Y6. A taxi
to Wuqia minibus/shared taxi station costs 5
On the Chinese side, both routes involve cross- Chinese Yuan. Or walk 3km – down a long grand
ing well over 100km between inner and outer avenue then right on Yingbin Lu. Minibuses to
frontier posts through a restricted border zone Kashgar (23 to 30 Yuan) currently take 1¾ hours
within which bicycles must be put on a vehicle. but this too will reduce once the new highway is
officially opened.
Irkeshtam Route
The main route is via Irkeshtam and Sary Tash. You’ll be dropped at the Hua Hue Hotel from
A twice weekly Kashgar–Osh sleeper bus cost- which the Id Kah Mosque and Pamir Hostel
ing 580Yuan (around US$90) leaves Kashgar’s (backpackers’ hangout) is 1.5km straight ahead
International Bus Station at 9am Beijing Time on (bus 8). In the opposite direction, minibuses to
Mondays and Thursdays arriving between 2am Wuqia leave from an indoor stand tucked into
and 6am the next morning in Osh (don’t worry, the south (river-facing) side of the same block as
you can stay sleeping on the bus til dawn if it’s the International Bus Station, beneath a big sign
early). The bus returns from outside the Pekin misleadingly suggesting a bowling alley.
Hotel in central Osh on Sunday and Tuesday
nights around midnight. Buy tickets one day Torugart Route
ahead. The Torugart Pass to Naryn is used by Bishkek–
Kashgar and Bishkek–Artush sleeper buses, but
Doing the trip in sections works out much foreigners are not allowed to take those services
cheaper – typically under US$35, albeit highly and can only use this border by using agency
variable depending on how many other travellers transfers on both sides. Your name needs to be
cross that day and share the taxi or van cost on a stamped passenger manifest (Chinese side)
between Chinese border posts. Crossing inde- and a passport copy must be sent to the Kyrgyz
pendently you get the added bonus of a night in agent. Such bureaucracy makes this route dis-
Sary Tash, with its beautiful clear-weather views proportionately expensive – the cheapest offers
of Alay Valley mountainscapes, plus the views we found for groups of three/seven people were
between there and Osh which the through-bus around US$110/85 per head. Alone you’d be
typically passes at night. asked nearly US$500. There are several ways
to find other travellers or pre-arranged groups
From Sary Tash hitch or share a taxi (per per- to join:
son/car 300/1200som) for 73km to the main ¨¨in Bishkek, consult the notice board at
Kyrgyz border post. Either leave around 7am NoviNomad (p245)
to reach the border just after 8am or start the ¨¨in Naryn, ask CBT (p281) or Kubat Tour
afternoon before and sleep at one of the basic (p281)
cafe-wagons (bed 100som to 200som) right ¨¨in Kashgar, seek out fellow travellers at the
beside the border compound. Either way walk Pamir Hostel (www.pamirhostel.com; Nuo’er
past the queue of trucks and get your passport Beixilu, facing Id Kah Mosque, Kashgar) or Old
stamped, then after that’s checked, arrange a
ride with the next passing truck for the follow-
ing 7km. Leave your bags in the truck for the

311

Town Hostel (%+86-9982-82 32 62; www. border is currently closed again for all foreign- K yrgy zstan GSeuEtrTtvTiI NnvagGlAGrRuOoiuUdnNedD
kashgaroldcity.hostel.com/; Wusitangboyi Lu ers. Rumours suggest that it might reopen in
233, Kashgar) and/or ask agencies Uighur 2015 but don’t hold your breath.
Tours (%+86-1339-9773 311; www.uighurtour. Batken–Isfara In the Fergana Valley, crossing
com; Qinibagh Hotel, old lobby, Kashgar) or Old the border between Batken and Isfara (not
Road Tours (%+86-1389-9132 103; http: Isfana) in Tajikistan is quick and painless. Taxis
oldroadtours.com; Seman Hotel) whether they and the odd marshrutka make through trips
have groups you can join. so there’s no need to change vehicles at the
Cyclists need to have agency-arranged vehicles border. This route is your only Kyrgyzstan–
organised on the Chinese side and an official let- Tajikistan option if you failed to get a GBAO
ter allowing them to ride under their own steam permit for the Murgab route. Reaching Batken
on the Kyrgyz side: subject to some strict rules has a minor bureaucratic twist (see p298).
about not deviating from the main road before
the inner frontier post. To/From Uzbekistan
There are no direct passenger trains between
The whole Kashgar–Naryn route (typically nine Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.
to 12 hours) is scenically delightful, if weather Dostyk (Dustlyk) The main Fergana border
conditions oblige, though the mesmerising to Andijon is on the outskirts of Osh reached
views of high-altitude lake Chatyr-Köl tend to be by very regular marshrutkas (8som). Although
slightly marred by power lines. there are often long lines, Western travellers
are often pushed to the front of the queue.
To/From Kazakhstan Walk across the border and jump in a frequent
Bishkek–Almaty Minibuses/private cars shut- shared taxi to Andijon (8000S, 40 minutes).
tle directly between the capitals (400/450som, Beware that at times of political tension, this
4½ hours) as full. Alternatively, take a border has been known to close for consider-
Tamozhna marshrutka to the border (p248). able periods.
Karkara Closed to foreigners for several years,
the back-door route into Kazakhstan via the 88 Getting Around
Karkara Valley has reopened (summers only)
since 2013 but there’s no cross-border public Only a handful of routes employ full-size buses,
transport. Coming from the Kazakhstan side, but minibuses, some timetabled, others depart-
take a Kegen-bound marshrutka, then a taxi ing when full, wait for passengers at most bus
for the last 28km to the border. Pre-arranged stations as do shared taxis. If you pay for all four
with CBT Karakol, a pickup from the border seats the latter will also act as private one-way
costs US$60 per car to Issyk-Köl. Hitchhiking is taxis. Agency or CBT-arranged drivers generally
possible if you have tents and are prepared to cost around double since they must cover the
wait a day or two. probability of returning empty, but such options
are still worth considering for complex routes
To/From Tajikistan with multiple or overnight stops, and you’ll often
Pamir Highway Bordöbo checkpoint between get a better vehicle (not necessarily English-
Murgab and Sary Tash is open for foreign- speaking drivers, though). Typical rates are
ers whose Tajik visa includes a GBAO permit between 14som and 18som per kilometre plus an
validated ‘Murgab district’. overnight fee between 700som to 1000som to
cover the driver’s expenses. Self-drive car rental
A vehicle from Osh to Murgab costs anywhere is a new concept but there are two local agencies
between US$200 to US$300 and this can be in Bishkek (p249). Swiss-run MuzToo (p295) in
split between five people (but it can be difficult Osh rents Yamaha-600 trail motorbikes but they
to find other travellers willing to share the cost). don’t come cheap.
It takes around eight hours to reach the border
from Osh (consider breaking the journey in Sary
Tash). The border opens at dawn. This is cold
and rugged territory so pack warm clothing.
Remind the Kyrgyz border guards to stamp your
passport – they sometimes forget.
Karamyk Although the Alay Valley route to
Garm opened briefly in late 2012, the Karamyk

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

Tajikistan Таджикистан

Dushanbe ...................316 Why Go?
Fan & Zerafshan
Mountains.................. 326 Where ‘Great Game’ spies and explorers once ventured,
Istaravshan ................334 Tajikistan’s awesomely dramatic highland landscapes are
Khojand ..................... 335 now testing playgrounds for hardy climbers, trekkers and
Isfara .......................... 337 adventure travellers. Nascent rural homestay programs
Bartang Valley ........... 342 mean you might stay in timelessly photogenic rural villages
Khorog .......................343 hosted by gold-toothed, white-bearded patriarchs in irides-
Shokh Dara Valley ..... 347 cent joma robes. The people, predominantly Persian- rather
Wakhan Valley ...........348 than Turkic-speaking, are enormously hospitable but little
Pamir Highway ...........351 English is spoken and rural transport is so irregular that
you will probably want to fork out for a rented 4WD.
Best Places to
Meet Travellers But the marvels of the Wakhan Valley, the starkly beau-
tiful ‘Roof of the World’ Pamirs and the breathtaking
¨¨Pamir Lodge (p344) lakes and pinnacles of the Fan Mountains all contribute
¨¨PECTA (p346) to making Tajikistan arguably Central Asia’s most exciting
¨¨ZTB (p333) destination.
¨¨Hamsafar (p323)
¨¨TIC (p354) When to Go Rainfall inches/mm
¨¨Cafe Segafredo (p322) 5/125
Dushanbe
Best Rural
Homestays °C/°F Temp

¨¨Kholov (Habib) Homestay 40/104
(p330)
¨¨Jafr Agro-Eco Centre (p325) 30/86 4/100
¨¨Dasha’s Homestay (p342)
¨¨Mubarak Homestay 20/68 3/75
(p342)
¨¨Roma’s Homestay (p341) 10/50 2/50
1/25

0/32 0

JF MAM J J A S OND

Mid-Jun–Sep Apr–May Mild Nov–Feb Temp-
The cities sizzle, in the lowlands; eratures in the
but this is the heavy showers Pamirs drop to
only viable time cause landslides between -20°C
for high Pamir blocking moun- and -45°C.
treks. tain roads.

313

Visas & Permits TOP TIP

There is much talk about allowing visa-free entry to Don’t skimp on 4WD
Tajikistan, but as yet the draft law has not been ratified. rental. Although pricey,
Nonetheless, for most Western nationals, getting the visa having a car and driver
is relatively fast and painless (p367). If you plan to head can utterly transform
to eastern Tajikistan, be sure to request a GBAO permit your experience of
(p366) at the same time, without which your visa isn’t valid the Pamirs, where
in the Badakhshan area of the Pamirs – Tajikistan’s single transport is otherwise
biggest drawcard. Applying for a permit and visa usually incredibly limited.
takes only one day in Bishkek.

COSTS Fast Facts Tajikistan 

Relative Cost ¨¨Area 143,100 sq km
More expensive than Kyrgyzstan, cheaper than
Uzbekistan (unless you’re renting a 4WD). ¨¨Capital Dushanbe

Daily Expenses ¨¨Country code %992
¨¨Rural homestay half-board US$10–18
¨¨Midrange hotel US$50–120 ¨¨Languages Tajik,
¨¨Street snack 5–10TJS’ good restaurant meal 65TJS Russian, Uzbek, half a dozen
¨¨1L of petrol 5.50TJS Pamiri languages, Kyrgyz

Prive Ranges ¨¨Population 7.9 million
¨¨Sleeping (for two people): $ <250TJS, $$ 250–
600TJS, $$$ >600TJS ¨¨Famous for Pamir
¨¨Eating (main course): $ <20TJS, $$ 20–50TJS, Highway, mountain
$$$ >50TJS hospitality, drug trafficking

Itineraries ¨¨Time zones Murgab
district is on Kyrgyz Time,
¨¨One week Enter Tajikistan via the western route from the rest of Tajikistan is one
Osh, Kyrgyzstan, making your way to Dushanbe via hour behind.
Khojand, Istaravshan, Iskander-Kul and Murgab, perhaps
making a side trip to Penjikent and a short trek in the Fan Exchange Rates
Mountains.
¨¨Two weeks Ten days is really the minimum amount of COUNTRY UNIT TJS
time required to travel from Dushanbe to Osh the hard way – Australia A$1 4.42TJS
via the Pamir Highway – especially if you plan to arrange Canada C$1 4.62TJS
things as you go. Break up the journey in Rushan for Jizeu China Y100 77.4TJS
and spend as much of the time as you can afford in the Euro zone €1 6.34TJS
Wakhan Valley. Japan ¥100 4.79TJS
¨¨Three weeks Combine the one- and two-week itineraries NZ NZ$1 3.88TJS
to make a loop from Osh. Russia R100 14.6
UK UK£1 7.54TJS
USA US$1 4.77TJS

Resources

¨¨www.asiaplus.tj/en

¨¨www.pamirs.org

¨¨http:tajiktourism.com

¨¨http:tdc.tj

¨¨www.trekkinginthe
pamirs.com

314 K A Z. Tashkent Tashkent VALLEY
UZBEKISTAN (105km) (110km)
Gulistan
Jizzakh Khavast Syr-DaryaChanak Oybek FERGANA
(Hovos)
Buston Kairakum Kokand
Khojand Reservoir Beshariq

Bekobod Chkalovsk Kanibadam/ A376
Kanibodom Isfara

M39
SUGHD

Shakhristan Istaravshan Batken
Vorukh
Samarkand Border T U R K E Bunjikath Isfana T A J I K.
Closed UNT A IN S
STAN MO
Ak Suu
(5359m)
Sarazm A377 Ayni Veshab
Penjikent Langar Matsho
Haft-Kul Matshohi Kuhi Peak
Fan Sarvoda Zerafshan (Zeravshan) River Dehavz NS
Mountains Anzob MO U
Takfon Margeb NTAI

Iskander-Kul H AN Anzob Pass Yagnob Valley Jafr Tojikabod
Z GE Timur (3372m) KARTAavGTilEadGramrIaNSurkhoHbaRziKovreh-KriCnahglaoe-bsihme
ERAFS Dara
Ta jikistan H i g h l i g hts HISSAR RAN VKalalreatyagLake Khoja Obi Garm Darband
Varzob River Varzob Obigarm

Ghusgarf

Tursanzade Shakhrinav M34 Vahdat Sagirdasht Pass Hussein
Regar Hissar
DUSHANBE Nurek (Closed Nov-Apr) Togmay
Sariosiyo (Norak) (3252m)

Denau Kalai-Khum/
Darvaz
Nurek
Kofarnigon River Dam Yoged

KHATLON Dangara Zigar
Pyanj River
M41 Shurabad Pass
(2200m)
Kurgonteppa Hulbuk Kulob N
A
Vakhsh Ajina Kurbon Vose H
River Teppe Shaid S

Kobadiyan Kholkhozobod Parchar H
K
A
D
Termiz Shahr-i Tuz Panj-e-Payon Dusti A
(Nizhniy Panj) B

Takht-i Sangin Pyanj Ai Khanoum Faizabad
Imam Sahib
Ayvadz Shir Khan
River
Amu – Darya Bandar Baharak

AFGHANISTAN

Kunduz

Tajikistan Highlights

1 Visit high-altitude lakes 2 Explore the remote and 3 Dangle across a river, hike
and fine community-based beautiful valley bordering to one of Central Asia’s most
homestays along the Pamir Afghanistan, with Silk Road idyllic scenes and get up close
Highway (p351), one of the forts and spectacular views of and personal with Kyrgyz
world’s great road trips. the snowbound Hindu Kush in herders, under a spectacular
Wakhan Valley (p348). Pamiri sky in Jizeu Valley
(p342).

Namangan Andijon 0 315
A373 0
Dostyk 100 km
Fergana Osh
60 milesTorugart
Pass

Pamir Hwy

M41

Kadamjay
KYRGYZSTAN

UZBE K. ALAY RANGE Sary

Sokh A M I R Mogol Sary Kashgar
P (60km)
Tash Irkeshtam CHINA
Daroot- Kyzyl-Suu River Bodöbö (Xinjiang)
Korgon

Karamyk Kyzyl-Art Pass

Pik Lenin (4282m)

Jirgatol (Border Closed (Independence
to Foreigners) Peak) (7134m)

Fedchenko Kara-Kul
Glacier Karakul
Korzhenevskaya Tajik Kashgar
(7105m) National Park (60km)

Koh-i Somoni Jalang
Sangvor Ta jikistan H i g h l i g hts(7495m)
S Ak-Baital Pass
GORNO- THE (4655m)
ShokhBADAKHSHAN
PA M Pamir Hwy (Border expected to
Darvaz Valley IR open in coming years)
Vanj
M41 Lake
Sarez
Vanj Qolma (Kulma)
Pshart Valley Murgab Pass (4762m)
Rushan Bartang River
Murgab River
Jizeu Pamir
Highway

Yashil-Kul M41 Naizatash Pass

Gunt River Bulunkul Alichur (4137m)

Pyanj River Pamir Hwy Jelandy
KaHrawkyoramKoi-Tezek
Sheghnan Khorog Pass (4272m)
Lake
Shiva Dara Roshtqala
V a l ley
(Shewa)

Wakhan Langar Wakhan River
Valley Sarhad-e Broghil

Qila-e Panja

Eshkashim Ishkashim HINDU KUSH
PAKISTAN

4 Trek the austere but 5 Wander the shores, go
beautiful Fan Mountains for a hike or just relax along
(p326), with its turquoise the eastern end of the Fan
lakes and Tajik shepherds. Mountains at Iskander-Kul
(p326).

316

DUSHANBE ДУШАНБЕ armed gangs controlling the roads in and
shoot-outs occurring between rival clans.
% 37 / POP 600,000 / ELEV 800M But random acts of violence had petered out
by 2002 and over the last decade the city’s
Backed by a hazy phalanx of mountains, image has transitioned into one of calm,
Dushanbe is a city in rapid transition. Its and apparently prosperous, confidence with
long, tree-lined central avenue still passes barely a bullet hole to remind visitors of the
a collection of pastel-hued neoclassical bad old days.
buildings from its original Soviet incarna-
tion. But much is threatened with the dem- 1 Sights
olition ball as a whole new gamut of glitzy,
oversized newcomers rise in a style that is National Museum MUSEUM
often an intriguingly discordant blend of
Roman triumphalism and budget futur- (Osorkhonai Milli; foreigner/camera 25/10TJS;
ism. The focus for this curious renaissance h10am-4pm Tue-Sat, noon-7pm Sun) Opened in
is a manicured central park dominated by 2013, the impressively airy National Museum
a vast new museum and the world’s tall- is especially strong on archaeological exhib-
est flag pole. Around the edges, the city has its, both real and recreated. The reconstruc-
plenty of musty Brezhnev-era apartment- tion of the Ajina-Tepe Buddhist monastery
block ghettos. Yet remarkably, especially site is particularly successful in conjuring up
given the city’s dangerous image during the feeling of how the 7th-century original
the 1990s’ civil war, today the atmosphere might have appeared. Labels mostly include
is one of unthreatening calm… perhaps English translations and though ill-lit, the
not unrelated to the fact that so much of top floor art gallery has some great works.
the male population are away working in The building fritters away masses of space in
Ta jikistan DS iuUgsShhHtaAsnNbBeE Russia. a vast atrium which, from the east, makes it
look like the love child of a classical mansion
History and gigantic cement mixer.

Although there are hints of settlement here Bayrak (World’s Tallest ¨
dating from the 5th century BC, modern-day
Dushanbe was a small, poor village until the Flagpost) FLAG
1920s. So unimportant that its name, mean-
ing Monday, was simply synonymous with Built to commemorate 20 years of independ-
the day of its weekly bazaar. ence, the world’s tallest flagpolw (165m) is
the centrepiece of Dushanbe’s growing
Dushanbe saw a brief flurry of excitement ensemble of fountain-parks and public
in 1920 when the last emir of Bukhara took buildings including the new National¨
refuge here, fleeing from the advancing Bol- Library and the gold-domed Palace of¨
sheviks. But despite this and a 1922 basmachi Nations government building.
(muslim guerrilla fighters) takeover, Dush-
anbe quickly reverted to Bolshevik authority. National Museum of

Things suddenly changed in 1929 when Antiquities of Tajikistan MUSEUM
the railroad arrived and Dushanbe was
made the capital of the new Soviet Tajik (%227 13 50; www.afc.ryukoku.ac.jp/tj; Ak Rajabov
republic. It was known as Stalinabad until 7; foreigner/local 20/5TJS; h10am-5pm Tue-Fri,
the 1950s, by which stage the population 10am-4pm Sat, 10am-2pm Sun) Though the in-
had been greatly swollen, initially with Tajik terior is dowdy and poorly illuminated, the
émigrés from Bukhara and Samarkand, archaeological collection here is excellent. In
then many more during the 1940s including many cases what you’ll see are the originals
around 50,000 Germans, both POWs and from which copies were made for the out-
Soviet-German exiles from Russia (coming wardly far grander new National Museum.
directly, or arriving after periods in Siberia). Notably, the 13m-long sleeping Buddha here
As Tajikistan’s cotton and silk industries is the real one as removed from Ajina Teppe
were heavy-handedly instituted, so Dush- in 1966, when Soviet archaeologists sliced it
anbe developed as a processing, industrial into 92 pieces. Dating from the Kushan era
and administrative centre. (around 500 AD), it is the largest known
Buddha figure in Central Asia.
As the USSR crumbled, Dushanbe was
the epicentre of riots in 1990 and demon- Gurminj Museum MUSEUM
strations in the autumn of 1991. During
the civil war, a dusk-to-dawn curfew saw (%573 10 76; www.gurminj.tj; Bokhtar 23; admis-
sion 10TJS; h11am-6pm) Hidden within a pri-
vate family compound behind unmarked

2 Activities 317

green gates is a three-room collection of Hash House Harriers ACTIVITY
antique musical instruments from all across
Central Asia. What makes the place special (Facebook: Dushanbe Hash House Harriers)
is that local musicians often gather here to ‘Drinkers with a running problem’ generally
practise/jam together creating a special mu- do their thing at 3pm on Saturdays.
sical magic. It’s unmarked, diagonally oppo-
site the obvious ‘justice’ mosaic. Hike Tajikistan HIKING

(www.facebook.com/hike.tajikistan; hSun) On
Writers’ Union Building NOTABLE BUILDING Sundays when weather permits, groups of

(Somoni) Tajikistan’s Persian past is invoked expats and locals take hiking or skiing day
in the facade of the Writers’ Union Building.
It’s adorned like a medieval cathedral with trips organised through social media. Typi-
cal cost around 80TJS.
saintly, sculpted-stone figures of Sadruddin
Ayni, Omar Khayam, Firdausi and other AquaPark WATERPARK

writers from the Persian pantheon. (www.waterpark.tj; adult/child weekend 75/45TJS,
weekday 70/40TJS; h9.30am-6.30pm) A god-
Statue of Ismoil Somoni STATUE send for expats with kids but it’s well out in

(Ismail Samani) Dushanbe’s most vis- the westernmost suburbs so is a bit of a trek
ible monument to nation-building sees
the 10th-century founder of the Samanid for those without transport.

dynasty emerging through a giant crown- 4 Sleeping
topped theatrical hoop waving a wand.
Rising behind him, the Parchan is a gold- Dushanbe has no international-style back-
topped white-marble column reminiscent packer hostels. The few homestays are hard
of a Roman centurion’s standard. to track down and other budget options are Ta jikistan DAcUutsSihHvaAitnNibBeeEs
ageing Soviet-era hotels. Private, modern
Rudaki Statue STATUE midrange mansion-hotels often hide in sub-
urban lanes.
On his pond-fronted garden plinth, beneath
an impressive blue mosaic arc full of stars,
Rudaki appears to be taking a curtain call oHotel Tajikmatlubot HOTEL $
(%224 64 87; Rudaki 137; per person US$30; aW)
after a 10th-century X-Factor performance. Brilliant value for Dushanbe, especially for

Green Bazaar MARKET single travellers, each of the 11 rooms is a
veritable suite, well-appointed albeit with
(Shah Mansur Bazaar; cnr Lokhuti & Nissor Mu- rather luridly glossy wallpaper. It’s in the
hammed) The bustling and colourful Shah
Mansur Bazaar is the heartbeat of Dushanbe south wing of the lumpsome blue Ittifoki
building with a pretty garden behind.
trade and the best place to stock up on travel
snacks from dried fruit to Korean kimchi.
Makhbuba Mansurova’s ¨

Botanical Gardens PARK Homestay HOMESTAY $
(%856 91 66, 221 20 83; Zekhni first side-lane, 11;
(admission 2TJS; h8am-7pm) The extensive dm US$20, breakfast US$3) Makhbuba’s house
Botanical Gardens are a favourite of canoo-
dling couples. The east-central entrance offers clean mattresses and a tea bed in the
garden, across which is a hot-water bath-
gateway is designed in ancient Iranian style room and Western-style loo. It’s wonderfully
and dotted between the trees are beautifully
carved wooden pavilions. central but can get hot when packed body-
to-body in busy summers. Off season you
Victory Park PARK might get a whole room alone. It’s southeast

For the best views over the city, watch the of the obvious TV transmitter.
sun set over a draught beer from Victory
Park whose impressive WWII monument is Adventurer’s Inn GUESTHOUSE $
(%228 00 93; www.hamsafar-travel.com; Pulod Tolis
also worth a look. 5/11; dm/tent space/floor space US$18/8/8; W)

World’s Biggest Teahouse ARCHITECTURE Hamsafar’s rather makeshift guesthouse is

(Somoni) Still under construction, this vast the nearest Dushanbe comes to a travellers’
festival of blue semi-traditional tiling is re-
puted to have cost a mind-bending percent- hangout. Four rooms share two bathrooms
plus a kitchen, but in summer backpackers’
age of the national GDP. It is rising near tents and bed rolls also fill much of the small
to Komsomol Park, one of several popular
family-friendly relaxation spots. yard-garden. It’s awkward to find by vehicle.
On foot, walk west from Vadanosos (Varzob)

318 66B C Samadi Gani Bokhtar Gogol D

Dushanbe ho D
A

See Inset #÷ 2 55 í# Tsementzavod Omar Khayam
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58

Karamov (Capital Park) Tolstoy 16 ÿ#
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Big Sary Osyo
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66662
ú# 37 Rudaki í# Sha
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#ú 30 (Mahmadi Rakhimzade
Pedagogical # Kholov)

University Sharq

3 Mir Said Mirsakar
ð# 62
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(18km) ÿ# 59
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7 CircusKaraboev M Nazarshoev

66666(Tsirk)
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ABCD

319

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0 0.5 miles small footbridge.
6721 1 1 1 1 F

›#G1 1 1 1 1 1 1
ÿ# ag141 1 1 1 1

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11111

Zebo’s Homestay HOMESTAY $
(%224 57 81, Farzona 888 70 96; Mirzo Tursunzoda
178; per person US$15) Simple, very friendly,
single-storey private home with three guest
111111

661 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 P1lekhanaPulod Tolis Lutfi beds in two small, stuffy rooms, one with
Akhunbabaev
11111 Hamza Hakimzade giant teddy. There’s access to a hot shower,

Farhad Omar Western-style loo and modern kitchen with

Guliston Khayam washing machine. If full, guests might get
Rudaki
Ozod the lounge floor. Farzona speaks English.
6668í# Karamov
Vakhsh Hotel HOTEL $
2 (%227 81 88; Rudaki 24; dm/d/tr 75/150/225TJS)
This inexpensive yet historic, super-central
Botanical 1 1 1 hotel has barely one working lamp for every
Gardens 1 1 1 eight and the ensuite bathrooms have taken
a real battering. However, rooms are surviv-
111 able and there’s a certain melodramatic thrill
coming home to the neglected interior of
400 m1 1 1Dosteyevsky Corinthian columns and intricate mouldings.
0.2 miles 1 Sa1mad1i Gani
Inset í#
0
0

66666Surkhob
3 Some balconies survey the Opera House.
666Kurbon Rakhi
mov Victory Hotel Poytaht HOTEL $ Ta jikistan SDluUesSehHpaAinNnbBgeE
Rupin Park (%221 96 55; Rudaki 7; d/tr from 360/390TJS, r
÷# 11 without bathroom per person 98TJS; a) Large,
central and distinctively 1970s Soviet de-
spite some cursory redecoration, rooms are
priced per person but individuals might
666632ú#¤# have to share with strangers. The simple
4 (prastoi) rooms share acceptable bathrooms

Lokhuti ú# but are stiflingly hot in summer. Most en-
suite rooms are air-conditioned mini-suites
36 Cable Car
(Disused)
but are as lacking in charm as the fearsome
floor ladies who guard the keys.
6666Bekhzod23ÿ# ¤#

Hotel Farhang CRASH PAD $
(%223 31 57; Negmat Karaliev 2; s/d from
Zekhni 5 60/120TJS) While hardly attractive, rooms

1

17 Dusti Khalkho 1 are approximately clean with pairs (single
ÿ#
Lokhuti 1 plus twin) sharing a sometimes-functioning

1

75Adkhamov21 ÿ# 1 shower and seatless toilet. Rooms that claim

6# # 76 Nissor Muhammed (Chekhov) 1
Dæ# 3
Khusravi Dekhlavi 1 to have air-conditioning cost extra even
Mirzo Rizo
1 when the AC doesn’t work. It’s the pink four-
storey building 100m directly south of the
56 1

#1

1

Garm 6 UFO-shaped circus (Tsirk). That’s 2km west
Dok of Meydan Ayni, by marshrutka 2, 25, 33, bus
Maydani
A Donish 18, or trolleybus 4.
66Ayni
Ayni Hotel Varzish HOSTEL $
(%400 77 74; Somoni 43, Football Stadium, south
stand; dm without/with bathroom 50/70TJS, q
280TJS; g8, 22) Tucked beneath the south
stands of the national football stadium (set
7 back, approximately opposite the Hyatt
Hotel), rooms aimed primarily for sports-
men have dodgy lighting, peeling wallpaper
6Train Ticket 6671 D
Office ›#
# Maydani Rohi Dushanbe –#
Ohani (1.2km);
£# Train Tajik Air Main Office
Station (1.4km) and are packed with beds. However, for a

EF

320

Ta jikistan DS lUuesSehHpaAinNnbBgeE Dushanbe 43 Soyuz Bistro .............................................D6
44 Traktir Konservator.................................D5
æ Sights
1 Bayrak (World's Tallest Flagpost) ........ C4 û Drinking & Nightlife
2 Botanical Gardens ...................................C1 45 Café Segafredo ........................................C4
3 Green Bazaar............................................E6 46 Public ........................................................D5
4 Gurminj Museum .................................... D4
5 National Library ...................................... C5 ý Entertainment
6 National Museum.................................... B4 47 Ayni Opera & Ballet Theatre ..................D6
7 National Museum of Antiquities of 48 Borbat Concert Hall ................................ A4
Tajikistan............................................... D6
8 Parchan .................................................... C5 þ Shopping
9 Rudaki Statue .......................................... C5 49 Barzish Sport ...........................................C3
50 Silk Road...................................................C4
10 Statue of Ismoil Somoni ........................ C5 51 Tajik Painters Union Exhibition Hall ......C4
11 Victory Park ..............................................F4 52 TsUM.........................................................C4
12 World's Biggest Teahouse ..................... A4
13 Writers' Union Building .......................... C3 ï Information
53 Bactria Centre..........................................D5
ÿ Sleeping 54 Central Telephone Office .......................C5
14 Adventurer's Inn ...................................... E1 55 Chinese Embassy .................................... C1
15 Hotel Farhang...........................................A7 56 DHL Office ................................................ F6
16 Hotel Mercury .......................................... C1 57 East Vision................................................C5
17 Hotel Meridian ..........................................E5 58 Eurodent ................................................... C1
18 Hotel Poytaht .......................................... D6 59 French Embassy ......................................D3
19 Hotel Tajikmatlubot .................................C1 Hamsafar Travel .............................(see 14)
20 Hotel Tojikiston ....................................... C4 60 Iranian Embassy ......................................C5
21 Hotel Twins ...............................................E5 61 Kazakhstan Embassy .............................D6
22 Hotel Varzish ........................................... A3 62 Klub Plazma .............................................C3
23 Makhbuba Mansurova's Homestay ......E5 63 Kyrgyz Embassy......................................D2
24 Marian's Guesthouse ............................. D4 64 OVIR ..........................................................D5
25 Serena Hotel............................................ D6 65 Pakistani Embassy ..................................D5
26 Taj Palace................................................. D5 66 Prospekt Medical Clinic ..........................C4
27 Vakhsh Hotel ........................................... D6 67 Turkish Embassy .....................................D6
Vefa Aparthotel .............................. (see 77) 68 Turkmen Embassy .................................. E2
28 Zebo's Homestay.................................... D2 69 UK Embassy .............................................D3
70 Uzbek Embassy ....................................... C1
ú Eating
29 Arirang...................................................... C2 ï Transport
30 Café Merve............................................... C3 71 Badakhshan Auto-stand ........................ F7
31 Chaykhona Rokhat ................................. C3 72 Buses to Varzob and Takob ...................E1
32 Ghalaba .....................................................F4 73 China Southern........................................D4
33 Izum .......................................................... C4 74 FlyDubai....................................................D5
34 La Grande Dame ..................................... C6 Iran Aseman ...................................(see 20)
35 Marco Polo............................................... D4 75 Somon Air................................................. E6
36 Merve Restaurant ....................................E4 76 Tajik Air ..................................................... E6
37 Morning Star Café .................................. C2 77 Turkish Airlines ........................................D4
38 Oshi Abdurahman................................... D2 78 Ural Airlines ..............................................D5
39 Poitakht Supermarket............................ D4
40 Puppet Kurutob ...................................... D4
41 Salam Namaste....................................... C4
42 Sary Osyo................................................. D2

group of three or four travellers on a budget, three-storey mansion is set in a mani-
the ensuite shared quads might be worth cured garden with an amusingly over-
considering. sized rockery-waterfall. Elegant corridors
mixing art-deco lamps and classically
oHotel Mercury BOUTIQUE HOTEL $$ designed high ceilings lead to 20 modern
(% 224 44 91; www.hotel-mercury.tj; Tolstoy rooms with satellite TV, computer, fridge
9; s/d US$80/100, half-lux US$100/120, lux and kettle: even the cheapest is spacious.
US$120/140; p a i W ) Hidden behind a Some staff speak English.
high wall (with its own ATM) this new,

321

Marian’s Guesthouse GUESTHOUSE $$ d US$300-850; aW), think again. For just
(%223 01 91; www.mariansguesthouse.com; US$20 more you can get a spacious, brand-
Shotemur 67/1; r €70-80; paiWs) The new apartment with kitchen, sitting room
overwhelming attraction here is the glori- and panoramic views. Some apartments
ous, meticulously tended garden. Rooms are come with computer and washing machine.
comfortable in a homely, unpretentious style,
but are eternally popular with consultants. 5 Eating
The building is entirely unmarked down the
little alley just after the TV-station building, For cheap, genuinely local food there are
across from the Children’s Park. Break- several great if utterly unpretentious places
fast, airport transfer and evening driver on or near unpromising Loik Sherali: Sary
service are included. Australian-owned. Osyo (Tursunzona 129; plov 18TJS; h11am-4pm)
for plov, Eyyannat for laghman and Oshi Ab-
Taj Palace HOTEL $$ durahman (p321) for kurutob. Better restau-
(%48-701 71 71; www.taj-palace.tj; Mirzo Tursunzoda rants add a service charge of 10% to 12%. For
21B; d/tw US$120/140; W) Of several similarly extensive listings consult www.menu.tj

priced central business hotels (Asia Palace, Chaykhona Rokhat CHAIKHANA $
Gulistan Tour), the Taj has the edge on qual-
ity of fittings, well-lit, wide corridors and (Rudaki 84; mains 8-17TJS, breakfast 1.40-8TJS;
h6am-1am) This unusual combination of
ample extras – kettle, fridge, toiletries etc. Soviet-era institution and grand Persian-
Staff speak English.
style chaikhana is the Dushanbe classic – a
great place to sip tea (2TJS) or a Simsim
Hotel Meridian BOUTIQUE HOTEL $$ beer (11TJS) while people-watching. Food
(%98-881 88 88, 44-620 33 99; www.hotel-merid
ian.tj; Repina 1st lane, 28; s/d/ste US$80/100/120; certainly isn’t gourmet but it’s good value, Ta jikistan DE auUtsSihHnaAgnNbBeE
especially for breakfast. Kitchens work all
aiW) Hidden in a backstreet walled gar- day even during Ramadan. Some people be-
den with two tea pavilions, this sparkling
clean mansion hotel offers great value with lieve the red tables (front, north) to be better
for food than the yellow ones, which has a
fully equipped rooms with computer, fridge different kitchen.
and lots of space. The annex has singles for
US$75, but there’s a significant drop in qual- Do peep into their remarkable wedding
hall section (back, north side) with its mag-
ity for a mere US$5 discount. Sauna costs nificently faceted ceilings.
extra.

Hotel Twins BOUTIQUE HOTEL $$ Café Merve TURKISH $
(Rudaki 92; mains 15-35TJS, snacks 4-17TJS;
(%90-899 99 98, 221 44 14; www.hoteltwins.tj; h6am-midnight; vE) Bright and bustling
Adkhamova 21; d US$100-130; aW) Probably
the only hotel in town with two saunas, cafeteria churning out Turkish breakfasts,
kebabs, pizza, salads, cakes and instant
Twins takes the design lead from its name coffee (but no alcohol).
dividing the Escher-esque new villa into two
distinct wings, one erring more towards the
pseudo-classical. Each comfortable room
has its own character, and not all are over-
loaded with nouveau-riche kitsch. KURUTOB

oSerena Hotel HOTEL $$$ Tajikistan’s contribution to vegetar-
(%48-701 4000; www.serenahotels.com; Rudaki 14; ian cuisine is the kurutob, pieces of
rack/web rates from US$354/230; aWs) Dush- flat bread replacing meat in a warm
anbe’s top address gloriously weaves tradi- yoghurt-based sauce topped with a
tional colours, fabrics and woodwork into a salad of tomatoes, onions, fresh herbs
light, bright 21st-century tower topped by a and perhaps a hot pepper. The best
small rooftop swimming pool. kurutob is often found in small, barely
marked cafes such as the family yard
Vefa Aparthotel SERVICED APARTMENTS $$$ of Oshi Abdurahman (Loik Sherali 25;
(www.vefacenter.tj; Bokhtar 37/1, 9th-11th fl; apt kurutob/samsa/tea 10/3/3TJS; h10am-
US$170-240; paWc) If you were consid- 7pm). More central is Puppet Kurutob
ering forking out US$150 for a cramped (kurutob 10TJS; h6am-8pm), in the side
room at the Tojikiston (%44-600 99 33; www. of the mosaic-covered puppet theatre
hoteltojikiston.com; Shotemur 22; s US$150-320, (kukli teatr) facing the Children’s Park
off Shotemur.

322

Soyuz Bistro CAFETERIA $ Salam Namaste INDIAN $$
(mains 9-15TJS; h24hr) Bright, cheap base- (Rudaki 81; curries 26-45TJS, rice/naan/beer
ment cafeteria with a few Lenin portraits to 10/7/13TJS; h11am-11pm; WvE) Genuine
relieve the stark white walls. Super-central Indian food served at a pleasant, unfussy
but almost invisible beneath Southern Fried central location.
Chicken.
Merve Restaurant TURKISH $$
oTraktir Konservator (Druzhba Naradov (Dusti Khalkho) 47; mains 18-
UKRAINIAN $$ 24TJS; h8am-11pm) This plush branch of Café
(mains 18-55TJS; h 11am-10pm; W E ) The
brilliantly atmospheric old-Russia decor Merve (p321), beneath a bowling alley, has
pleasant covered street-seating.
mixes classic theatre posters, part-plas-
tered wall arches, heavy beams, archaic
clocks, flat-irons, antique windows, samo- Izum INTERNATIONAL $$
(%98-106 66 66; http://4sq.com/tyrfpI; Foteh
vars and stove doors. Even the toilets are Niyezi 44; mains 15-55TJS, beer 13TJS; h10am-
packed with humour. The Ukrainian cui-
sine includes chicken strudel (nuts rolled 11.30pm; WvE) Local fabrics and piled
cushions lend a mildly exotic aura to this
in chicken breast and doused in lemon comfortable restaurant and hubble-bubble
sauce), roast quail with grapes, mutton-
aubergine stew and various pancakes, as bar. It serves excellent salmon steaks plus
an unusually extensive series of vegetarian
well as expat frighteners such as sala and choices including baked pumpkin, lentil
smoked pigs’ ears. It’s hidden down a side
alley behind the obvious Pamir restaurant burgers and cauliflower cheese.

Ta jikistan D rUuisSnhHkaAinNnbBgeE& N i g ht l ife that faces a park full of other summer Marco Polo EUROPEAN, AFGHAN $$$
cafes amid mature plane trees. Wicked
mojitos. (Tursunzoda 80; mains 39-150TJS; h11am-11pm;
WE) If it’s just too hot outside, retreat
to this fake stalactite-filled cavern room
Ghalaba CENTRAL ASIAN $$ with shimmering couch covers and piled
(Victory Park; Park Pobedy); mains 20-65TJS;
h2pm-1am) For sweeping views over the colourful cushions. Fun but really pricey.

city it’s hard to beat the rustic, vine-draped Self-Catering
open-air booths and thatch-covered tap-
chans at Ghalaba. It’s right at the upper Poitakht Supermarket SUPERMARKET

station of the cable car, which is currently (Tursunzoda 45; h8am-midnight) Well-stocked
central supermarket.
defunct, but reportedly due for renovation
in coming years. 6 Drinking & Nightlife

La Grande Dame FRENCH, EUROPEAN $$ Dushanbe’s outdoor cafe-bars are particu-
(%227 62 74, 501 00 89; www.lagrandedamecafe. larly pleasant on a warm summer evening.
com; cnr Bukhoro & Shevchenko; mains 15-72TJS, Sadly our favourite places in front of the
pizza 23-37TJS, breakfast items 10-25TJS; h8am- Opera closed in summer 2013 to make way
11pm; WE) Exposed brickwork, classical for a big new fountain, but the noisier park
plaster mouldings, worn parquet and a behind still has cafes and the ever reliable
shady open-air porch create a valiant ap- Chaykhona Rokhat (p321) serves cold, local
proximation of an old-world provincial Simsim draught beer very inexpensively.

French cafe. Good for blinnies, lunchtime oCafé Segafredo ITALIAN, CAFE
baguettes (12TJS to 15TJS), quiche of the
day or just for sipping properly made coffee (Rudaki 70; pasta/mains/coffee/cocktails from
18/35/7/15TJS; W) Euro-chic place to
(12TJS to 17TJS). recharge on excellent real macchiatos or

Arirang KOREAN $$ fresh carrot and apple juice (14TJS). Large
street-terrace area, good wi-fi, mostly Italian
(%224 43 43; Rudaki 96; mains 30-80TJS, snacks menu.
15-20TJS, rice/beer 4/13TJS; h11.30am-10pm
Mon-Sat) Behind a misleadingly dreary fa-
cade, Arirang oozes faux-Orient style using Public PUB

ropes, manuscript panelling and bundles of (www.facebook.com/irish.publicpub; Bokhtar 2;
beer/Guinness/cocktals from 10/38/20TJS;
contorted twigs. Savour authentic Korean hnoon-11pm) Convivial Irish pub that’s
food at heavy wooden tables or on raised
floor mats. standing room only with expats after work
on Friday evenings.

3 Entertainment 323

Ayni Opera & Ballet Theatre THEATRE in suburban basements. There’s free internet in
the gigantic National Library (p316) once you’ve
(%221 62 91, 221 44 22; Rudaki 28; hOct-Jun) registered for a 10TJS library card.
Built while WWII was raging, the 1942 Klub Plazma (Rudaki 84; per hr 5TJS; h24hr)
Opera House was completely refitted in City centre.

2009 and its gardens re-landscaped in 2013. MEDICAL SERVICES
Classy interior. Mostly opera and ballet Prospekt Medical Clinic (%90-000 55 01,
productions. 224 30 92; www.prospektclinic.tj; Niyazi 34;
h8am-4.30pm Mon-Fri) Central, expat-
Borbat Concert Hall PERFORMANCE VENUE favoured medical services.
Eurodent (%881 10 07, 95-135 65 78; www.
(%223 51 86; Somoni 26) The Borbat Concert eurodent.tj; Rudaki 135A; h8am-7pm) Highly
Hall hosts occasional Tajik music concerts. rated dentists.

7 Shopping MONEY
ATMs and licensed moneychangers are wide-
TsUM SOUVENIRS spread across the city, most centrally on Rudaki
around the Shotemur junction.
(Rudaki 83; h9am-6pm Mon-Sat) Amid the
shampoo and mobile-phone sellers, is the
city’s original department store selling wa-
ter pipes, traditional musical instruments, POST
glazed earthenware, figurines and lovely Post Office (Poshtamt; Bukhoro 47; h9am-
Iranian boxes. Go upstairs to find ammo- 6pm Mon-Sat)

nites, Soviet-era medals and Tajik robes. REGISTRATION & PERMITS
OVIR (%227 67 11; Mirzo Tursunzoda 5;
Silk Road SOUVENIRS h8am-noon & 1-5pm Mon-Fri, 8am-noon Sat) Ta jikistan D UuEsSnhHtaAenNrbBteEainment
GBAO permits are issued in one working day.
(Shotemur 32; h9am-6pm Mon-Fri) Good for You’ll need to pay the 20TJS fee to Agroinvest-
mineral trees, stone mosaics, embroidery, bank beside Gulistan Tur Hotel then bring the
scarves and those hard-to-find postcards. receipt to this office.

Tajik Painters Union Exhibition Hall ART TELEPHONE
(cnr Rudaki & Somoni; h10am-5pm Mon-Fri, to Central Telephone Office (Rudaki 55; h24hr)
3pm Sat) Three floors of modern Tajik art, Internet phone service available for cheaper
much for sale. international calls.

Barzish Sport SPORTS

(Rudaki 91; h8am-6pm Mon-Sat) Sports and TRAVEL & TOUR AGENCIES
outdoors equipment. Hamsafar Travel (%501 45 93, 228 00 93;
www.hamsafar-travel.com; Pulod Tolis 5/11;
88 Information hnoon-6pm Mon-Sat) Backpacker-orientated
agency. As long as he’s there, Ruslan can arrange
What’s On In Dushanbe (WOID) is an expat- short-notice 4WD, trekking and tailor-made tours.
oriented email newsletter with a wealth of clas- For directions see Adventurer’s Inn (p317).
sifieds, jobs, events, restaurant ads etc. Ask East Vision (%93-858 55 55; www.travel
[email protected] to put you on the mailing list. tajikistan.tj; Rudaki 40a; h9am-6pm Mon-Sat,
10am-5pm Sun) Sells maps, gives travel advice
CULTURAL CENTRES and organises tours, rural homestays and air
Bactria Centre (%227 05 54; www.bactria.net; tickets. Mirzo speaks English well.
Tursunzoda 12a; h9am-5pm Mon-Fri) Lan- Tajikintourservice (%22 15 55; www.tis.tj;
guage classes available in Russian and Persian, Druzhba Narodov (Dusti Khalkho) 23) Major
concerts, art exhibitions and a showroom of travel agency offering flight bookings and visa
Tajikistan artisan crafts. Check their Facebook support.
site for events. The buidling is hidden down a
short laneway behind 10 Tursunzoda opposite a 88 Getting There & Away
new 10-storey apartment building.
AIR
INTERNET ACCESS If you’re arriving in Tajikistan via Dushanbe
For good free wi-fi and excellent coffee, linger Airport (http://airport.tj; Titov 32/2) brace
at Segafredo (p322) or the American Morning yourself for a long, tedious wait to get through
Star Café (% 228 9464; www.morningstarcafe. immigration. Things should improve once the
net; Said Nosirov 47; sandwiches 9-13TJS, coffee new terminal is built.
16-20TJS; h 8am-5pm Mon-Sat; v E). Numer-
ous internet clubs charging 5TJS per hour hide

Ta jikistan DGeUutsSthHiaAnnNgbBeTEhere & Away324 Kam Air (www.kamair.com) Thursdays to Kabul
Agencies along Nissor Muhammed sell inter- (Afghanistan) from US$230
Somon Air (%560 00 00, 640 40 50; www.
national tickets, plus domestic flights to Kho- somonair.com; Nissor Muhammed 3; h8am-
jand (several daily, from 340TJS). However, for 6pm) Flies to Almaty, Khojand, Dubai, İstanbul
the 8am flight to Khorog (440TJS), you’ll have (Turkey), Ürümqi (1260TJS), plus six Russian
to go to the Tajik Air Main Office (% 48-701 cities.
50 42; Titov 32/1; h7am-11am & noon-7pm), Tajik Air (%229 82 06; www.tajikair.tj/en;
one block west of the airport terminal (ideally Nissor Muhammed 5; h8am-6pm) Flies to
several days ahead), and put your name and Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan), Almaty, Delhi (India;
mobile phone number on a waiting list. Even US$300), İstanbul, Sharjah (UAE), Tehran,
if there appears to be space, you can’t be Baku (Azerbaijan; from €250 return), and six
100% sure you’ll go: Khorog flights are Russian destinations.
grounded at the first sign of bad weather and Turkish Airlines (%48-701 15 01; kaynak@
those with better connections might bump you gsakaynak.tj; Vefa Centre, Bokhtar 37/1;
down the list. h8.30am-noon & 1-5pm Mon-Fri, to 3pm Sat)
The world via İstanbul, twice weekly.
Airline Offices Ural Airlines (%91-864 49 67; Bukhoro 78, Gu-
In addition to those listed below there are sev- listan Tur Hotel) Various Russian destinations.
eral other airlines flying to numerous cities in
Russia. MINIBUS & SHARED TAXI
Air Astana (www.airastana.com) Three flights The main bus station has had a very snazzy
weekly to Almaty (Kazakhstan) and beyond. makeover. It is dominated by Asian Express
China Southern (%881 31 71; www.flychina (% 90-710 00 30, 1616; www.asianexpress.tj;
southern.com; Tursunzoda 45, Paitakht Sino 110), whose sleek, modern buses so far
Business Centre; h9am-5pm Mon-Fri) serve almost exclusively southwestern Tajikistan
Weekly to Ürümqi, China. including Kurgonteppa (15TJS, two hours, at
FlyDubai (www.flydubai.com; Bekhzod 1) least hourly), Kulob (Kulyab; 35TJS at 7.30am,
Wednesdays and Saturdays to/via Dubai (UAE). 9am and 3pm) and Shahr-i Tuz (25TJS, 8am and
Iran Aseman (%221 97 03; Shotemur 22, Hotel 2.30pm). The terminal is 3km west of Dushanbe
Tojikiston; h8am-5pm Mon-Fri, 8am-2pm Sat) centre, a two-minute walk north (across rail
Mondays to Tehran, Thursdays to Mashhad
(Iran); both flights cost US$274.

THE RASHT VALLEY РАШТСКАЯ ДОЛИНА

If ongoing discussions succeed in allowing foreigners to cross the Kyrgyz–Tajik border post
at Karamyk (hopefully by 2015), the glorious Rasht Valley might begin to gain some of the
tourist interest that it deserves. In the 1990s, the area was ravaged then stigmatised for its
civil-war role as an opposition centre. But today there’s little visible evidence of that era:
towns are rebuilt and a mostly excellent asphalt road sweeps through Garm (four hours
from Dushanbe) and glides on past magnificent white-topped mountain vistas that are
most spectacular beyond Jafr and around Gulistan (4km east of Tojikabod). As infrastruc-
ture develops it should become increasingly feasible to arrange treks into the splendid
flower-dazzled valleys and get closer to the hidden spikey-topped panoramas that give the
area a special magic.

Garm Гарм
The valley’s administrative centre is Garm, where Caravan Tours (%98-899 90 60; www.
facebook.com/CaravanToursToRasht) is a nascent local initiative by English-speaking students

to entice tourists to explore the area. Their proposed horse treks make a very scenic loop

around Hazor Chashme village, 24km by incredibly rough tracks across the river from

Garm. Tours encompass some fabulous mountain landscapes from the ridge above Hauz-

i-Foluma. Caravan also plans a network of homestays and should be able to help you find

transport at fair prices for a modest commission.

Garm’s main block is marked predictably enough by a large Somoni statue, with the

bazaar across the road largely hidden behind Somoni 48. At the bazaar’s southwest corner,
Hotel Vahdat (%91-885 83 47; Usman 6; s/d/tr without bathroom 50/70/90TJS, ste 150-
300TJS) is unexpectedly neat, if missing numerous light bulbs. The simple, but very clean
nine-bed MSDSP Guesthouse (Somoni 73; per person US$20, breakfast/dinner US$3/5)
hides above the First MicroFinance Bank.

325

tracks and through a market) from marshrutka 4, 18), accessible by marshrutka 4 or 18 from
route 16, or slightly further, but more obviously, Green Bazaar.
just west of the road running south from the
Russian Embassy (marshrutka 25). Minibuses and shared taxis leave from
Zarnisar Bazaar for Hisor.
Asian Express plans a new bus service to
Khojand (75TJS, twice daily). Otherwise shared Varzob (3TJS) and Takob (5TJS) minibuses
taxis are the only option for Khojand (six hours) and cars leave from outside Vadonasos Bazaar.
and Istaravshan (five hours) or Penjikent (seven
hours) all via Ayni (four hours). Shared taxis TRAIN
depart from the Tsementzavod (Cement Fac- The train to Moscow (platskart 1350TJS) leaves
tory; Rudaki; g 3) stand in the north of town. at 3.32am on Mondays, Thursdays and Satur-
Prices range from 100TJS to 120TJS according days routed via Termez, Karshi and Uchkuduk
to vehicle and demand. Bus/trolleybus 3 gets (Uzbekistan), Makat (Kazakhstan) and Vol-
you here along Rudaki. gagrad (1025TJS). Ticket office (Rudaki 2;
h 8am-noon & 1-5pm) is diagonally across the
For Khorog, shared 4WDs/minivans station square.
(300/270TJS) take anything from 14 to 20
hours, departing mostly between 6am and 88 Getting Around Ta jikistan GDeUutsSthHiaAnnNgbBeAEround
8am from the Badakhshan Auto-stand (Badak-
shanskaya avtostansiya; M Nazarshoev 149). Trolleybuses/buses cost 0.70/0.80TJS per hop
It’s hidden away through a blue gated footpath if you have the change, 1TJS if you don’t. Under-
behind Donish 15 (marshrutka 8 from Green sized marshrutkas want 1/2TJS for a short/
Bazaar) or through the bazaar at Nazarshoev long ride.
149 (marshrutka 33 from the train station, route
1 from Maydani Ayni). If you can muster a small Useful routes include:
group, it’s well worth chartering and stopping Bus/trolleybus routes 1 and 3 (but not
overnight part way. Kalai-Khum drivers at the minibus 1) Up and down Rudaki. Officially other
same auto-stand charge around 150TJS per public transport isn’t allowed on Rudaki but
person (nine to 12 hours). that doesn’t stop numerous police-dodging
shared taxis (3TJS per seat) furtively popping
Shared vehicles leave for Garm (60TJS to signs in their windows and taking passengers
70TJS, four hours), Tojikabod (five hours) and this way whenever the cops stop watching –
Jirgatol from Garm Dok (Ayni 82; shared taxi especially by night.

Upstairs beside the Megafon office, Tarabkhonai Paymona (mains 9-16TJS) is a clean
if unspectacular restaurant that opens even during Ramadan.

Shared taxis for Tojikabad (20TJS, 50 minutes) and Jafr (10TJS) start just across the
small bridge from the bazaar area, beside Somoni 50. Vehicles for Dushanbe (60TJS to
70TJS, four hours) depart from the western end of town opposite the local bus stand at
Somoni 2. There’s no regular public transport to Tavildara or Khorog. Charter taxis ask
around 250/400 to Tavildara/Khalai-Khum, or you could take a Dushanbe car to Labi-Jar
(45TJS, one hour) then attempt to hitch from the police post: reportedly a 10TJS tip to
officers there can expedite proceedings. Still, reaching Kalai-Khum from Tavildara might
prove difficult.

Jafr Ҷафр

The area between Jafr and the Vakhdat Bridge (Km182 to Km194) is one of the Rasht

Valley road’s most awe-inspiring sections. Jafr itself is a pretty village where botanist,

poet and collector Mirzosho Akobirov has spent decades planting seeds and saplings

of numerous local and exotic fruit trees in his extensive botanical garden. This is being
developed as the Jafr Agro-Eco Centre (%98-804 80 59).
Many trees here have curiously been grafted with several fruit types such that a

pistachio tree might simultaneously be producing plums and apricots. A museum and

handicraft centre is under construction to better display Mirzosho’s private collection

of ethnographic and historical knick-knacks and a guesthouse (almost complete) will

have one of the best balcony views of any in Tajikistan. No English is spoken, but Mir-

zosho can organise guides and horses for hiking up the valley over a pass into the

bucolic Yasman area.

Ta jikistan ANGerotortutihnnedgrDnAurTsoahujaninkdbisetan326 Takob is a ski-resort with summer hik-
Trolleybus 12 Runs along Somoni then down ing potential, which is reached via a turnoff
Sino past the main bus station. 36km north of Dushanbe, just before the
Marshrutka 8 Zips along Somoni, passing President’s dacha (holiday bungalow).
Royal Pub and the giant new teahouse site. It
then zig-zags across the centre past the giant NORTHERN TAJIKISTAN
flag (westbound only), OVIR, Green Bazaar
and the Badakhshan taxi stand before dipping Northern Tajikistan’s main city, Khojand,
under the railway and doubling back past the sits on a cartographic periscope that pokes
airport along Titov. up between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to
Marshrutka 16 Much the same as route 8 but peer into the mouth of the Fergana Valley.
at the western end it passes south of the bus
station then drives up the western river bank The M34 road that heads there from
past Diar Dushanbe (a vast new construction Dushanbe, dramatically traverses the
site) before joining Somoni east of the Hyatt Hissar, Zerafshan/Fan and Turkestan
Hotel. mountain ranges. The road is smoothly
Marshrutka 25 Southwest from Bekhzod dodg- surfaced with one outrageous exception:
ing the Opera via Bukhoro then out west via the infamous Anzob Tunnel. That’s a
Sherozi past the circus, north up Sino past the mind-boggling 5km succession of pot-
bus station, then west at the Russian Embassy. holes, unlit mid-road hazards and lethally
Most taxis charge a flat 20TJS for a ride almost pinging rebar steel spikes. But away from
anywhere in town. For short trips the smart the tunnel nightmare, only a few pylons
white Asian Express cabs are better as they work get between your windows and some truly
on the meter system. fabulous geological wizardry.

Around Dushanbe Beautiful Iskander-Kul lake, dramatic
Margeb and the timeless Yagnob and
A popularly touted tourist offering is His- Zerafshan valleys all make great summer
sar (Hisor) Fort, 30km west of Dushanbe excursions. If you have sufficient language
(7km by shared taxi beyond Hisor town). competence to organise things independ-
Actually, all that survived a 1924 Russian ently, the main access points are Sarvoda
assault was the twin-towered gateway. It’s and Ayni. Otherwise there’s excellent Eng-
on a massive scale but over-renovation lish-speaking help in historic Penjikent,
means that it doesn’t quite look the 18th- further west. Its role as tourist hub has
century part. You might prefer to simply been undermined by Uzbekistan’s closure
unfurl your banknotes and see the scene on of the border near Samarkand (since 2010)
a 20TJS note. If you do go, one of a pair of but it’s still a key access point for organis-
16th/17th medressas at the site contains a ing trips into the western Fan Mountains.
minor museum.
Fan & Zerafshan
Nurek Reservoir’s remarkable opal-blue Mountains
waters are an attraction for expats who ar-
gue over which of the many private house- Iskander-Kul & Sarytag
boats make the best weekend getaway. Искандеркуль и Сарытаг
However, due to the importance of securing
Nurek Dam (the world’s highest), permits Between Sarvoda and Ayni the main
are required, adding an obvious annoyance. Dushanbe canyon-road already hints at
The easiest way around this is to use the magnificent glories behind. The easiest
facilities of AquaClub (%93-732 77 77; http:// way to access them is driving to glorious
aquaclub.tj/en; Nurek Reservoir; per person 170- Iskander-Kul, an opal-blue mountain lake
350TJS) with its own new houseboats and that looks almost tropical in strong sun-
various water-based activities. light. It isn’t. At 2195m, don’t expect to
swim here. But adding greatly to the visual
The Varzob River flows beside the main spectacle is the variegated colouration on
M34 north of Dushanbe, lined by dozens of the superlative mountain backdrop. The
nouveau-riche villas. There’s no one particu- scene is especially dramatic around 1.5km
lar place to head for but there are plenty of before arriving at the lake, but breathtak-
picturesque locations, including the Varzob
Reservoir and the 20m Gusgarf Waterfall,
a 2½-hour walk up a side valley 7km south
of Varzob (31km from Dushanbe).

327

DIY TREKKING IN THE FAN & ZERAFSHAN MOUNTAINS Ta jikistan SFNaloneret&phiZenergrnaTfasjhiaknisMtaonuntains

The splendidly rugged, glaciated Fan Mountains are one of Central Asia’s premier trek-
king destinations, studded with dozens of turquoise lakes and high-mountain vistas.
Treks here are for fully equipped, experienced walkers, sometimes requiring stream
and ice crossings, and you’ll need to deal with both summer heat and potentially seri-
ous cold at different altitudes. Stock up with food supplies in Penjikent where ZTDA
(p333) and ZTB (p333) sell excellent 1:100,000 guide maps of the Fan Mountains
and of Yagnob for those attempting the even more remote Yagnob–Zerafshan treks.
EWP also has Fan maps (www.ewpnet.com/fannmap.htm). A superb resource is www.
trekkinginthepamirs.com with photos, timings, route notes and some trails GPS-
waymarked.

Routes from Artush
Three daily buses from Penjikent run to Artush (homestay available) passing the Rudaki
mausoleum at Panjrud.

A two-hour (7km) walk reaches the alplager (mountaineers’ camp; 2200m), then
three more hours’ uphill takes you into the Kulikalon bowl, home to a dozen deep-blue
lakes. Excellent camping can be found near Dushakha Lake, at the foot of 5489m Chim-
targa, the region’s highest peak. There are two possible high-pass routes on from here to
the beautiful Alaudin Lakes.

A three-day trek from the Zitmud village homestay southwest of Artush, crosses the
3810m Dukdon Pass to Sarytag/Iskander-kul.

Routes from Haft Kul
Trails from Haft-Kul (Seven Lakes) between the sixth and seventh lake lead over the
Tavasang Pass (3300m) to the Archa Maidan Valley to Zitmud, or cut across the Munora
Pass (3520m) to join the Dukdon Pass route to Sarytag and Iskander-Kul.

Yagnob–Zerafshan Treks
A series of trails link the parallel valleys of Yagnob and Zerafshan in around a week, nota-
bly the Veshab/Shamtuj-Bedev/Hishortob trail and Langar–Yagnob trail. More easterly
routes generally require glacier-crossing sections.

ing views continue as you drive along the Asliddin Siroyidinov’s Cabin HOMESTAY $
6km of coast road. Higher uplands are ac- Has arguably the best location, but it’s small,
cessed by a winding 5km drive up from the rather isolated partway round the lake, and
president’s lakeside dacha to Sarytag vil- only open by arrangement.
lage. Dwarfed by the contorted rocky bulk
of Mt Sarytag, the little village (population Shezok GUESTHOUSE $
300, 38km from Sarvoda) makes a great (s/d 50/100TJS) Close to the barrier where
walking base, whether just strolling to the the main access road arrives at the lake, is
discordantly ostentatious mansion villa at a relatively new option and the only home-
the village’s western limits or for longer stay to have an indoor shower and beds
Fan Mountain treks. (rather than mats on the floor).

4 Sleeping Turbaza Iskanderkul YOUTH COTTAGES $
(%93-504 74 03, 90-500 0227; per person 50-
While sleeping lakeside can be charming, 90TJS) A collection of 30 four-room, Soviet-
staying in Sarytag provides more hiking era cabins dotted through a woodland with
options. Assume simplicity, outdoor toilet shared institutional bathroom-blocks that
holes and no spoken English. spare no blushes for privacy. It’s overpriced
compared to homestays but much livelier (at
LAKESIDE weekends anyway).
Remarkably, given the almost total lack
of other buildings around Iskander-Kul, SA RY TAG
there are three waterfront accommodation
options. Guesthouse Shahboz HOMESTAY

At the entrance to Sarytag village, this
purpose-built little guesthouse is marginally

328

Fan Mountains

Sujina Urmetan
Zeravshan River
Penjikent Kholkhoz Shurja
(10km) Jiyon (Gusar) A377

Shing River Mazorisharif Archa Maidan River

Shrine of Hoja Panjrud Rudaki
Mohammad Bashoro Mausoleum

Kaznok (Arg) ValleyArtush
Urech
Magian Shing F AN Zitmud GazZ(a3uK2rm6uLABP0leailoamklcksloahsse)lhoonCi AAhK(5irlumpt4lul8itaLska9hgaarmeglkorae)nsDuLLsa(hau3Aakd6eklo(3ah3n0ua8mdMLP6iaa)n0uksmtPesn)ayseVsAALC(eall5harakt0uauiMe5cpddsa0diinlmna-rO)a
(Moriyon) S
MOUN T A I N
Rashnar

Mijon Energia
Gushor Moskva (5120m)

Ta jikistan ENFaaontrit&nhgZeerrnaTfasjhiaknisMtaonuntains Nofin Nofin Kaznok Pass
(4040m)
Padrud Khurdak ymat (5040m)
Bolshaya
Haft-Kul Tavasang Pass Sar (Ganja)
Marguzor (3300m) (5306m)

Hazor Munora Pass Dukdon Pass
Chashma (3520m) (3810m)

Sarytag

Kara k ul River

Sarytag’s most comfortable option with wise you’ll be reliant on homestay (or Tur-
sit-down (outside) toilet and sweeping views baza) meals and your own supplies.
over the village’s mountain horizion from
their open-sided dining platform. 88 Getting There & Away

Dilovar’s Homestay HOMESTAY $ The unpaved road isn’t bad but there’s no public
(%92-788 22 35) In the heart of the village, transport. A taxi from Sarvoda market costs
this place wins for its flower garden and 100TJS to 150TJS. Peak season weekends you
may soon be the first place to have a shower might hitch a ride from the M34 junction with
(others have banya, public bath, for an extra Dushanbe partygoers heading to the Turbaza.
US$5 fee).
Shared taxis for Dushanbe leave Sarytag a few
Iqbol Homestay HOMESTAY $ times weekly (from 70TJS), others are organised
most days in summer from Shezok guesthouse.

(%92-744 20 30, 92-725 90 81, Israfil 92-790 92 Sarvoda
12; B&B US$10, dinner/banya US$5/5) The old
building here has the most authentic sleep- Сарвода

ing room but the worst bathroom, unless A few drab apartment blocks, factory ruins
you walk to their nearly-complete new and a big Soviet silver worker statue hidden
building. in the trees. That’s about all there is of Sar-
voda. However, its minor roadside bazaar
5 Eating is a handy place to seek rides to Margeb,
Iskander-Kul or the Alaudin Lakes. If you’re
There’s one very basic shop (beneath Shezok stuck overnight, Mehmonkhona Yazdon
guesthouse) at the start of the lake. Other- (%92-811 13 98; dm 10TJS) has cheap beds and

0 20 km 329
0 12 miles Kaznok Pass (4040m, ice axe and crampons
Khojand required).
Approximate Scale Only
If you’re not on a tour, bring all the provi-
sions you’ll need from Sarvoda or beyond.

Khairabad Zerobod Margeb & the Yagnob Valley

Ayni At Km95.5 of the Dushanbe Highway, just
east of the small step-layered village of Tak-
M34 fon, a dusty, ragged ribbon of former asphalt
leads towards the wild Yagnob mountain
Fan Darya valley. After 20km you’ll pass through An-
Marguzor rud Darya Ta jikistan GNFaeontrtt&ihnZegerrnTahTfeasrjheiak&nisAMtwaoanuyntainszob, a little market town with some stacked
Pas Sarvoda Anzob; old-stone stables and a curious erosion pil-
F AN Yagnob lar beside the road. About 2km further you
get the first stunning mountain views with
Pasrud Takfon Chumgar and Zamin-Karor rising ahead
like massive spiky horns. The latter’s tower-
UNTA I NS Zerafshan II ing, near-vertical rock faces have attracted
international mountaineering competitions.
Darya Anzob One grand rock-wall looms almost directly
Iskander Tunnel; above the upper section of two-centred Mar-
Asliddin Dushanbe geb (Margeb Bolo), a timeless old village
Siroyidinov's whose dramatic location is reason enough to
Cabin Narvad visit even if you’ve no interest in climbing.
Sayoh Homestay (Safar Rasulov; %93-504
Turbaza 02 01; Margeb) is appealingly traditional and
delightfully hospitable in the upper village
Shezok heart. Zaminkaror Homestay (Dusmaham-
mad Dustov (Klichku Jonik); %92-816 27 74; Mar-
Iskander-Kul geb; dm/breakfast/lunch/dinner US$10/2/5/5)
President's sits five minutes’ stroll above, amid photo-
Datcha genic stone stables at the top of the village
and is building a new two-room mini-guest-
a toilet-hole way down the wooded garden. house in their garden.
It’s 1km north of the bazaar on the M34, the
last house on the left before you cross the Starting 22km past Margeb at Bedev,
river bridge at the Alaudin turning. some villages of the upper Yagnob Valley are
still home to native speakers of Sogd[ian], a
Alaudin Lakes language largely unchanged since the time
of Alexander the Great. Some 500 more
Limpid and dreamily beautiful, the main Sogd-speaking families were forcibly relo-
Alaudin Lake (2780m) is a glorious place cated out of the valley to Zafarobad in 1970.
for camping, and a possible base for walk-
ing into the heart of the Fan Mountains. A The best starting point to find a ride to
popular day hike takes you out to Mutnye Margeb is Sarvoda, where Yagnobi trad-
(‘muddy’) Lake (3510m), surrounded by a ers stock up at the market. Cars also run
splendid array of 5000m plus peaks. Alaudin most mornings from Margeb to Dushanbe
is helpfully accessible, just 3km on foot from (60TJS per seat). Beware that old maps still
a trailhead camp where three valleys meet: show the old road over the Anzob Pass. Sad-
taxis ask around 150TJS to drive here from ly that gloriously scenic option has essen-
Sarvoda. The western valley eventually takes tially decayed beyond any usability, even
you across the breathtaking 3630m Laudan for motorcycles.
Pass to the lovely Kulikalon lakes in around
eight hours. Ayni Айнӣ

There is a trail of sorts to Iskander- The transport hub for the Mastcho (East
Kul but it crosses the seriously difficult Zerafshan) Valley, Ayni has two centres. The
main one, on the M34, has moneychanging
banks, an ATM, shops and a small area of

330 Ta jikistan GFNaeontrtt&ihnZegerrnTahTfeasrjheiak&nisAMtwaoanuyntains Rumi’s beloved inspiration, Shams-i Tabrizi.
attractive traditional garden homesteads A good two-hour hike takes you to summer
hidden on alley-footpaths behind what pastures at Tagob. Or, if properly equipped,
apears to be a stretched silver-domed Dalek. you could try the steep two- to three-day
Actually, beneath all the Dalek’s battered trek to Hishortob in the Yagnob Valley.
Plexiglass, there’s the heavily eroded 10th-
century mud-brick minaret, Varz-i-Minor. Veshab has a homestay with Huseinboy
The mosque beside it has some attractive Sultanov (%92-723 00 15; B&B US$12), which
woodwork. is far better than sleeping in the grimy car-
If you’re stuck here overnight, Varz (%92 peted back room of the teahouse with nei-
852 86 86; Rudaki; tr 150TJS) has three new, if ther bedding nor bathroom.
somewhat sparse, guestrooms with modern
bathrooms and very firm beds. It’s upstairs Oburdon has the Zerafshan Valley’s most
over the modern green-roofed shop-and- dramatic setting with a trio of white-topped
wedding hall complex on the main drag. peaks visible down the cleft of a side valley
Some 3km south, just across the M34 to the south, watched over by the stump of
bridge, ‘krug’ is the main taxi stand for a former fortress. Hatishahr has a discord-
Dushanbe (45TJS to 70TJS per seat, 2½ antly modern petrol station amid the typi-
hours) and Sarvoda (20TJS per car). Ayni’s cal stone-and-wattle–walled homesteads,
second centre is directly east of krug on and the still-unfinished district capital
the Mastcho road, with the 4WD stand for Mehergun is a bizarre gaggle of govern-
Veshab (15TJS) and the eastern Zerafshan ment buildings slapped on a barren hillside
Valley near the hospital, 700m along. In away from any sign of habitation.
between, the new, soulless Nuri Rahmon
Hotel (%92-818 67 67; foreigner dm/s/tw/ste Above Hairobod, a 10km gold-mining
150/250/460/300TJS, local 80/120/220/180TJS) road presents a headstart for a week-long
oddly charges the same for an impressive adventure trek into the Yagnob Valley via
double-bed suite (‘married couple only’, the snowbound 4040m Tabaspin Pass. Just
300TJS) as for two beds in a bland four-bed up the valley, Langar (107km from Ayni) is a
dorm while an austere twin costs 460TJS. logical departure point, thanks to the utterly
charming Kholov family (Habib) home-
Zerafshan Valley stay (%92 761 15 21; Langar, Machho; B&B US$12)
Долина Зеравшан which has its own mini museum-cabinet and
can usually help you find a guide, given some
A bumpily slow road roller-coasters through patience. It’s right at the start (western edge)
the Zerafshan Valley that intersperses im- of Langar village where you see a sign with
pressively stark arid rockscapes with splash- an EU flag logo. No English, summer only.
es of intense irrigated green, though you
won’t see as much spikey mountain action It’s another 90km to Dehavz, a shrine
here as at Margeb or Iskander-Kul, especial- village where 5000m peaks start to close in.
ly if you’re driving west on the busier route The 4WD track ends 7km further, a 15km
towards Penjikent. hike short of the Zerafshan Glacier whose
loss of 2.5km in 90 years has been cited as
MASTCHOHI KUHI (UPPER ZERAFSHAN) a ‘proof’ of global warming. With equip-
Heading east of Ayni into Mastcho, the road ment and a guide, it should also be possi-
is long but gently rewarding with several ble to trek south across to the Rasht Valley.
interesting rural villages and the potential However, there are no established local
for some strenuous hiking if you’re well systems to help travellers up here so if you
prepared. don’t come with a trekking company, you’ll
be very much living on your wits and rely-
Perhaps the most interesting village is ing on local direction-finding. Not for the
Veshab, 47km from Ayni, with a stepped uninitiated!
section of old houses at the back of town
and a fine perch high above the curling river. 88 Getting There & Away
In the village centre, opposite the teahouse,
Bobokon Choykhana (%91-890 89 28; Ves- A variety of shared 4WDs depart from Ayni’s
hab; sleeping space 5TJS), a wide footpath de- hospital 4WD-stand, mostly in the afternoon, re-
scending past the main shop leads in five turning the next morning. Once a vehicle is filling
minutes to a tomb-shrine that looks brand up you’ll rarely need to pay more than 50TJS per
new, but is claimed to be that of Sufi poet seat but you might wait hours (or days if head-
ing beyond Langar). However, if you become a
4WD’s main ‘sponsor’ you coud be looking at
around 800TJS to Langar (five to six hours).

331

TOWARDS PENJIKENT border road and customs post, due for com-
Around 40km east of Penjikent, then 9km pletion by 2015, will encourage Uzbekistan
off the main Ayni road, Mazor-i-Sharif to re-open the frontier and allow a revival in
has a striking setting, ringed by red-green visitor numbers from Samarkand.
eroded slopes. It is home to a much-revered
14th-century mausoleum (supposedly mark- 1 Sights
ing the older grave of Mohammad Bashoro),
most interesting for its ossuary, central pil- Ancient Penjikent ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE
lar and hermit-retreat box-room.
(www.orientarch.uni-halle.de/ca/pandzh.htm)
On a terrace above the banks of the Zeraf-
shan River, 1.5km southeast of today’s Pen-
jikent, are the ruins of a major Sogdian
Penjikent Пенжикент town, which was briefly (5th to 8th cen-

% 3475 / POP 50,000 turies) one of the most cosmopolitan cit-
ies on the Silk Road. The palace here was
Famous for its millenium-old archaeological originally decorated with ornate hunting
site and as a springboard for Haft-Kul, Pen- scenes and pillars carved in the shape of
jikent is crossing its fingers that a big new

Penjikent e# 0 400 m
A 0 0.2 miles
B C D

ú# 10
6
ÿ#

Firdavsi
Sherozi
Sherali (K Markas)
Beruni (Kokuri)
11
Ta jikistan SFNaiognrht&thsZeerrnaTfasjhiaknisMtaonuntains
Navabod 4WDs to
Shokin›# Shing & D
Devastich Haft-Kul

Tereshkova Bazaar ú# 11 8 ÿ#

2 ÿ# ò#ì# ð# 9 ú# ÿ# 7 DMin2ibß#us›# 2
1 4 #áSomoni Stand
15 Main ›#
#á ÿ# 5 ï# Rudañ#ki Statue (2km)
3
â# #á #16 #á Stadium Sherozi
UmBaerkKhhzaoydyom Loik
ð# 14 MarvaziLenin Sherali 12 #ú
Mirza Bedil Statue Statue

D 13 ú#
3 Uzbekistan 3
Border Ancient Penjikent D
(5km) (by road 3km) Ancient Penjikent
A B (by foot 350m);
Museum (800m)

CD

Penjikent ú Eating
9 Café Safina ...............................................C2
æ Sights 10 Dilkusho .................................................... B1
1 Devastich Statue..................................... A3 11 Mukhiddin.................................................D2
2 Olim Dodkhokh Complex ....................... D2 12 Obod..........................................................C2
3 Rudaki Museum ...................................... A2 13 Sayokhat...................................................B3

ÿ Sleeping ï Information
4 Dodo Hotel............................................... C2 14 Internet Tsentr.........................................A2
5 Elina Guest House................................... A3 Niyazov Niyozkul ............................. (see 5)
6 Hotel Aziz .................................................. C1 15 Zerafshan Tourism Board ......................B2
7 Maqsud Guesthouse .............................. D2 16 ZTDA Information Centre ......................B2
8 Zurmich Homestay................................. D2

332 4 Sleeping
dancing girls. Today the site is just a sun-
baked hillside with excavated sunbaked Beware that from November through April
wall-stub ruins. But you can clearly iden- many accommodation options are closed.
tify the foundations of numerous former
buildings in what was the main shakhris- Dodo Hotel GUESTHOUSE $
tan (town centre), and seek out hints of an ([email protected]; Devashtich 34; d/ste
outlying rabad (suburb) and necropolis. 100/120TJS; iW) Good value for couples,
Get to the site on marshrutka 5. Ask handily central, with free wi-fi. The suites
the driver for Stary Penjikent; from where have large, if plain, sitting rooms with most-
you’re dropped make an obvious four- ly unadorned sick-green walls. Open year-
minute dog-leg walk to the site’s southern round.
edge. Here a traditionally styled one-room
museum (admission 3TJS; h10am-5pm) Zurmich Homestay HOMESTAY $
chronicles the excavations and has painted (%92-759 91 23; [email protected]; Bakoli first
copies of the best frescoes. The originals, lane, 24; per person 75TJS; hApr-Oct) Central,
along with most sculptures, pottery and charming homestay with a kitchen, din-
manuscripts, were long ago carted off to ing room and sitting area shared by three
Tashkent and St Petersburg. pleasant, simple rooms above the central
A site map outside helps plan an explo- iris-garden. Showers accessed through
ration of the ruins, or just wander at ran- a billiard room, box-toilets downstairs.
dom among the unfenced muddy ridges. Owner speaks German and organises treks.
On a clear day the mountain panoramas From the bazaar, walk down the steps be-
are splendid and from this raised position side Bashani Hamam (201 Rudaki), then
it’s easy to plot a course back to town de-Ta jikistan SFNaloneret&phiZenergrnaTfasjhiaknisMtaonuntains right 50m along a small footpath that
scending between the main ruins and the crosses a stream.
distinct raised citadel site further west.
You should emerge on Beruni just 15 min- Maqsud Guesthouse HOMESTAY $
utes’ stroll from the bazaar. (%92-771 12 10; Sheralizod 2; per person 80TJS; i)
Comfortable, central homestay off a central
garden with shared kitchen, hot shower and
Rudaki Museum MUSEUM limited free use of the co-owned internet

(Rudaki 67; foreigner/local 10/2TJS; h8am-5pm) cafe. Extension plans will make this into a
This rather elegant museum does assign a
room to Abu Abdullah Rudaki (858–941), small hotel, new rooms to have ensuite fa-
cilities. Limited English spoken.
the Samanid court ‘father of Persian poetry’,
whose modern mausoleum is 58km east of
Penjikent at Panjrud. However, it’s more in- Elina Guest House GUESTHOUSE $
(%Tatiana 93-566 37 37; www.travel-pamir.com;
teresting for the displays of local products Rudaki 20/16; per person with/without bathroom
(wine, textiles, gold) and the ethnograhic
and historical sections including finds and 75/50TJS; W) Perky, well-maintained little
rooms around a small courtyard. Bathrooms
reproduction frescoes from Ancient Pen- are modern, if mostly shared. It’s tucked
jikent and Neolithic tools from Sarazm.
back off the road but is well-signed.

Devastich Statue MONUMENT Hotel Aziz HOMESTAY, GUESTHOUSE $

(Rudaki) A statue of Devastich, the area’s last (%92-780 33 31, 55 224; Devastich 4; per person
Sogdian leader, dominates the roundabout
at the west end of town. US$10) Attached to the home of the Rudaki
Museum’s English-speaking guide are four
ensuite guestrooms and a sizeable billiard
Olim Dodkhokh Complex MOSQUE room dotted with furniture oddments.

(Rudaki 164) On cold Friday lunchtimes, doz- Standards aren’t luxurious (one bed is held
ens of older men with flowing white beards,
turbans, upturned boots and swishing pur- up on a pile of books) but it is the best value
in town for single travellers. Call ahead.
ple/green irridescent joma robes make their
way to prayers at this mosque-madrassa 5 Eating
complex opposite the bazaar. Though mostly
a contemporary rebuild, its origins are 14th Mukhiddin CHAIKHANA $
(Rudaki 189; samsa 3-5TJS, blini/tea/lagman
century. The best view is from Mafsemi 1/0.5/12TJS; h6am-4pm) Very popular ba-
Chaikhana upstairs opposite the Shokhrukh
samsa (samosa) shop (Rudaki 154). zaar chaikhana with fine views and plenty

333

of breakfast options. Take the door to the around rural homestays, a whole brochure
direct right of the bazaar’s main entrance, of which they publish complete with photos
beside Megafon. of each family and their houses (available
online). Sells a small selection of handicrafts
Obod CENTRAL ASIAN $ and its own 1:100,000 Fan Mountains and
(Sherali 42; mains 8-12TJS, kebabs from 4TJS; 1:400,000 Zerafshan Valley maps.
h8am-10pm Mon-Sat) Behind a vine-fronted Niyazov Niyozkul (%93-588 96 68; niyozkul
facade, eight summer tables loop around @mail.ru; Rudaki 20/16) Helpful and trust-
a central fountain-pool in a shaded court- worthy, Niyozkul is an English-speaking fount
yard. Its riverside branch, Dilkusho (Obody of historical and cultural knowledge, familiar
Poyon; mains 6-20TJS, beer 7TJS; h11am-10pm), is with budget traveller needs. He can organise
smarter, with traditional pillared colonnade, accommodation, trekking support and trans-
but on summer evenings the mosquitoes port – whether private hires or seats in shared
like to dine too. taxis. His unmarked door shares the same
gateway with Elina Guesthouse next door.

Café Safina CENTRAL ASIAN $ 88 Getting There & Away
(Sherali, cnr Rudaki; mains 6-10TJS; h8am-10pm
Sun-Fri) Decent indoor place with menus (un- The scenic Penjikent–Ayni road is infuriat-
like most chaikhanas) and curtained booth ingly potholed, but due for reconstruction by
seats for private soirées. 2016. After rain, rockfalls can cause delays
but if all is well, shared taxis reach Khojand
Sayokhat CHAIKHANA $$ (120TJS per seat) in six hours, and Dushanbe
(www.panjakent-intour.tj; Marvazi; mains 15-25TJS; (100TJS per seat) in five hours from the bus
h8am-7pm May-Oct) Penjikent’s most im- station, 2km east of the central bazaar. Pref-
aginative eatery, this eccentric new wooden erably pre-book your ticket and be collected Ta jikistan NFI naofnrot&rhmZeaertrniaoTfnasjhiaknisMtaonuntains
structure is festooned in traditional arte- from your accommodation. Three daily buses
facts and merrily over-endowed with timber to Artush via Panjrud currently start opposite
stairways. the mosque but will eventually relocate to the
bus station.
88 Information
Cars to Istaravshan leave from beside Rudaki
Internet Tsentr (Rudaki 40; per hr 3TJS; 206 opposite the Guliston clothes bazaar.
h 8am-10pm) Departures are most plentiful Mondays and
Zerafshan Tourism Board (ZTB; %53 Friday mornings before 10am.
680, Zafar 92-780 77 16; www.zerafshan.
info; Rudaki 111-125) This nonprofit union of To reach Ayni or Sarvoda without paying
tourism operators runs a remarkably helpful the full Dushanbe taxi fare, you could take the
tourist information office that can help inde- 10.30am minibus to Umetan (12TJS, around
pendent budget travellers every bit as well as two hours) and switch to the 1.30pm service
those seeking tours, transport and guides. to Sarvoda (aka Zarafshan 1). However, if you
Zafar speaks excellent English. miss the connection there’s no formal accom-
ZTDA Information Centre (%56 339; www. modation in Umetan.
ztda-tourism.tj; Rudaki 108; h8am-5pm Mon-
Fri summer, 9am-4pm Mon-Fri winter) ZTDA From a building supplies yard, 200m down
promotes community tourism and organises Shokin from the bazaar, buses run to Shing
tours across the region, often revolving (2pm, 10TJS) and crammed-full 4WDs (Takhta
Bazaar) to the Haft-Kul villages (40TJS) de-
part around noon, returning the next morning
at 6am.

HAFT-KUL

For a great overnight trip from Penjikent head to Haft-Kul (Seven Lakes; Marguzor
Lakes), a 20km-long chain of turquoise pools strung along the western end of the Fan
Mountain range. The access road gets very rough but daily shared 4WDs can get you
near delightful homestays at Nofin, Padrud and Marguzor. Contact the tourist offices in
Penjikent for homestay names and details. The seventh (uppermost) lake is essentially
only accessible on foot even if you rent a private 4WD (day return costs around US$80
from Penjikent through Nematov Niyozkul). Beware that beyond Shing the road is prone
to mudslides, especially in spring. These can block the route for days. Passport checks
are possible at Novichornok.

334 a vast unfinished new mosque site, then
left on Tursunzoda to find the Abdullatif
88 Getting Around Sultan Medressa (Kök Gumbaz; Tursunzoda),
centrepiece of a working Islamic school
Minibuses 1 and 4 run along Rudaki from Elina whose eye-catching Timurid architecture
Guest House, past the museum to the bazaar gives it its nickname Blue Dome. Walk-
and on to the bus station. ing another five minutes west brings you
to a major road along which marshrutka
Istaravshan 3a links between the bazaar and Chor
ИСТАРАВШАН Gumbaz.

% 3454 / POP 50,000 Chor Gumbaz ISLAMIC

Called Kir by the Parthians, Cyropol by Alex- (Said Nizomaddin Hoja Mazor) In the northwest
ander the Great and Ura-Tyube by the Rus- corner of town is the one-room Mazar-i-
sians and Soviets, Istaravshan has a small Chor Gumbaz whose four tin cupolas con-
historical core that is a little better preserved ceal some of Tajikistan’s most impressive old
than most in Tajikistan. That isn’t saying a painted ceilings. If locked, ask at the house
great deal, and Bukhara it’s certainly not. behind.
But then, there aren’t any tourists either.

1 Sights Sary Mazar ISLAMIC

Mug Teppe FORTRESS (Yellow Tomb; marshrutka 11, 3a) Old grey-

The city’s grassy, flat-topped former fortress bearded men shaded by even older chinar
hill rises northeast of the centre. Stormed by
Alexander the Great in 329 BC and Arabs (plane) trees survey a pair of small but or-
nately stucco-fronted 17th-century tombs
Ta jikistan NIGseottrattrihanevgrsnAhraTonaujnikdistan in 772 AD, only minimal mud-wall traces of beside a mosque and appealingly authentic
the original remain. These, however, have
been grandly augmented since 2002 by a chaikhana. From the bazaar take marshrut-
ka 3a, get off 300m beyond the cross-sabres
blue-domed brick entry gateway, built for gateway, walk straight along Ehsan (15
Istaravshan’s 2500th anniversary celebra-
tions. Though quickly becoming dilapidat- minutes), then ask!

ed, it looks great from afar and clear-day 4 Sleeping
views show off the city’s mountain horizon
to great advantage. Access is from the first Sadbargi HOTEL $
(%91-988 70 48; Lenin 101b; tw 190TJS, s/tw with-
traffic lights north of Sadbargi hotel. out bathroom 65/90TJS) By far the best option

Bazaar MARKET in town. Upstairs above a big modern wed-

(Lenin; h7am-3pm) The vast, colourful cen- ding hall, well-furnished ensuite rooms are
tral bazaar is a town unto itself. Don’t ample-sized with comfy beds, kettle, tea,
miss the 12 blacksmith workshops which towels and shampoo provided. When not
make top-quality knives using remarkably full, single occupancy costs half the twin-
archaic-looking equipment. They’re in the room price. Cheaper rooms are neat, sim-
sick-green, low-rise building across from the ple affairs sharing a semi-clean toilet and
three-storey, triple arch of the main mus- shower. During weddings, music rumbles
tard-yellow bazaar building. the rafters.

Shahr-e-kuhna OLD TOWN Hotel Jasnovar CRASH PAD $

The old town is a gently intriguing maze (%24 961; r without bathroom 40-50TJS, r with
of lanes, with interesting houses often tan- bathroom 80-120TJS) Though once attrac-
talisingly hidden from view behind straw- tive, the simple rooms now range from
and-wattle plastered walls. Access is via dishevelled through grubby to objection-
Krupskoe or Tursunzoda streets heading able. Only consider this if the Sadbaghi is
west from 102 or 98 Lenin respectively, full. It’s 300m south of the Penjikent taxi
either side of the photogenic Hazrat-i- stand.
Shah Mosque (Lenin 98). Walking along
Krupskoe for around 10 minutes you’ll 88 Getting There & Around
spot the 1910 Hauz-i-Sangin mosque
(Menzhinski 9, at Krupskoe) to the right. Peep Dushanbe Shared taxis (100TJS per seat, four
in to see its attractively painted ceilings. hours, 276km) leave from the southern end of
Backtrack one block, then walk south past the bazaar. A full charter taxi with an overnight
in Iskander-Kul starts at around US$150.

335

Penjikent (80TJS to 100TJS, five hours) Taxis Panchshanbe Bazaar MARKET
leave from 100m further south, beyond the
terminus of marshrutkas 4 and 5, though (h5am-7pm, 6am-5.30pm winter) The core of
cheeky freelancers may tell you otherwise the bazaar is an unusually elegant, purpose-
hoping to get a full charter. built hall (1964) with arched entrance por-
Khojand Although minibus 314 (8TJS, 90 min- tals and a pink-and-lime-green neoclassical
utes) should start 3km north of town from the facade – think Stalin meets 1001 Nights. It’s
Avtovokzal, some fill up at the same place as the one of the best-stocked markets in Central
shared taxis (15TJS, 50 minutes), near the black- Asia, especially on Thursday (panchshanbe
smiths workshops opposite the central bazaar. in Tajik).

From the bazaar take marshrutka 6 for the hotel Sheikh Massal ad-Din complex ISLAMIC
Sadbargi and Avtovokzal, 5A for Mug Teppe and (ploshchad Pobedy) In striking comparison to
3A to get close to the old town sights. the bazaar opposite, this religious complex
comprises the 1394 brick mausoleum of
Khojand Худжанд Sheikh Massal ad-Din (1133–1223), cov-
ered porticoes with carved wooden pillars,
% 3422 / POP 164,500 a 20th-century mosque with sensitive, if
modern, white-stone frontage and a 21m-
Khojand (or Khojent/Khujand, formerly high brick minaret dating from 1865. A
Leninabad) is Tajikistan’s second-largest matching second minaret is nearing com-
city. Although it’s a massive sprawl, most pletion directly north, attached to a new,
hotels and sights are close to Lenin, which traditionally designed brick mosque that
snakes north–south-southeast for almost looks archetypally Central Asian but for the
10km, crossing the Syr-Darya River near luridly reflective emerald-green dome.
the point where Alexander the Great once Ta jikistan SNKihogorhjttahsnedrn Tajikistan
founded his northernmost Central Asian
outpost, Alexandria-Eskhate. Citadel FORTRESS

Commanding (and taxing) the entrance The city’s oldest remains are the formless
baked-earth walls of the 10th-century cita-
to the Fergana Valley, Khojand built pal- del, which once boasted seven gates and
aces, grand mosques and a huge citadel
before the Mongols bulldozed the city into 6km of fortifications. Earlier this had been
the site of Alexander the Great’s original set-
oblivion in the early 13th century. tlement. The fort was the scene of pitched
Khojand’s population has a strong Uz-
bek contingent, although it always provid- battles in 1997 between rebel Uzbek war-
lords and government troops, during which
ed Tajikistan’s Soviet elite. When President 300 people were killed. The main section
Nabiev, a Khojand man, was unseated in
1992 and Tajikistan appeared to be becom- remains occupied by the army but much of
the eastern wall has been rebuilt creating an
ing an Islamic republic, Khojand (Lenina- impressive, if one-photo scene, when viewed
bad) province threatened to secede. Secure
behind the Fan Mountains, it managed to from the southeast corner. That’s where the
rebuilt bastion now contains a museum
escape the ravages of the civil war and re- (foreigner/local 6/3TJS; h8am-4pm Tue-Fri, 9am-
mains the wealthiest part of the country.
Several sparkling new monuments add to 4pm Sat & Sun), lavished with colourful stone
mosaics and partly 3D murals though it
the air of comparative prosperity, the ba- contains little in the way of historical arte-
zaar and mosque complex is impressive,
and there are a few historical curiosities to facts. A much more modest one-room ar-
chaeological museum (Tanbyri 4; foreigner/
glimpse as you transit between Kyrgyzstan local 2/0.5TJS; h9am-noon & 1-4pm) inside the
or Uzbekistan and the Fan Mountains.
central section of the rebuilt wall has a few
1 Sights old plans of the original citadel and allows
access to a section of battlements.
Minibus 55 between the Avtostanitsa and
Abreshim bus stations passes both of Kho- Lenin Statue MONUMENT
jand’s two main attractions. For the bazaar
and mausoleum get off at the big WWII A 22m-tall statue of Lenin was moved here
Monument and walk 100m east. For the cit- from Moscow in 1974 when Khojand was
adel get off opposite the Hotel/Trade Centre called Leninabad. In 2011 Vlad was quietly
Kheson and walk two blocks west of Lenin removed from his central plinth north of the
down Rajabov. river (replaced by an equally large Somoni)
and was re-erected in an obscure retirement

336

Khojand 4B 4 e# 0 400 m
A 0 0.2 miles
C
Somoni Statue DD
(350m);D Ù# Beach Abreshim
Tashkent Syr-Darya ›#
(160km) Lenin Nabiev (3km)
1
664461
D 2
Lenin Statue D
(Victory Park, 1km) 3

10

6666ÿ#
2 Citadel
Bus R a s ulova
Stop
66666663 M Tanbyri ›#
3 â# ó# ÿ# 8
12V#â# ÿ#Ma9ÿ#vlo1n2#úbek13ov Firdausi

Rajaboÿ#v # Eternal KoKnaslitnainntkionv Kamoli Khojandi
7 Flame

Ta jikistan NSKlhoeorejtpahinendrgn Tajikistan Dekhon Firdausi #ì á# KStoamtuileKohfojandi

Kamoli Khojandi

4 Lenin 4 ÿ# 11 4
Yova (ËBA) æ# ú# 14 Sharq
›# ß# 5 ploshchad
(400m) Pobedy
DHotel Sugd6 #á
(1.5km);
–# (12km)

ABCD

spot in the 18th-microrayon suburb. Taxi broken lift. Still some rooms have been
20TJS return. repainted and the sullen dezhurnaya
(floor-lady) will fix a pot of tea for 1TJS.
4 Sleeping
Hotel Sharq HOSTEL $
Except for the Sharq and Grand, hotels (Sharq; dm/tw/tr/q 12/30/45/60TJS) Friendly
charge foreigner prices that can be as much but very basic traders’ hostel on the top
as twice what Tajik citizens would pay. Most floor of Panchshanbe Bazaar (entered from
double rooms at better central hotels have half way along the south exterior). There’s
queen (not twin) beds, which you’ll find at only one shared toilet and to wash, staff can
the overpriced central Hotel Khujand (%659 direct you to a banya nearby. Women might
97; Mavlonbekov 1; lux 220TJS; a), next-door Ho- feel uncomfortable here.
tel Vahdat (%651 01; Mavlonbekov 3; half lux/lux
220/280TJS; a), or the newer, overly colourful Hotel Sugd HOTEL $$
Hotel Heson (%648 45; Lenin 3b; d 220-240TJS). (%411 88; [email protected]; Lenin 179a; s/d
180/290TJS, lux 370-400TJS incl breakfast; aW)
Hotel Leninobod HOTEL $ Khojand’s best midrange choice is 150m
(%655 35; Nabiev 51; dm/s/d 70/90/140TJS) Well
placed on the corniche with views across the south of the nasty but more visible Ehson.
Neat, carpeted rooms with pale yellow soft
Syr-Darya to northern Khojand’s stark rocky furnishings and slightly garish fabric ‘art’
backdrop, this patched-up Soviet tower op-
erates only two floors and decor has evolved come with fridge, toiletries and hair dryer.
Friendly staff valiantly attempt basic English.
little since 1990, with dim lighting and a

337

Khojand ÿ Sleeping
7 Grand Hotel Khujand .............................. A3
æ Sights 8 Hotel Heson..............................................B2
1 Citadel ...................................................... A2 9 Hotel Khujand ..........................................B3
2 Historical Museum of Sughd
Province ................................................ A2 10 Hotel Leninobod ......................................A2
3 Museum of Archaeology & 11 Hotel Sharq ..............................................D4
Fortifications ........................................ A2 12 Hotel Vahdat ............................................B3
4 Panchshanbe Bazaar ............................. D4
5 Sheikh Massal ad-Din complex............. D4 ú Eating
6 WWII Monument ..................................... D4 13 Café Ravshan ...........................................B3
14 Cafe Sharq................................................D4

Grand Hotel Khujand BOUTIQUE HOTEL $$ Other Dushanbe shared taxis, plus transport
(%605 99; [email protected]; Tamburi to Oybek (for Tashkent, Uzbekistan) via Buston
20; d 500-600TJS; aW) Khojand’s best luxury (10TJS) use the big Abreshim bus station out in
choice, this attractive new place is ideally the distant northeastern suburbs.
placed, right opposite the citadel. There are
slight art-nouveau touches to the over-glossy 88 Getting Around
wooden furniture and the 16 rooms are in-
dulgently spacious, though some fittings Marshrutka 55 (1TJS) links Abreshim bus station
seem more for show than built to last. to Isfara Avtostanisa; 29 and 33 link the Yova Ta jikistan IENsaoftraitrnhagern Tajikistan
and Abreshim bus stations. The airport, 16km
5 Eating southeast at Chkalovsk, is accessible by minibus
80 (2TJS). All above routes and many more pass
Chaikhanas, piroshki sellers and shashlyk along Lenin near the central Rajabov junction.
grills are plentiful along Rajabov west of Route 3A links Yova to the Isfara Avtostanisa bus
Lenin, and around the bazaar where there’s station via Panchshanbe Bazaar.
a cheap cafeteria (Sharq; h4am-10pm) be-
neath Hotel Sharq. Isfara Исфара

Café Ravshan CENTRAL ASIAN $$ If you’re heading to Kyrgyzstan without an
(Rajabov 102; mains 9.50-24TJS, beer 6-10TJS;
h6am-10.30pm) This central semi-smart cafe Uzbekistan visa, head first to Isfara, which
feels strikingly more prosperous than
features mirror-facet flowers and chequer- Batken across the Kyrgyzstan border.
board couch seats. The kitchen barbeques
great okaroshka (chicken kebabs, 10TJS), The main east–west street, Markazi, has
banks including Amonat Bank and Eskhata
but beware of the coffee (2TJS) which is in- Bank (Markezi 31) with Visa/MasterCard
stant and heavily pre-sweetened.
ATMs. The latter is beside the new Ismoil So-
88 Getting There & Away moni monument, opposite the predictably
run-down Soviet-era Hotel Isfara (Markezi 18;
There are daily flights to Dushanbe (from d 20-50TJS). To get there from the bus station
340TJS) and to numerous Russian cities includ- take marshrutka 1 or 9 or walk a block north
ing Novosibirsk (from 820TJS). past the bazaar, then 10 minutes crossing the
bridge beside the spendid new-but-tradition-
There are three main ‘bus’ stations. Minibuses al Oriyol Teahouse. Facing the teahouse,
and shared taxis to Kanibadam/Kanibodom Hotel Vatan has extremely basic rooms
(minibus 328; 8TJS, 1½ hours) for Kokand, (from 10TJS per bed) and an internet room.
Uzbekistan, and to Isfara (minibus 301; 10TJS, Isfara bus station has direct cars to Dush-
two hours, mornings only) for Osh, Kyrgyzstan, anbe (130TJS) but they fill slowly. It’s often
leave from the inconspicuous little Isfara Avto- cheaper and rarely much slower to change
stanitsa (Lenin), opposite some metal silos 5km in Khojand (minibus/shared taxi 10/20TJS)
southeast of Panchshanbe. even though you’ll need to change bus sta-
tions. Batken-bound minibuses (4TJS, 40
Shared taxis to Penjikent (100TJS, seven minutes) leave at 10am, 1pm and 4pm. The
hours) and Dushanbe (100TJS to 120TJS per first departure arrives in time (just!) to con-
seat, six hours) plus regular minibus 314 to Is- nect with the last Batken–Osh marshrutka.
taravshan (4TJS, 90 minutes) all leave from the
Yova (Ёва) bus station (Kamoli Khojandi).

Ta jikistan TGeHhteEtPiaAnmMgiIrTRshSere & A round338 88 Getting There & Around

THE PAMIRS Transport is remarkably sparse. Hitching is
slow but possible if you don’t mind waiting
Gorno-Badakhshan (eastern Tajikistan) hours or days. Chances are better on the
is almost a different country and indeed Pamir Highway between Khorog and Murgab
it has its own special entry requirements if you learn the Chinese truckers’ driving pat-
(see p366). Officially called Kohistani terns. Hitching Sary Tash to Murgab is virtu-
Badakhshan, though commonly abbre- ally impossible unless you meet an unusually
viated to GBAO for its Soviet-era name merciful tourist vehicle.
(Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast),
the region accounts for 45% of Tajikistan’s Shared 4WDs run at least daily from Khorog
territory but only 3% of its population. to Murgab, Murgab to Osh and from Khorog
Most of the 212,000 souls who do live here to local destinations within an hour or two’s
are Pamiris whose irrigated villages lie drive, but frequency is so low that you might
deep within dramatic rocky valleys above wish you’d rented a 4WD with a group of fellow
which snow-dusted mountain peaks rise. travellers.
The eastern region, however, is mostly a
stark moonscape plateau, at an altitude For information on travelling around the
of well above 3000m, sparsely populated Wakhan Valley, see p350
with Kyrgyz herders whose sheep and yaks
eke out an existence in those areas fertile 4WD HIRE
enough for grass to grow. Hiring a private vehicle with driver gives you a
flexibility that you will value greatly in this scenic
Locals romantically nickname the re- and fascinating area where transport is other-
gion Bam-i-Dunya (the Roof of the World). wise in exceedingly short supply.
Westerners talk about ‘the Pamirs’ of-
ten assuming that the term refers to the Typical per kilometre rates range from
5000m plus mountains. You will indeed US$0.55 to US$0.95, plus US$15 to $20 per day
find three of the four highest peaks of the to cover the driver’s living expenses on overnight
former Soviet Union here. But the word or longer trips. As well as the obvious question
pamir actually translates from ancient of petrol price, the main factors affecting these
Persian as ‘rolling pastureland’, referring to rates are the type of vehicle you hire, the driver,
the valleys between those interconnected the route taken (one-way or loop), and where you
mountain ranges. hire the vehicle.
Type of vehicle While you can typically rent
Sleeping & Eating a Niva for around US$0.10/0.20 per km less
than a Musso/Pajero, it holds fewer people
Most tourist accommodation in rural Bada- and is less comfortable. For seriously arduous
khshan is in simple, comfortable homestays, terrain a UAZ is probably the strongest option
usually typical Pamiri houses with outdoor but it is very fuel-thirsty and a LandCruiser,
toilet holes. There are also yurtstays in the which comes a close second for toughness,
eastern Pamir. Formal homestays typically has better visibility and is far more comfort-
cost around US$15 per person including two able… unless you’re in the four side-facing
meals. If you receive an informal invitation back seats.
we suggest you still offer around US$10, Driver Ideally meet the driver before depar-
possibly leaving the money discreetly in an ture, give his vehicle the once-over, check
envelope to avoid embarrassment or refusal. that the 4WD is operational and, if crossing
PECTA (p346) in Khorog and TIC (p354) in to (from) Osh (in Kyrgyzstan), check that the
Murgab have extensive homestay lists. driver has a passport (and GBAO permit).
English-language skills have obvious advan-
Khorog has cafes and a well-stocked, rel- tages, but in reality a lively, helpful driver is
atively expensive bazaar. Murgab has very often better than a linguistically capable but
basic diners; its bazaar is very limited and sullen or inexperienced one. Drivers under 40
prices are even higher. Few other villages years old are rarely as mechanically capable
have even a regular shop and unmarked as old boys.
house-stores don’t stock much beyond Chi- Return trip You might be travelling one way
nese beer and expired Snickers bars. It’s but the driver needs to get home and you’ll
best to eat in homestays. Almost any rural generally need to figure those extra kilometres
home can provide basic snacks on request. into the price. So making a loop trip has signifi-
Expect to pay from 3TJS per person (10TJS cant cost advantages. However, if you employ
minimum) for the simplest bread and tea, a driver who regularly makes a standard route
even if you aren’t asked for money. then you need only pay one way (for example,
track down a Murgab-based driver in Khorog
for a cheaper trip to Murgab).

Finding a ride Most agencies in Murgab and 339
Khorog plus many in Osh, Bishkek and Dush-
anbe can find you a vehicle. Prices, but also Dushanbe to Khorog
standards, will tend to be higher than arrang-
ing in situ. Hamsafar (p323) in Dushanbe, and The spectacular Dushanbe–Khorog flight
PECTA (p346) in Khorog, are good at finding is worth considering if you can somehow
cars at reasonably short notice. TIC (p354) in get a seat. Otherwise there’s a choice from
Murgab has a list of local drivers, and all can Dushanbe of two main road routes con-
help pair travellers to cut costs. The other verging at Kalai-Khum, both part asphalt,
option is to visit the standard taxi stand for the part bone-cruncher. Most traffic (100% in
basic route you want to travel, then negotiate winter) uses the southern route through
with a driver for a full-car hire. Language is the harsh heat-baked hills to Kulob (Kulyab),
obvious barrier here, especially if you want to then along a fascinating Afghanistan bor-
make side trips or make long stops. derside road.
Petrol Finding petrol can be a problem in the
Pamirs. A trip into the more remote corners of An alternative Northern Route starts out
the region generally involves at least one dash along the main road to Garm then swerves
around town to find a obliging local with a jerry south at Labi Jar to Tavildara crossing the
can of diluted fuel and a bucket. 3252m Sagirdasht Pass, which is snow-
bound much of the year and typically closed

KEY TIPS FOR TRAVELLING IN THE PAMIRS Ta jikistan DTGehutesthPiaannmgbierTshteoreK h&oArroogund

Permits & Maps
¨¨You must have a GBAO permit to travel in the Pamirs (see p366). It should list each
of the districts: Ishkashim, Murgab, Vanj, Darvaz, Shugnan, Rushan and Roshtqala
(most do automatically, but double check). If you extend your visa, you must extend the
GBAO permit also to remain in the region.

¨¨Additional permits are required for Zor-Kul lake, the Tajik National Park or Lake
Sarez.

¨¨Buy Marcus Hauser’s indispensible 1:500,000 Pamirs Map. It’s packed with icon-
based information including sights and homestays. Sold at Murgab’s TIC (p354),
Dushanbe’s East Vision (p323), Yak Tours (p264) in Karakol, Kyrgyzstan or via www.
geckomaps.com. A fundamentally similar Pamir Tourist Map costs 60TJS from
PECTA (p346).

What to Pack
¨¨Sunglasses and sunscreen

¨¨Torch (flashlight)

¨¨Plenty of cash in both US$ and somani.

¨¨Warm clothing: a fleece and windproof shell should generally suffice in midsummer.

¨¨Sleeping bag and tent are sensible precautions if you’re hitch-hiking.

¨¨Mosquito repellant in summer.

¨¨Spare batteries: Khorog, western Pamir and Wakhan villages have mains electricity,
but supply is infamously unreliable in Murgab and can’t be expected anywhere else in
the eastern Pamirs.

¨¨Water purification tablets: bottled water is rarely available outside Khorog; in Murgab
it costs a whopping 4TJS per litre.

¨¨gifts: photos of yourself with the Aga Khan (see p361) would be gold-dust!

Money
The only ATMs are in Khorog. None accept Maestro. Banks in Khorog and Murgab can
change US$, but not always euros. Homestays accept US$ as well as somani. Kyrgyz
som are accepted in Karakul. If you have any somani left over, spend/change them there
or in Sary Tash (Kyrgyzstan).

340 eastbound, not to miss some great views
altogether between late October and May. by driving at night. Note that arranging
Even when open, broken bridges and dif- onward transport from small villages can
ficult fords can be problematic south of be very tough (especially eastbound), so
Tavildara. breaking the journey generally only works
Whichever route you take, an overnight if you’re prepared to charter a vehicle.
stop en route is highly recommended to
break the very long drive and, especially

The Pamirs

KYRGYZSTAN Osh Sary Tash Kashgar
(170km) Irkeshtam

Sary M41
A372 Moghul

(Border Closed Daroot-Korgon Bodöbö
to Foreigners) Karamyk Pik Lenin Kyzyl-Art Pass
(4282m)
Karamyk (Koh-i-Istiqlal) Pamir Highway
(7134m)
Dushanbe
(310km)

Jirgital Altyn Mazar Kara-Kul

Korzhenevskaya Kök Ubel Karakul

Ta jikistan DGTehutesthPiaannmgbierTshteoreK h&oArroogund (7105m) Tajik National Mt Urtabuz

Fedchenko Glacier Park (5047m)
Kurun-
Koh-i-Somoni Jalang Kul
(7495m) TanymasKök Jar Dangi
Valley
Vanj (Vanch) River Valley Ak-Baital Pass
Bartang (4655m)
Poi-Mazar Shurali Muzkol

Grum Peak (6128m)
Grijimailoo
(D(K(R52Vau20ulosak0shm-mkhaimVna)aK;ban)rh)enu(YjmGeemJisitzesBevGuA)KuDhnGitAjORezKiRvRHaBNkaRaSSORvroHhtmBi-asvuAanheesggodrNidVnrvVaaSrnashhlaleehPP(Ddy6Szaez0aeuatkv8BvdkRhnl3aoioormvBgdrbeZah)arcarBhKaGMraoour4lrcPs1alUhahcass-iCooderiiSrLheUDavaaBracpYkemuThedazlu-uasKznhGr-kuKaihull-Buu-lKKladzuauarMlZlAra-akaSDr-dutaJoimiryAslaghaalainncthHaAMuSKsokrhautu-MsBlB(rSs4gapyaa1PalkrdzyS3ibs-ainkh7yhrga-maaGsDmnrGBZA)tuaauuokVmAsrVrmrNahRaakbCatbaliP-ellvhiT(aleza(zee4aaz4yksary1tsl7uSKty3aS3hler7shM1iPnhTbmamaMgaeukPs)sr)4rhsahg1tsaysb
(FA1aPn2Dioz0daarkebsKsmhraThohd)nutTboesarivyovodgKRneoomhsPGCIMhs-ehahVitSa-aqrakahLkaylsoaalamekmals(yahlVBk6haoo0iDemDgv9zardBse5aakavormsyrNdYha)oDaaammiSmuhrdacauKaFdhsmroguhuSarDu-nlbitntuudSvMrTeuhaWvumaNdoYrrahaixumkPimnrh(eioKJtz6agaaasnm7DukvVi2-lVJserKe3haralumaaalnlrjnneg)lygduyZzoQ(PKn6eiog5laHai0k(--47TeE2mLIMe(Pn7azC4)aRg2nNae4hntemkags3oljtaPas2P)mkPDramoaamsrFsW)si-UsorKartuklhanK(KK4h3hARa4aUri4rvgFgSmeBuuarsGS)rrshhohWgaPHHdhaai-sleAksZPGBhoaNrWRrsao-sEgKnaIAhkuSihTll aTnRDACjaiPgonAiNrtgr-MiKdeoIuRrl(GJVizeaeisluelevy)

River

Pyanj River

Eshkashim Khaakha Fortress

Southern Route 341
Highlights of the route from Dush-
Dushanbe–Khorog can take anywhere be- anbe include brief views over Nurek
tween 14 and 20 hours but should become Reservoir and the startling sight of the
considerably quicker by 2016, once sections 11th-century reconstructed Hulbuk Fortress-¨
of asphalting and many new bridges are Palace (%90-666 7766, 90-800 1708; Kurbon
finished. Shahid; local/foreigner 1/5TJS; h9am-1pm & 2-5pm
Tue-Sun) at the roadside in Kurbon Shaid.
0 50 km That’s 8km west of Vose, with its fanci-
0 30 miles ful new market, and 30km before Kulob,
Tajikistan’s third biggest city. Though other-
CHINA wise forgettable, Kulob is noted for the much
(Xinjiang) revered shrine of 14th-century polymath Mir
Sayid Ali Hamadani (Somoni 41, Kulob) – the
Kashgar man credited with taking Islam to Kashmir.
(40km) Its golden dome and carved woodwork looks
brand new but the garden setting is photo-
Rang-Kul Rangkul Ta jikistan GTDehutesthPiaannmgbierTshteoreK h&oArroogundMuztagh Atagenic. Kulob’s large bazaar is the last real
opportunity to stock up with supplies before
Shor-Kul Ak-Suu Valley(Border expected to(7546m) the Pamirs. GBAO permits are carefully scru-
Konye tinised at the top of the modest Shurabad
Kurgan open in coming years) Pass, then the road heads down towards a
deep rocky valley which becomes seriously
Subashi Qolma Pass awe-inspiring after passing the first Afghan¨
(4762) border bridge. A narrow, raging river
divides the Tajik road from a precarious foot-
Ak-Bura Tokhtamysh path-track on the Afghan side, linking ham-
Shor-Bulak Tashkurgan lets of stone and adobe houses set among
splashes of green amid the utterly stark rock
Kara- Shaimak Ak Tash faces. Perhaps the most appealing stretch
Jilga Jarty- Ak Beit (5365m) is between Rogak and Khostov (after the
Mingteke popular Yakhchi Hisor roadside springs)
Gumbaz Kyzyl Rabat where the Afghan-side village has a series of
houses perched on rocky riverside outcrops.
Ak-Kalama PAMIR In the typical valley village of Yoged, with
LITTLE its backdrop of wild rock, the appealing little
Hilovat Homestay (%98-801 51 60; Yoged Vil-
Chakmaqtin lage; per person US$10), by the bridge in an at-
tractive garden signed right beside the main
Karak orum Hwy road, is an overnight option, if you don’t
want to continue the last hour or so to Kalai-
PAKISTAN Khum. The main village of the Darvaz dis-
trict, Kalai-Khum is sweetly sleepy but is the
first place since Kulob to have a few shops.
The appealing riverside restaurant Oriyona
(Kalai-Khum; mains 10-17TJS; h10am-10pm Mon-
Sat) is behind the far-from-busy taxi stand
junction. A couple of houses down the side
lane towards the two-colour converging
rivers is the water-serenaded homestay of
Roma Jurayev (%93-471 21 17; Kalai-Khum; B&B
US$12-15). Around 1km back towards Kulob
there’s also a simple MSDSP guesthouse
(dm US$15).
The road south of Kalai-Khum contin-
ues to trail the Afghan border with many
a picturesque scene. The valley widens
at a checkpost at the mouth of the Vanj¨

Ta jikistan BTGehaterttPiaannmggirTVshaelrleey& A round342fuel for 400km) have managed to traverse
Valley, which branches east towards the the whole valley in a few days. If you man-
Fedchenko Glacier, one of the world’s long- age to get beyond Ghudara, it should be
est. The glacier nose is a full day out-and- possible to continue to Kara-Kul (p356) on
back hike from Poi-Mazar where Jafar the Pamir Highway via Kök Jar and Shurali,
Kholov has one of the Vanj Valley’s two where geometric stone symbols are thought
homestays (the other is in Dursher). to have acted as an ancient Stonehenge-like
Back on the main road, the last 65km into solar calendar.
Khorog is decently asphalted from Rushan.
Fortunately, Jizeu, arguably the Bartang’s
Rushan (Vomar) Рушан (Вомар) most enticing highlight, is far less challeng-
ing to reach, its access point reachable even
If you’re heading into the Pamirs from Dush- by under-powered Tangem minivans.
anbe and want to see Jizeu without first go-
ing to Khorog (65km further south), you can Jizeu Valley
hop off at Rushan and organise things there.
However, if you’re planning to go much fur- POP 105
ther up the Bartang Valley it may be worth
heading to Khorog first where there’s far One of the best short-hike destinations in
more English-language help and a much the region, the Jizeu (Jisev, Geisev) Val-
wider choice of transport. ley offers idyllic scenes around a series of
seasonally over-flowing, treelined river
Though not a special attraction in its lakes. The prettiest lakes are bracketed by
own right, Rushan is a pleasant village with two halves of the tiny traditional hamlet
shops and mini-restaurants, plus a hotel of Jizeu (pronounced Jee-sao) which has a
that’s under construction behind the petrol wonderful, timeless feel. An added thrill of
station. the visit, albeit a potential logistical prob-
lem, is that there’s no road and the access
At the far western end of town, tucked footpath starts with a remarkable ‘cable
behind the big school, Mubarak Homestay car’ – a wooden contraption looking more
(%93-405 23 04; Rushan; per person US$10) is a like a sentry box that dangles on twin wires
family home set in shady, flower-filled gar- and is hand-wound to take up to four peo-
dens. There’s an indoor shower, sit-down ple across the gushing river.
toilet, and a kitchen for guest use. Mubarak
speaks some English, and Kurbon (another The cable car is 23km east of Km553 on
family member who works in the shop at the Pamir Highway, around 6km beyond
Rushon’s central taxi stand) speaks it even Bargu. Don’t mistakenly use the suspension
better. bridge to Red, a former village evacuated in
2012 after floods essentially washed all the
The homestay can help you organise a houses away.
car to the Jizeu cable car. Shared minivans
from central Rushan to Khorog (10TJS to From the cable car, the start of the village
20TJS) take around one hour on a decent is a largely unshaded, two-hour walk up a
asphalt road, but most depart before 10am. steep scree-sided valley. Another half-hour
Some mornings there’s a Rushan–Dushanbe brings you through glorious scenery to the
shared 4WD (300TJS per seat). upper village. And beyond this, two more
lakes and a horizon of high peaks beckon
Bartang Valley you to walk ever further towards distant
Долина реки Бартанг summer pastures.

Stark and elemental, the Bartang Valley Seven of the 14 Jizeu village houses are
is one of the wildest and most memorable homestays (dm incl breakfast & dinner 60TJS).
valleys in the western Pamirs. Only the oc- Our favourite is the homestead furthest
casional fertile alluvial plain brings a flash from the cable car, around 10 minutes’
of green to the barren rock walls. At times walk beyond the upper village. Here a
the fragile road inches perilously between new yet traditionally styled Pamiri house
the raging river below and sheer cliffs above. has space for a sizeable group, and Dasha
Indeed it’s not rare for sections to become speaks English well. Gulsha’s place, the first
impossibly rough or require knee-deep house in the lower village, is also charming
fords. Still, strong 4WDs and even some ad- and Gulsha speaks some English. There is
venturous motorcyclists (carrying enough no shop nor do any of the homestays have
signs. Several drinkable springs provide
good water.

343

LAKE SAREZ: AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN

Geologists warn that Tajikistan faces a potential natural disaster of Biblical proportions
in the shape of stark 3239m Lake Sarez, a disarmingly placid-looking body of turquoise
water formed in 1911 when an earthquake dislodged an entire mountain side into the
path of the Murgab River, obliterating the villages of Usoi and Sarez. A deep lake, now
60km-long and half the size of Lake Geneva, gradually formed behind the 770m-high
natural dam of rocks and mud known as the Usoi Dam. This ‘dam’ is currently con-
sidered stable. However, if an earthquake broke or breached it, a huge wall of water
could come sweeping down the mountain valleys, wiping away roads and villages as far
away as Uzbekistan and beyond. Experts warn that it would be the largest flood ever
witnessed by human eyes. Villagers in the Bartang Valley (who would be most affected)
have been drilled on escape procedures. These are pretty simple – head for the hills
when the doomsday alert arrives.

Visiting Lake Sarez requires advance planning as permits are required from Dush-
anbe. These can take a month to issue, and even then they are usually only available as
part of a tour: ask Khorog agencies. The Sarez trailhead is at Barchadiev which, along
with lovely nearby Savnob, has homestays.

Homestay owners can help organise A Khorog–Basid UAZ minibus runs Ta jikistan KTGehhteotrPioanmggirTshere & Away
guides if you want to cross over the pass to between Basid and Khorog most days
the Ravmed Valley (two tough days, camp- (40TJS), leaving Khorog around lunch-
ing en route). Once across, there are further time, but there’s little other traffic, public
(unsigned) homestays at Ramved village and or private.
at Khijez, 18km downstream, where that val-
ley meets the Basid road again. Ask a local to Khorog Хорог
help you find them.
% 3522 / POP 28,000 / ELEV 2100M
88 Getting There & Away
Cowering beneath arid, bare-rock peaks,
A taxi to the cable car costs around 150TJS likeable little Khorog is the GBAO’s adminis-
from Rushan, curiously not much more than trative centre and the Pamirs’ one real town.
you’d pay from Khorog where vehicles for hire It’s a fine place to meet fellow travellers and
are actually easier to find. Getting back you’ll organise exploration into the region’s re-
generally need to pre-arrange a pick-up as mote mountainscapes and fabulous valleys
there is minimal traffic on the Bartang road nor including the fabled Wakhan. Community
shade in which to wait. Walking back to Rushan tourism organisation PECTA, along with
(26km) is punishing. several small tour agencies, make chartering
4WD transport much easier from here than
Gulsha at the first Jizeu homestay can often from anywhere else in the region apart, per-
organise a car to Khorog for 200TJS to 250TJS. haps, from Murgab.
But it will take time as he’ll have to walk to the Khorog has one of the best educated pop-
cable car with you to get mobile phone recep- ulations of any town in Central Asia. English
tion (then only Megafon). seems much more widely spoken here than
in Dushanbe, while the laid-back Ismaili
Basid & Bardara Басид & Бардара form of Islam means that Muslim strictures
are generally less widely observed.
The lovely village of Basid, 85km off the Although at an altitude of over 2000m,
Pamir Highway, boasts shrines, scenic Khorog’s daytime summer temperatures can
forests, good hiking, two homestays and sometimes climb into the sweltering 40s.
the possibility of joining PamirLink (www. September is the most pleasant time here.
pamirlink.org), a three-week live-in-Basid There are few sights per se, though the
working holiday experience. lovably Soviet-style regional museum
(Lenin 105; foreigner/local 10/1TJS; h8am-noon
There are two more homestays, 9km up & 1-4.30pm Mon-Fri) has some mildly inter-
a rough side road in Bardara which has esting curiosities and the elegantly de-
two more shrines, a village ice-house (kha- signed central park (h6am-midnight) is a
lodelnik) and trails leading up to summer
pastures and beyond. Ask a local to point
you in the direction of a homestay.

344

Khorog e#

ABCD

GBAO First Truck
Aqimat Monument
MSDSP (2.5km)
Office
DFakhriya

1 (500m)
Parinen Inn
Kirmonsho
66(3km)
University of 3 #ì#ìÿ#4 ò#ÿ#6A1ú#t4obeLñ#keÿ#5ná#inMSIsiltmiakbtaueielkSovomoni 1
›# 20 Central Asia ÿ#
21
(600m); â#
#– 2
18 Bazaar 13 # ð# Sarda dc hiyon
î# 17 ú#
# ÿ# 16
12 Pharmacy
Ta sh Muhammed StD›##19 ð#
Azizbekú##÷ #
7 1Gunú#t 11
D2 11 Gagarin
22 ›# ú# 10
Ta jikistan STKhlheoerPpoaimngigrs661 1Mi1likbe1kov
í# 15 Bandali eva 8 Gagarin
ÿ# School 2

ÿ#

Wakhan 9 UPD
Valley DISTRICT

ABCD

Khorog 13 Delhi Darbar ............................................. B1
14 Shugnon ................................................... C1
æ Sights
1 Central Park............................................. B2 þ Shopping
2 Regional Museum .................................... B1 De Pamiri .........................................(see 19)

ÿ Sleeping ï Information
3 Bomi Jahon Hotel .................................... B1 15 Afghanistan Consulate ...........................C2
4 Do Nazarbayg Hotel ................................ B1 16 OVIR .......................................................... B1
5 Hotel Kivekas............................................C1 17 Pamir Silk Tour ........................................ B1
6 Khorog Guest House ............................... C1 18 Pamir Tourism ......................................... A1
7 Lal Hotel ................................................... B2 19 PECTA.......................................................B2
8 Lalmo Homestay..................................... D2
9 Pamir Lodge ............................................ D2 ï Transport
Umriniso Homestay....................... (see 19) 20 Main Shared Taxi Stand .........................A2
21 Shared Vehicles to Dushanbe ...............A2
ú Eating 22 Transport to Ishkashim & the
10 Bar Varka ................................................. D2 Wakhan Area.........................................A2
11 Chor Bagh ................................................ B2
12 Choykhana Murghob .............................. A2

delightfully shady place to stroll. There are Pamir Lodge GUESTHOUSE $
attractive views from the Botanical Gar- (%265 45; http://pamirlodge.com; Gagarin (Ban-
dens (Botanicheskii Sad; h9am-4pm), 5km dalieva) 46; bed in old/new room US$8/9, terrace
east of town. sleeping space US$5; p) This is the best place
in the Pamirs to meet fellow overlanders
Meanwhile 5km west of the centre, Sat- and independent travellers. Rooms are sim-
urday mornings bring a colourful Afghan ple, either mattresses on raised platforms
market (h9am-1pm Sat) as border guards or newer rooms with un-plastered stone
allow folks from both sides of the frontier walls and fresh-smelling wooden beds but
to trade in a specially penned area. no other furniture. The orchard garden is
a pleasant spot overlooked by a wide open-
4 Sleeping sided balcony-passage where travellers sit
for hours swapping tales. Hot shower, out-
Khorog has an ever expanding selection side toilets, breakfast (US$3) by arrange-
of accommodation including numerous ment.
homestays (typically US$10 to US$15) at The lodge was established to fund the
which you should assume shared toilet local jamoat khana (Ismaili prayer hall),
and bathroom facilities. Ask PECTA (p346)
for a list.

which is in the grounds. It’s a devil to find 345
at night, through gates where the unpaved air-conditioning. Just a couple of the cheap-
road makes a slight wiggle west of Gagarin est rooms are disappointing.
School (School 7).
Hotel Kivekas GUESTHOUSE $$
(%93-809 19 28, 241 42; [email protected]; Kirov
8a; dm/s/tw/q US$25/60/70/100; a) Just four
Umriniso Homestay HOMESTAY $
(%93-500 69 42; Dubronov 14; B&B US$15) With pine-fresh new rooms in a hotel dominated
an incredible location in the central park be- by its oversized sitting/billiard room where
tween PECTA and fast-food cafe Tropikanka, loungers face the river. Rooms have fridge,
this lovable Pamiri house has the luxury of decent air-conditioning and private bath-
a sit-down toilet plus a low-powered hot rooms with multi-head showers and a bas-
shower and washing machine. Litvia speaks ket of toiletries.
English.
oSerena Inn BOUTIQUE HOTEL $$$
(%93-500 82 24, 232 28; www.serena
Lalmo Homestay HOMESTAY $
(%93-508 69 99, 22 69 99; http://pamirhomestay.
com; Gagarin (Bandalieva) 2; bed/dinner US$10/5; hotels.com/serenakhorog; s/d/tw/lux
US$125/148/148/155; paiW) Khorog’s
W) With a friendly English-speaking best hotel has just six bedrooms with
hostess and a beautiful flower garden,
it’s worth seeking out this homestay up a Western-style bathrooms, mini-fridge and
fine linens, around a comfortable lounge-
small stairway facing School 7. It’s 200m lobby built with Pamiri timbers and design
east of Pamir Lodge.
elements. Built for the visits of the Aga
Khan, a big attraction is the terraced river-
Bomi Jahon Hotel GUESTHOUSE $ side garden, with lawns, roses and willows
(%93-553 43 33; [email protected]; Lenin 64; tw Ta jikistan EKT hahteoirPnoagmgirs
without/with bathroom 144/192TJS; n) Beyond framing views across to Afghanistan. It’s
5km northwest of Khorog Bazaar.
an unpreposessing entrance stairway, rooms
are fresh, new and the better ones are spa- 5 Eating
cious with ensuite bathrooms and fridge.
Lighting can prove under-powered. Most homestays and guesthouses organise
dinner by advance request. There are nu-
Do Nazarbayg Hotel GUESTHOUSE $ merous daytime snack options around the
(%93-410 70 57; [email protected]; bazaar but only Chor Bagh and Serena Hotel
Atobek 40; s/tw 70/140TJS) Carpets are rucked restaurants open on Sundays.
and wallpaper is bilious green but this new
place is as cheap as you’ll find for an ensuite Look out in the bazaar for bottles of
private bathroom. Shared kitchen, ony four locally made sea-buckthorn juice and tart,
rooms. high-vitamin dog-rose juice (shipovnik sok).

Fakhriya CHAIKHANA $
(Lenin 191; mains 8-14TJS; h10am-8pm Mon-Sat)
Khorog Guest House HOMESTAY $
(%93-571 03 20; zubaida.kirgizbekova@gmail.
com; Atobek 25; bed US$15, breakfast US$2.50) Deservedly popular for pre-prepared lunch-
es, manti, succulent yet lean shashlyk and
Attractive timber decor and colourful fab- chilled flagons of kompot (fruit cordial),
ric lampshades give this tiny homestay a this extensive, easily missed, mid-market
design feel. There’s a Western-style (shared) chaikhana is female-friendly and pleasant-
loo and warm shower, though water supply ly situated at the riverside within the large
is limited to three hours in the morning and gardens of the Parinen Inn (%93-502 37 50,
three hours in the evening. Two intercon- 254 17; [email protected]; Lenin 193; s/d/
nected rooms have pine beds, and there’s a tw US$30/40/50; pn).
traditional Pamiri room with mattresses on
the floor. It’s unsigned in a side alley. Choykhana Murghob CENTRAL ASIAN $
(Bazaar; mains/beer/tea 8/7/1TJS; h7am-7pm
oLal Hotel Mon-Sat) One of many local eateries in the
BOURTIQUE HOTEL $$ bazaar area, the Murghob has a lacklustre
(%232 30; www.lalhotel.tj; Azizbek 5/1; d incl break-
fast US$50-100; aW) You’ll find cosy, clean interior but its wide, open balcony over-
rooms in this guesthouse full of colourful looks the river beside the main footbridge.
local fabrics, and an apricot tree shading
a sitting pavilion in the small flower-filled Bar Varka RUSSIAN $
(Gagarin 54; mains 7-14TJS, garnish 2.50-
garden. Laundry (20TJS) and wi-fi (per day 5TJS, beer 8TJS; h11am-10pm Mon-Sat; E)
15TJS) cost extra. The pricier rooms have

346 INTERNET ACCESS
Six-tabled Varka has dim lighting, suffers There’s wi-fi at Lal Hotel (p345, per day 15TJS,
summer humidity and looks ideal for a and Serena Inn (p345), per minute 0.38TJS.
petty drug dealer’s date, but the salads are Several small internet cafes are ranged around
good and it’s the nearest eatery to Pamir the post office and a good new one (Lenin,
Lodge (p344). Youth Centre, 2nd fl, room 14; per hr 3TJS;
h 9am-7pm Mon-Sat) is upstairs in the Youth
Delhi Darbar INDIAN $$ Centre building. On a Sunday, your best hope is
(Azizbek 2; curries 14-25TJS; h11am-10pm at Badakhshan Travel (www.visitbadakhshan.
Mon-Sat; vE) It’s exciting to find anyone com; Central Park access lane; per hr 3TJS;
even attempting to offer Indian cuisine h7.30am-7pm) beside the currently dormant
in so remote a corner of Central Asia and Chogh Bagh Hotel.
Delhi Darbar does an unexpectedly good
job, especially with some of the vegetarian MONEY
options. They also have their own small Several banks along Lenin change US$ and
hotel. euros, at least on weekdays. Of six ATMs, none
accept Maestro and many have very low maxi-
Shugnon CENTRAL ASIAN $$ mum withdrawals. The most reliable ATM (Lenin
(%214 44; Lenin 42; mains 12-18TJS; h8am-9pm 85) will give up to US$300 on Visa cards.
Mon-Sat) The mood-lit, stone-and-brick base-
ment cavern adds fake foliage and dangling PERMITS & REGISTRATION
musical instruments to create a sense of at- PECTA can organise permits for Zor-Kul (€6
mosphere, which is then diminished by con- per person per day), the ruby mines south
stant pop music TV. Staff speak English but of Anderob (US$5), the Tajik National Park
the menu is only verbal. (40TJS per day, theoretically needed if you’re
Ta jikistan SKT hheooprPpoaimgnigrs headed to Yashil-Kul, for example) and for the
Chor Bagh MULTICUISINE $$ gold mines near Rang-Kul (oddly not available
(%290 57; Central Park; mains 16-35TJS; h10am- from Murgab). Almost all of these require sim-
10pm; E) Right in the central park, Chor ply a photocopy of your passport and can be
Bagh is the most attractive restaurant instantly issued. Lake Sarez (p343) is different
in town with a great open-air pavilion and can take a month or more.
perched above the river for those balmy
summer evenings. Sadly, while the food im- Should you need to register or enquire about
presses some travellers, we found it to be visa extensions, OVIR (Lenin 117; h 8am-noon &
regularly way below expectations – watery 1-5pm Mon-Frit) is beside Amonat Bank.
Thai soup, inedible hard-breaded burgers
and stodgey cream-chicken on rice. Good TOURIST INFORMATION
for a cold beer, though. PECTA (Pamirs Ecotourism Association Infor-
mation Centre; %224 69; www.pecta.tj; Central
Serena Inn Restaurant RESTAURANT $$ Park; h8am-8pm May-early Oct) An essential
(Serena Hotel; mains US$5-8; hnoon-3pm & resource for any traveller in the Pamirs, this
6-10.30pm) Small, upmarket restaurant with excellent information office has lists of guides,
some outdoor seating overlooking the ter- drivers and homestays, rents simple trekking
raced river-garden; good for a beer (21TJS) gear and can help you arrange the right kind of
on the topchan (dining pavilion). transport for your needs. Zhandiya is a verita-
ble fount of wisdom.
7 Shopping
TRAVEL & TOUR AGENCIES
De Pamiri HANDICRAFTS Pamir Silk Tour (%222 27, 93-505 23 61;
www.pamirsilk.travel; Azizbek 1) Very experi-
(%248 29; www.depamiri.org; Central Park; h9am- enced Mullo Abdo Shagarf can arrange
5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-noon Sat) Sharing the PECTA mountaineering guides, horse treks and
building, this fair-trade craft shop showcas- Wakhan adventures.
es work by dozens of Pamiri artisans with Pamir Tourism (%93-500 99 47; www.
excellent felt rugs and bags, musical instru- pamirs-tourism.org; Lenin 105) Ismail Kanunov
ments, palas (woven goat-hair carpets) and organises treks, tours, glacier expeditions and
embroidered skullcaps. homestays throughout the eastern Pamirs.
Tour De Pamir (%266 61, 93-500 75 57; www.
88 Information tourdepamir.com) Various tours, competitive
rates for taxi-hire. Contact Ergash.
For information on the Afghan Consulate in PamirMount (%91-936 67 72; www.pamir
Khorog, see p364. mount-tour.com; Mirsaid Mirshakar 11) Tour and
trekking agent specialising in the Bartang Valley.

347

88 Getting There & Away might find that drivers anxious to return home Ta jikistan STGehteotkPihanmgDiarTrshaerVea l&l eAyway
are heavily discounting prices, but you’ll risk
AIR not finding a ride that day.
Depending on your confidence in the pilots of
Tajik Air, the Khorog–Dushanbe flight (440TJS) 88 Getting Around
might be one of the most exhilarating or ter-
rifying experiences of your life. For most of the Marshrutkas 1 and 3 start beyond the Serena Inn
45-minute flight the aircraft scoots between (not and pass the airport, bazaar and park. Route 1
above) mountain valleys, flying with wingtips continues along Lenin out past the ‘First Truck’
so close you could swear they kick up swirls of monument (Khorog GES; g1), while route 3
snow. In Soviet days this was the only route on takes Gagarin past the UPD district to the foot
which Aeroflot paid its pilots danger money. of the Botanical Gardens. Fares are 1/1.5TJS for
short/long rides. A taxi from the centre to Pamir
Flights originate in Dushanbe and, in theory, Lodge costs 10TJS.
run daily but they are grounded at the first sign
of bad weather or if there are insufficient pas- Shokh Dara Valley
sengers exiting Dushanbe. Even when flights Долина Шог Дара
operate, buying tickets is a frustrating game.
Budget an extra day or two into your itinerary This route’s main highlights are occasional
in case flights are cancelled and be prepared to glimpses of the distinctive north face of
travel overland if need be. Engels Peak (6507m), and the chance to
create a loop-route through some little-
The airport ticket office (Lenin; h 8am-noon) visited villages as part of a multiday char-
is 3km west of town by minivan 1, diagonally tered 4WD-loop.
across the main road from the airport terminal
at the rear of a faux-brick–fronted buiding A kilometre after Tavdem’s ancient
simply signed Khorogh. Ideally you need to get shrine (now protected within a 1990s oc-
your name on the list for the day you need to fly, tagonal cover-shrine), a 4km 4WD side-track
returning one day before with your passport. winds up hairpins to Tusiyon, whose high
But the ticket office has a single, absurdly small pastures are set in a wide rocky amphithea-
tunnel window through which to misunderstand tre with many cleverly designed water-canal
the latest news of impending flights and the lack innovations.
of tickets therefor. If you manage to get on the
list, turn up at the airport by 8am the day before A dramatically contorted rocky backdrop
you want to leave and see if the plane is actually soars high above the valley’s main town,
coming and whether you’ve been bumped. Roshtqala, named for the tiny ruined ‘red
fort’ at Km39. At the back of the small ba-
SHARED TAXI & 4WD zaar are a couple of very basic eateries, the
All departures are ‘when full’ but prices fluctuate only restaurants in the Shokh Dara Valley.
with demand. Be prepared to hang around for
hours before finally leaving. Note that very few It’s worth stopping by the signboard for
cars depart on Sundays. Shokhirizm village (Km60) and walking
Dushanbe Shared vehicles (300TJS, 14 to 20 30 seconds towards a photogenic Grand
hours) leave several times each morning and Canyon–style perch, high above the river
possibly as late as 1pm from a parking area gorge into which the road later burrows.
near Kafe Khatlon. Some 11km further at Sezhd, a tough, eas-
Murgab Shared 4WDs (150TJS, seven hours) ily missed 4WD track spirals up and over a
and minivans to Rushan (10JS, 90 minutes), dusty ridge finally petering out after 6km in
Roshtqala, and Shahzud (for Bachor) depart the green, very disparate hamlet of Durum
from the main taxi stand in the bazaar area. (population 11). Walk on for 40 minutes
from road’s end (crossing a tree-trunk bridge
If hitch-hiking to Murgab your best bet is to almost immediately) to reach a fine view-
head to Tank (Km641 of the Pamir Highway, point overlooking the vivid blue-green lake
22km east of Khorog). Here Chinese trucks wait Durum-Kul. Driving back, there are some
at two ‘terminals’ (they aren’t allowed to transit splendidviewsof6000mpeaksonthesouthern
Khorog by day) with most eastbound trucks horizon.
leaving around noon (and arriving in Murgab an-
tisocially at around midnight). Drivers generally The views are less inspiring for the next
expect around 30TJS per passenger. Speaking 35km, and the 8th-century Shashbuvad
Chinese helps. Fort looks merely like an unfinished local
Wakhan Valley Vehicles for Ishkashim (50TJS house. Around Km120 as the road dou-
to 120TJS, three hours), Langar (100TJS to bles back beside a small mountain stream
250TJS, seven hours) and other villages park in
three closely huddled yards directly across the
footbridge from the bazaar. Mid-afternoon you

Ta jikistan GTWehatekthPianmngiVrTashlelreey& Away348 Khorog to Ishkashim
there are brief but impressive glimpses
of peaks Engels (6507m) and Karl Marx The 100km between Khorog and Ishkashim
(6723m) peeping above a curiously cor- is scenically varied. For the northerly section
rugated intermediate ridge. This area the border river rages through a narrow val-
would make for great camping. Alterna- ley across which Afghanistan’s donkey traf-
tively there’s a signed homestay if you can fic seems sometimes close enough to touch.
get across the river ford at Javshanguz, Nearer to Ishkashim the river widens, with
which is less a village than a wide scat- pretty green meadows that look almost like
tering of 65 Pamiri houses spread across golf fairways, notably around Sumjin Km92.
several kilometres of valley. A cleft valley
frames more views of Marx Peak, but for Anderob (Km39) is the turn-off for Ga-
the next sighting of brilliant knob-topped ram Chashma (soak 5TJS; hmen 5am-8am,
Engels’ glacier ridge, look behind you 3.30pm-4.30pm, women 8am-noon, 1.30pm-
some 10km beyond Javshanguz as the 3.30pm, 4.30-5.30pm), 6km east. There a
track degenerates and climbs to the north. natural bowl of mineral deposits forms a
The toughest part of the 4WD road is a hot-spring pool that up close looks less at-
river crossing just below the Maisara Pass. tractive than the brochure photos, and the
This can be mitigated by driving up to a village is unexpectedly commercialised.
high-altitude shepherd camp halfway to Contrastingly few visitors venture 1.7km up
the large lake Turuntai-Kul, and crossing hairpins from Anderob’s southernmost end
the stream at a smaller ford nearby. Rejoin to Dasht Village. Panoramic views down
the main track which winds down hairpins across Anderob are postcard-perfect. Dasht
to the main Pamir Highway, rejoining it is home to Rustom Masain (%93-450 06 26;
east of Jelandy across a bridge that is only Dasht Village, Anderob), a nationally famous
just wide enough for a 4WD. yet seemingly impoverished septugenarian
There are signed homestays at Vezdara, maker of traditional (and sometimes amus-
Sindev, Shohirizm and Javshanguz plus ingly kitschy) musical instruments.
at Bodomdara, a very rough 14km off the
main road at Bidiz on the trekking route to South of Anderob towards Ishkashim,
Darshai. you’ll pass the Koh-i-Lal ruby mine. Marco
Polo noticed gem mines here in 1274 and
88 Getting There & Away Badakhshani rubies remain internationally
famed.
Other than Khorog–Roshtqala minivans (10TJS)
there’s minimal transport. Adding the Shokh Ishkashim Ишкашим
Dara Valley plus Bulunkul to a Wakhan Valley
trip, creating a six-day 4WD-loop, should cost Ishkashim is the Wakhan’s regional centre
around US$600 total for a chartered Land- and largest village. It’s certainly not an at-
Cruiser including driver’s expenses. Overall, traction in itself, but if you’re here on Sat-
doing the loop clockwise gives the better views. urday morning, don’t miss the trans-border
market which bustles with Afghan traders
Wakhan Valley in turbans and pakol (flat caps). The bazaar
Ваханская долина is held in three metal-roofed halls 3km west
of town on a no-man’s-land island (passport
The Wakhan offers up a seemingly endless but no Afghan visa required). This is also
parade of scenic superlatives. Vivid green the main border crossing (Km 102,Ishkashim-
villages counterpoint towering valley Khorog Highway; hMon-Sat) used by most visi-
walls, which open regularly for glimpses tors heading for the Afghanistan Wakhan,
of the dazzling white Hindu Kush (‘kill- though it’s worth checking the status of
er of hindus’) mountains marking the the Langar and Shaimak borders. If open,
Afghanistan–Pakistan border. A sprinkling either would prove altogether more useful
of castle ruins and ibex-horn shrine-walls, for reaching the Little Pamir.
even a Buddhist mini ziggurat-stupa, add
zest. And while you’re here you might be Well-marked just west of central Ish-
tempted to nip into Afghanistan. Beware kashim, Hanis Guesthouse (%93-582 58
that without your own wheels, transport 20; [email protected]; Miyona 2, Ishkashim; bed
is pitifully infrequent. Consider hiring a only/half-board/tent-space US$10/18/2; hMar-
4WD in Khorog or Murgab. Nov) has the rare luxury of Western toilets
and hot showers. It’s big, sparse and insti-
tutional-looking but popular with travellers