Tajikistan Travel: All You Need to Know

Last Updated on September 7, 2024

Tajikistan travel isn’t for the faint-hearted, but it can be rewarding and refreshing. Here’s my detailed up-to-date Tajikistan travel guide.

Central Asia — affectionately known as the ‘Stans’ — sprawls across a large part of the continent, covering high mountains, vast deserts and steppes. For years, it was disconnected from the outside world while under the ruling of the Soviet Union. Today, Central Asia remains an under-explored region and a secret among those who have traveled there.

Any trip to Tajikistan is an adventure. Tajikistan is truly blessed with some of the most inspiring, high-altitude landscape in the world. After all, over 90% of the country is mountains. For visitors tolerant of a few traveling hardships (outdoor loos, cold water, potholed roads), the country more than compensates with a rare glimpse into life on ‘The Roof of the World’.

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The Ultimate Tajikistan Travel Guide 

Where is Tajikistan?

Tajikistan is the smallest, and poorest republic in Central Asia. It is sandwiched between notorious Afghanistan and China, but also borders Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.

As part of the Soviet Union before its independence in 1991, virtually no visitors crossed the border prior to that. Then the 1990s brought a particularly cruel civil war for the people of Tajikistan, which wrought havoc and set the country back considerably.

Recent economic developments have seen responsible steps made in accommodating the increasing numbers of travellers and a balance is being achieved, maintaining the cultural and environmental heritage of the communities.

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How to Travel to Tajikistan

By Air

The main airport in Tajikistan is the Dushanbe International Airport. The new French-built terminal was opened in 2014.

Tajikistan has two national carriers: Tajik Air and the new private airline Somon Air. To get to Dushanbe, you’ll have to stop over in Dubai, Istanbul, or other destinations within Central Asia such as Bishkek, Almaty, and Urumqi.

I flew Turkish Airlines from Amsterdam to Dushanbe via Istanbul. The flight was rather pricey, at US$900. But you can get better deals if you fly via Almaty or Dubai and have longer layovers. To fly from New York to Dushanbe will set you back around US$1400 return. You can find good deals by flying to Almaty first.

Check for Flights to Dushanbe

By Road

As overland travel in Central Asia is more popular than flying, you might find yourself traveling to Tajikistan overland.

Uzbekistan — While relations with Uzbekistan are the worst among Tajikistan’s neighbors, the Uzbekistan Oybek border is the most popular crossing and the roads to the crossing are in the best condition. In recent years, Tajik vehicles have not been allowed into Uzbekistan. You may need to take one vehicle to the border and catch a ride on another after crossing the border.

Kyrgyzstan — There are a couple of options, mostly from Osh and none make for a very smooth journey. A scenic, albeit rough journey into Tajikistan is via the Pamir Highway which runs from Osh to Khorog to Dushanbe. The journey takes 2-3 days from Osh-Khorog and 3 days on the rougher stretch from Khorog to Dushanbe.

Tajikistan Visa and Permits

As compared to other countries in Central Asia, Tajikistan is relatively easy to enter without much hassle. Most nationalities need a tourist visa to enter Tajikistan, but you can easily apply for that on the official Tajikistan e-visa website.

A single-entry visa costs US$50 and takes 2-3 working days to approve. You’ll get it delivered to your email once it’s processed. Only nationals from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia, Jordan, Russia and Ukraine do not need a visa for visits up to 90 days.

Besides the Tajikistan visa, you’ll also need a GBAO (Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast) permit if you’re traveling the Pamir region. This permit costs US$15 and can be applied together with your Tajik e-visa online.

If you need a multiple-entry visa, then it gets a bit more complicated. Embassies no longer issue multiple-entry visas; they advise to apply for two single-entry visas instead. Basically,  get one single-entry visa before entering Tajikistan, and apply for the second one after you have entered. We did that, and it worked perfectly for all of us.

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Best Time to Travel Tajikistan

The best time to travel Tajikistan is in summer, between June and September, as some of the roads in the Pamir Mountains are only passable at this time of the year. In fact, many tour operators don’t even run Pamir Mountain trips outside of this season. 

Spring (March – May) and fall (October – November) have milder temperatures but there are a lot of showers that make driving in the mountains dangerous. Trekking is still possible and quite beautiful in fall, although it can get quite cold toward the end of October and snow can be expected at higher elevations.

Winter stretches from November to March. During winter, many roads and passes will be closed, so your best bet at getting around the Pamir region will be by flight. Winter can be a great time to visit for those wanting to ski Tajikistan’s nearly untouched mountains.

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How Much Time to Travel Tajikistan?

This depends on how much time you have. I know of people who have spent months traveling all over Tajikistan.

The absolute minimum time you need to travel Tajikistan is 2 weeks. On our 12-day Tajikistan trip, I felt that the pace was too fast and we didn’t have time to explore each place. You definitely want at least 15 days to experience Tajikistan properly.

We had two days in Dushanbe, one day in Afghanistan and seven days driving all over the Pamir region and that was already a fast-paced trip. We were spending 3-8 hours driving each day and reaching our destination in the afternoon and then moving onto a new place the next day. For those visiting the Fann Mountains, you would want to spend 2-5 days in the area trekking in the mountains to the beautiful lakes.

Most Tajik visas given out are 45 days in length which is a decent amount of time to get to know the country.

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How to Get Around Tajikistan

Getting around Tajikistan is by far the biggest challenge when traveling in Tajikistan. Because of the country’s mountainous nature and poor infrastructure, there are few public buses and no train system to speak of. Petrol prices are also really high.

By Hired Car/Driver

Most travelers will hire a car and driver to travel around the Pamirs. There are no buses between villages and in the mountains. You won’t be able to rent a car and drive on your own. The roads are extremely hard to navigate — most parts are unpaved and rocky. You’ll find yourself driving along the edges of steep cliffs or high up on mountain passes most of the time.

It’s best to hire a 4×4 for these roads. We had only normal vans on our trip and they broke down quite a few times while going up the windy, rugged roads. Make sure to check with your driver or operator that you are using 4WDs on your trip. The best online resource to hire a car and driver is Caravanistan, where you can also connect with other travelers to share a vehicle.

By Plane

It is actually possible to fly to the Pamirs. There is a flight service on Tajik Air from Dushanbe to Khorog, the gateway to Pamir, but the flight is infamous for the danger involved. The tiny Anatov 28 plan literally skims through the mountains and only takes off if there is clear visibility.

The plane only flies when there are enough passengers that day. That means you could be waiting for days for clear skies. To book it, you need to go through the travel agents at the airport or personally at the Tajik Air office. Refer to this page for more details.

By Shared Taxis

If you are traveling independently in Tajikistan, most of your transportation in Tajikistan will be by shared taxi, minibus/marshrutka, private 4×4 hire. Shared taxis and marshrutka/minibuses tend to only leave when full from taxi stands and bus stations in cities and towns. They typically have a fixed price per seat, so if you are in a hurry and would like to depart sooner it’s possible to pay for the empty seats.

Like elsewhere in Central Asia, almost anyone with a car works as a taxi driver (I’m pretty sure Uber stole the idea from Central Asia!). Even when planning to hitchhike many drivers will still expect some payment.

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Independent Travel or Guided Tour?

As I mentioned, you WILL need to hire a car/driver if you want to explore the Pamir region properly and see the rugged backcountry. There are no buses or shared taxis in the mountains and the remote high-altitude areas. 

It can be worthwhile traveling with a tour operator to save time and hassle if you’re tight on time. Check out Caravanistan for other local tour operators or connect with other travelers to share a vehicle.

Otherwise, here are a few tours that are organized by well-reputed adventure tour operators:

• G Adventures — They offer overland trips in Central Asia that include Tajikistan. The shortest one is a 6-day trip that covers the Fann Mountains, and the longest is a 23-day Central Asia trip that extends to Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.
• Intrepid Travel — Another popular travel company that offers a 13 day trip in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan including the Pamir Highway.

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Best Places to Visit in Tajikistan

With over 90% of the country covered by tall mountains, Tajikistan is a spectacular place to explore for adventure seekers. There’s plenty to see and do whether you have two weeks or a month in Tajikistan. Here are some of the highlights of Tajkistan:

1. The Pamir Highway

Tajikistan is home to one of the world’s best road trips – the Pamir Highway. It is the second highest international highway (after the Tibet Highway), and it’s a bone-crunching 2000Km switchback through the western arm of the Himalayas. Mostly unpaved, potholed, often flooded and one-car wide, it’s an experience not to be missed.

The route has been in use for millennia, and it used to form one link of the ancient Silk Road trade route. There’s an ongoing debate on where the Pamir Highway begins (some say it’s Mazari Sharif in Afghanistan, some say Termiz, Uzbekistan). All sources, however, agree that the highway ends in Osh, Kyrgyzstan.

The majority of the Pamir Highway is in Tajikistan and it is one of the main tourist draws for the country. We traversed part of the Pamir Highway on our 12-day Tajikistan Pamir Mountains trip. Most travellers drive the length of the Tajik Pamir highway between Osh (Kyrgyzstan).

2. Wakhan Corridor

Another major highlight of Tajikistan is the Wakhan Corridor, a narrow strip of territory wedged between the Pamir Mountains and the Karakoram range. The Wakhan Corridor runs along the natural border of Tajikistan and Afghanistan, and it’s dotted with picturesque villages, nestled in fertile plots of intensively cultivated land and half-buried under fruit orchards.

From the Wakhan Corridor, you can see the Hindu Kush Mountains in Pakistan rising above Afghanistan. Apart from the beauty of the journey, there are several sites of interest along the way, including castle ruins, ancient shrines decorated with ibex horns and sets of petroglyphs.

In the 19th century, the corridor acted as a buffer between the Russian Empire and the British Empire. Today, it is a remote and hard-to-reach area with a small population of just 12,000 people. The Wakhan Corridor on the Afghanistan side is said to be a trekkers’ paradise and it’s the only officially safe part of Afghanistan.

3. Fann Mountains

Besides the Pamir Highway road trip, the Fann Mountains is probably the second most popular area to explore in Tajikistan. Located in the Sughd Province in northern Tajikistan, these spectacular peaks are definitely worth visiting for some trekking. We didn’t visit this area on our trip, but one of my friends did and she raved all about it.

The Fann Mountains boast about a hundred peaks, with several rising to altitudes of more than 5,000 meters (16,400 feet). The area is also known as “The Land Of Lakes”, thirty of which can be seen rather easily and each displays its own color. The Fann Mountains provide a great alternative for those who don’t want to embark on the epic Pamir Highway trip, but still want to see the beautiful scenery that Tajikistan is famous for.

4. Bulunkul

Bulunkul Lake is a shallow, freshwater lake in the GBAO (Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province) of Tajikistan where the Pamir is located. The lake covers an area of 3900 hectares but dense vegetation covers most of its surface. It’s 1.5km from Yashikul, an even bigger and more beautiful lake. These fresh-water alpine lakes, situated over 12,000 feet above sea-level, are surrounded by dense vegetation, wetlands, sand and pebble plains.

There’s a village that goes by the same name, Bulunkul, located right next to the lake. Bulunkul is known as the coldest point of Tajikistan. It’s a remote and desolate village that’s sparsely populated. Amidst the clusters of houses in the village are abandoned Soviet trucks and yurts that the Pamiris use for cooking and protection from the cold.

5. Khoburubot Pass

On our way back to Dushanbe from Qalai Khum, we took a different route and drove the Khoburubot Pass (also known as Western Pamir Tract) instead. This high-altitude pass stands at 3,252m high and goes through the most picturesque river valley and gorges.

We were really surprised by how different the landscapes looked on this route. The harsh and arid landscapes we were driving through for the past two weeks were now replaced by green fertile soil and lush vegetation. It felt like we had traveled through continents to get to this eden.

6. Hisor Fortress

About 15km west of Dushanbe stands a historical fortress built around 2,500 years ago.  The main arched gates were built in the 16th century, and have now been completely renovated. Hisor Fortress used to be the residence of Bek, a deputy of the Bukhara king. The main gate features two cylinder towers and a lancet arch between them. This type of architecture is typical for most of Bukhara buildings built in that era.

Today, most of the fortress has been artificially restored. Only a small part of the original building remains. During our visit, we spotted at least 6 wedding couples who were parading in their shimmering gowns and getting photos taken for their big day. I’d definitely recommend making a daytrip here from Dushanbe if you get the chance.

7. Dushanbe

Like most capital cities in Central Asia, Dushanbe isn’t anything worth writing home about. Meaning ‘Monday’ in the Tajik language, Dushanbe was named this way because it grew from a village that originally had a popular market on Mondays. These days, it’s flourished into a city of around 800,000 people.

Despite being rather spread out, Dushanbe is quite a leafy city, built around parks, lakes and fountains. Not a bad place to get acquainted with Tajik culture and history or decompress after a few weeks on the dusty Pamir Highway. Some places worth visiting are the Tajikistan National Museum, Dushanbe Bazaar and the Dushanbe Flagpole (second tallest free-standing flagpole in the world, at a height of 165 metres).

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Where to Stay in Tajikistan

Due to the lack of tourism infrastructure, you won’t find many upscale hotels in Tajikistan. In most parts of the country, you’ll only find budget hotels or guesthouses. But that’s good news for your total Tajikistan travel cost. You won’t spend a lot on accommodation. When traveling Tajikistan, homestays are the main form of accommodation (though there are a couple of guesthouses in bigger towns). They are all fairly basic, although they are usually clean.

In homestays, you’ll usually sleep on thin mattresses on the floor, with three or four people to a room. If you’re lucky, you might get a proper mattress and bed. Showers are definitely a luxury. Meals are usually provided in homestays and they tend to be hearty and simple Tajik meals.

Toilets tend to be a small outdoor shed with a hole in the ground. In the more remote parts toilet paper is often not provided so definitely bring some with you.

Hotel Meridian – Dushanbe

We spent most time at this hotel as it was our base both before and after the trip into the Pamirs. It’s a comfortable 3-star hotel offering good value for money. Located in a quiet district near Dushanbe Mall, it’s a short walk from several good restaurants but quite a distance from Rudaki Avenue and other main sights of the city. Read the Tripadvisor reviews here.

Dushanbe Serena Hotel – Dushanbe

For something more upscale and centrally located, check out this 5-star hotel located along Rudaki Avenue (the main artery of the city). It’s within walking distance from the city’s main sights and museums. Plus it has a swimming pool, which you’ll really appreciate when traveling here in summer. Check for the latest rates here.

Karon Palace Hotel – Qalai Khum

This was the best hotel we stayed at on the entire trip. It’s a luxurious 4-star hotel right in the small town of Qalai Khum. Most people pass through here on their way to the Pamir region. It wasn’t included in our tour but most of us paid extra for an upgrade after roughing it in the Pamirs. Check here for the latest rates.

Lal Hotel – Khorog

There are quite a few nice and affordable guesthouses/hotels in Khorog that overlook the river. We stayed at Lal Hotel, a family-run hotel that’s small and intimate but very comfortable and modern at the same time.  It has an excellent location in the centre of town, within a few minutes’ walk to the tourism office and bazaar. Book your stay here. 

Hanis Guesthouse – Ishkashim

A budget-friendly place to stay, Hanis Guesthouse is a basic but fun and welcoming guesthouse located close to the entrance of Ishkashim. It’s quite a big guesthouse and popualr with backpackers so you’ll get to meet other travelers here. They organize cultural dance and music shows during festivals. Book your stay here.

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What to Eat in Tajikistan

• Plov — The national dish (as in most of Central Asia) is a rice dish cooked with beef or mutton, and carrots. It’s all fried together in vegetable oil or mutton fat in a special wok over an open flame.
• Kurutob — This unequivocably Tajik dish is a mix of bread and onions in a yogurt sauce (with the occasional meat and vegetables). It is still eaten with hands from a communal plate.
• Sambusa — My favorite street food in Central Asia is also known as somsa in Uzbekistan and Samosa in India and many other parts of the world. Sambusas are baked pastries stuffed with minced meat (lamb or beef), crispy on the outside.
• Shashlik — These barbequed meat skewers are usually grilled on coal. Choose from liver, chicken, mutton and beef.
• Dolma — Tracing its roots back to the Turkic culture, this dish is made up of steamed rolls wrapped with grape leafs and meat inside.
• Mantu — A hugely popular dish all over Central Asia, mantu is a dumpling dish wrapped with meat inside, served with sour cream and fried onions.
• Shurbo — This is a fresh vegetable soup with lamb or beef, served with green onion and basil. We found this served in almost every meal we had in Tajikistan.
• Melons and watermelons are extremely popular among locals and are very cheap in local markets

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Health & Hygiene in Tajikistan

As Tajikistan is 93% mountains, no doubt you will be traversing at altitudes above 10,000 feet (or 3,048 meters), where altitude sickness can be a threat. Make sure you bring some Diamox (Acetazolamide) to prevent and reduce the symptoms of altitude sickness. This medication can decrease nausea, dizziness, and shortness of breath. You’ll need prescriptions to get it in most countries. Read more about Diamox here.

The number one health rule when traveling in Tajikistan: do not drink tap water. I’ve heard that boiled water is okay, but we stuck to bottled water on our trip. Our tour operator provided us with water throughout the trip, but you should check with your guide before you head into the mountains. If they don’t provide water, you can easily find big 5L barrels of water in supermarkets in Dushanbe, and also in Khorog and Kalai Klum.

Food hygiene is an issue in Tajikistan. Make sure to wash your hands before every meal and after you use the toilet. Most of the people in my group, including myself, had diarrhoea at some point on the trip. I have a strong stomach and rarely get sick from food, but this was the first time I actually fell ill from food poisoning.

If you do get sick, check out the pharmacy at Dushanbe Mall. They do have the local version of Diamox and motion sickness pills (for some treacherous drives in the Pamir). To seek out treament, the best place to go is the Prospekt clinic (on Sanoi Street) in Dushanbe, which has English speaking doctors.

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Internet and Phone in Tajikistan

Don’t expect the cell service in Tajikistan to work the way it does at home. The cell coverage is good in Dushanbe, Khorog and other towns, but it’s generally non-existent in high-altitude regions.

Major service providers in Tajikistan are Beeline, MegaFon and Tcell. They have varying service in different regions of the country, it’s hard to choose the right one. We all got our SIM cards at the Tcell branch in Dushanbe Mall, but you can also find many service providers on Rudaki Avenue. Data bundles are quite cheap, at around US$10 for 3GB of data.

WiFi can be found in some guesthouses and hotels but you won’t find any in homestays. The only reliable WiFi you can find in the Pamir region is in Khorog.

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Is it Safe to Travel Tajikistan?

You’ve probably heard the recent news of several traveling cyclists being murdered in Tajikistan by ISIS. It really hit home for me, since we saw so many cyclists on the way and the incident happened right after I returned from Tajikistan. Prior to this incident, there weren’t many terrorist attacks in Tajikistan.

Tajikistan is on the heroin highway from Afghanistan, where the drugs are then travelled onwards through Russia and into Europe. As a result Tajikistan has quite a serious problem with the drugs. Criminal gangs who operate the business are unlikely to target travellers, but it pays to be aware of the problem if traveling close to the Afghan border.

During our trip, I felt completely safe and didn’t sense a hint of danger at all. Our guide and drivers took good care of us. The only time I felt slightly out of my comfort zone was when we crossed over to Afghanistan, and that was due to the way men treated women (another story coming up!).

That said, I’d advise to follow the news closely and check your country’s advisory before visiting to make sure you’ll be safe in Tajikistan. That would be the main Tajikistan travel safety tip. I also recommend traveling with a tour operator just to have some protection and security.

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What to Pack for Tajikistan

If you are traveling Tajikistan in summer like I did (June to August), don’t be misguided by the info you find on the internet. Many resources say that temperatures dip below zero in many parts of Tajikistan even in summer, but we found the weather to be really warm throughout our trip.

The average daytime temperature was around 30 to 40 degrees Celsius, and night-time temperature was in the 20s. Even at the coldest place we stayed at (also the highest point at 3500m or 11,800 feet above sea level), the temperature didn’t go below 10 degrees Celsius. However, if you are traveling around the Fan Mountains area, it gets colder as you are at higher altitudes so make sure to bring an extra layer of fleece or a thicker jacket.

As Tajikistan is an Islamic country, try to dress conservatively. Most Tajiks are secular Muslims though, so they are not that conservative as and many even drink beer and vodka. For women, you are fine with short-sleeved t-shirts and long loose pants. Shorts and tight-fitting skinny jeans should be avoided. Covering your hair is not required, but do have a scarf handy with you just in case you find a mosque you’d like to explore. 

Pack mainly t-shirts, a thin jacket, quick-dry pants, and just one windproof jacket for the chilly nights. Remember to bring a flashlight (for night runs to the outdoor toilets), toilet paper and hand sanitizer.

Here are some of the essentials to pack for a summer trip to Tajikistan:

1. North Face quick dry t-shirt: You’ll need around 4-5 of these quick dry t-shirts that are comfortable for hot weather. You can easily wash them and they’ll dry in one day.  

2. Moisture Wicking Tees: For chilly mornings and evenings, these long sleeve t-shirts are great to keep you warm even when the temperature rises later in the day. 

3. Soft Shell Jacket: Pack a thin waterproof, soft shell jacket regardless of the weather you’re traveling. It’s particularly useful for the rain. This also acts as an extra layer between your shirt and down jacket or parka. I used this almost everyday on my trip.

4. Quick-Dry Pants: These are something I wear on almost every trip. They’re lightweight, thin, comfortable and waterproof. I can wear them in winter and summer, without feeling too warm or cold.

5. Hiking Boots: A pair of sturdy hiking boots that are waterproof and protective for hiking in the mountains of Tajikistan. I’ve used mine for around 2 years now and they’ve been to many countries and different types of terrain with me. Instead of getting those high boots that are ridiculously heavy and thick, I think it’s better to travel with hiking shoes like these. 

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Enjoy Traveling Tajikistan!

I hope you’ve found this Tajikistan travel guide to be useful! Let me know if you have any questions about Tajikistan travel in the comments field below. Here are more articles on Central Asia that I hope will help you plan an epic trip:

• Overland Travel in Central Asia
• World Nomad Games in Kyrgyzstan
• Trekking in Kyrgyzstan
• Best Places to Visit in Uzbekistan
• Travel Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor
• Pakistan with Kids
• Solo Female Travel in Iran

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links i.e. if you book a stay through one of my links, I get a small commission at NO EXTRA COST to you. Thank you for your support!

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