Tajikistan Holidays

Name: Tajikistan
Brand: Exodus
Rating: 4.9 (21 reviews)

Tajikistan Tours

With snow-capped mountain peaks, wide valleys and high-altitude plateaus covering 93% of Tajikistan’s terrain, it comes as no surprise that this landlocked country is commonly called ‘The roof of the world’. Bordered by Kyrgyzstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, China to the east and Afghanistan to the south, remote Tajikistan may be one of the lesser visited countries, but it offers unlimited opportunities for those in search of adventure.

Once, you’ve visited the National Museum of Antiquities, the local Mehrgon Market and the Rudaki Monument in the country’s capital city of Dushanbe, head to the northern territory to explore Tajikistan’s magnificent Fann Mountains. With shimmering blue and green alpine lakes, glaciers and dramatic sweeping valleys, this region is a paradise for trekkers.

In the east of the country, following the Pamir Highway, arguably one of the world’s wildest and most remote highways, you’ll explore the spectacular Pamir Mountains, which are home to Snow leopards and spiral-horned Marco Polo sheep. Our Tajikistan Expedition: Pamir Highway & beyond trip, allows you to soak in awe-inspiring views with visits to the Wakhan Valley, the Bartang Valley and the highest saltwater lake in Central Asia, Karakul Lake, where you may be able to spot Tibetan sandgrouse and Himalayan vultures in its marshes. Passing ancient petroglyphs, tombs of Scythian and Kyrgyz nomads and hot springs enroute, you’ll also get the chance to enjoy homestays in traditional Pamiri houses (chids). For a truly remote adventure in the heart of Central Asia, look no further than our Tajikistan holidays.

Tajikistan Adventure Holidays

23 Days from £ 5699

Guided Group (Excl. Flights)

Five countries, three weeks, one epic trip through Central Asia's Silk Road

Culture

23 Days from £ 5699

Guided Group (Excl. Flights)

Five countries, three weeks, one epic trip through Central Asia's Silk Road

Culture

16 Days from £ 4499

Guided Group (Excl. Flights)

Travel Tajikistan's Pamir Highway and into the Wakhan and Bartang Valleys

Culture

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There was a lot of bus/ travel time on this journey. Given that, I felt that some days were very poorly planned.
Examples:
One day all we did was cross the border to Turkmenistan. We started at 1:pm and it took 2 hours. The next day there was a six hour excursion to a UNESCO site. Then back to the city for lunch. Then another 5.5 hour drive out to the gas crater. Obviously the UNESCO excursion could have been done the previous afternoon if we would have crossed the border in the morning. Then we would have arrived for sunset at the camp. Instead we were driving in the dark on a very poor and dangerous road, arriving stressed. As an aside, some passengers got bed bug bites at the camp.

The day we arrived in Uzbekistan we had been travelling for 9 hours. All we wanted was our hotel, a drink and some food. Sergi proceeded to say we had to go to the summer palace and a silk factory that night. The whole group was fed up and we did not enjoy either one. These activities were scheduled for the next day.

Anyway there were many days like this; it was agreed by all that we would prefer to get to our hotel in the late afternoon in order to unwind and perhaps explore on our own. There was no need for so many late check ins.

Most hotels were adequate. I did not have high expectations. Rooms were clean and comfortable. However, the breakfasts were horrendous. Cold food, empty buffet trays, very little offered.

Nickey Knight The Five Stans of the Silk Road – Almaty to Ashgabat

This was a trip, full of WOW moments with a good dose of awe and wonder.
If you don’t travel well in the back of a hot, very bumpy car for hours on end, this is definitely not the trip for you. If you can’t do without home comforts, or don’t like early mornings or sleep disturbances, this is not the trip for you. If you need your own space, this is not the trip for you. If you are in any way, a picky eater, this is not the trip for you.(having said that, our vegetarian and vegan group members ate as well as any of us)
If, however, you have an open mind, and a ‘come what may’ attitude, this is a trip of a lifetime. The itinerary of this trip is such that we saw more of this amazing country and immersed ourselves in the culture of these amazing, resilient people more than any other trips that we encountered along the way. Some of the journeys were tough, with real abject dangers from their remoteness and altitude but the rewards in terms of scenery and experiences were more than worth it. The homestay hosts were, on the whole, welcoming and generous and they managed to provide well cooked food and little treats, even though they appeared to have so little. We engaged with the local children where possible, and took great joy in teaching them UNO and playing with them. They were inquisitive and always open to any new experiences we could provide. Rubik’s cube was a hit too, as were the kites provided by Safina, our group leader. Because of the extent of the itinerary, we gradually learned so much about this relatively unknown country, both about the richness of its physical geography and the historical, cultural and social, regional traditions and differences. It had its tough moments but they only added to the lasting impression of an amazingly beautiful country of strong, proud and content people who thrive against the odds.

Susie Birch Tajikistan Expedition: Pamir Highway & beyond

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