Outside of hotels in Tajikistan, it is very much possible to arrange homestays as well. Local tourism groups can help arrange these, and you will get to spend a night in a local family's house, as other tourists have done in the past.…Read More

Outside of hotels in Tajikistan, it is very much possible to arrange homestays as well. Local tourism groups can help arrange these, and you will get to spend a night in a local family's house, as other tourists have done in the past. Now, I could describe to you how to arrange such a stay, and what it is like. But, truth be told, I did not arrange for a homestay during my visit. Instead, I was kind of forced into one.

On the long, arduous ride from Khorog back to Dushanbe, there happened to be a woman who spoke decent English in the car. The first few hours of the trip were pretty innocent, her just asking me where I was from, what I was doing there, where I was going, etc. But, as time passed, she wanted to know where I was staying when I arrived in Dushanbe. The truth was that I did not arrange anything, as I was actually a few days ahead of schedule and made no reservations because I did not know what day I'd arrive back in Dushanbe.

Knowing that me having no place to stay was a bit of a problem, especially since we were arriving at midnight, she started calling hotels in the city for me to stay at. Places were either booked solid, or only had expensive rooms available. I told her I would try to get room at one of the cheaper places when we got there. She didn't seem to think that would be such a great idea.

Our discussion got the attention of a Tajik husband and wife in the car, who this lady knew. She apparently explained to them the situation, and they responded back to her in an affirmative way. The lady then turned to me and said, "It has been decided, you will stay with them for tonight." Say what!?!? I insisted that I could not impose on them like that, and that I would find another place to say. But, they seemed determined to not let me not stay with them. I honestly felt a little scared at this point, not sure if they had other intentions or not.

After the long, 17 hour ride from Khorog to Dushanbe, we arrived at 12:30am. The other passengers got out of the car with all their belongings. We then jumped into a taxi, along with our driver from the 17 hour ride. He got out a few blocks later, while we continued over a bridge to an area west of downtown Dushanbe. It was dark, quiet, and all the houses looked like decrepit,failed, Soviet structures.

We soon arrived at one of these buildings, and they motioned it was time to get out. There appeared to be a stairwell, and then a young woman emerged from the pitch black darkness that was this stairwell. The man from the long car ride motioned for me to grab one end of this huge, gigantic, heavy bag he had brought, and then the girl who emerged from the dark would take the other end. Since I was supposedly getting a free night at their apartment, I was more than happy to help carry their stuff in...all while carrying my own 30 pound backpack.

It turned out we were walking to the top, fifth floor with this bag...all in complete darkness with a complete stranger helping with the bag. At the top of the steps was their apartment, a small, Russian-looking place with 2 small bedrooms, living room, kitchen, and bathroom/washroom.

There were two girls sleeping there, and when we arrived the man told them to vacate the second bedroom. I insisted I would sleep on their living room floor with my sleeping bag and mattress pad, but he refused to listen to me. The two girls left the room, after changing the bedsheets, and then I was motioned to go inside and get some rest. The girls ended up sleeping on the floor of the living room, while this strange, American tourist took their bed.

The next morning I awoke to find the husband and wife preparing a feast meant for 50 people. I had 3 eggs, breads, meats, cheeses, and lots of tea. It was quite awkward, though, as the man spoke no English, and his wife only a few words.

After breakfast, they basically told me to grab some belongings to take a shower with, and I would go to another relative's house to bathe (because they had better water). They insisted I leave most of my other stuff at their apartment, though. This, again, made me feel a little uneasy, and I was certain they would sell it all. I guess I was just being a cynical New Yorker not expecting to meet extremely friendly people.

I followed the man out of the apartment to the street, where we jumped in a shared taxi/minibus. After a few blocks we jumped out again and took another taxi/minibus to another ominous Soviet building. This one had an elevator, though. I hesitated to step in, as I was trying to be a gentleman and offer the man to go first. He, though, interpreted it as me being afraid of elevators.

There was no one home at the relative's apartment. So, the man and I each took turns bathing before settling down in their living room to watch hockey on TV. He offered me more food, a big bag of grapes, and so I obliged. Soon, though, the relatives began to come home, each with different levels of English ability, and they began to ask me more and more questions. And then...the food came pouring into the living room.

I don't think I have ever been offered so much food in my entire life. Fruits, meats, teas (one tea with a stick of butter in it), nuts, breads...you name it. I think all we did that day was eat and they showed me their home.

Later in the evening, one of the younger girls who gave up her bed for me told me to follow her and we left for an impromptu tour of Dushanbe. Again, we took a few shared taxi/minibuses to Dushanbe, walked through the center of town, and then met up with her cousin. Her cousin spoke fluent English.

Her cousin explained some of the sights of Dushanbe as we walked down the main street. We eventually reached an outdoor food/restaurant area, found a place to eat, and then ordered more and more food. They really like to eat there.

With our bellies full, and the time getting late, we took a taxi back to the apartment. We arrived around 11pm, talked a bit with the husband and wife, and then settled in for the night.

Three hours later I woke up, packed my bag, said my goodbyes, and then the husband took me outside to meet his friend who would drive me to the airport. We stood in near silence as we waited for his late friend to arrive, and then said our goodbyes as best we could before I got in the car. He gave me a big bear hug, and refused to take any of the money I offered him for all the food and hospitality (looking back, I should have just left it in the room). I drove away, realizing that I had one of the best experiences I have ever had while traveling.Close

One thing you will find throughout Tajikistan is an immense spirit of hospitality. As much as you may want someone to help you out in any way possible, there is often someone right there who will be able to do so, often for no…Read More

One thing you will find throughout Tajikistan is an immense spirit of hospitality. As much as you may want someone to help you out in any way possible, there is often someone right there who will be able to do so, often for no charge.

Since I don't speak a lick of Russian, nor Tajik, I was a bit apprehansive about arriving in Dushanbe at 3:30am and not having a guide there to help me arrange my first day there. I had some relatively complicated plans that I had to arrange once on the ground, and felt a local guide would be best in making it happen.

There are some websites for small tour companies who will provide you with guides, for a relatively hefty fee, though. Not needing a guide who would drive me around and show me things, I asked the Pamir Lodge in Khorog if they could help arrange a guide for me in Dushanbe (as I was already planning to stay at their lodge when I arrived). They said it would not be a problem, and gave me the email of a relative in Dushanbe who could help. No matter how many times I asked, though, he would not give me a price for his services.

Upon arrival, the arrange relative met me as promised. He spoke excellent English, and dressed even better. Apparently he had just come from a nightclub with his friends, who were all sleeping in the airport lounge. We talked, he bought me tea, and then we started to plan what I had to do in the next few hours. Like most people there, he went out of his way and arranged everything for me. So, a few hours after meeting him it was time for me to go. I asked how much the time he spent with me would cost, and he refused payment. Despite flashing him some money and begging him to accept anything from me, he refused.

So, if you need a guide in Dushanbe, or anywhere in Tajikistan, start by asking your hotel. If you have as good of luck as I did, they will set you up with a relative who is in no way trying to rip you off or make money off you.Close

There is basically only two ways to get from Dushanbe to Khorog: fly or drive. Obviously, flying is the fastest of the two options, taking about an hour (as compared to the minimum 17 hour car ride). Each option has their pros and…Read More

There is basically only two ways to get from Dushanbe to Khorog: fly or drive. Obviously, flying is the fastest of the two options, taking about an hour (as compared to the minimum 17 hour car ride). Each option has their pros and cons, though.

The road route is brutal, but beautiful. The route is at least 17 hours; guidebooks and others say it averages 22 hours. If you leave Dushanbe around 7am (from the car park near the airport), you can be in Khorog by around midnight. Shared taxis/vans will do the first stage in one long day, which is brutally uncomfortable (unless you score the front seat), though if you hire your own car/driver you can break the journey into two days (stopping in Kalaikhum). Along the route, you will pass the Rogun dam, many small villages, and a high pass where the temperature drops considerably (and gets closed in the winter months due to snow). Most of the ride, though, is along one of most bone-jarring bumpy roads you will ever ride, preventing your car from ever breaking the 20mph barrier.

I was able to hire my driver with the help of a cousin who runs the Pamir Lodge. After meeting me at the airport at 3:30am (after he spent the earlier part of the evening clubbing with some friends), we spent a few hours in the airport lounge talking while his friends slept-off their night of clubbing. At 7am, after deciding I did not want to risk missing the flight to Khorog, this cousin took me to the car park near the airport, and told me to stay inside the taxi we took there while he found me a ride. For about $50, you can get a seat in a shared taxi. In no time we found people offering just that: a shared seat in a car. But, just when I felt I would take that option, he found a friend who had a whole car and would let me ride for $50...with no other passengers. So, I got the front seat and basically a personal driver to take me the whole way. In addition to the money he needed for the gas, I paid for his meals, too. I quickly thanked the cousin for his troubles, and then the driver and I stopped at a gas station and grocery store to grab some food for the ride. We were then off.

After you reach Kalaikhum, the remainder of the route follows the river separating Tajikistan and Afghanistan. Views into Afghanistan are spectacular, with numerous villages that have probably not changed in thousands of years. The villages on the Afghan side are all connected by dirt paths, often seen clinging to the sides of mountains and cliffs. While we sped along in our car on a decent road, it felt like we were looking back in time at the Afghan side, with people walking along dirt trails with their donkey carts and such. It was truly amazing.

If you stop in Kalaikhum, though, you will definitely see the amazing Afghan villages when you travel during the day on day 2. However, if you decide to make the trip in a single day from Dushanbe, you will totally miss these villages. I saw the villages on my return from Khorog to Dushanbe, but on my way there I could only see the river and cliffs from the full moon that night.

One thing to note about the route between Kalaikhum and Khorog, as it follows the Afghan border the entire time: the road was mined in the past. You will see signs that areas along the road have been cleared of mines. But, you can never be too sure if they are all gone. So, if you stop to take a break, be careful where you step.

The plane route is (obviously) the quickest. However, it is also the hardest to make happen. Each morning there is a single flight from Dushanbe to the Tajikistan town of Khorog. The flight is only about an hour, and leaves at 8am each day. Tickets go on sale at 7am the day of the flight only, and the flight happens only if the weather is good and enough people want to fly that day. If the flight the previous day was cancelled, ticket holders from that flight will already be ahead of you for the flight. I did not make the flight, as the flight the day before had been cancelled, and the weather was not ideal. Based on other travelers' experiences, the flight is spectacular, and gets you up close and personal with the peaks of the mountains. There are YouTube videos of the flight. The disadvantage of the flight option is that you totally miss the unique and spectacular villages on the Afghan side.

Side note: though the plane route seems to come dangerously close to the mountains, there has never been an accident on the route. The only time a plane crashed was when it was shot down from the Afghan side. Happy travels!Close

In 2003, I used to live in Tajikistan, working for an international organization. I had been there for several months already and spent a lot of time driving around the countryside on nearly unpassible and very dusty roads in a small, Russian-made car called a…Read More

In 2003, I used to live in Tajikistan, working for an international organization. I had been there for several months already and spent a lot of time driving around the countryside on nearly unpassible and very dusty roads in a small, Russian-made car called a Niva.

After one such trip, what I really wanted when I returned to Dushanbe, was a hot shower and a good cuppa Joe. But neither were to be had. The town's water system was out of whack again, which meant that the tap water was dirty brown since it hadn't been cleaned or filtered. Thus, a shower at that moment..., hhmmm...

And coffee, well, that was another story altogether. The only coffee to be had in the entire country (indeed, much of Central Asia) was Nescafe, a brown instant powder kind of like Tang, the breakfast drink of astronauts from my childhood in the 70s.

I called the director of my organization to lobby for purchasing a cappucino machine. Not only would we have the best coffee around, but the steaming mechanism would also purify the water, I told him, in jest.

Such an extravagance, in reality, was unthinkable. Tajikistan is the poorest country of the former Soviet Union. It is only now beginning to recover from the 1992-1997 civil war. When I was there, the "average" monthly salary was about $12. Now, it's around $20 a month. The public water system in the capital frequently malfunctioned, so many people were left to retrieve water from small ditches, sometimes resulting in typhoid outbreaks.

In spite of their poverty, Tajiks are incredibly hospitable. A guest, they say, is a gift from God. So, as a visitor, people will do whatever they can to make you feel at home. If you do have the opportunity to be invited into a Tajik home, bring a small gift such as sweets or juice and accept their offers graciously.

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I would certainly not recommend a friend visit Tajikistan. I recently spent five weeks living in Tajikistan. I rented an apartment in the capitol city Dushanbe. I took a few two or three day trips to the other major cities of the country and extensively…Read More

I would certainly not recommend a friend visit Tajikistan. I recently spent five weeks living in Tajikistan. I rented an apartment in the capitol city Dushanbe. I took a few two or three day trips to the other major cities of the country and extensively traveled through out the incredibly remote regions of southern Tajikistan. I wish that I had a lot to say about this country, but there is not much to do.

In regards to language, a person can certainly get by with conversant Russian. Tajik (a dialect of farci) is quickly gaining popularity and only those that are educated or live in the capitol speak Russian now.

There are a few night clubs that are specifically targeted at ex-pats. Other than these clubs, there is no night life at all. The food is exceptionally bland and except for a few ex-pat restaurants, generally not very safe. The water is certainly not safe to drink out of a tap. There are several local brands of bottled water, these are also not safe. Coke is difficult to come buy, the main soda provider is RC Cola which has a plant in Tajikistan and uses local water to make the soda. This makes the soda often unsafe and will cause nausea and diarrhea.

The outer cities are much the same as Dushanbe. I did manage to find some great sites though. On a mountainous highway between Dushanbe and Kulyab, there are spectacular views of a huge water reservoir. It's really breathtaking. If I had more time, I would have certainly explored this option more thoroughly. Outside of Korgan-Tyube, there is huge archaeological dig, uncovering a mosque from the 12th century. The dig is obviously extremely primitive. Anyone is allowed to come on to the site and do digging for themselves. I took advantage of this opportunity and unburied a complete pot that I brought home with me.

I spent a month there in June and it was extremely hot. In several of the regions I visited in southern Tajikistan, temperatures reached 120 during the day. Air conditioning will be offered in the nicer hotels and in most apartments that rent to tourists.

The people are extremely friendly. I was invited into several homes and ate with several families that, despite their poverty, were more than happy to entertain a guest. Although these visits were extremely pleasant, they're very difficult to get through if you don't speak Russian or Tajik. Close

One of the main barriers seems to be the lack of information on Tajikistan on the Net. However, there are numerous pages offering travel and other information. Links to helpful webpages for would-be visitors to Tajikistan: www.asiaplus.tajnet.com Asia Plus, a privately owned local weekly newspaper, with general…Read More

One of the main barriers seems to be the lack of information on Tajikistan on the Net. However, there are numerous pages offering travel and other information.

Links to helpful webpages for would-be visitors to Tajikistan:

www.asiaplus.tajnet.com
Asia Plus, a privately owned local weekly newspaper, with general information and up-to-date news in English and Russian.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/country_profiles/1296639.stm
The BBC’s Country Profile of Tajikistan, in English

http://tojikiston.com/english/index.php
The main Internet service provider’s website, with a few links to other sites. Russian and English.

http://www.tajikistan.tajnet.com
"Tajikistan on the Net"! A guide to basic information on Tajikistan provided by Tajiks. Includes a section on the Tajik sense of humor. Russian and English.

http://www.angelfire.com/sd/tajikistanupdate/
A page by Mr. David Straub with a wealth of information on language, culture, the personal homepages of Tajik people, photos, and - most importantly - HOW TO GET THERE. Unfortunately, some of the links are outdated - but you can contact Mr. Straub by e-mail, since it’s posted there.

http://cenasia-fiction.netfirms.com/gallery.htm
At the bottom, you can find pictures of Tajik people.

http://www.eurasianet.org/resource/tajikistan/index.shtml
A very comprehensive resource.

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The Fan Mountains in the Zerafshan Vallley are among the most attractive tourist areas in Tajikistan. They are situated in the north-west of the country, between the Hissar and Zerafshan ranges, west of the Anzob pass…Read More

The Fan Mountains in the Zerafshan Vallley are among the most attractive tourist areas in Tajikistan. They are situated in the north-west of the country, between the Hissar and Zerafshan ranges, west of the Anzob pass and are often called "land of lakes", as they contain 30 lakes of a variety of colours. Here one can see the mysterious legendary Iskander Kul, the lake of Alexander the Great; the amazingly colourful Alaudin lakes; the wonderful Big Allo lakes, and lakes kulikalon hidden in the innaccesible narrow Zindon (in English it will be "Jail") valley, eleven peaks, all over 5,000 meters, protect the beaty af the area . The highest of them: Chimtarga (5489m) , b.Ganza (5330m), Bodkhona (5300m), Chapdara (5050m), Zamok (5070), and Mirali (5120m) I waliking around Fan Mountain for 1week and i'll never forget this trip. I strongly reccomended to Visit Fan Mountain it is very beatiful place. If you have any question please ask me or visit www.tdc.tj Close

Only two decent places for a cafe latte or capucino.Morning Star cafe - Good coffee, surprisingly good pastries and always a few expats. My favorite place for a egg and cheese croisant on a Saturday morningCafe Sigafredo's - London, Paris, Miami and yes - DushanbeYou'd…Read More

Only two decent places for a cafe latte or capucino.

Morning Star cafe - Good coffee, surprisingly good pastries and always a few expats. My favorite place for a egg and cheese croisant on a Saturday morning

Cafe Sigafredo's - London, Paris, Miami and yes - Dushanbe
You'd swear you weren't in Tajikistan. Decent Pasta, good coffee, and great french fries. It's the little things...Lot's of expats as well. I take visitors here and don't have to cringe.

The Hyatt on Saturday or Sunday mornings. Pricey but worth it every now and then.


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