Tajikistan
Discover Tajikistan
Tajikistan is a landlocked country on the ancient Silk Road in Central Asia. The nation's majority culture is non-Turkic, unlike its neighbors to the north and west and east. Tajikistan is the poorest country out of the former Soviet states, owing to its remote geography and a devastating civil war that wracked the country from 1992 until 1997. But travelers here will find a land of stunning beauty, replete with soaring mountains, quaint pamirs (U-shaped valleys or plateaus surrounded by mountains), turquoise alpine lakes, Silk Road cities and ruins, and a charming and hospitable people. For those looking to experience a true adventurer's dream in the Roof of the World without the throngs of tourists in Nepal and Pakistan, Tajikistan is the place to be. There is no universal system for transcribing Tajik into English. Having been part of the Soviet Union, Russian spellings are often used for transcribing place names into English, but this has become less common as Tajikistan has begun to establish its own identity. The most commonly seen spelling differences will be the interchangeability of O's and A's, A's and E's, and G's and H's. Sometimes consonants can be doubled. As an example, the Hisor mountain range can appear as Gisor, Gissar, or Hissar as well.
Taste of Tajikistan...
Food in Tajikistan is a cross between that of Central Asia and that of Afghanistan & Pakistan along with a bit of Russian influence. If you like Russian food, you will probably have a good culinary experience. If you find Russian food bland, you may have a rough time here. Take care with street food and do not eat unwashed vegetables and fruits. It's best to soak them in distilled water and cook thoroughly. The national cuisine is becoming more popular in Tajikistan, including dishes such as Shurbo, Oshi Palov, Mantu and Sambusa. Tajik butchers and chefs generally don't cut the meat according to those "cow maps" you see at butcher shops in Western countries. Tajik cattle live very robust and active lives, wandering around pastures and fields until they are butchered, so their meat is much more gamey in quality than what you may be used to at home. Vegetarians in Tajikistan are blessed and cursed: on one hand, the Tajik national dish, Qurutob, contains no meat whatsoever and can be found quite easily in many restaurants. On the other hand, it's essentially the only thing on the Tajik menu that lacks meat. Travelers who are fine eating the same meal every day will have no problem with this, but travelers who want variety in their meals might. Most Tajik foods, including Qurutob, may be cooked using animal-derived oils.
A Rich Past
Explore the historical roots that shaped Tajikistan into what it is today.
The ancient site of Sarazm near the Uzbek border was inhabited since as far back as 3900 BCE, possibly making it the oldest city in Central Asia, and one of the oldest in the world (it was a contemporary of Ur and Argos). We have no idea who occupied Sarazm; artifacts discovered seem to relate to some other regional sites, and there were obvious fire-altars (although whether they were Zoroastrian or not is still unknown). It is highly unlikely, though, that the people at Sarazm were related to modern-day Tajiks, since the Indo-Iranian migrations are believed to have started around 2000 BCE, almost 2 full millennia after Sarazm was established. The earliest people in the region in the region for whom we have names were Indo-Iranian nomads or semi-nomads called the Saka/Scythians by today's scholars. By the 6th century BCE, a different group of Indo-Iranian people called the Sogdians emerged. These Sogdians organized political units in greater Central Asia based around towns or fortresses on key trade routes (like their "capital" at Panjakent), but they never unified into a greater political empire. Buddhism spread out of South Asia through Afghanistan and Tajikistan on its way to China, and even today some Buddhist remains can be found at archeological sites and museums throughout the country. By the 8th century CE, various Turkic confederations migrated into Central Asia, displacing and absorbing the local Sogdians and forever altering the ethnic makeup of Central Asia....
Climate
Tajikistan is very hot and sunny most of the year. In the west, north and south of the country there is a temperate inland subtropical climate (but palm trees do not grow). The hottest part of the country is the southern region – Khatlon Vilayat. The climate of this part of the country is generally similar to that of neighboring Uzbekistan and the far north of Afghanistan. This can be compared with the climate of northern Greece, central Italy, northern Spain or partly southern France, central Turkey, or with the climate of northern California or Colorado. The hottest months in this country are June, July and August. July is especially hot, and the temperature is considered normal from +45 to +55. Nevertheless, such temperatures are easier to tolerate here, since the air here is very dry, not humid, as, for example, in India, Thailand, Malaysia and similar countries.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsNationals from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia, Russia, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan do not need a visa for visits up to 90 days. Tajikistan has a 30-day visa-free policy for passport holders of 52 countries. See the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for details. Following the trends of other Central Asian countries, visas are increasingly easy to obtain, particularly for nationals of wealthy countries. This policy is designed to stimulate tourist activity in Tajikistan. There is no longer a requirement to register with OVIR for tourist visits under 30 days. Letters of invitation are no longer needed on arrival at Dushanbe airport, but are needed to prearrange a visa from the UK and US embassies. Evisas for 60 days are available for US$30 for citizens of most wealthy countries. You may apply for a GBAO permit along with the evisa for an extra US$20....
Regions
Explore AreasThere is no universal system for transcribing Tajik into English. Having been part of the Soviet Union, Russian spellings are often used for transcribing place names into English, but this has become …...
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
If you prefer a paper map, look in your home country for one made by Reise Know-How or Gizi Map. Scheduled minivans run between the major cities but otherwise hiring a vehicle or sharing one with other passengers is the only way to travel around the country. Prices are generally per person, not for the vehicle, and divided by the number of passengers. You can always pay for the entire car too if you are either in a rush or don't want to share with strangers. The nice thing about shared taxis is that the drivers will almost always drop you off at your destination, rather than a set point in the city like a marshrutka or minibus will do. SUVs can be hired and leave daily from Khujand's large minibus terminal located just outside the city. Prices are negotiable but should be in the range US$60 per person. Check that the vehicle is fit for long road travel, and inspect the spare tire.
Where to Stay
Sleeping options in Tajikistan include the following: In Dushanbe, there are a few large hotels, including the Hyatt Regency and the "Tajikistan" in the central city. Most are ex-Soviet era and tend to be over-priced and in poor condition. There are a couple of newly built hotels offering western standards of accommodation for around US$70–220 per room. The Aga Khan's Mountain Societies Development Support Programme has a network of guesthouses in places like Kalaikhum and Khorog, offering a good standard of accommodation. Full board is around US$40 per person The French NGO ACTED is establishing a network of homestays in the Pamir region, around Murghab. For around US$10 per person per night you get a comfortable bed in a family home. The facilities are basic, i.e. no running water and an outside toilet, but guests can expect comfortable clean rooms, good local food and a very warm welcome.
Money & Budget
The somoni (Tajik: сомонӣ; ISO code: TJS) is the national currency of Tajikistan. It is subdivided into 100 diram (Tajik: дирам). Wikivoyage uses С placed before the amount in all our articles. However, when you're shopping locally, you may see a variety of notations placed before or after the amount (most commonly just the letter С). Banknotes come in denominations of С1, 3, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 500 and you may find С0.01, С0.02, С0.05, С0.10, С0.20, С0.25, С0.50, С1, С3 and С5 coins in circulation. It is much more common to find С1, 3, and 5 coins than it is to find their bill equivalents. It is extremely rare to find any dirams smaller than С0.20 (and the С0.25 coin as well); if you are lucky enough to come across any of these, they'd make great souvenirs.
Language & Talk
The national and official language of the country is Tajik, which is one of several dialects of Persian. It is written using the Cyrillic script, which was introduced to the country by the Soviets in the 1930s. Speakers of Dari (Afghan Persian) or Farsi (Iranian Persian) should have no problems with getting around. Tajiks are very fond and proud of their language; therefore, learning a few words of Tajik will most certainly endear you to the locals. Russian is the main language of inter-ethnic communication and is held in high regard; Russian is a compulsory subject in Tajik schools, and is widely used in avenues such as government and commerce.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
Perhaps surprisingly, Tajikistan is one of the safest countries in the world in terms of petty thefts and tourism-specific crimes. Travelers here are treated with respect, and outside of the bazaars pickpockets are not common. Of course, travelers should still bring with them their common sense, but Tajikistan is much safer in this regard than most of Europe and Latin America. Some factional fighting spilling over from nearby Afghanistan (as well as local warlordism) can occur in Tajikistan, although it is rare. Visitors should keep abreast of the security situation and not take any unnecessary risks. Generally, the Pamir region and areas close to the Afghan border have the potential to be the most volatile. After sunset, it is not advisable to walk around outside alone; generally, do not travel unaccompanied to rural areas. Of significant concern is the inability of Tajikistan's law enforcement entities to provide adequate and immediate assistance.