Tajikistan

Visited: November 2023

Duration of visit: 7 days

Capital city: Dushanbe

Population: 9.8 million (2023)

Estimated reading time: 19 minutes

• Dushanbe – fast growing capital city offering beautiful Soviet architecture, refined with well-kept flower beds.
• Admiring the reflection of perfectly shaped mountains in Lake Iskanderkul, while enjoying the total serenity.
• Standing alone in the large salt-encrusted plain Asht Namak that surrealistically mirror white reflection in midday sun.
• Walking up 365 steps to Lenin Monument in the outskirts of Istaravshan.
• Communication in Russian opens door and gains me respect among friendly people.
• An authoritarian regime with elements of a cult of personality that has kept president Emomali Rahmon in power since independence.

The Republic of Tajikistan became independent in September 1991, as the Soviet Union was disintegrating. A civil war started almost immediately after independence, lasting from May 1992 to June 1997.

Following a ten-day stay in Afghanistan, I smoothly cross the border to Tajikistan, a country that would probably have had similar destiny as its southern neighbor, if Islamic opposition had not been stopped in the bloody civil war in the nineties, with the help from Russia and Uzbekistan.

In 1994 the lifelong president Emomali Rahmon came to power and he has been still ruling the country in 2023.

Rahmon heads an authoritarian regime with elements of a cult of personality, supported by his family members and friends.

More than 92% of the country is covered with gorgeous mountains offering breathtaking scenery; half of Tajikistan lies above an elevation of 3,000 meters. On the other side the lowlands of Fergana valley, historically significant corridor of the ancient silk route, is the most densely populated region in Central Asia. This long valley, irrigated by Syr Darya river bring rich soil, creating a series of fertile oases that have long been prized for agriculture.

According to international standards Tajikistan is a poor, developing country, but in reality, majority Muslim population has created a rather pleasant lifestyle in harsh, mountaineer environment, implementing strict rules for religious beliefs. Some of the prohibitions of relentless campaign against public displays of Islamic devotion are quite peculiar: banning beards, attendance at mosque for women and children under 18, hajj for people under 40, studying in Islamic schools outside Tajikistan, using loudspeakers to broadcast prayers, veils, madrassas, Islamist political parties and Arabic-sounding names.

Quite a cultural shock after spending time in neighboring Afghanistan under strict Taliban rules and conservative western part of Pakistan!

Dushanbe, the capital city of Tajikistan, is a vibrant destination nestled at the foothills of the majestic Pamir Mountains, with a history that spans over two millennia. Originally functioned as a Monday marketplace (the meaning of Dushanbe) is today a melting pot of diverse influences, blending the ancient traditions of Central Asia with modern development, which seems rushing to make up for what has been lost in recent decades.

In the downtown area, where I settle down, there are dozens of new projects with apartments building growing around.

New buildings, parks and infrastructure have started to transform the cityscape, but the big metamorphosis will be visible in three to five years.

I arrive to Dushanbe in a comfortable taxi with a standard number of passengers – half less than in overcrowded Afghanistan vehicles. My apartment, booked through Airbnb, is only slightly more expensive than an average rundown hotel room in Afghanistan at 30US$ per night, but I feel like staying in heaven. The flat is clean, organized, new, perfectly distributed, located in the center of the city.

After a long trip I am not in the mood to experiment with Tajik food yet. I opt for Indian dinner to spoil the taste buds.

Absolutely delicious!

Typical Soviet architecture is a highlight of Dushanbe, where new apartment buildings grow at every corner. Women are dressed in traditional clothes, some of them covering hair with a scarf, others not. It is very evident that the presidential guidance doesn’t allow any presence of Islamic clothes. This is obvious also in the style headscarves are tied in traditional Tajik way behind the head instead of a conservative Islamic way of headscarf wrapped under the chin.

I start a day with a breakfast in a small bakery for less than a dollar. Coffee and barsok – simple fried little pieces of dough that can be dipped in jam or cream.

My first stop is Ismoili Somoni Monument – dedicated to the founder of the Tajik state, embodies main symbols of Tajik statehood: crown and scepter adorned with seven stars. Richly decorated with gold, the monument inaugurated in 1999, shines in the early sun, while a dozen of women carefully hoes the flowerbeds at the base.

Somoni Monument is rather a recent acquisition, erected in 2011 in honor of the 20^th anniversary of Independence of Tajikistan.

There are beautiful flowers, gardens and trees well-maintained, wherever my eyes can see. The walking paths are clean and tidy, roses and pansies of different colors beautifully adorn the city. I can already spot a huge flagpole with a flag of Tajikistan streaming in the air from a distance.

I pass the Statue of Abuabdullo Rudaki – founder of New Persian poetry, recognized in Tajikistan as the father of Tajik literature, and finally find the right path in front of the Palace of Nations.

At 165 meters, it was the tallest free-standing flagpole in the world from its completion in 2011 until the 2014, when Jeddah Flagpole was erected up to 171 meters.

A 420 kilograms heavy and 60 meters wide Tajik flag is not fluttering in the air due to the lack of wind, but its reflection in the nearby lagoon is still wonderful.

The city’s main avenue is also named after famous Persian poem, called Rudaki Avenue. It stretches for miles and is lined with shops, restaurants, and landmarks. Some areas are very modern, dotted with luxury apartment complexes, hosting boutique shops on the ground floors. I can’t find a souvenir shop anywhere in the city, until I finally spot magnets with Tajikistan motifs in the Hilton Hotel.

The architects’ first idea was to build a modern teahouse in the national style on the site of the demolished one, but the projects turned out to be too exclusive for only tea lovers to gather in this space. The building actually has little to do with a traditional tea house today.

Navruz Palace was built on the request of the president Emomali Rahmon, finished in 2014. Even though it has been used on rare occasions, with its decorative architecture and interior design, the tea house is frequently used to receive foreign dignitaries during state visits. The complex is one of the finest of its kind on the planet.

I wonder around, observing the general cleaning with water pipes, when I lady in colorful Tajik clothes approaches me, offering a tour of the interiors for a few dollars:

“We do this tour continuously, but there are no other visitors here today, so I may do it only for you! Wait for half an hour to finish my lunch, maybe someone else will join you!”

Half an hour later I receive a private tour to one of the largest palaces in the world, 50 meters high, consisting of 5 floors and occupying an area of ​​about 40,000 square meters. Pure statistics and rather modest outdoor appearance don’t reflect the supremacy that is hidden indoors.

The work of Tajik masters, artists and carpenters performed according to the national architectural methods accompaniment give this complex a unique splendor.

All finishes on small and large halls, summer terraces and colorful fountains are superior, materials well-chosen and work done with taste. The main halls can transform to conference rooms, chambers and banquet halls are decorated with handicrafts of the Tajik people, such as stucco, mosaics, colored glass, wood and stone carvings, mirroring, chandeliers and parquetry.

No wonder why Navruz Palace has hosted many heads of states, the most important event being the meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The presidents of the countries participating in the Shanghai Five at the summit in Dushanbe came from Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and China.

It is a long way walking from Navruz Palace to Mehrgon Market, but I don’t mind to move around on foot. While Dushanbe has no lack of unmissable places to explore, its bustling bazaars provide a deep and authentic glimpse into its cultural heritage. A new marketplace was constructed in 2010, when Dushanbe municipal authorities closed the then popular Barakat Market in favor of a brand-new opera building.

With ornamented cornices, grand arches and multiple Islamic style references, the modern bazaar is largely inspired by the famed silk-road architecture, but the interior is a typical market in the territory of ex-Soviet countries.

Mainly a food market offers a wide range of agricultural produce alongside traditional Central-Asian delicacies, including fresh, organic fruits and vegetables; colorful spices; bread of different sizes and shapes; locally made cheese, smetana and diary products; meat and poultry; rural honey; a mind-boggling assortment of scrumptious dried fruits and nuts.

Vendors are inviting me to taste their products and pushing me to buy in a polite, nonintrusive way. Dried fruits, almonds and walnuts are mostly sold by Uzbek merchants, who settled down in Tajikistan in the Soviet times.

Another visible monument from a long distance is a 121-meters high tower of Istiqlol, located in the complex of the same name, that is one of the biggest construction sites in Dushanbe.

When completed, the whole area will be converted to a modern neighborhood with parks, walking alleys, entertainment facilities, shopping mall and apartment buildings that are already well advanced.

As well as most of Dushanbe, I also explore Istiqlol Complex on foot until I reach the locked gate bordered with high fence that block the exit from the construction area. I notice a woman picking up the woods in pine forest nearby. She shows me the hidden way through a makeshift footbridge that leads over the river and after a short climb I am back to the main road. This way I avoid returning several kilometers along the same route from where I came.

Intercity connection in Tajikistan is mainly organized by entrepreneurs, who usually register their vehicles for a specific route and gather on a certain terminal in the city of departure. When I approach these places in various cities around the country, I am immediately detained by aggressive drivers who scream their destinations and intent to convince me to take a ride with them. Some of them are very persistent in deceiving that I am the only missing passenger before kicking off immediately.

The initial quoted price is usually inflated, and when I complain for being it exaggerated their question is:

“How much you offer?”

Since I am not always informed about the correct price, I wait until they would adjust the proposal, ask other passengers or quote a ridiculously low price to leave me alone.

Various cars to the same destination are filling up simultaneously depending on drivers’ negotiations skills or their persistence to chase potential passengers. The rides itself are comfortable, the roads in good conditions, traversing mountains through spectacular, winding roads combined with tunnels which make safe overtaking impossible.

Due to very short time available and early November I resigned on a possibility to visit Pamir area, but rather focus on the capital and northern areas. Lake Iskanderkul is one of the most advertised natural beauties of Tajikistan, relatively easily accessible from Dushanbe. By the time I visit it, the official tourist season is already ended, hotels were closed and restaurants stopped operated two weeks earlier.

It seems that even beautiful sunny weather with daily temperatures above 20°C doesn’t attract any tourists. Therefore, I have to negotiate a private taxi only for myself in a village of Sarvoda, from where a dust road winds up through the mountains for 28 kilometers to reach the highland lake.

As the journey progresses along the macadam road, the surrounding nature becomes progressively more stunning. The colors of the nearby mountains change from colorful gray to orange, brown and towards the top, where there is eternal snow and ice, white.

In the early afternoon, when I reach the shores of Lake Iskanderkul, I find myself utterly captivated with turquoise water reflecting surrounding peaks on the surface.

I walk lonely on the path around the lake, in absolute calm observing quiet nature. I don’t need to do much beside opening my eyes, inhale the beauty and take a few photos.

The landscape of Tajikistan is predominantly mountain. Lowland is concentrated only in the norths, where the important agricultural area provides fertile soil for fruits vegetables and cotton.

It is not easy to catch a vehicle from the crossroads of Iskanderkul directly to Khujand, my final destination of the day. I quickly decide to take local transport in parts to reach the main round abound two kilometers north of Ayni.

Three passengers are determined to obtain a fair price to Khujand, but negotiations with a taxi driver are tough. Finally, I get a comfortable seat and enjoy a pleasant ride to the suburbs of my final destination, where I am sat on a city local bus that takes me close to my hotel.

Very easy to orientate and walk around, the center of the city offers me all the comfort I need.

I am especially grateful for a restaurant Golden fish that is divided in two sections. In the basement a group of ladies dance and listen to loud music. In the second floor I am offered a private room with big table, menu in English and international cousin. Simple pasta, apple juice and salad are delicious.

Khujand is one of the oldest cities in Central Asia, dating back about 2,500 years to the Persian Empire.

Situated on Syr Darya River at the mouth of the Fergana Valley, Khujand was a major city along the ancient Silk Road. Today it is the second-largest city in the nation, surrounded by mountains with slopes planted with orchards.

When approaching the city, the transformation of landscape from mountains to fertile lowlands is very obvious. The Fergana valley spreading over Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan is extremely fertile and converting into Central Asia’s hub for growth and connectivity, possessing some of the most productive agricultural lands. Apricots, grapes, sweet cherries, apples and melons are only some of the fruits that together with vegetables and cotton represent the main income to the local population.

Khujand offers good infrastructure to tourists and some interesting places to see. The fairly modern Jami Mosque is the city’s largest place of worship and cuts a striking figure with the intricate portico, tiled minaret and turquoise domes. Unfortunately, it is closed for public during my visit.

In the afternoon I visit the Panchshanbe bazaar, one of the largest markets in Central Asia. The offer is similar to other markets in the region: from yoghurt balls (kurut), pickled salads, dried fruits to plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.

The next day my goal is to visit a large salt-encrusted plain Asht Namak, located an hour and a half drive by public transport off Khujand, near the Tajikistan-Uzbekistan border. In the summer, locals visit this unusual natural landmark to soak in mud baths located in the salt flat and admire the seemingly Martian-looking landscapes.

I am kicked off the bus at the main junction, that seems abandoned, without any sign of life. “Go this direction to reach the salty lake!”, one of the passengers directs me in broken Russian. According to Google Maps the distance to the lake is almost seven kilometers. I have no intentions to walk. Hitchhiking is the only option.

In just two minutes, a young boy unexpectedly emerges, proposing that I join him for a ride on his motorbike. I kindly accept the offer, negotiate the price, sit on the back and enjoy the ride to the lake.

The main facilities are closed due to the end of the season, so we continue straight to the lake, which is completely, dry, with solid salt surface that is easy to walk, taste and explore.

Asht Namak reminds to Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia; the solid, white surface surrounded by deserted landscape is surreal.

During the summer the saltwater baths are excavated on the salty surface of the lake. Several rectangular holes are cut and vary from the muddiest to the least muddy. I can’t try this relaxation method, but I enjoy solitude, peace and the bizarre forms of nature.

My motorbike friend brings me back to the main road, where we together hitchhike to Khujand. Predominantly the Mercedes-Benz vehicles that pass by are fully occupied, until a black car halts and offers me a ride. In Tajikistan hitchhiking is not free and payment (at least in private cars) is usually expected.

Interesting conversation in broken Russian kills the time during the drive along the rutted road that leads through numerous cotton plantations, fruit trees plantations and vineyards.

Upon completing two days in Khujand, I intend to spend my final night in Tajikistan in the city of Istaravshan.

A shared-taxi drops me in front of the best, apparently the only decent hotel in the city, called Hotel Sadbarg. I am informed that the wedding is planned for the afternoon, and none of the rooms are available.

“Are there any other hotels in downtown?”, I ask the receptionists.

“Well. There is one, 5 kilometers driving to the north of the city and that is pretty much it!”

I definitely don’t want to hear this kind of answer, confirming my previous research that lodging options are hardly available in downtown area.

I decide to have lunch in a local self-service restaurant, leave the luggage at the counter, explore the city and rather take a ride to Dushanbe in the late afternoon, instead in the next morning. It actually works fine, since Istaravshan is not really a tourist Mecca, where there would be many things to do.

The main attraction (at least for my nostalgic Soviet soul) is the largest Lenin statue that can be found outside of Russia.

Considering the fact that almost all monuments and busts of Lenin erected during the Soviet era in Tajikistan have long been demolished, this one has a special meaning. The memorial built in the mid-1960s by a Lithuanian sculptor who lived in Khujand at that time, was opened in honor of the launch of the Kattasoy reservoir in 1965.

This is one of the largest busts of Lenin not only in Tajikistan, but also beyond its borders in all Central Asia.

I started to climb 365 steps of rather neglected area that obviously has very little importance to new generations of Tajiks, who prefer Tik Tok or Instagram to old socialist ideas that were successfully spread by the greatest Soviet leader approximately 100 years ago.

The monument representing the upper part of Former Chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars of the Soviet Union actually sits upon a dam wall constructed during the Soviet period, that created a vast lake and stunning scenery. The reservoir is still one of the main sources of fresh water in the area, intended to supply households with drinking water and the irrigation system of numerous cultivated lands in the region.

Halfway to the top, I run into a local man who had come to rest in the nearby spa with his family.

We bring back memories of the times of the old countries (Soviet Union and Yugoslavia), when powerful leaders, with promises and inspired speeches, unconditionally led the masses to respect the values of the only system at that time, unconditional support of high-ranking leaders, modesty and humility.

Sometimes I have the feeling that not much has changed in Tajikistan.

Tajikistan is definitely not a popular tourist destination. Even if the list was reduced only to neighboring Stans countries, it would be ranked at the bottom, just ahead of Afghanistan. Nevertheless, I had great time in the capital, small towns and countryside, appreciating warm welcome from friendly locals, exploring landmarks in Dushanbe, while being fascinated by the natural beauty of the diverse landscape.

Considering the fact that 93% of the country is covered with mountains and that 98% of Tajikistan population is Muslim, the life conditions and lifestyle of Tajikistan comparing to countries with similar predispositions are probably superior. The country’s legislation encourages people to stick to traditional Tajik attire instead of following religious doctrines that usually lead to religious extremism.

There is a good reason to return to Tajikistan in order to travel Pamir Highway and search for descendants of Alexander the Great who conquered this territory.

With recent investments and developing real estate market in the capital, I can predict fast growth in the future. If Tajikistan starts using its potential as a tourist destination, the transformation might be even more considerable.