Marguzor Lakes
Marguzor Lakes
Ruins of Ancient Panjakent
Iskanderkul
Mausoleum of Sheikh Muslihiddin
Magnificent beauty of nature, historical cities cloaked in legends and hospitality of Tajik people impress visitors and invite to follow the steps of Alexander the Great.
Ancient Penjikent, pristine lakes of Marguzor in Fann mountains, modern Dushanbe and Khujand welcome the travellers from all over the world.
Book a trip from Samarkand or Tashkent to discover the pearls of Tajikistan!
Breakfast at the hotel.
08:00 Transfer to the border Jartepa. Border crossing ( visa/ passport control usually takes 30 min- 1,5 hr).
Meet the guide and driver at the Tajikistan part of the border.
- Visit the Sarazm (UNESCO World Heritage) museum.
Take an off-road trip to pristine lakes located in the Fann Mountains; locals call the lakes Haftkul ( Seven lakes) or Marguzor, after the name of the largest and most beautiful lake.
Every lake has its own name: Nezhigon (or Mizhgon), Soybean, Gushor, Nofin, Hurdak, Marguzor, Hazorchashma. Six of the lakes are of dammed origin, besides Lake Hazorchashma.
The difference in level between the upper and lower lakes is 692 meters
Please note there are some shaky/ bumpy parts of the road, and there is a mountainous, narrow track with photo stops.
Lunch at the guesthouse ( traditional meals).
Transfer to Penjikent.
Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel.
08:00 Start sightseeing tour in Penjikent visiting:
-The Sarazm Important Bird Area (UNESCO World Heritage) lies downstream of the city on the tugay-vegetated floodplain of the river.
- The archaeological site of the ruins of old Penjikent that was a Sogdian trading city on the Silk Road.
Transfer to Dushanbe (about 5 hrs drive), en-route photo stop near Iskanderkul,
- Iskanderkul Lake, known as a lake of Alexander the Great The area of the lake is 30000 ha. According to the legend, the Iskanderkul Lake was named after Alexander the Great, known as Iskander in the East. People say that Alexander the Great’s path to Central Asia from India passed through this lake.
Transfer to Dushanbe passing Iskanderkul lake, Anzob tunnel and Anzob pass with amazing panoramic views.
Afternoon arrival in Dushanbe.
Evening arrival in Dushanbe. Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel.
08:00 Start Dushanbe sightseeing tour visiting:
- Tajik National Museum of Antiquities with the biggest Buddha in Nirvana.
The Museum consists of 22 exhibition halls with departments of nature, antiquity and the Middle Ages, modern history, fine and applied arts.
- Tajik flagpole-one of the World tallest flagpoles (165-meter flagpole);
- Main square of Dushanbe. The Monument of Ismoili Somoni - the forefather of Tajik Nation located on the main square. A 40-meter-high monument built to the memory of Ismaili Saman-Khuda, founder of the Samanid dynasty;
- Gissar Fortress- the remains of the Bukhara Emirate Beck’s palace. Its thick walls once guarded a pool, garden, and palace, while the fortress itself opposed a noisy market and caravanserai. The place was famous for its center of commerce during the Silk Road. Old Madrassa (Madrasai Kuhna) of the 16-17th century with a museum inside, the new Madrassa of the 17-18th century as well as Caravan Saray.
Transfer to Khujand (300 km, 5 hrs).
Evening arrival in Khujand. Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel.
Khujand was the farthest point Alexander the Great reached in Central Asia; the city was named Alexandria Eschate (Alexandria the Farthest), the city became one of the important trading places on the great Silk Road.
09:00 Start sightseeing tour in Khudjand, visiting
- Pushkin square with Kamoli Khudjandi Square;
- Timur Malik’s fortress and Sugd museum;
- Arbob Palace (Arbob Palace had its particular significance in 1992, when it was the place for the meeting of the Tajik Soviet, which officially declared independence from the Soviet Union. Also, it was the site where the Tajik flag was chosen.
- Muslihiddin memorial complex;
- Panjshanbe bazaar (Khujand’s central market that has many shops offering different kind of goods and services. The name Panjshanbe comes from the Persian language, meaning “Thursday”. Panjshanbe is considered as one of the oldest markets in Tajikistan. The Silk Road passes through Khujand city, which has always made Panjshanbe crowded with traders and tourists.
Transfer to the border post Oybek (ETA 15:00).
After crossing the border, meet the driver on the Uzbek side of the border (ETA 15:30). Transfer from the border post to the hotel in Tashkent (appr 2 hr drive).
Arrival in Tashkent.
End of the tour.
Accommodation:
| Penjikent |
|
Standart:
Panjakent Plaza
,
Fariz Hotel
|
-The tour is published on September 21, 2026 and the rates as per program and conditions specified are actual for 180 days ( 6 month) from the date of publication.
All the rates will be subject to change if the request is after 180 days from date of publication because any changes in the seasonal tariffs for hotels, air/train ticket prices, tax increase, and exchange rate fluctuation may cause the increase of rates.
- By request, the itineraries can be adjusted for solo traveller or family private tours, please note the tariffs for individual/ private tours may be higher than in group offers.
- If the hotels noted in the program are fully booked or not available for the dates in case of stop-sale dates/ temporary reconstruction works, booked for government delegation, etc.. Tour company reserves the right to book the other hotels of the same category and similar service in case of last-minute booking due to restricted time and high season intensity.
- We highly recommend early booking of Central Asia group tours, family tours about 9- 6 months before the tour dates, and not later than 3 months before the tour dates.
Please note, in case of late booking less than 3 month ahead and last-minute booking less than 10 days ahead the trip it is possible that the itineraries can be changed because of restricted time and high season availability of the hotels and train tickets for the date of booking/ for travel dates.
- Yurt camps, guesthouses, and homestays offer traditional meals; there are quite basic toilet and shower conditions. Single accommodation in the guesthouses, yurts and homestays is not guaranteed and will be subject of availability.
- Please note the international flights Tashkent – Bishkek/ Bishkek - Tashkent, Tashkent – Almaty/ Almaty - Tashkent, Almaty - Dushanbe/ Dushanbe – Almaty are regular flights but can be scheduled not every day, the program can be slightly adjusted as per actual flight details.
- Please confirm your return flights and provide full information ( flight details, passport copies and if required, other documents for visa support) to book the tours. We highly recommend acknowledging the necessary documentation before the trip: valid passport with expiration not later than 6-month, visa / e-visa/ LOI.
- Travel/ medical insurance is not included in the tour packages as it is not obligatory, but we highly recommend all tourists buying the travel/medical insurance in the country of residence.
- Please note that during the national holidays, during the big summits, fairs, festivals, major sport and cultural events, some parts of the roads can be temporarily blocked for delegations and events as per government decrees.
- Check-in 14.00, check-out time 11.00. No early check-in/ late check-out is included unless indicated;
- Please note that the drivers do not speak English or can speak only basic English;
- All the changes in the basic itinerary, the timing for transfers depending on the international flight departure/arrival time are to be discussed and pre-agreed;
- Please note that the train trip/s can be replaced for transfer/s by car depending on train tickets availability and trains schedule;
- After the date of publication, any changes in the hotels, air/train ticket prices, tax increase, and exchange rate fluctuation may influence the tour prices;
- Anur Tour is not responsible for the force majeure occasions (weather conditions during the tour, repairing-reconstructing works at some parts of roads, government restrictions).
3 days, from: $595
Season: March – November
1 days, from: $170
Season: all the year round
10 days, from: $0
Season: all the year round
4 days, from: $985
Season: Spring – Summer – Fall
5 days, from: $645
Season: all the year round
1 days, from: $160
Season: all the year round
Central Asia & Caucasus DMC
