Nature of Tajikistan - national parks and reserves for active recreation

It is hard to visit the capital only during a holiday in Tajikistan because local nature is so spectacular and the gorgeous mountains are like a magnet for all vacationers. Safed-Dara is the only mountain skiing resort in Tajikistan. A high-speed cable road takes visitors to the top. In summer, when mountain skiing is not possible, the road is closed. However, if there is snow, there are two amusements for visitors. Zip line – going down the slope using a pulley suspended on a cable – is a great activity to burst your level of adrenaline. Needless to say, the activity is quite extreme. Buggy is a so-called mountain racing car that can drive through stones, mud, and pitfalls. As tourists drive buggy vehicles themselves, this is an extremely exciting activity.

The Fann Mountains are located to the northwest of Dushanbe. These mountains are relatively not high compared to the nearby Zarafshan Range in the north and Hissar Mountains in the south. Thanks to such protection, the Fann Mountains have a special microclimate favorable for tourists. There are no big temperature fluctuations here. The weather is warm and sunny from June to September. It is raining rarely. This is a gorgeous and easy to access place. Chimtarga (5,487m) is the highest peak of the Fann Mountains. The namesake ridge has a height of 4,750m.

The Fann Mountains have many beautiful lakes: several Kulikalon Lakes, Alauddin Lake, Lake Moutniy, Big Allo Lake, Lake Chukurak, Khurdak, Mijgon, Marguzor, Gusbor, and many more. The region is incredibly beautiful, and so there are always alpinists, trekking enthusiasts, and photographers here. Fanns are so spectacular that they can conquer your heart and make you want to return to this place again. As a rule, tourist tours are intended for 9 to 12 days and cover visits to the lakes mentioned above. The maximum elevation is 4,750 meters. Start your adventure in the Fann Mountains with the Artuch mountain camp (+992 928886888 +992 927307939). Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Pamir is a mountain region in Central Asia that stretches to the territories of Afghanistan, China, and Kyrgyzstan, but the major part of the Pamir Mountains is located in Tajikistan, in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region that borders with Afghanistan. The Pamir National Park is the habitat of many animals including the Pamir argali, urial, Himalayan lynx, bear, and snow leopard. Note that tourists require a pass to be able to enter the autonomous region. The pass is obtained in the registration office. The address of this office in Dushanbe is Mirzo Tursunzade Street 5.

The Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region is the location of Ismoil Somoni Peak, the highest peak in Tajikistan (7,495m). During ancient times, the Great Silkroad was crossing the Pamir region, heading from China to Turkestan and India. The Pamir Highway was built here during the Soviet era. This road connects such Tajikistani cities as Dushanbe, Khorog, and Osh (Kyrgyzstan). There are no roads that connect Europe and China here. Pamir Highway is the only road. Just like any road with constant cargo truck traffic, there can be traffic jams here. Some travelers are already familiar with this tourist route but note that it is not suitable for trekking or backpacking. You need to have a car to travel here.

The Ak-Baital Pass is the highest area on the way. It lies at a height that usually only alpinists can reach – 4,655m. In Ak-Baital, tourists have a unique opportunity to see the mountain region on a comfortable backseat of a car. The highway divides into two roads in Gorno-Badakhshan. The north road goes to the Badakhshan National Park, and the south road goes along the Panj River that flows near the border with Afghanistan. You will see many small settlements on your way, and each of them has small guesthouses where tourists can find shelter. In Kalaikhum, these are Roma and Sangakov Bahrom hotels, Sobir guesthouse. In Khorog, tourists can stay at hotels Pamir, Zafar, KhorogStay, and such hostels as Nisso or Mountain River. In Murghab, pay your attention to such hotels as Pamir and Marzu, Gulnara and Aruf guesthouses.

Garm Chashma hot springs are located 35km from Khorog at an elevation of 2,842m. There is a sanatorium near the springs. The resort is quite popular and greets tourists all year round. It is not rare to see guests from Europe and Japan. Some springs are free to visit – these are naturally formed swimming basins. Some springs have the healing narzan water. It is better to reach the start of the trekking route by taxi. The Pamir Highway is more suitable for rented or own cars.

Don’t be scared to travel in Tajikistan, this country is safer than some European countries. It doesn’t matter what settlement in Tajikistan you visit, local people will not leave you hungry and roofless. Thanks to Pamir Highway, not only alpinists can explore this mountain region. Towns and villages along the road have cafes, guesthouses, and private gas stations. The town of Murghab (population 4,000 people) is located approximately at a height of 3,600 meters. This is the highest town in Tajikistan and one of the highest in the world. There are no rains here, and the place is not suitable for agriculture. It is not easy to live in Murghab. People breed goats, and almost all food is brought from other regions of Tajikistan. However, tourists like wild nature, and so local guesthouses and cafes are not empty.