Tajikistan - Trekking in the High Pamirs

The predominantly mountainous country has captured the imagination of travellers more than most other destinations. Called “the roof of the world”, Tajikistan boasts an inspiring high-altitude landscape: High passes, snow-covered peaks, multi-hued mountain lakes and the heartfelt welcome of the local population make Tajikistan more than worth a visit. Tajikistan is a unique place that will also capture your heart!

The Pamir Highway, linking Dushanbe via Khorog with Osh, Kyrgyzstan, is one of the most spectacular in the world, winding its way through remote high-altitude pastures and offering spectacular mountain views. Ancient Silk Road forts can be found along Wakhan Valley, bordering Afghanistan, with views of snow-capped Hindu Kush. The Fan Mountains to the north of Dushanbe, are just as stunning as the Parmis, but not as big. They hide a rare gem: Iskander Kul, a stunning lake changing it’s colours from milky to turquoise depending on the light.

Tajikistan still remains well off the beaten tourist trail, with the country being one of the least visited in Central Asia. But it’s definitely worth making a trip. After all, the country’s remoteness means that you’ll have its natural beauty almost all to yourself.

About Tajikistan:

Geography,  Landscape & Population of Tajikistan

Tajikistan is a Central Asian landlocked country, the capital being Dushanbe, a 780,000 inhabitant city. Its neighbouring countries are Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, China and Afghanistan. Two thirds of the country are alpine or high alpine regions - half of the country is above 3000 m above sea level.
The High Pamir, the "roof of the world", covers the entire east of the country and includes the highest mountain of the country: 7495 m high Pik Ismail Somoni (formerly known as "Pik Communism" and during Soviet times the highest mountain of the entire Soviet Union). From east to west, the Pamir Mountains are divided into the Pamir Plateau with its extremely barren, seemingly unworldly lunar landscapes and the western High Pamir with jagged mountain ranges, high, glaciated mountains over 6000 and 7000 m high and deep gorges with rushing streams. The west of the country is home of the western spurs of the Pamir Range, including the Fan Mountains with several peaks exceeding 5000 m.

In the northernmost region, Tajikistan‘s share of the Ferghana Valley is the only lowland the country has. It is used for agriculture. The rest of the country is mainly used for cattle breeding. Tajikistan is extremely rich in (largely unused) water and is home to about 60% of Central Asia‘s water resources. The mighty Amu Darja ("Oxus") as well as the Serafs- han, the third largest river in Central Asia, originate in the Pamir. Both rivers almost completely seep into the intensively cultivated plains of the Karakul desert in Uzbekistan.

The ethnic group of the Tajiks makes up 85 % of the population of Tajikistan - approx. 9 million inhabitants. They are a Persian people, most of whom call Sunni Islam their denomination. The largest minority in the country are the Uzbeks (approx. 13 %); the remaining minorities consist mainly of Kyrgyz, Russians and Tatars.
Although insignificant in numbers, the Pamiris, who live in the sparsely populated High Pamir, play an important role in the country. The Pamiris are Ismailites and follow a moderate form of Shiite Islam, their religious leader being the Aga Khan.

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Climate & Trekking weather in Tajikistan

Tajikistan’s climate can be described as dry and extremely continental. Long cold winters are followed by short, hot and dry summers. Moreover, local climate is influenced by altitude. Lowland temperatures can reach + 45°C and more in the summer months. In the mountain regions of the Pamir, the diversity of the countryside reflects the different altitude-related climatic zones: from hot and dry valleys to temperate alpine regions with more precipitation and on to the polar climate of the glaciated summit regions. Since air humidity is generally low, the climate is usually very well tolerated.
Due to the high altitude, the summer months of July and August are ideal for mountain trips to the High Pamir. At altitudes of approx. 4000 m, expect temperatures of approx. 15 to 20°C during the day – but also lower, depending on wind and weather.
For trekking tours to the lower lying and therefore more moderate Fan Mountains, we recommend the month of September with temperatures ranging between 15°C and 25°C, depending on altitude.
In the late afternoon, as soon as the sun sets, it gets chilly and night temperatures around freezing are not unusual at altitudes of around 3500 m.

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Health & Vaccinations

Vaccinations are currently not required for Tajikistan but, as with most long-distance trips, vaccinations against tetanus, diphtheria, typhoid fever, polio and hepatitis A and B are recommended. Malaria prophylaxis is only required in the lower lying areas in the far south of the country, along the border to Afghanistan (but not in the Whakhan corridor). Your first-aid kit should contain diarrhoea treatment, antibiotics, insect repellent, sunscreen and dressing materials. Please note that medical care in Tajikistan does not meet western standards. Take this into account when taking out insurance cover for your trip and when talking to your doctor about recommended vaccinations.
Please consult your doctor in any case.

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Drinking water

Drink only boiled/filtered/disinfected water (or mineral water). If you should decide to buy bottled water, make sure the seal is intact. Never drink water from the tap without first disinfecting (e.g. Micropur) or filtering (e.g. Katadyn) it. Brushing teeth with untreated water is usually not a problem. On the trekking tour, we recommend treating the water with a disinfectant or filtering it. Boiled water (tea, soups) is usually fine. In order to counteract the increasing plastic problem, we ask our customers to refrain from buying water in plastic bottles but instead disinfect or filter water taken from streams or wells. Thank you for your contribution!

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Language

The main language and at the same time the offical one in Tajikistan is Tajik, a language which branched off from Persian. Instead of the Persian alphabet, however, the cyrillic one is used. An important second language is Russian, which has been declared the "language of inter-ethnic communication". The rather large Uzbek minority in Tajikistan speaks Uzbek.

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Time difference

The time difference between Tajikistan time and CET is + 3h.

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Currency & Money

The official currency in Tajikistan is the somoni, the current exchange rate being EUR 1,- = approx. TJS 10,7 (as of September 2019). One somoni is divided into 100 diram.
Since credit cards or traveller’s cheques are only rarely accepted, it is best to carry your spending money in US dollars and exchange it for som. US dollars are more widely accepted than euro. The euro is not exchanged everywhere.
Money can be changed at authorised places (banks and exchange offices) as well as at every bazaar. Dushanbe is the only place to withdraw money from ATMs using a Maestro or ATM card.

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Tipping

Our teams are paid fair wages typical for the country. However, the teams are always happy to get additional recognition for their performance. This is usually reflected in tips. It is best to pool all the participants’ tips and distribute the money at the end of the trekking tour. Gratuity should ideally be paid in local currency but can also be paid in US dollar or euro (please give only notes, no coins).

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Visa and immigration to Tajikistan

EU passport holders and most other nationalities need a visa for Tajikistan. The single-entry visa is valid for 90 days but you cannot stay in Tadjikistan longer than 45 days within this period of time. It costs USD 50,- and can be applied for online. Processing takes two to three days. For more information please visit https://www.evisa.tj/index.evisa.html and https://www.consular.tj/visa.aspx.

Your passport needs to be valid for another 6 months at the end of your stay and should have at least 2 blank pages for each country you visit. It should be in good condition (to tears or marks).  

Visa requirements and charges can change without notice. It is your responsibility to make sure you have the correct travel documents and visas for your holiday. Please check the relevant embassy or consulate or Department for Immigration of your destination country. (Information as of February 2020)

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