Airport – Dushanbe

Meet in the airport. Transfer to hotel. 

Sightseeing the Dushanbe: Dushanbe is the capital and largest city of Tajikistan. Dushanbe means "Monday" in Tajik language, and the name reflects the fact that the city grew on the site of a village that originally was a popular Monday marketplace. Situated at the confluence of two rivers – Varzob and Kofarnihon.

• Museum of antiquities – Buddha in Nirvana position

Lunch

• Navruz palace - initially building “Kohi Navruz” (Palace of Nowruz) was planned as a teahouse, but during the construction become into a palace. Kohi Navruz has – 12 unusual halls, each of which is made in a special style. The complex has an art room, a banquet hall, a lounge room with carved stone trim, plaster room decorated with mirrors, two VIP rooms. At the same time building is ready to place 3 thousand 200 guests. All the rooms of the palace are decorated by local artists, craftsmen: there are wood carvings and Florentine mosaic from the local semi-precious stones, mosaics made of colored mirrors, painted ceilings. On the walls – scenes from the ancient legends, on the ceiling – made in the old style, wooden ornaments, which are made mainly by craftsmen from Isfara.
• Walking in the main square: Monument Somoni, park Rudaki, National library, President palace, Flag Park

Dinner. Overnight in the hotel Atlas 4*. Meals: no

Dushanbe – Iskandar Kul Lake – Panjakent 220 km

Breakfast.  Drive to famous lakes of Fan mountains – Iskandar Kul Lake.  Iskandar Kul lake:  length – 5 km, width – 3,5 km and depth to – 80 m, located at height 2250 m. The heart of Fan mountains, the treasure of Tyan-Shan, a scenic Iskandar Kul Lake is one of the most beautiful lakes in Tajikistan. Having emerald green and blue color. A fast-flouring Iskandar-Darya River flows from the lake, forming a marvelous and gorgeous waterfall, so called the “Fan Niagara” that falls from the height 38 m.

Walking near the lake.  Short hiking to see waterfall. Lunch on the way.

Drive to Panjakent.  60 km. The city of Panjakent ("five villages") is located in Khujand area of Tajikistan in a picturesque Zarafshan river/valley. Quite possibly the five villages started the history of this remarkable city which originated in the V-VIII centuries AD. Panjakent of that time was one of the most important cultural and crafts centers of Sogd. It was even named "Central Asian Pompeii".

Explore this ancient city with your local guide, including visits to:

• Ancient Panjakent – ruins of old Sogdian town founded in V century and abandoned in the VIII century by Arabs. Foundations of houses, a citadel with a couple of Zoroastrian fire temples and city bazaar are visible in the excavated ruins.
• Sarazm settlement

Enjoy Dinner at the national teahouse ‘Sayohat’ where you will have a chance to participate in a cooking class, learning to make the national Tajik dish.

Overnight in the hotel Panjakent Plaza 3*. Meals: breakfast, dinner

Dushanbe – Iskandar Kul Lake – Panjakent 220 km

Breakfast.  Drive to famous lakes of Fan mountains – Iskandar Kul Lake.  Iskandar Kul lake:  length – 5 km, width – 3,5 km and depth to – 80 m, located at height 2250 m. The heart of Fan mountains, the treasure of Tyan-Shan, a scenic Iskandar Kul Lake is one of the most beautiful lakes in Tajikistan. Having emerald green and blue color. A fast-flouring Iskandar-Darya River flows from the lake, forming a marvelous and gorgeous waterfall, so called the “Fan Niagara” that falls from the height 38 m.

Walking near the lake.  Short hiking to see waterfall. Lunch on the way.

Drive to Panjakent.  60 km. The city of Panjakent ("five villages") is located in Khujand area of Tajikistan in a picturesque Zarafshan river/valley. Quite possibly the five villages started the history of this remarkable city which originated in the V-VIII centuries AD. Panjakent of that time was one of the most important cultural and crafts centers of Sogd. It was even named "Central Asian Pompeii".

Explore this ancient city with your local guide, including visits to:

• Ancient Panjakent – ruins of old Sogdian town founded in V century and abandoned in the VIII century by Arabs. Foundations of houses, a citadel with a couple of Zoroastrian fire temples and city bazaar are visible in the excavated ruins.
• Sarazm settlement

Enjoy Dinner at the national teahouse ‘Sayohat’ where you will have a chance to participate in a cooking class, learning to make the national Tajik dish.

Overnight in the hotel Panjakent Plaza 3*. Meals: breakfast, dinner

Panjakent – Istarafshan – Khujand 320 km 

Breakfast.

Drive to Istarafshan city: Istarafshan is a museum city, the ancient center of trade and crafts, one of the most ancient cities of the Central Asia. In 2002 Istarafshan turned 2,500 years old.  The city was founded in the VI century BC., by a Akhemenid king Cyrus who fortified the settlement by means of three wall lines and a citadel. In the VII-II centuries BC., the ancient sentiment Mugteppa was located on the territory of Istarafshan. Mugteppa was the residence of the local aristocracy who erected their numerous palaces distinguished by original expressive architecture. The evidence of that was found in Bundzhikat (Kala and Kakh-Kakh) and Chil'khudzhra settlements which had fortified structures with palaces and cult buildings decorated with paintings and carved panels. For example, in Bundzhikat the archaeologists found the painting with the image of a she-wolf feeding two babies – the symbol of contacts between the West and the Orient. During the years of Arabian invasion, Istarafshan became a province of Arabian Caliphate. It was at this time when Islamic architectural structures of portal-dome design such as mosques, madrasa, mausoleums, minarets, etc. started to appear.

Sightseeing the city: Madrasa Kuk-Gumbaz, mosque Shohi Zinda 

Drive to Khujand. Accommodation in the hotel Sugdiyon. Evening walking in the main square of Khujand.  Dinner. Overnight in the Sugdioyon hotel 3*. Meals: breakfast

Khujand

Breakfast.

Khujand is the capital of northern Tajikistan and the second largest city in the country. The city's history dates back to ancient times. In the opinion of historian’s legendary city of Alexander-Eskhata (Alexandria Extreme) was constructed by Alexander the Great on the place of the present Khujand (the V century BC) and become the city of highly developed culture, important commercial and crafts center. It can be explained by its favorable position. Khujand stands at the entrance to the fertile Fergana Valley. Owing to this it was one of the main centers of the Great Silk Road and enjoyed prosperity and richness. One of the ancient cities of the Central Asia Khujand has been known since the VII century. In the XIX century after the Russian intrusion Khujand became the center of district of rapid industrial development.

Sightseeing the city: museum, western market Panjshanbe and mausoleum Shayh Muslihiddin

Lunch. 

Drive 15km far from the city to Kayrakum water reservoir, which called Tajik sea. Enjoy your time. Evening back to Khujand. Dinner. Overnight in the hotel Sugdioyon 3*. Meals: breakfast

Khujand – border Oybek – Tashkent 140km

Breakfast.

Drive to the border Oybek 80km. Crossing land border. Transfer to Uzbek side.

Meals: breakfast