Tajikistan

Welcome to Tajikistan

Capital of Tajikistan: Dushanbe
Population of Tajikistan: 10 million - 30th in Asia
Size of Tajikistan: 143,100 km2 - 28th in Asia
Languages in Tajikistan: Tajik, Russian and Uzbek

Caravans loaded with goods passed through Tajikistan when the ancient Silk Road ran through this country; today, it is one of the world's poorest and least explored nations. Devastated by the civil war of the 1990s, Tajikistan tourism has recently bounced back, as the country's unspoiled mountain landscapes attract a growing number of daring climbers and adventurous travelers. Picturesque highland villages welcome foreign explorers searching for an authentic Central Asian experience in a place seemingly frozen in time. Roads are practically nonexistent in many places and public transport unreliable, but the hospitable Tajiks treat visitors with such warmth and kindness you're not likely to mind the lack of amenities and modern distractions.

Highlights

Experience Sayri Guli Lola, the tulip festival celebrated in the north
Step back in time at Gissar Fortress
Marvel at the 1,500-year-old reclining Buddha in the National Museum
Visit the wondrous Khodja Mumim salt mountain
Soak in mineral hot springs dotted along the Pamir motorway
See the shepherds, yurts, and yaks of the Pamir plateau from the back of a camel
Try to translate ancient rock carved petroglyphs of spiral-horned mountain sheep