Buy blow Istaravshan

__________________________

📍 Verified store!

📍 Guarantees! Quality! Reviews!

__________________________

▼▼ ▼▼ ▼▼ ▼▼ ▼▼ ▼▼ ▼▼

▲▲ ▲▲ ▲▲ ▲▲ ▲▲ ▲▲ ▲▲

Buy blow Istaravshan

Delivery time may vary depending on store and country. To learn more about Shipping Policy. Discover the convenience of online shopping with Ubuy, your ultimate destination for purchasing Aras products in Dushanbe, Khujand, Kulob, Kurgan-Tyube, Istaravshan, Konibodom, Qayroqqum and all major cities in Tajikistan. We offer a curated selection of international brands and genuine quality global products, ensuring you have access to the best that the world has to offer. At Ubuy, we pride ourselves on being a genuine, reliable, and trustworthy online store. With over million products and brands from the international market, we provide a diverse range of options to cater to every requirement. Our user-friendly platform allows you to effortlessly explore our selection and find exclusive Aras products that may not be readily available elsewhere. Ubuy is the perfect place to discover unique and popular global products from Aras. We regularly update our inventory with the latest offerings and provide exclusive discounts to help you save money on your purchases. With our convenient online platform, there's no need to search for your preferred products and brands across towns and cities - everything you need is just a click away. Get ready to elevate your shopping experience and indulge in the world of Ubuy, where all your favorite brands and desirable products are at your fingertips. You can buy Gerber products online on Ubuy. They offer a wide range of Gerber products and deliver them right to your doorstep. If you are still wondering about where to buy the Aras products? Just get them online from Ubuy Tajikistan, which offers a huge range of Aras products at discount prices in Tajikistan. Yes, Ubuy ships Aras products in the Tajikistan. Ubuy allows users to get various coupons and rewards while purchasing Aras products. You can purchase the Aras products at cost effective prices as compared to other ecommerce stores available in Tajikistan. Purchase a Aras product from Ubuy and have a chance to earn money by becoming Aras influencer with our Influencer Program. Become a Ubuy influencer by sharing the product image mentioning Ubuy on your social profiles, YouTube channel, etc. Switching between stores will remove products from your current cart. YES NO. Express Delivery. Price Range. TJS -. US Store. Explore Similar Collections. Why Choose Ubuy? Exclusive Offers and Savings Ubuy is the perfect place to discover unique and popular global products from Aras. Become A Aras Influencer at Ubuy!

Buy Blow Products on Desertcart Tajikistan

Buy blow Istaravshan

Kam Air offers a quick 50 minute flight once a week from Kabul to Dushanbe. We are happy to report that Tajikistan exceeded our expectations! From super friendly, welcoming and strikingly handsome people to a myriad of pristine natural sights gorgeous mountains and glacial lakes , to ancient cities and a rocking capital, we eagerly experienced as much as we could squeeze in during our short stay here. Since neither of us speaks any Russian, Tajik or Persian, we opted to coordinate our trip with a local travel agency Pamir Highway Adventure , who took care of the Dushanbe and domestic flight portion of our trip. They also linked us up with Orient Adventure for our northern adventures. Travel to this unique destination is not for those who expect everything to run like clockwork…there were delays, misunderstandings and cancellations, but that is all part of adventure travel. We had a great time and would not hesitate for another in-depth trip. Robby relaxes in the living room section of our room at Hotel Poytakht; Dushanbe. A stained glass mural depicting laborers greets visitors heading up to the second floor of Hotel Poytakht. Characters from Tajikistan's national poet Sadriddin Ayni's books. This scene depicts the Bolshevik takeover; Aini Square in Dushanbe. A magnificent panorama over Hisor Fort, the Registan square before the fortress , madrassahs, and caravanserai. Selection of items a Tajik woman would create as part of a marriage dowry; Hisor Fort Museum. Exterior view of the madrassah today it houses the excellent Hisor Fort Museum. The Museum of Antiquities where plastic baggies to wear over your shoes are handed out. Two of the not to be missed sights are the 13 m reclining Buddha and Sarazm Princess. View of the world's tallest flagpole meters flying a kg lbs flag in front of the Palace of Nations; Dushanbe. Heroic statue on display in the gardens surrounding the National Museum of Tajikistan; Dushanbe. A replica of the famous 13 meter long reclining Buddha the original year old Buddha in Nirvana is housed at the Museum of Antiquities in Dushanbe but photos aren't allowed ; National Museum. Infant bone storage vessel found in Penjikent 6th to 7th Century ; National Museum. This section of the museum focuses on Leninabad's the former name of Khujand involvement in the 'Great Patriotic War of '. Boys with wheelbarrows hustle to transport market goods for shoppers; Khujand Bazaar. A young Tajik girl plays with pigeons in the square outside Jami Mosque; Khujand. A vendor reads a magazine while waiting to sell the rest of her naan; Khujand Bazaar. Be careful around the men and boys with wheelbarrows as they quickly plow their way through the Khujand Bazaar. Rows and rows of fresh honey for sale this vendor was eager for us to taste how delicious it is ; Khujand Bazaar. Close up view of melons for sale a popular post-meal snack served after lunch and dinner. Sitting in front of Mugh Tappa Mughtepa , the old citadel that dominates the town of Istaravshan. Garden statue of Rudaki Tajikistan's very own 'Shakespeare' , flanked by great Tajik poets and writers on the wall behind; Istaravshan. Becky was asked by this friendly group of Tajik children to strike a pose; Istaravshan. Our simple lunch consisted of a traditional Tajik soup always served with a healthy portion of coriander followed by a dish of meat. Hot tea accompanied every single meal breakfast, lunch and dinner. A river runs through it. The road linking Ayni to Penjikent runs parallel to the Zeravshan River. We enjoyed looking at the scenery on our long drive from Khujand to Penjikent. Becky cools down with glacial water runoff used by entrepreneurial vendors to cool their drinks for sale. A friendly Tajik girl happily embraces Becky, overjoyed at meeting an American; Ayni. A Tajik farmer strolls past a sunflower field at the end of a long Ramazan day. Robby peers through a large stone wheel in front of Penjikent's Rudaki Museum. Hammer and sickle communist symbolism on the wooden ceiling of a bus stop; Penjikent. Tajik women washing blankets in the freezing cold glacial waters; base of Fann Mountain range. The stunning turquoise hues of the Marguzor Seven Lakes, which are also known as the 'seven beauties of Shing', are a must do for anyone visiting the Penjikent region. Jamshed and Robby strike a pose after braving the freezing waters of Hazor Chashma 7th Lake. Situated 2 km beyond Marguzor village, the last of the Seven Lakes Hazor Chashma is a sight to behold, nestled between towering mountains that ensure a dip in the glacial lake will be a short one indeed! Our trusty 4x4 expertly driven by our driver Kamolidin made the arduous journey up the precarious path leading to the 7th Lake; Marguzor. A Tajik family on a donkey caravan passes us on the narrow footpath of the 7th Lake Hazor Chashma of Marguzor. Donkeys are a common mode of transport linking the seven villages of Marguzor Lake together. A serene setting in the Fann Mountains this garden is watered by glacial runoff. A Tajik girl wears a bucket on her head as she walks towards the river; Fann Mountains. Sunflower fields abound in Northern Tajikistan The ubiquitous Lada Russian car , boy atop donkey and sidecar motorcycle make up a street scene in Ayni. This friendly farmer invited us to his home for a home cooked feast mere minutes after meeting us. We had to decline several times before he let us off the hook. A blind musician traveling with his buddies serenades us with his lute during a roadside lunch stop. Iskanderkul Alexander the Great Lake is approximately 4 km across and is an exquisite turquoise hued lake surrounded by unique mountain formations. It is a must see! A lovely sentiment 'Who dearly loves his guest, He tried to do his best' carved into the wooden ceiling in both English and Cyrillic script; Iskanderkul. Getting ready for our dinner feast Tajik plov, a traditional rice dish simmered with moist lamb morsels at our homestay in Sarotog Village. The view from the front garden of our homestay 'Shohin Guesthouse'; Sarotog Village. The owner's son wearing a traditional quilted robe and our fantastic driver, Kamolidin on the front porch of our Shohin Guesthouse; Sarotog Village. Halfway up to the top of the mountain with Karakul River meandering behind us. At the top of the mountain! We take a breather and admire the beautiful scenery around Sarotog Sarytag area. Detail of a carved beam seen on the wooden structures in Dushanbe's National Botanical Gardens. A Tajik soldier relaxes beneath the shade of this massive, elaborately carved wooden structure; National Botanical Gardens. Open air seating at the popular Choikhona Rokhat restaurant in Dushanbe. The painted ceiling is in Persian style and the waitresses are dressed in traditional garb. Dushanbe's eclectic style is a mixture of Stalinist architecture blended with Central Asia artisanal traditions. Dushanbe is surprisingly devoid of mosques and madrassas but this is an exception to the rule, the beautiful Haji Yaqub Mosque tucked off Rudaki Avenue near the Avesto Hotel. Water fountains glisten in the summer heat with the massive Palace of Nations looming in the background. A grandiose statue of Ismoil Somoni, a Tajik cult hero. The golden crown at the top of the monument is believed to be of solid gold, weighing 10 kg. Be wary of the policemen who try to extort money if you approach too close to the monument but feel free to snap photos without paying a 'bribe'. Cable car station; Dushanbe note: this appears to have been defunct for years. Detailed embroidery from head to toe, and on the front and back on this lady's outfit; Green Bazaar. Locals check out the aquariums placed in the underground passages beneath the city's most heavily trafficked streets; Dushanbe. The omnipresent image of President Emomalii Rahmon who has been in office since and is fully expected to be re-elected for another 7 year term later in can be seen throughout the entire country. Colorful lights in the fountains at Rudaki Park come nightfall the park benches here are premium real estate with lovers fighting over available space ; Dushanbe. The flight itself was a scenic 50 minute hop, and combined with the time change forward by 30 minutes , we were happy to have arrived at a decent hour. Tajikistan currently offers visa upon arrival for citizens of approximately 80 countries. After all, we were a bit early. However, when the cell phone number to the owner of the company Ubaidullah went unanswered, we got a sinking feeling in the pit of our stomachs that perhaps we had been scammed out of the funds we had sent in advance for full payment of our tour. A very persistent taxi driver kept trying to get us to take a ride with him, but since we had prepaid for everything, we were reluctant. He directed the driver to bring us to the Poytakht Hotel but not before we talked to him to find out what was going on. Apparently, he figured it would be easiest to have this random taxi driver drop us off at the hotel where his son, Jalal, would be waiting for us. Thankfully it was a short ride and our guide, Jalal, was waiting by the curb as promised. He took care of paying for the ride and checked us into our hotel room which was on the 5th floor of the old Soviet style hotel. Our room was massive, with a living room, separate toilet and a hallway leading to the bedroom and bathroom. The Russian housekeeper immediately pumped up the AC and we settled in after coordinating our itinerary for tomorrow. We had originally requested a morning flight to Khujand but found that our flight was scheduled for the afternoon, so we decided to adjust our schedule and see Hisor Hissar Fort tomorrow instead of on our last free day in Dushanbe. A few minutes after we settled in, the hotel room attendant dropped off shampoo and toilet paper, which honestly had the look, feel and consistency of soft tree bark! Roughest toilet paper ever. Anyone who has used the local Tajik toilet paper knows what we are talking about. She showed us how to change channels and how to insert and remove the key from the door before finally taking off and wishing us a good night. Neither one of us was ravenously hungry so we opted for a quick shower the water heater was broken , which resulted in taking a freezing cold birdbath before crashing for the night. Armed with a breakfast coupon courtesy of the hotel, we were served a simple Tajik breakfast consisting of the obligatory hot tea, naan, cheese and goat sausage, and fried eggs served up with hotdogs. We had agreed to link up with Jalal at 8am but unsurprisingly, he was a no-show. Our first impressions of PHA were not very good as they did not seem organized at all. So another phone call to the head boss Ubaidullah, who promised that Jalal was on his way. By am, we were still waiting and a second phone call to Ubaidullah promised that Jalal would show by 9 am. Talk about a complete breakdown in communication! It was a bit frustrating but we used the extra half an hour to check out Aini Square, which was directly in front of our hotel. Flanked by the Bekhzod National Museum on one side, the square has several Soviet-era figurines depicting various scenes written by national poet Sadriddin Ayni after whom the square is named. Thankfully at 9 am, Jalal showed up and immediately began apologizing for the confusion, stating he thought we had agreed to link up later than agreed upon. Not wanting to start our tour on a bad note, we told him to forget about it and hopped into the waiting car for our drive out to Hisor Fort. The drive out to Hisor took us pass the Dushanbe train station and a Russian WWII tank monument before the scenery quickly turned into farmland. In less than an hour, we were at the Hisor Fort complex which today consists of the fort itself, a registan central square , madrassas, and a caravanserai. An excellent local guide gave us a tour of the old madrassa which has now been converted into a museum. Next we climbed up to Hisor Fort and got a nice vantage point overlooking the entire area. Our last stop before leaving this pretty area was a brief glimpse of the Stone Mosque of Sangin. Some tourists have reported being underwhelmed by the Hisor Fort area, but we were glad that we took a detour out this way as it is such an easy and scenic day trip from Dushanbe. Since we had quite a few museums to squeeze in our visit to Dushanbe today, we decided to hop in to see the Antiquities Museum, whose claim to fame is the original 13 m sleeping Buddha, discovered in by Soviet archaeologists at the Buddhist monastery complex in Ajina Teppa southern Tajikistan, right on the legendary Silk Road. The Soviets dismantled the 5. The only other interesting artifact at the Antiquities Musem was the Sarazm Princess, buried in fetal position with all her jewelry. Lunch was on our agenda after the museum, and we stopped by a popular local restaurant Lesnaya Skazka. Here, Robby enjoyed a massive Baltika beer in the middle of Ramazan too…we love Tajikistan along with lamb shashlik, salad, and naan for everyone else. The grilled lamb was cooked to perfection, and we really enjoyed our meal. Again, we had an excellent local guide who walked us through the displays. With little time to spare, we headed back to our hotel where we were able to take a quick refreshing shower to cool down and grab our bags before checking out and heading over to the airport. Jalal appeared a bit confused as to which terminal to take us to the domestic is to the left of the international airport as you are facing it , but we eventually made our way to the domestic terminal where everyone else was patiently waiting for the staff to arrive and unlock the doors. After thanking Jalal and our driver, we checked in for the Somon Air flight from Dushanbe to Khujand, flight time of 50 minutes. With camera in hand, we took a few photos of the majestic mountains of Tajikistan, and enjoyed the brief flight. Surprisingly, he did not speak English, but he could speak fluent German, so we dug deep and tested our memory with German phrases and words from so long ago. Thankfully, we were able to carry on a basic conversation for the rest of the evening. After checking into our Khujand hotel, Batah Hotel, we dropped off our bags and were ready for dinner in 10 minutes flat. Kamol was starving fasting during Ramazan , and he took us directly to a popular Khujand khana restaurant just opposite the opera house, which was swamped with people breaking the fast. Our waiter finally brought out a massive lamb meatball tasty served up with decoratively cut veggies on the side of rice. After dinner, Kamol took us back to the hotel with strict instructions of a am departure. That meant an early wake up and breakfast, so we nodded our approval and promised to meet him on time tomorrow. Our hotel room was perfect…spacious, clean and plenty of hot water, pure bliss. He had a restaurant in mind for breakfast but it was closed due to Ramazan, so we went back to the same place where we had dinner. Breakfast consisted of cheese stuffed pancakes, bread, cheese, lamb sausage and green tea. Our guide Jamshed appeared towards the end of the meal and introduced himself. His English was excellent as he had spent a year on an exchange program studying at a college in the US. Lucky us! We quickly learned how Americanized Jamshed had become and enjoyed having him as our guide. First stop on our busy day was a visit to the excellent Sughd Historical Museum where Jamshed gave us a tour. The Sughd Museum was definitely worth a detour with nice displays and a not to be missed Alexander the Great marble mural in the basement. Lenin has since been relocated to Victory Park, which is a remote area located on the right bank of the Syrdarya River. Today, Somoni commands a nice view of Khujand next to a brand new stadium and Olympic sized swimming pool , and Jamshed told us that every night, the park area is transformed into flowing fountains, lights and music. Enroute, we passed by a Tajik war memorial commemorating the Afghan War. It was impossible to resist the bazaar, which was full of naan, fruit, nuts and vegetable vendors…we were able to get quite a few candid shots of daily market activities. People were pleasantly curious about our cameras and quite a few smiled and asked us to take photos. Kamol was quite anxious to start the long drive to Penjikent, but not before we had a chance to stock up on some water. Istaravshan is a small city that warrants a visit on the drive from Khujand to Penjikent, so we made sure to include a quick stop here. Highlights of this city include the Mughtepa Fortress, an old citadel that offers fine panoramic views. Becky spotted a pack of newborn puppies in the corner of the citadel and just had to sneak the skinny mother some food so she could feed her pups. We arrived in time for the midday Friday prayers, where throngs of men were flocking to pray. Before leaving Istaravshan, we stopped by the blacksmith bazaar, where we were able to pick up a unique souvenir of a decorative goat horn knife. Smiles all around as some curious children begged us to pose with them for a photo…they were very sweet and shy about it. It was a short drive to our next stop, a climb to the top of a massive Lenin statue that is located atop a dam that holds the drinking water for the entire Istaravshan area. It was fun climbing all over Lenin although a bit precarious! It had been a busy morning, and Kamol was dreading the long drive ahead of him so we finally started the journey towards Penjikent. Lucky for us, a new Chinese built tunnel cut down what would have been a 3 hour drive up and down a mountain into a nail-biting 10 minute drive. Everyone gulped down lunch quickly, so we could continue our long onward drive. It was 8 pm and dark by the time we finally pulled up into Penjikent, so we told Kamol we could wait until after dinner to check into our homestay. He seemed relieved to hear that and took us to a local restaurant where he organized a quick meal of soup, naan, a Penjikent special consisting of a deep fried chicken ball wrapped around a chicken drumstick bone it was pretty tasty for us hungry travelers. Watermelon rounded out the meal and stuffed silly, we finally were taken to our homestay for the night. Kamol hails originally from Penjikent, and he claimed our homestay was better than most hotels in the city. We have to agree…it was a private house that had a massive garden, around which several private rooms had been built. Breakfast in town consisted of honey, yogurt, pancakes, eggs, hotdogs and tea. After breakfast we headed out to see the ancient ruins of Penjikent which are located just outside modern day Penjikent next to a flowing river. The Penjikent bazaar was next on our list, and it was quite lively and very photogenic. Armed with our cameras, it was obvious we were tourists and the locals were quite happy to pose for pictures. The Marguzor Lakes are located in the western Fan Mountains which are higher than the Alps and a popular alpine trekking option for tourists. Each of the Seven Lakes has its own unique hue of turquoise or blue, and trekking from the 6th to 7th lake Hazor Chashma is a popular activity for most visitors. We reached the base of Seven Lakes by lunch time, and marveled at the view of the first lake Mijgon , especially as we drove higher and higher up the mountain. We stopped for a picnic lunch at Gushor Lake 3rd Lake , with ample time to hike back to Saya 2nd Lake to dip our legs into its freezing cold waters. Gushor Lake is very popular with Tajiks, especially those on a weekend getaway from Dushanbe. Since today was Saturday, the entire area was packed with campers who were planning on spending the night at the lake before heading back to the capital tomorrow. We quickly befriended a judge from Dushanbe who offered us vodka, cushions to recline on, and tidbits of meat. The judge happened to own a resort near Dushanbe, and we promised that if we returned to the area and had time, we would stop by to check out his pad. Here, we met some friendly village kids who shyly approached us, a bit timid in practicing their English but quite curious about us. We pointed out our guest house and told them we would be staying overnight before bidding them farewell as we continued to make our way up the mountain. From Hurdak Lake, we passed by Marguzor Lake namesake of the village here and then Kamol made the very precarious journey from 6th to 7th Lake, Hazor Chashma which was quite a feat! Very few vehicles tackle this treacherous path, and most visitors opt for the 2 hour hike instead. Once at Hazor Chashma, Kamol was a bit crestfallen, as he had anticipated a loud round of applause for transporting us safely to the 7th Lake. With Jamshed acting as our interpreter, Kamol told us we were the first group that had taken his driving skills for granted. We simply smiled, shrugged and told him that if he got us back down the mountain safe and sound, he would earn the applause. We were surprised to see other tourists here at Hazor Chashma and quickly learned that the group of 5 Americans was studying Persian in Dushanbe…very cool! They were busy taking photos of themselves braving a dip in the freezing cold water, lasting about a minute before retreating from the glacial cold. Robby and Jamshed followed suit, and their antics were captured on camera. After a quick dip, we decided to hike the length of the lake, following a narrow footpath. There were lots of load bearing donkeys so we quickly got out of their way since they were carrying a heavier load! A Tajik family on a donkey caravan made for a picturesque moment, and the father proudly displayed his newborn for us to see. When we eventually returned back to where Kamol was patiently waiting for us, the Americans were gone but we soon caught up to them on our drive down. We only had room for 2 or maybe 3 of them but the group of 5 wanted to stick together so we wished them well and continued on our way. Our vehicle caused a bit of drama further down the path when we spooked a donkey transporting a Tajik woman with a small child strapped to her front and another small child strapped to her back. The donkey was freaked out by our car and threatened to buck its riders off. Thankfully a young boy came to the rescue and calmed the donkey down, allowing us to drive by without further incident. Back at the homestay, we were shown to our room where we quickly dropped off our stuff before heading to the shower for a quick warm rinse. The guesthouse is in a perfect position with a gushing river right next to it and cool breezes all around. We found out that we were the first guests to break in the brand new wooden upper deck where we relaxed with tea and snacks while waiting for dinner. Kamol and Jamshed told us they would sleep under the stars here tonight and it is truly a blissful spot…lucky guys! Dinner was a simple meal of soup and we chatted with the tourists we had met earlier at Lake Seven. Interestingly, they were both on holiday in Tajikistan on a break from working at the American University in northern Iraq. He was previously in the military and had served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. It has been a fascinating quest to find out what kind of tourists choose to vacation in Tajikistan…every single traveler has been quite intrepid and adventurous thus far! Kamol and Jamshed advised us that we would have a breakfast followed by a 7 am departure so we prepared ourselves accordingly. An outside light that had been flipped on in the middle of the night kept us tossing and turning, making this the least comfortable guesthouse thus far. Jamshed and Kamol must have been tired! Breakfast was thirty minutes later than expected at 7 am, but Kamol felt that he could make up for the late start once we hit the road. After breakfast we drove towards Iskanderkul Alexander Lake , which was listed as a must see in our guidebooks. We had to backtrack past the Marguzor Lakes heading north out of the Shing Valley. We were making great time until we hit Aini, where we got a flat tire. Becky happened to run into a girl she had befriended a few days earlier when we had stopped in Aini to get some cold water and it was a joyous reunion. He cautioned that our journey was going to take us on some treacherous terrain, so better safe than sorry. While waiting for him by the roadside, an old Tajik farmer couple ran into us. The man gawked at us openly, trying to figure out where we were from. We politely declined several times but the couple was insistent. Jamshed had to explain we were on a tight schedule and eventually we were let off the hook with wishes of a good journey. Kamol finally appeared with his car back in tip top shape so we resumed our journey towards Iskanderkul. Kamol noticed a lute lying nearby and one of the guys, a blind musician, played for our group. Trying to make up for our late start and flat tire delay, Kamol was driving a bit crazy after lunch. We never felt that he was out of control but he was definitely pushing the limits of his car to get us over to Iskanderkul. The mountain range leading up to this scenic lake was quite picturesque, and we stopped for several photos along the way. Iskanderkul lived up to the hype, as it is a beautiful mirage in the middle of a mountain oasis. The hike was easy and worth the detour, and as we backtracked and linked up with Kamol, he urged us to hike up a small hill to the rear of a Soviet-era holiday camp on one end of Iskanderkul. A drunk and rowdy group of Russians hopped into the boat without negotiating the fare, and demanded a ride. Stereotypical Russians! The Tajiks witnessing this behavior just shook their heads…perhaps it is a common occurrence? Despite the waning sunlight, Jamshed decided to be brave and take a plunge in the ice cold lake. We filmed him jumping into the freezing waters but declined to join him…no freaking way! Just wading across a tributary and submerging our feet into the glacial runoff was cold enough. Back at our car, Kamol explained we would overnight about 10km away at a homestay in the village of Sarotog Sarytag. We learned that President Rahmon has similar villas in other spectacular locations throughout Tajikistan. Talk about a massive budget to care for those houses when supposedly, he only visits once a year, if that. We had stopped to visit a natural spring next to his house that has about 40 different sources. We were told that the water has been tested and is very pure and healthy, so we filled all our water bottles to the brink and gulped down the ice cold liquid…awesome! Our guesthouse in Sarotog Village was the very pleasant Shohin Homestay, which was highly recommended by Kamol. Dinner was fantastic, with a massive spread of Tajik plov…yummy! Kamol brought out a bottle of vodka and toast after toast was made. He was to escort a German group through the Pamir Highway as their guide and we could understand the predicament. For purely selfish reasons, we wanted to keep him as our driver as over the past few days together we had become quite attached, but we understood that the main part of our tour was over as we only had the drive from Iskanderkul to Dushanbe remaining. Since Kamol had an early start tomorrow morning, we said our goodbyes after taking a blissful steam bath. Jamshed wanted a bit of a lie in tomorrow so we agreed to have breakfast at 8. By 9, breakfast was served and we were ready for our hike around Sarotog Village by am. The scenic mountains surrounding Sarotog Village are popular with hikers. We just wanted a casual jaunt about the area, as neither of us is quite as serious about climbing mountains or exerting ourselves too strenuously. Unlike the tourists who erected tents at the German campsite we encountered near the Karakul River. He told us that the German entourage of a half dozen hikers had already set out for the day, with an aggressive plan to cover a great deal of distance. They had packed picnic lunches and were not expected back until just before nightfall. We were quite happy with our less aggressive plan of walking through Sarotog Village while hugging the Karakul River. In the distance, we could make out a small rock outcropping that would give us fine views of the surrounding area so we decided to head in that direction. Talk about painful! The water was literally ice cold and our bare feet could barely stand the rocky river-bed crossing. Thankfully once our feet were out of the water, the sun warmed them back up again. Crazily, we agreed. Robby barely lasted 20 seconds, with Becky holding out for 30 seconds and Jamshed taking the prize by keeping his feet submerged for 35 seconds. The water was bitterly cold so we were quite proud of ourselves for lasting as long as we did! We had to cross the river once more to continue our hike, and we did this with great reluctance. It was time for our hike up the mountain, which we could see would give us fantastic views of the scenery. It was just a matter of hiking at elevation. Climbing in the midday heat sapped all of our energy and we kept taking frequent rest stops. The view at the top was worth it though as the Karakul River now looked like a thin, turquoise ribbon in the background. Talk about peaceful living! Our water supply had long been consumed, so when we passed by the German camp, Jamshed asked if we could have some water which the translator happily gave us. What a lifesaver! Afterwards, we filled our empty bottles with river water but were a bit reluctant to drink it once we saw sediment floating about in our bottles. Thank goodness Robby had brought his LifeStraw on this trip so we could quench our thirst without fear of amoebic dysentery. Back at the homestay, a massive lunch feast had been prepared and we stuffed ourselves silly on roasted lamb, French fries and Tajik soup. Neither one of us was keen on hiking immediately after lunch so we opted for a leisurely nap, and got up later for an afternoon walk. As the sun was setting, we returned back to our homestay where we indulged in a cool and refreshing bath. Jamshed swapped some of his videos for a few of our photos and discussed the plan for tomorrow an ungodly 5 am wakeup with a am departure. We crashed immediately after dinner, packing all our gear so we could just wake up and go without messing about in the morning. Today, Becky felt like she was on her deathbed. High altitude sickness or dysentery like symptoms gradually built up in the morning and reached their peak by the time we reached Dushanbe, where thankfully there was a hotel room to crash at. But first we had to leave lovely Sarotog. A new car was parked at the entrance to our homestay, with our driver fast asleep. After stocking up on some candies for the road, we bid farewell to our homestay and woke up the driver for the ride to Dushanbe. Becky felt progressively worse, lying down for the bumpy ride back to the capital. Despite the fact that the tunnel is only 7 years old, it is in horrendous condition! No exaggeration, a ride through it was quite the adventure with only one working light every few hundred meters, water running all over the road, equipment blocking one lane in several places, massive potholes hidden beneath the water at random intervals, and no ventilation. Unsurprisingly, there were quite a few cars broken down or stuck in potholes along the way. It was quite a relief to finally be through the tunnel after what felt like an excruciatingly long time for a mere 5km journey! No surprise to hear that the President has another of his many dachas here. Our driver was speeding along, trying to get Jamshed to the airport on time to pick up another tourist. His car was muddy from the Anzob Tunnel, so it was with bewilderment that he pulled over to a makeshift carwash to hire several guys to vigorously hand wash his car. Jamshed questioned him about the delay, and then explained that the vehicle was being washed because the driver was petrified of getting a fine. Even after the wash job, we were surprised when our driver unceremoniously booted us out of his car just north of Dushanbe, hiring another car on the spot for the last few km of our journey. It was insane how scared our driver was to drive into the city! Jamshed had even called him at 8 to let him know we would be arriving soon and he had promised to be there, but of course he was a no show. Jamshed was most displeased! When he finally got Jalal to promise that someone would show up in the next hour, Jamshed finally took his leave after we thanked him for his fine guiding services. Jamshed sure was a lot of fun to be around and a really enthusiastic guide. We were sad to see him go. He appeared to be a bit confused as to who we were and what we were doing there so we pulled out our itinerary and discussed our upcoming plans for the next two days. The summer temperature in Dushanbe was ridiculous, reaching well over 40 degrees Celsius so it was mid-afternoon before Robby ventured out into the gardens. There are several hand carved wooden gazebos in the Botanical Gardens, along with exercise equipment commonly seen in parks. Robby described the visit as worthwhile but nothing spectacular. The Rudaki Park is fully lit at night with colorful water fountains and lovers holding hands. The Rohat Chaihana tea house is a hybrid of what a traditional tea house would look like built in the Soviet Style. The ceiling work is not to be missed, and Robby said the upper floor offered a nice vantage point overlooking Rudaki Ave. He was also impressed with the food and draft Dushanbe beer which he proclaimed to be quite tasty. It was a fairly early night with both of us in bed by 10 pm with a free day to explore Dushanbe on our own tomorrow. We hopped into a shared taxi to cut down on the walk to Haji Jaqub Mosque, our first stop of the day. Shared taxis in Dushanbe are great value! Ours was a mere 3 Somoni each, with the driver dropping us off anywhere we wanted along Rudaki Ave. It took us a while to find the mosque as we had actually gone a bit too far north on Rudaki Ave and could not see the road leading directly to it. The exterior of the mosque is quite lovely with intricately carved wooden doors and simple tile-work. The mosque was funded by rich Saudis who built the mosque in at the same site of an earlier mosque. Next on our morning walk was a quick visit to Hotel Avesto to check out this Soviet monstrosity. We had heard the stained glass mural here merited a visit but thought the one at our hotel, Hotel Poytaht, was far superior. However, it was worth a quick stop to check out the other hotel that so many of the travel agents we had contacted like to put their guests up in. This interesting sight is a commemoration to the Persian writers that so many Tajiks hold in high esteem. From here we continued our walk through the Bag-i-Rudaki garden to revisit the statues of Rudaki and Somani in the morning sunlight for better photos our afternoon visit was not conducive to taking photos of Somani. Tajik policemen in blue uniforms converged by the dozens on Rudaki Avenue near the Somani Statue and we knew that something must be going on for them to briskly split up into small groups to police the city. In groups of 3 or 4, the police started bullying residents and visitors alike to vacate the city. We were ushered away from the Parliament building and then shooed away from Rudaki Ave. Not feeling welcome on Rudaki Avenue, we cut through Ayni Park to check out a cable car that connects to Victory Park. It was a long hot walk and the cable car station was closed and appeared to have been for some time now. Instead, we backtracked and made our way to the Shah Mansur Green Bazaar. What a chaotic scene! This central market is a popular place for locals to do their shopping as there was a wide variety of products for sale pots, pans and brooms to spices, nuts, cheese, fresh meat, bread and vegetables. We felt quite welcome here and although the locals are quite used to tourists, no one seemed to mind us taking photographs at all many actually welcomed it. It had been a busy morning so we headed back to the Poytaht Hotel for a quick rest before Jalal picked us up for lunch. He brought us back to the same restaurant Robby had visited yesterday and since the lamb kebabs were so tasty, we both ordered them today. Delicious and cooked to perfection! Since we had the rest of the day at our leisure, we agreed to meet Jalal at am tomorrow for a pickup to the airport. It was far too hot to do much of anything in the afternoon, so we enjoyed a siesta until dusk when we strolled out in the quest of dinner. Both of us were craving something different so we went in search of an expat favorite, Segafredo Restaurant. With free wifi, coffee, cocktails and Italian, the place was packed. We both enjoyed our pasta dishes, infused with walnuts. A bit pricey but a nice change from the Tajik food we had been eating nonstop since our arrival. At night, the residents of Dushanbe come out to represent, and tonight was no different. The park was full of locals enjoying the colorful water fountain display. But Jalal had promised an early morning pick up even though we were both skeptical given his track record. With our bags in tow, we headed down to the lobby where a security guard told us Jalal was waiting for us outside on the main road. Checking out of a hotel was never so easy it was too early for a receptionist and the front desk was abandoned so we dropped off our key and headed out for the short ride to the airport. The Kam Air counter was open and very efficient. So efficient in fact that no one bothered to look at our passports! Jalal was quite anxious to leave us on our own, but we had heard nightmare stories about customs and wanted to have a translator on hand in the event we were given a hard time about not declaring our valuables upon entry. Despite relaying this to Jalal, he was pretty insistent that he had to get going and left us to fend for ourselves but not to fear…while others were pulled over and inspected thoroughly by customs, we were allowed to pass straight through. For some reason, we had to lug our check in luggage with KBL tag already affixed through the airport to drop it off with a baggage handler just after customs. Getting stamped out of Tajikistan was a breeze and soon we were waiting for our plane back to Kabul. Amazingly, it left on time although we were bum rushed by those trying to board a flight to Russia who mistook our flight for theirs. Reflections on our short one week visit to Tajikistan are positive. We thought Dushanbe was a very pleasant capital city to spend some time in. The northern area of the country is beautiful with lots of alpine lakes, snow-capped mountains, colorful markets, and super friendly people. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Skip to content. World War II tank on display in Dushanbe. A man rides past an old madrassah on a donkey; Hisor Fort Complex. Robby tries on a Tajik skull cap; Hisor Fort. Striking a pose before the gate of old Hisor Fort; outskirts of Dushanbe. A man pulls bundles of cotton on a Dushanbe street. Ceiling view of the National Museum of Tajikistan. Stuffed animals on display at the National Museum of Tajikistan; Dushanbe. Robby growls at a bear; National Museum. View of the National Museum of Tajikistan. Tajikistan's first private airline, Somon Air. View of the countryside near Dushanbe. Aerial view of a mountain range in northern Tajikistan. Khujand Opera House. The Historical Museum of Sughd in Khujand. Intricately carved wooden door; Sughd Museum, Khujand. Traditional carpet on display at Khujand's Sughd Museum. Artifact on display at the Sughd Museum. Statue of Stalin; Khujand's Sughd Museum. Interior of a traditional Tajik home; Sughd Museum. Colorful tablecloths for sale; Historical Museum of Sughd, Khujand. Avenue of Heroes; Khujand. Tajik war monument commemorating the Afghan War; Khujand. View of the tallest statue of Lenin in Central Asia; Khujand. A waving President Emomalii Rahmon plastered on a building in Khujand. World War II monument; Khujand. Beautiful exterior of Khujand's Jami Mosque. A shoe mender hard at work; Khujand. Interior dome view of Jami Mosque; Khujand. A worshipper prays towards Mecca; Jami Mosque in Khujand. View of Sheikh Muslihiddin Mausoleum; Khujand. Melon vendor carting his fruit into Khujand's Stalin-era Panjshanbe Bazaar. Fresh naan bread for sale; Khujand Panjshanbe Bazaar. Beautiful tile work at the entranceway to Khujand's Panjshanbe Bazaar. Sausage seller; Khujand Bazaar. A huge selection of dried fruit and nuts for sale; Khujand Bazaar. Fruit section of the Khujand Panjshanbe Bazaar. A shopper pays for his purchases; Khujand Panjshanbe Bazaar. Egg sellers; Panjshanbe Khujand Bazaar. A huge selection of vodka for sale; Khujand. A policeman gets a shoe-shine job; Khujand. Handmade skull caps for sale; Khujand Bazaar. Marx and Lenin mural; Khujand. A young boy off-loads melons to a roadside vendor. Welcome portal on the road leading to the city of Istaravshan. Blue tiled dome of the old fortress Mugh Tappa; Istaravshan. Statue of Lenin flanked by Tajikistan flags in the town square; Istaravshan. Busts in a garden in central Istaravshan. Friday prayer's at Istaravshan's main mosque, Hazrat-i Shoh. Mosaics on a wall leading to Hazrat-i Shoh Mosque; Istaravshan. Upper bust of a massive Lenin Statue; outskirts of Istaravshan. Robby hanging from Lenin's pinkie. Becky climbs onto Lenin's shoulder to pick his nose! Poplar trees are a common form of perimeter fencing in Northern Tajikistan. Beautiful views abound on the drive from Istaravshan to Penjikent. Robby laughs it up with friendly Tajiks at one of our rest stops. A lady seeks refuge from the sun in the shadow of a haystack. An overloaded donkey and its rider; Ayni. Snow capped mountains in a peaceful Tajikistan setting. A village nestled between a mountain range; Northern Tajikistan. Ruins of ancient Penjikent. Rudaki statue outside the similarly named museum; Penjikent. Relief on the wall of the Rudaki Museum, Penjikent. Mosaic mural on the wall of a Soviet style apartment block; Penjikent. Entrance way to the Penjikent Bazaar. Shoppers stroll past massively carved wooden doors; Penjikent Bazaar. Tajik ladies pose nicely for a photo; Penjikent Bazaar. Becky teases the ladies at the Penjikent Bazaar. Bread sellers happily pose for a photo; Penjikent Bazaar. Locals bartering at the Penjikent Bazaar. Fruit section of the bustling Penjikent Bazaar. The naan bread section of Penjikent Bazaar. Ladies buying a slab of meat; Penjikent. Tajiks resting beneath an ornately carved wooden bus stop; Penjikent. Boys enjoying the glacial runoff at the base of the Fann Mountains. Becky on a wooden bridge just below the 1st Lake of Marguzor. View of the 1st Lake, Marguzor. A lady leads her donkey past the 4th Lake, Marguzor. A typical house built high up in the Fann Mountains. A view of the gushing Shing River; Fann Mountains. Donkey caravan at Hazor Chashma 7th Lake ; Marguzor. Colorfully attired Tajik ladies at Marguzor Lake. A mirror image greets us in the early morning; 4th Lake of Marguzor. Mud brick village at the base of the Fann Mountain range. A girl performing morning chores at the base of Fann Mountain. A water mill on the Shing River. Locals under a shady tree in front of the butcher's stall in sleepy Ayni. A boy and his donkey ride through Ayni. A boy transports naan; Ayni. Boys jump into a makeshift pool to cool down from the summertime heat. Pristine view of the valley just before Iskanderkul. We gave this spiky plant a wide berth on our hike at Iskanderkul. Posing next to a 40m waterfall known locally as 'Niagara'; Iskanderkul. Soaking up the scenery at beautiful Iskanderkul. A traditional house in Sarotog Village. Our morning hike around Sarotog Village skirted the Karakul River. Red berries everywhere on our hike. Dandelion seeds in our homestay's garden; Sarotog. Rugged mountains surround Sarotog. Main entrance to the National Botanical Gardens; Dushanbe. Detail of the entrance ceiling at Dushanbe's National Botanical Gardens. Carved tree trunk in the National Botanical Gardens. Ornate dome at the entrance to the Botanical Gardens. Robby enjoying a beer with his meal at Choikhona Rokhat. Carving on the wooden door of Haji Yaqub Mosque; Dushanbe. Entrance portal to Haji Yaqub Mosque. Balconies down the length of this handsome Dushanbe building. A large sculpture in the garden of Avesto Hotel. Stained glass window in the foyer of Hotel Avesto; Dushanbe. Becky rests in the lap of a large sculpture outside an art store; Dushanbe. Writers' Union Building with sculptures of Persian literary greats; Dushanbe. Detail of the beautiful tile work on the arch behind Rudaki Statue; Dushanbe. The best place for a beer n' burger in Dushanbe. Carved wooden post in Ayni Park; Dushanbe. A marshmallow stirrer at Green Bazaar, Dushanbe. A myriad of nuts and fruits for sale; Green Bazaar Shah Mansur. A butcher prepares fresh cuts of meat for sale at the Green Bazaar. Shoppers patiently wait to buy fresh cuts of meat; Green Bazaar in Dushanbe. A fig seller urges Robby to try a sample from his selection; Green Bazaar. A Tajik man patiently waits for broom buyers. Gorgeous architecture abounds in relaxed Dushanbe. Dusk view of the Majils Tajik Parliament ; Dushanbe. Dushanbe signpost. The Latest News…. Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published.

Buy blow Istaravshan