48 Hours in Tajikistan: Explore Dushanbe and the Fann Mountains

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• published: 27 Jul 2016
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Travel to Tajikistan probably isn’t your first choice when thinking about a weekend away from Dubai. My first reaction when we booked Tajikistan was… "what have we gotten ourselves into...?" It is definitely a destination to consider, so let us convince you why we think Tajikistan is the hidden gem of Central Asia. Between the unexpected language barrier, money issues (see Tips below), cleanliness of the streets, gorgeous landscapes and incredibly friendly people, we had our share of everything that makes a weekend trip like this so special. So here goes, we'll try to pack as many helpful tips below as possible so you can enjoy an incredible 48 hours of travel to Tajikistan as well. Travel to Tajikistan - Questions & Answers: How to travel to Tajikistan from Dubai? The best way to travel to Tajikistan from Dubai is by plane. We took a very convenient flight with Somon Air from DXB to Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Comfortable and efficient, the flight cost us AED 1,300 each ($330). Somon Air is the new national airline of Tajikistan and while they remain a majority domestic airline, we were surprised at how clean, comfortable and easy the flight was. Considering it was an airline we had never heard of before and our ticket confirmations were all in Tajik, we were skeptical. What is the weather like in Tajikistan? We went to Tajikistan in July, and the weather was absolutely beautiful, especially coming from oven-like Dubai. Think 25 degrees during the day, going down to 20 during the night. No humidity, and sun all day long! If you are going to head up to the Fann mountains, and you'd be insane not to, bring a long sleeve shirt, especially if you go at night. The mountains were topped with snow, even in the middle of the summer. What to do during 48 Hours in Tajikistan? 1 - Visit the World's Tallest Flagpole Dushanbe is the capital of Tajikistan, and while it’s small, it is very lively. The "tallest flag pole" is Trip Advisor’s number 1 attraction, but don't be fooled, it’s worth going to see just to people watch! While the flag and flag pole are interesting themselves it really is the amazingly beautiful setting of the park, the perfectly taken care of gardens, statues, lakes and people strolling that make it so fun to walk through. Drinks and snacks are sold by multiple vendors and you won't need more than a couple bucks to enjoy an afternoon. If you aren't careful, you might get dragged into a Tajik wedding celebration so bring you dancing shoes! 2 -Trek to the Seven Lakes Hiking and trekking are very popular in Tajikistan. Although they are more suited to a longer stay, it is recommended to tackle the seven lakes trek - made up of seven lakes around the mountains, each one a different color. While a trek will take more time, getting up into the mountains even for a couple hours is an absolute must. 3 - Explore the Hissar Fort Hissar Fort is only 30 minutes away from Dushanbe city centre, and is an absolute must do. The architecture is gorgeous and the history about it fascinating. We had no idea what to expect but were floored when we arrived to see such an incredible ancient fort, from the 1200's, looking so beautiful and with such a well preserved setting. Getting lost in the old fort and surrounding buildings is very interesting and there is even a watering hole from a natural spring and horseback riding for the kids. 4 - Climb the Fann Mountains The Fann Mountains are beautiful, and if you have the time we strongly recommend to get up there, if only to admire the view over the valley. If you are scared of heights like me (Anne), it’s a bit of a love/hate moment, but it’s worth it. Stop on the way at one of the artisanal honey making stands along the road and taste organic Tajik honey - honestly the best we’ve ever tasted. Bee careful of bee stings (see what I did there...) 5 - Stroll through Rudaki Park Rudaki Park (named after the famous Tajik poet) is the central heart beat of Dushanbe and left us quite speechless after getting lost in its seemingly endless sections. 6 - Be a Child at Boghi Poytakht Plan a trip to Boghi Poytakht Park and the Botanical Garden, both located close to each other on the outskirts of Dushanbe, which is already a small city. The botanical gardens are vast and relaxing to visit while Boghi Poytakht Park is a bustling amusement park complete with roller coasters, a huge ferris wheel and is even connected to a gigantic water park - which we were gutted to run out of time to visit. Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://whatdoesntsuck.com/newsletter Follow us on Social Media for regular updates on What Doesn't Suck Facebook https://www.facebook.com/whatdoesntsuck Twitter https://twitter.com/whatdoesntsuck_ Instagram https://instagram.com/whatdoesntsuck/ Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/whatdoesntsuck/