Tour itinerary: Samarkand – Seven lakes – Penjikent – Iskanderkul – Khujand – Tashkent
Season: March – November
Days: 3 | Nights: 2
Short tour from Samarkand to Tajikistan is a wonderful trip to discover the traces of Alexander the Great and explore beautiful Marguzor lakes and Iskanderkul lake,
enjoy sightseeing in ancient cities Penjikent and Khujand.
Book a tour to Tajikistan at special rates!
Meet the driver at the hotel in Samarkand.
08:00 Transfer to border post Jartepa. Border crossing usually takes 30 min-1 hr.
Meet the guide and driver at Tajikistan part of the border.
-The Sarazm Museum (UNESCO World Heritage),
Transfer to Marguzor, the famous seven lakes - seven wonderful water mirrors full of mountain riverside drops. Each lake looks different whenever the sun changes its position. Colors may vary from deep blue to indie color ripple. Most of them are cold to swim even in summer. These lakes belong to Fann Mountains system.
On the western edge of the Fan Mountains in the valley of the river Shing there are seven lakes, six of them are dammed origin, besides the lake Hazorchashma. Lakes are called Marguzor, but each lake has its own name: Nezhigon, Soybean, Gushor, Nofin, Hurdak, Marguzor, Hazorchashma. The difference in level between the upper and lower lake is 692 meters. Easy hike at the lakes. Lunch at the guesthouse.
Transfer to Penjikent.
Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast in the hotel.
Transfer to Khujand via Iskanderkul lake, a real pearl of Fan mountains (located at an altitude of 2 100 meters above sea level). There’re a lot of legends, interesting stories about the lake and our guide will tell you all of them. -Easy hiking in the surroundings to Snake Lake (Ko'li Mor) that is famous for its priscine water. -Waterfall that local call "Fan Niagara" (height 38 meters) situated 800 m below the Iskandar river. It’s very beautiful here and you will have a chance to make beautiful pictures.
Lunch at the guest house.
Evening arrival in Khujand.
Resting time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel.
09:00 Start sightseeing tour in Khujand:
- Khujand, the second-largest city and one of the oldest cities in Tajikistan, the furthest point Alexander the Great reached in Central Asia, so the city was named Alexandria Eschate (Alexandria the Furthest).
- Pushkin square with Kamoli Khudjandi Square;
- Timur Malik’s fortress and Sugd museum;
- Muslihiddin memorial complex;
- Panjshanbe bazaar (The name Panjshanbe comes from Persian language meaning “Thursday”) is one of the oldest markets in Tajikistan;
- Arbob palace.
15:30 Transfer to border Oybek. Border crossing usually takes 30 min- 1 hr.
16:30 Meet the driver at Uzbekistan side of the border. Transfer to Tashkent (96 km, 2 hr).
Arrival in the hotel in Tashkent.
End of the tour.
- Accommodation in standard twin - shared rooms;
- All transfers as per program by comfortable tourist class transport as per road conditions including transfers to- from the borders;
- English speaking escorting guide in Tajikistan;
- Single entry tickets to the sites, museums, mausoleums and nature fees as per program;
- Meals: breakfasts in the hotels; lunch in guesthouse in 7 lakes and lunch in a guesthouse near Iskanderkul ( traditional meals, fixed menu alcohol excluding);
- Tourist tax per person.
- International flights;
- Accommodation in Samarkand and Tashkent ( can be added by request);
- Photo/video fees (professional camera);
- E-visa to Uzbekistan; Tajikistan e-visa (if required);
- Meals: lunches and dinners except those specified under Included;
- Personal travel/medical insurance, portage, tips, personal expenses, and other services not specified under “Tour Price Includes”.
ACCOMMODATION
CITY | STANDARD HOTELS |
PENJIKENT | Panjakent Plaza |
KHUJAND | Parliament / Sugdiyon/ Grand Hotel |
Or other hotels of the same category depending on room availability |