Great Silk Way: Southern, 9 days

Welcome / meet of tourists from the international airport of Dushanbe or from the Uzbekistan or Kyrgyzstan border Accommodation to hotel in Dushanbe, during day Lunch and dinner at appropriate times

09:00 – welcome tourists from the hotel, departure to Shaartuz (from Dushanbe - 196 km driving) HAZRATI ZAYN AL-ABIDIN Ali ibn Husayn was born on January 6, 658 in Medina. His father was Husayn ibn Ali— the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, and his mother was the Persian princess Shahrbonu, the daughter of the last Sasanian Shah Yazdigerd III. Zayn al-Abidin has the face of a Prophet." Some authors report that people who saw Imam Sajjad could not get enough of him Beshai Palangon Reserve is in Tajikistan close to the Afghan border where the Vakhsh River and the Panj River join to form the Amu Darya. The reserve stretches over 40 km from the southwest to the northeast. The 460 km2 reserve is described by the WWF as the most important nature reserve in Central Asia, because of its large size and ecological diversity. The highest elevations reach about 1,200 m above sea level.

The mausoleum and madrasah of Khoja Mashhad is one of the most famous and outstanding historical monuments in Central Asia. It is located in the south of Tajikistan, in the village of Shaartuz, 6 kilometers from Shakhritus, in the lower reaches of the Kofarnikhon River. The mausoleum and madrasah of Khoja Mashhad are characterized by magnificent proportions and traditional decorative masonry. By the way, the building belongs to the most ancient Muslim buildings of the Republic of Tajikistan and fully reflects the cultural and aesthetic views of the people of the 9th - 12th centuries, embodies the history of an entire era. Khoja Mashhad was a well-known figure in the Islamic world, a missionary and quite a rich man. According to historians, the madrasah was erected at his expense, and after his death they were buried here. Some legends say that the mausoleum arose overnight and is considered a miracle sent by Allah. 13:00 – lunch in the Saartuz restaurant

The name of this place, located near Kurgan-Tube (Bokhtar), translates as "Forty-four springs". Every resident of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan knows about it. Here, near the hill, in the very center of the sunny desert, several wide springs burst out of the ground, spreading into 39 smaller ones. All the springs, connecting into one, form a small river, the width of which is 12-13 meters. There are a lot of fish here. There is a legend that Caliph Ali, noticing a dried-upriver called Romit, drove to Chiluchorchashma and began to pray to Allah that he would give at least a little water. At this time, he hit the ground near the hill, and in the place where his hand touched the soil, several transparent springs appeared. Chiluchorchashma is visited annually by many tourists and pilgrims. People pray, perform ablutions, plunge into springs, make sacrifices. There is an opinion that the water in these springs can heal from diseases.

Faravan Bazar This is the central bazar of Bokhtar city with more interesting infrastructure and fresh and healthy products, fruits and vegetables. In Faravan Bazar we have time for shopping. 19:00 – arriving Bokhtar city, accommodation to hotel 20:00 – dinner in the national restaurant 21:00 – end of day

09:00 – welcome tourists from the hotel Bokhtar (until 2018 — Kurgan-Tube) is a city in southwestern Tajikistan, the administrative center of the Khatlon region. It is located 100 km south of Dushanbe, in the center of a rich oasis in the valley of the Vakhsh River. According to ancient sources, the Kurgan-Tube oasis appeared during the Kushan Kingdom. It was already a big city that had its own currency. At the end of the VII century, it fell under the rule of the Arabs. Near Bokhtar, on the bank of the Vakhsh River, there are ruins of the city of the X—XIII centuries Lagman, probably together with Bokhtar, which was part of a vast oasis. In the middle of the 20th century, archaeologists discovered ancient water pipes, brick wells and fortifications with towers. This city was one of the largest settlements of ancient Bactria and occupied a relatively large territory of 43 hectares.

• The museum located in the center of the city of Bokhtar, created by the decision of the local government in 1999. Not only the exposition attracts visitors here, an interesting circular museum building with a tower in the middle is a subject of admiration and special pride of citizens. The museum's collection includes more than 1,500 exhibits reflecting the history of the formation and development of the city of Kurgan-Tube. Special attention can be paid to the exhibits of the ethnographic section, because here are presented the most beautiful dresses, various panels, jewelry and numerous samples of ceramic products and household utensils of the Tajiks of the XIX–XX centuries. In addition to visiting the exhibition stands, visitors are invited to climb the observation tower.

ted 20 kilometers from the city of Bokhtar. Shrines, stupas, images on the walls, cells, statues were found here. The most interesting find is a sculpture of a reclining Buddha, whose length reaches 12 meters. In 1961, archaeologists arrived here and began excavations, during which more than 500 pieces of art were discovered: statues, reliefs, wall images left over from the cult and living rooms of the monastery. The monastery was incredibly beautiful, its vaults and walls were decorated with paintings. Today, everyone who lives in Bokhtar (Kurgan-Tube) can be proud of this former splendor and imagine how amazing it was here in ancient times. There were niches in the walls where small and large Buddha figures stood. Most of the sculptures in Ajina Tepe were dedicated to him.

14:00 – departure to Kulob (from Bokhtar - 196 km driving) Hulbuk – is an archaeological complex in the Khatlon region. It is located in the village of Mehrobod of the Vosei district. The complex occupies a settlement area of 70 hectares, most of which is occupied by modern buildings. The structure of the settlement includes fragments of the settlement, a medieval fortress and its own palace. The settlement is identified with the ancient city of Hishttepa — the capital of the Khuttal (Khatlon) region in the Ghaznavid empire. In the 9th-13th centuries, Hulbuk was the residence of the governors. The city was probably abandoned during the Mongol invasion. In the early 1950s, archaeologists were interested in this place. Hishttepa (Brick Hill), as numerous ceramic products, glass, metal slag and even more bricks were scattered around it. The walls around the perimeter of the citadel are reinforced with round and square towers.

19:00 – dinner including a concert program in a restaurant 20:00 – and of day

08:00 – welcome of tourists from the hotel KULYAB – is a city in the Khatlon region of Tajikistan. It is located in the valley of the Yahsu River (Panj River basin), at the foot of the Hazrati Shoh ridge, 203 km southeast of the city of Dushanbe. Historically, the city of Kulyab arose 2,700 years ago and for many centuries has been an important political, trade, economic and cultural center of the vast Khatlon region. The city was located on one of the branches of the Great Silk Road and had close trade, economic and cultural ties with many countries of the East and West. During the Middle Ages, the city of Kulyab was an important political, economic and cultural center. MUSEUM OF THE 2700th ANNIVERSARY OF KULYAB – was established in 2006 in honor of the celebration of the 2700th anniversary of the city of Kulb. The museum complex in total currently has more than 5,000 exhibits.

In the center of Kulyab, there is a memorial complex of Mir Sayyid Alii Hamadoni— a poet, philosopher and thinker of the XIV century. His son Muhammad, numerous relatives, as well as the former caretaker of the mausoleum and the mosque under him, Sheikh Shohi Tolikoni, are also buried here. The mausoleum building is a traditional medieval building. Initially, it had three portal entrances with a domed hall decorated with carved decor. This building dates back to the end of the XIV century

rture to Darvaz/Qal’ai Khumb (from Kulob – 169 km driving) 19:00 – arrival in Qal’ai Khumb, hotel accommodation 20:00 – dinner (national cuisine)

08:00 – reception of tourists from hotels Visiting places: Qal’ai Khumb –Ancient city of Karon – Khorog city DARVAZ - is an administrative district within the Gorno–Badakhshan Autonomous Region of Tajikistan. The district center is the village (rural type settlement) of Kalai Khumb, located at an altitude of 1200 meters above sea level, near the confluence of the Obikhumbov River in the Panj, 368 km from Dushanbe, on the border with Afghanistan. "Darvaz" means "gate" and appeared in the IX—X centuries.

The name of the city in translation from the Middle Persian language means "a place located at an altitude". Karon is located east of the village of Kalai Khumb in the historical region of Darvaz, on the ancient caravan road to Khorog, at an altitude of 2000 meters above sea level, in the highlands above the Panj River, near the Tajik-Afghan border. The area of the city is 100 hectares. An altar of the temple of fire, a ritual pool, and a stone stand on which the holy book "Avesta" lay were found in the central square of the city. Islam came to Karon in the XII—XIII centuries. The complex of buildings is presumably a royal palace. The buildings are built of brick. The city had a water supply and drainage system. Workshops for firing bricks are located in the Crown, clay pipes were made. The city was abandoned in the XV century, probably due to the depletion of water resources. 12:00 – lunch (national cuisine)

20:00 – arrival in Khorog, accommodation in a hotel 21:00 – dinner (national cuisine)

09:00 – departure to Ishkashim region (from Khorog - 108 km), accommodation in hotels or sanatorium Garmchashma. Khorog located at an altitude of 2600 m above sea level. By highway, Khorog is connected with the capital of the country - the city of Dushanbe and the Osh region of Kyrgyzstan. Khorog is an important regional center for trade, transport and education. The city has such educational institutions as: Khorog State University, affiliate of the International University of Central Asia (UCA) etc. Khorog is the main tourist center of the Pamirs, and is also one of the starting points for tourists to the main attractions of the Pamirs. Every year, thousands of tourists from around the world travel to the Pamirs to see the beautiful nature, majestic mountains covered with eternal snow, Lake Sarez and many other amazing corners of the Pamirs.

• At the eastern end of the city is the Pamir Botanical Garden - the highest mountain in the CIS and the second highest above sea level in the world (2320 m), after the Botanical Garden of Nepal. The garden was founded in 1940. The collection of the botanical garden includes more than 4 thousand species of plants from all regions of the world. During the period of independence of Tajikistan, the garden continues to function successfully, scientific work is being carried out 12:00 – lunch (national cuisine)

ISHKASHIM • Officially, Ishkashim is the first village in the Wakhan. Just across the border, the first Afghan village is also called Ishkashim as, many years ago, they were one single town. Ishkashim is the largest village in the valley. There’s not much to do in Ishkashim besides wandering around the village and taking pictures of the rural life. Moreover, if you are lucky, once a week, an Afghan market takes places in neutral territory, on an island in the Panj River, just between the two borders.

• Hot mineral springs in Tajikistan, Ishkashim district are located on the western slope of the Shahdarinsky Pamir Range, in the middle reaches of the Garmchashma River. Mineral waters come to the surface from great depths from ancient crystalline and metamorphic rocks in the form of gushing griffins. The exits are located along the crest of a travertine hill formed during the existence of the springs, 7-8 meters high and up to 1500 meters long. The hill slopes down to the river. There are five tiers of travertine deposits on the site, probably of different age. The water of the Garm-Chashma springs belongs to hydrogen sulfide-carbonate, chloride-hydrocarbonate, sodium-siliceous terms. The content of hydrogen sulfide in water is 170 mg/l. The average water temperature is 59 °C. The total mineralization reaches 3.0 - 3.3 g/l. 18:00 – arriving Ishkahism, accommodation in a hotel 19:00 – dinner (national cuisine)

l and remote places in Asia and the world. The Wakhan Valley is a mountainous region that belongs to the Pamir and Hindu Kush ranges, most of it being part of southeast Tajikistan and northeast Afghanistan. For centuries, the Wakhan Valley was an important principate of the famous Kushan, a great empire that extended from southeast Tajikistan to the Ganges Valley itself in India. For this reason, despite being a very mountainous area, in the valley you find several fortresses located on the top of very high hills, offering the most epic and impressive views ever. Historically, the region served as a dividing line between west and east Asia, so the valley became an important Silk Road route as well. With all this historical context, its incredible landscape, and awesome people, the Wakhan Valley is the ultimate adventure and a place you can’t miss in your journey through Tajikistan.

Arriving from Ishkashim, just two kilometers from the tiny hilltop village of Namadgut, you will find the Qahqaha Fortress, a ruined fort with spectacular views of the Pyanj River, offering sweeping views of both Afghanistan and Tajikistan. • Yamchun. In this pretty village built on top of a cliff, you will find the Yamchun Fort, which is 2000 years old and was used to protect the townspeople during the Kushan Empire. The Yamchun fortress is the most impressive place in the entire Wakhan valley, as it offers stunning views of the valley and the Afghan Hindu Kush, whose snow-capped peaks jut out against the backdrop of the fortress. Yamchun also has several famous hot springs called Bibi Fatima.

and the exchange of goods between civilizations and empires, but also the fact that many different people from different religions left their religious and cultural mark. It is for this reason that in Vrang you can find a Buddhist stupa from the 4th century, the origin and history of which, unfortunately, remain rather unknown. The stupa is built on the highest point of the village, offering breathtaking views of the valley.

18:00 – end of trip / hiking, way back to Ishkashim / hotel 20:00 – dinner

08:00 – way back, departure to Dushanbe (from Ishkashim, Garmchashma - 720 km driving); lunch on the way. 20:00 – arriving Dushanbe, accommodation 21:00 – dinner in national restaurant

07:00 – breakfast at hotel