Great Silk Road in Tajikistan: Northern, 4 days

hujand, driving through the Hisor and Fann mountains range 10:00 – the same time it is thinkable to receive tourists from the Panjakent/Samarqand border Penjikent is an administrative center in the Sughd region of the Republic of Tajikistan. Penjikent is located in the valley of the Zarafshan River east of the city of Samarkand, at an altitude of 900 meters above sea level. The city is rich in its sights, architectural monuments, a beautiful recreation area on the banks of the Zarafshan River

This is the oldest settlement (IV—II millennium BC) located 15 km west of the district center of Penjikent, on the left bank of the Zeravshan River. Well-preserved palace and religious buildings, public and residential buildings are of great historical and cultural value. Metal and stone products were found at the excavation site, as well as numerous jewelries made of precious stones and processed seashells. The settlement is located within the Bactrian-Margian Archaeological Complex. The destruction of the settlement coincides with the invasion of this territory by nomadic Indo-Iranian tribes. The name "Sarazm" comes from the ancient Tajik word "sari zamin" (the beginning of the earth).

Oromgohi Rudaki) is the mausoleum of the famous poet, writer and scientist, the founder of Tajik—Persian literature-Rudaki (858-941). One of the most famous and popular attractions of the country. The mausoleum of Rudaki is located in the small village of Panjrud, which is located 60 kilometers east of the city of Penjikent. The mausoleum is located inside a small park with green spaces, the entrance to which is marked by a large brick arch of Persian style, with massive decorated wooden gates. The mausoleum itself is located in the center of the square, on a small hill, which is reached by a long staircase surrounded on both sides by trees. ABU ABDULLAH JAFAR RUDAKI is the founder of Persian and Tajik classical literature, the first of the famous Persian poets who began composing poems in the New Persian language. He is considered the "Father of Persian poetry", who stood at the origins of literature in this language.

Istaravshan is a museum city and an ancient center of trade and crafts. It is one of the oldest cities in Central Asia, with a history dating back 2,500 years. It is known that from the sixth to the fourth centuries BC, as crafts and trade developed in settled Asian regions, large urban-type settlements emerged. One such example is Istaravshan, formerly Kyropolis (Kurushkada), named after the founder of the Persian Empire, Kira the Great (529-559 BC). By the time Alexander the Great conquered Central Asia in the 4th century BC, Kurushkada had already grown into a substantial, well-fortified city.

Qusam ibn Abbas, the cousin of the Prophet Muhammad, buried in the 11th century in the Samarkand Shahi Zinda ensemble. Madrasah "Kok Gumbaz" located in the western part of the city. This building of the XVI century was built on the initiative of Abdulatif Sultan, the son of the famous astronomer and philosopher Ulugbek, grandson of Tamerlane.

The Fortress, located on Mount Mug and along the banks of the Zeravshan river, is an site dating back to the 7-8 centuries. In 1933, an archaeological expedition unearthed a significant cache of documents: 74 in Sogdian, one in Arabic, and several in Chinese. The site also yielded a variety of household items, including silk, cotton, and woolen fabrics, as well as leather shoes and wooden utensils. Among the notable artifacts were weapons and coins, offering further insights into the historical significance of the site. Of particular interest is a wooden leather-covered shield bearing the image of a Sogdian warrior.

One of the most notable attractions of Istaravshan is the craftsmanship of its local residents and Tajik artisans. From the main market, a street of pavilions with open doors stretches across the city, where a wide variety of handmade folk crafts are presented. The street of artisans (Rastai Hunarmandon) features a wide array of handmade products, including knives, spoons, earrings, bags, and belts, each of which serves as an essential accessory for daily life. The Artisans Street offers a unique opportunity to purchase these products. 16:00 – continue our trip, departure to Khujand

Visiting places: Central square of Khujand – Khujand Fortress One of the oldest cities in Central Asia is Khujand. The second largest city in Tajikistan, an important transport hub, political, economic, cultural and scientific center of the country. Khujand is located on the banks of the Syr Darya, below the Kayrakkum reservoir, in the Fergana Valley. Khujand is one of the oldest cities in Central Asia, according to some sources, the foundation of the city falls on the VII-VI centuries BC. The Khujand Fortress was founded in the VI—V centuries BC. According to the archaeological dates, the Khujand fortress was first surrounded by a bulk rampart, later by a wall of considerable thickness made of raw material. The city and the citadel — components of ancient Khujand, had separate fortress walls surrounded by a wide and deep moat filled with water.

of Khujand, and opposite it stands the mausoleum of Sheikh Muslihiddin. The bazar consists of the main pavilion and many shops, tents, and shops adjacent to it. It is always very noisy here, as not only residents of the city come to shop, but also guests from nearby villages. The main feature of the Panjshanbe Bazar is its unique architecture and decor.

The Arbob Cultural Palace is a building in Khujand, Tajikistan, the former headquarters of a Soviet collective farm, built in the 1950s and modelled on the winter gardens of Peterhof, St Petersburg. The main building consists of three wings - with an ornate theatre seating 800 people in the main wing. The South wing currently houses a museum which tells the history of Arbob and of collectivization and the soviet empire in Tajikistan. The building had particular significance in 1992, when it was the site for the meeting of the Tajik Soviet which officially declared independence from the Soviet Union. It was the site where the Tajik flag was chosen. In 1990s it was also the site where peace conferences following the Tajik civil war were held. In particular, Tajik President Emomalii Rahmon first came to prominence speaking at the Palace, and it was the site for a "plov of peace" which celebrated successful negotiations towards an agreed end to the Tajik civil war.

The object is located on the western side of Panjshanbeh Square. The facade of the building faces Shark Street. The mosque was built in 1512-1513. The multi-column (30 columns) aivan adjoins the eastern wall of the winter hall, also multi-column (20 columns), and enters the courtyard of the mosque.

Visiting places: City of Qayroqqum – Bahoriston resort – Tajik Sea, Qayroqqum reservoir (you can swim and boating) – Cruise on yacht Kayrakum also spelled variously as Qayroqqum, Qayraqqum, Kayrakum or Kairakum, is a large artificial lake in Ghafurov District of Sughd Province, in northwestern Tajikistan. In 2016, the reservoir was renamed Tajik Sea (Tajik: Баҳри Тоҷик) by the country's parliament. Bahoriston Sanatorium - In a vivid oasis of Sogd valley of Tajikistan, on a shore of a purest Kairakkum reservoir, which is also called the Tajik sea, is located a new sanatorium “Bahoriston”. “Bahoriston” became famous with its rich infrastructure, modern medical diagnostics and highquality of service. “Bahoriston” from Tajik/Persian means “Kingdom of Spring”. Cruise on yacht (at request and expense of traveler)

19:00 – arriving Dushanbe or border Panjakent/Samarqand, end of tour