Grand tour of Tajikistan: Fann Mountain lakes, Iskanderkul, and Dushanbe

I'm already back, but I'm still a bit in the mountains)

The reality exceeded expectations. I'd heard about the Fann Mountains and the natural beauty, but it wasn't just the natural beauty—that was a whole other story altogether—it was how we experienced it together.

There were five of us, including a guide. A very warm atmosphere immediately developed in the group. Communication was easy and humorous, and every organizational detail was carefully thought out. At the guesthouses where we stayed, we were greeted with a very homely, attentive welcome. And the food, especially after the pass, seemed like a special bonus to the route – delicious and generous. A special thank you to Zhenya Shabanov, our guide and organizer, for all this.

And, of course, the nature. The lakes are simply unreal – a variety of shades and moods. And the mountains themselves are something special: majestic with snow-capped peaks or charming with green slopes and wildflowers. The pass was a bit difficult for me (it was my first ever, at 3,780 m), and in places I was literally wondering, "Why did I sign up for this?" 😅 And tents are not my favorite way to spend the night. But at the top or next to a stunning lake, you realize you wouldn't undo any of it.

This was one of those trips where I found it a little difficult, uncomfortable in places, but in the end I was left with a very strong feeling that I had lived through it, and it was beautiful.

I’ve traveled with Zhenya Shabanov several times now: we hiked Patandezbashi, went to Turkmenistan together, and most recently did a seven-day trip through the Fann Mountains. He organizes every trip end to end, taking each participant’s interests into account. On our trek he lent everyone his own tents and sleeping bags and took care of the meals; when we went to Turkmenistan — that was back in 2024, when it had only just opened up to tourists — he told us all about his own experience there and put all our worries to rest. Plus, Zhenya is simply fun and interesting to be around — he’s incredibly well-read and always has an amusing story to share. I highly recommend Zhenya!

A great tour for those who want to see the most beautiful lakes of Tajikistan and completely switch off from city life for a few days.
Six days flew by. After crossing the Uzbek–Tajik border we had lunch in Penjikent, where we tried delicious gul-manti — rose-shaped dumplings made of very thin dough. Then we headed to Artuch, and in the evening walked to the Chukurak and Ziyorat lakes.
The second day was memorable for the trek to the Kulikalon lakes. On the way we swam in an icy mountain river, and in the evening enjoyed the silence, the mountains reflected in the water and the starry sky.
The hardest but most impressive part was the climb to the Alaudin pass. The panoramas from the pass and the turquoise Alaudin lakes are worth every effort. Special thanks to Ali for the delicious home-cooked food — after a long trek it was especially welcome.
We spent the next day resting: walked around, swam in the lake, and then drove via the Vertikal mountaineering camp to the Marguzor lakes, admiring the stunning mountain scenery.
The Marguzor lakes also left vivid impressions. Because of the high water level, the paths around the upper lake were flooded, so part of the route had to be walked right through the water, which added a bit of adventure to the trip.
At the end of the route we visited Iskanderkul and the Fan Niagara waterfall. Then we drove to Dushanbe, where we had a little time to walk around the city before flying home.
I would especially like to mention the excellent organization of the tour. Everything was well thought out: the route, transfers, meals and overnight stays. Many thanks to our guide Evgeny for his attention to the group, help on the trail and a wonderful atmosphere throughout the trip.
This trip gave us incredible views, vivid emotions and a real sense of adventure. The photos turned out great, but they cannot convey all the beauty of the Fann Mountains. If you love mountains and active holidays, I definitely recommend this route. Afterwards you are left with only one wish — to come back again.

My wife and I, along with Evgeny, completed the hike to Yukhin Peak.

Let me say up front: the whole time it felt as if we had asked a friend who knows tourism and the mountains inside out to organize this trip for us.

Before the hike, I had a rather superficial idea of what awaited us. But in the end, everything turned out to be much easier, tastier, and more comfortable than I expected. Despite acclimatization and the physical exertion, we confidently completed all the stages of the planned itinerary and reached Yukhin Peak.

There were times when we felt tired. But the fatigue quickly evaporated as more and more mesmerizing panoramas of the Pamirs opened up before our eyes.

Zhenya was there throughout the entire route, offering advice on how to best adapt to the altitude and load, and helping with organizational matters.

Great views, a great guide — our adventure had it all 😁

Thank you to Evgeny Shabanov for two tours, of Tashkent and its surroundings. Yesterday we headed out of the city — we visited the Amirsoy mountain resort, saw the Charvak Reservoir, the village of Khodjikent with its 850-year-old plane trees, ancient petroglyphs, and the Institute of Solar Physics. Our emotions were off the charts — the cable car, the vast expanse of water, seeing walnuts growing on trees for the first time, and even picking some to take home! We felt like stalkers exploring the Institute of Solar Physics. Today’s city tour turned our walk into a fairy tale! We walked all day long, saw all the main sights, monuments, and squares, tried national dishes at a café, and even managed to buy tickets to a local theater! It was fascinating to learn about the country’s history, customs, and traditions, how people live today, and how the monuments on one and the same pedestal kept changing, and we saw lots of mosaics on buildings. We visited Chorsu Bazaar, saw new products being made there today, and learned how they came about. We explored a mahalla and were even invited into a courtyard. The day flew by, and we’ll definitely come back to Uzbekistan to travel with Evgeny and his team to other cities and neighboring countries.

Great company!
Our guide Evgeny is incredibly pleasant, well-educated, athletic, and has a great sense of humor 😀
Despite the rain, we enjoyed walking in the mountains and listened with interest to stories about the sights and history of Tashkent.
Bus driver Umid and his iron horse are also great!

On November 29, 2025, led by Evgeny Shabanov, we visited the Institute of Solar Physics and the Sukok forest.
The children were delighted with everything they saw. The science lessons were vivid, interesting and convincing. The magic power of the Sun amazed the children. Every experiment was met with a storm of emotions. The guides gently introduced the children to the history of their native land and showed them the beauty of the autumn landscapes. The routes were designed with the abilities and interests of fourth-graders in mind.
We liked the comfortable transport and the professionalism of the drivers. All our delight was captured by an experienced photographer. The children were delighted with everything they saw. The parents keep thanking us for the excursion.
Evgeny, we are waiting for new routes.
Good luck to you! Stay healthy! WE LOVE YOU!

I went hiking with Evgeny in the mountains of Uzbekistan — it was beautiful and great fun. Evgeny is an attentive and responsible guide: he always gives advice, takes your wishes into account and explains the route. I will definitely go again :)